Mucho fun in coffee country (From York Press)

Mucho fun in coffee country

12:18pm Thursday 18th June 2009 in

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KAY FRANCES embarks on a South American adventure to Colombia, a South American country with surprising depths to it.

ARRIVING in the coffee region of Colombia, we peered excitedly from the aeroplane window at the view below. Coffee, palms and plantane covered the verdant, terraced hillsides where expensive-looking homes with swimming pools dotted the landscape.

Our tour bus took us along pristine lanes, with manicured hedges and sweet bougainvillea.

This was a world apart from the Colombia we’d imagined; a poor country, with pot-holed roads and scant infrastructure – little evidence of that here.

Back home, friends had voiced concern about my trip. Mention Colombia to anyone and they usually associate it with drug cartels.

But away from ‘unsafe’ zones, life goes on as usual; there’s a new wave of optimism in the country and tourism is beginning to flourish.

We arrived at our luxury ‘finca’ (Spanish for country house) and any fears we’d had about our safety melted away. “Mucho gusto, mucho gusto” (“pleased to meet you, pleased to meet you”), enthused the owner, greeting us like long lost relatives.

From my room, I had a superb view to the high Andes. Swimming in the infinity pool, we watched exotic birds of bright blue and yellow just a few feet away and tiny humming birds gorging on the plentiful nectar.

Then we sampled our host’s hospitality; a dinner of fried plantane with steak, corn pancakes, avocado salad and fresh mandarin juice.

This area yields nearly half of Colombia’s coffee crop, the country’s third largest export (after petroleum and coal) and boasts the national coffee park.

We set out to discover more about the sacred bean. Colombians are extremely proud of their coffee and rightly so. “Known as Colombian mild, it is characterised by its soft terroir,” our guide explained. “When the coffee is freshly roasted, it has a bright acidity and is intensely aromatic.”

Juan walked us through the plantation, down a zigzag path, all the while stopping to explain the various processes of planting, picking, washing and drying coffee beans.

Two million people depend on the production of coffee in Colombia and the country is the third largest producer in the world, after Brazil and Vietnam. It’s big business and the income generated has allowed this region to invest in new roads, sewerage, electricity, schools and health.

We took shade in a soothing grove of giant bamboo trees, where butterflies splashed orange, red and yellow on to the green canvas. Wild orchids, birds of paradise, a toucan and a pair of vivid green parrots vied for our attention. Down in the valley, a cable car took us back up to the start of our tour and offered us stunning views over the Cordillera Central mountain range.

National parks (of which there are many, some with thermal baths) are not the only pastime on offer here. Later inside a rustic bar, we discovered how the men like to wile away an evening or two. A jukebox blasted out Colombian music, pans of soup bubbled on a stove and suddenly an explosion of gunpowder resonated through the place making us jump with shock – perhaps we weren’t safe here after all?

The local men were playing ‘tejo’. In the games room, two lanes were set out as if for cricket practice, with nets in between. At one end, a large board with white gunpowder sachets pinned in the middle, was propped up against the wall.

At the other end, the men threw ‘shots’ (large stones), the aim being to hit the white target and cause the gunpowder to explode. We spent a happy hour sipping ‘aguardiente’ – a 29 per cent-proof liqueur made from sugarcane and flavoured with aniseed – and attempted unsuccessfully to improve our game.

Next evening, we opted for a more relaxing pursuit: a horseback ride around the beautiful Cauca valley. We headed off along a high ridge, with fabulous views of bamboo groves in the valleys below and across to the central mountains. At dusk, the gossip of cicadas grew louder and louder and, as if by magic, we were treated to a dazzling light show when dozens of fireflies lit up the bushes nearby. Not everything on our whistle-stop tour had been so relaxing. Back in the capital city of Bogota, where our journey began, the pace of life was much more hectic. This sprawling metropolis didn’t appeal instantly, until we met the people and realised the allure of its many world-class attractions. “I’m so pleased you’re visiting my country,” said our guide, as she shook our hands warmly, obviously delighted to see more tourists in her home city. In years gone by, Bogota was considered a place to avoid, but not any more. Improved security has seen visitor numbers rise. “Bogota, is like a woman,” said Maria. “She changes her mind often, but she cares a lot about aesthetics.”

Home to beautiful churches, more than 60 museums and attractions and a buzzing nightlife scene, Bogota is now billing itself as one of the most vibrant cities in South America. At 8,500 feet above sea level, it’s blessed with mountain views and has a pleasant 14 to 18 degrees temperature year round.

A walking tour through ‘La Candelaria’, the city’s historic quarter revealed colourful Spanish colonial buildings and chic cafés. At the gold museum, we marvelled at intricate works by the indigenous peoples, made long before the Spanish settlers arrived; earrings from 500 BC, funeral masks of 22-carat gold and finely crafted filigree jewellery. Most impressive for me though, was our visit to the Salt Cathedral, a 45-minute drive north from Bogota at Zipaquira. In a disused salt mine, one of the country’s leading architects has created a living, breathing underground cathedral, 180 metres below ground and made entirely from salt. Taking four years and millions of dollars to build, it’s an incredible marriage of art and engineering. Colombians love their music, usually of a different kind. Whether it’s salsa, cumbia (popular in the countryside), or vallenato (more common on the Caribbean coast – played with African style wooden drums and accordion).

The best place to sample the music and dance is a short bus ride from Bogota at Andres Carne De Res.

As we walked into this ranch-style restaurant/nightclub, our senses were attacked from all directions; every inch of the place was decorated in fun-loving kitsch. We ordered mojito cocktails crammed full of fresh mint.

A vallenato dance troupe arrived at our table, drums pounding, the dancers all in outlandish costumes and decorated with face paint. We jumped on the benches and danced to the infectious beat and a smiling lady shouted across to me: “Love my country! You can’t help it!”

I began to reflect on our journey: the stunning landscapes of the coffee region, the fascinating museums of Bogota, the fun loving people, the music and, above all, the infectiously warm welcome. Nowhere had I felt the least bit threatened or unsafe; quite the opposite.

Colombia is not only for the brave; it’s a land of great contrasts and the loveliest of people and it’s just waiting to be discovered.

Fact file

Getting there: Several UK tour operators offer trips to Colombia. York-based Quartz Travel offers tailor-made and organised tours. A nine-day tour including flights and accommodation costs around £1,950 per person based on two people sharing. Tel 01904 411188 quartz-travel.co.uk colombiatravel.com

• We flew from Heathrow via New York (Newark) to Bogota with Continental Airlines. We travelled to London by train with National Express East Coast (nationalexpresseastcoast.com) or phone 08457 225225.

Accommodation: Casa Dann Carlton, Bogota (casadann.com.co)

The Hotel Campestre La Navarra, Coffee Region, (hotelcampestrelanavarra.com)

La Finca el Bosque Del Saman, Coffee Region (elbosquedelsman.com)

Language: Spanish

Currency: Peso

Safety record: • Bogota is now considered to be the third safest city in South America. However always check the security situation if you plan to visit very remote areas, which are likely to be military or rebel-held areas.