Saturday Adventure

Saturdays are becoming my tourist days, when I go to visit some place in the area that is frequented by touistas. Yesterday, Kayla, Roberto, and I headed out for a large coffee finca (farm) in SanFelipe named "Filadelphia." This is a huge family operation, and it is possible to see every aspect of the farming, processing, and selling of coffee. Wow, did I have a lot to learn! I think I will become a much better label reader since I now realize the many possible differences.. and I might even quit complaining so much about the price of a pound of really GOOD coffee.

Living in Guatemala may  spoil me since I have now been able to drink many a very GOOD cup of coffee, free of acidity, bitterness, and oxidation. No more instant, no more decaf, probably no more Folgers either. Above is a photo of Alex, our VERY informative English speaking guide. To the left he is showing us the grafting process for the plants. Since great coffee only lives for a few years, it is grafted to the stem of a "robust" plant. The first few years it produces purely the

great coffee, then in successive years, a hybid. At the right is a red coffee berry squeezed to produce the inner kernel. The very sweet berry (Yes, I ate some) is used to make jams and jellies (and sometimes fertilizer.) The gooey outside of the kernal is used to make Kalua. (Yes, I tasted that too.) The the kernal goes on through a process of a dozen steps to produce a very fine coffee, and separate the kernals which will become good, but not the BEST coffee instead.

After several separations, washings, and roasting, this is the bean, now separated from the chaff. On the right is a pretty  little dude involved in pollination. Below is a worker who hand picks in season, and cuts the lumber from the shade trees when the coffee is not producing.

Below Kayla, Roberto, and I stop of an "after" cup of smooth coffee, and enjoy the view of San Felipe in front of Volcano Aqua. Kayla wanted to go zip lining but the rainy season weather got in the way. (Maybe on Monday Kayla)

It rained so hard most of the afternoon that the water bounced off the livingroom roof right into the house. It was dark and a bit chilly then.. a good time for siestas or reading.... or in my case, lesson planning.


That is what it is doing again today. I had a great morning and early afternoon shopping in Central Park and running errands. Now it is dark and pouring rain. I guess it makes me appreciate the sunlight when it is here.


Have a great week in Blogland. Love and hugs, Noanie-Mom