Colombia's Gold

The hands that reach out to me are marked by decades of hard work. Deep furrows have formed, skin browned by the sun. Don Jaime proudly shows us how to extract the almond from a coffee cherry and process it into Colombian coffee. I take a red cherry from his hand and look at it more closely. It is only remotely reminiscent of the cherries I used to pick from the tree in Grandma's garden during the summers I visited her. Even the almond inside the coffee cherry doesn't come across as an almond, but is simply the bean we used to grind in our old coffee grinder back in the day. Only it is white and covered with a sweet slime.

Coffee cherry on bush, Jardin Colombia

In the morning we took a plane from Bogotá to Medellin. There we rented a car and left for Jardin, which is about 150 kilometers south of Medellin. Our destination is the coffee and banana plantations in the heart of Colombia. The landscape is reminiscent of a European low mountain range and is interspersed with valleys and mountains around 2000 meters. Around Medellin the road is still two lanes. This changes as soon as one reaches the valley Quebrada Sinifana. At the Rio Cauca, the slopes drop steeply and the settlements are squeezed close to the road. Behind the house, the road immediately descends steeply again to the river. Long avenues of trees separate the pastureland from the road and provide shade. Again and again signs point to game, only here it is animals, where we ponder for a long time, which animal it actually is, on the sign. In the valley Quebrada La Linda the slopes become so steep that the nature by landslides, the road, at least partly, has taken back. Behind every bend you have to expect that you get oncoming traffic, because the road can only be passed by one vehicle. We approach Andes and the river, which changes its name numerous, is now called Rio San Juan. 

Mountain landscape Jardin, Colombia

We have only a few more kilometers to Jardin and the turnoff that will finally take us to our finca, in the middle of the mountains around Jardin. From Carin, an American who speaks very good German and works on the finca, we were forewarned. In case of need, we should stay overnight in Jardin and only the next day, come up to the finca by jeep cab. The regular way is closed by a landslide and the detour by the persistent rains, in recent days, very softened. Especially in the dark it is not advisable to drive this way the first time, says Carin. Of course, Carin was right, but as is the case with my thick skull, to the chagrin of Gaby, such things are challenges that I am reluctant to escape. We borrowed a 4-wheel drive from the car rental agency and turned onto the narrow dirt road. Staggered with potholes, partly deep tracks through mud and clay, we finally reach the finca. On the way there, we were sometimes no longer sure whether we will ever find it, but after what felt like an eternity, we then stood in front of the gate and were warmly greeted by Carin. I think in the end she sweated more than we did to get us up here in one piece. Carin proves to be extremely valuable and organizes for us the tour at Don Jaime, a pizza evening in a neighboring finca with Swiss management and accompanies us on the sightseeing tour of Jardin. We move into a small cottage in the finca and even have a warm shower. Besides dogs and chickens, there is a horse, two goats, goldfish and a cat. The breakfast is always very rich and after a short time we are integrated into the community living there.

Finca in Jardin, Colombia

Don Jaime is a man who has never shied away from hard work. His eyes sparkle with enthusiasm when he talks about coffee, today's gold of Colombia, and how it is produced. His finca is in the best condition. The slopes where the coffee bushes are located are steep and when picking the coffee cherry you realize how exhausting this work is. Even though we only understand half of it due to our lack of Spanish, it is very interesting to listen to Don Jaime. Since he also owns horses, we arrange a horseback riding tour for the next day. A wonderful experience to sit on the back of a horse and enjoy the landscape. 

Don Jaime, Jardin Colombia

In the evening we meet a German speaking community in the Finca Paito Bonito. A Swiss woman lives there with her Colombian husband and her children. We also meet Valentina who finances her trip through South America with a little work. With wheat beer and pizza in the middle of the Colombian mountains, I will remember this evening forever. The next morning we decide to visit the town of Jardin. Carin and Andres from Venezuela, who also lives and works on the finca, accompany us. Jardin has about 15'000 inhabitants, among them the two cyclists Jorge Humberto Martinez Correa and Daniel Jaramilo. The town was founded in 1863 and derives most of its income from agriculture. The houses are colorfully painted and date mainly from the colonial period. 

Jardin, Colombia

The neo-Gothic cathedral Basilica Menor de la Inmaculada Conception, stands in the middle of the town. Numerous, small bars and pubs surround the large square that spreads out in front of the cathedral. Around Jardin there are trails and excursions that let you enjoy the landscape. We visit the Cascada del Amor waterfall. Andres proves to be a good guide, and in a cafe we enjoy once again the excellent Colombian coffee. Back at the finca, our stay slowly comes to an end and the next morning we start our way back to Santa Marta via Medellin. 

Carin and Gaby in Jardin, Colombia

Late in the evening we reach Santa Marta and feel the difference in temperature, 26°C are simply more pleasant than 18°C. Nevertheless, we look back on a few interesting days. Colombia is a scenic and very diverse country. We make some new friends and meet some old ones after our return to Santa Marta. We decide to stay here for another month and explore the country further. What we experience next you can read next week in the same place. Until then, we wish you always fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.