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Category Archives: South America
From ‘crop to cup’ – part 1 of 4.
I have been receiving a lot of questions about coffee production here in Colombia. First a history lesson. Used traditionally by nomadic mountain warriors of the Galla tribe in Ethiopia, where the plant is indigenous, coffee was first eaten as … Continue reading
Hacienda Venecia.
Located within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ´Coffee Triangle´, just 20 minutes from Manizales, Hacienda Venecia is a fourth generation working coffee farm made up of 200 hectares, of which 170 hectares produce coffee. Hacienda Venecia is a commercial coffee business, … Continue reading
Posted in Colombia
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‘Wake up and smell the coffee’.
It was probably three weeks ago when the email appeared in my inbox, it was from my accountant. Attached to the email was an unwelcome letter from the Inland Revenue. The IR were chasing ‘outstanding payments’ and they wanted them … Continue reading
Posted in Colombia
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The 659 steps
The tiny town of Guatapé is a popular Medellin getaway for tourists and locals alike who want to wander its pretty streets and take boat trips out onto the artificial lake, El Embalse del Peñol. Looming over the lake is … Continue reading
Bridge over troubled water
Located east of Medellin, the wonderfully preserved colonial town of Santa Fe de Antioquia makes for a great day trip from Medellin. The driver of the local bus, which I had unluckily chosen, was obviously on ‘something’. Ignoring every single … Continue reading
‘Turn on, tune in, drop out’
Medellin (pronounced ‘Medajean’), the city of Colombia’s proudest residents, the paisas, is an amazing place. It was once the world’s most murderous city, though you’d never know it today. With a perfect, perpetual spring-like climate, chic shopping malls, world-class restaurants … Continue reading
‘The only risk is never wanting to leave’
Cartagena – pronounced ‘Cartahena’. A fairy-tale city of romance, legends and sheer beauty, Cartagena is a beautiful city with cobbled alleys, enormous balconies shrouded in bougainvillea and massive churches casting their shadows across leafy plazas. Founded in 1533, Cartagena swiftly … Continue reading
Posted in Colombia
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I’m an agronomist, get me out of here!
The lost city (Colombia) Ciudad Perdida – (literally, ‘Lost City’) is one of the largest pre-Colombian towns discovered in the Americas. It was built between the 11th and 14th centuries on the northern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa … Continue reading
“Giant steps are what you take…..”
Salta to San Pedro De Atacama (SPDA). Departure 00:30, arrival 11:30 (approx). An unexpected reunion at the Salta bus station meant that the waiting time just flew by. It had been nearly a month since I last saw Robyn and … Continue reading
Posted in Chile
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The road to hell.
Cordoba to Salta – departure 17:40, arrival 06:30 (approx). For the next leg of my journey I foolishly decided to save some money and travel Semi-Cama, as opposed to Executive-Cama. I would regret this decision, and all for the sake … Continue reading
Posted in Argentina
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