.: Parque Nacional del Café

Colombian coffee beans

When my friends in Bogotá told me about the national park in Quindio dedicated to coffee I couldn't wait to get there. Parque Nacional del Café is located just outside the city of Armenia in the heart of Colombia. Quindio is famous for its quality coffee and banana plantations and practically cover the entire department. So after an 8-hour bus journey from Bogotá I arrived in Armenia just before dark last night. César had recommended a "cheap" place to stay that was listed under the "hostel" section in the phone book. Although César has never stayed there, he assured me it was a national chain of reputable hostels that were cheap and comfortable. I showed the address to the taxi driver at the bus terminal who seemed to know exactly where it was.

The taxi driver took me to my accommodation which was several miles outside the city. He helped me with my baggage and left me at the reception desk. I looked around to observe my surroundings – the place wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Beyond the terrace in front of me I could see several large swimming pools and well manicured gardens. Something told me this wasn’t a hostel and I was right. For 80,000 Colombian pesos a night I almost collapsed. It was late at night and considering how far away from the city I was I had no choice but to accept. The room was really nice (of course it should be for the price they charged) and was air-conditioned with a bathroom and TV. The complex looks like a huge holiday resort for families except it was completely empty. It was as if I had the whole place to myself, including all four swimming pools. Although I've just had the luxury of staying at a house in Bogotá it felt strange to be in such a clean, pleasant environment. But the guilt didn't take long to subside and I decided to made the most of what facilities they had. This morning I woke up early, went for a swim in the pool, had breakfast at the restaurant and then made my way to the park on a local bus.

It took 30 minutes to get to the park and I passed many coffee and platano plantations along the way. Platano is a Colombian vegetable which belongs to the banana family. It's difficult to order any meal in this country without it being accompanied by a slice of fried platano. The main purpose for visiting Armenia was to learn more about the production of coffee and I certainly did just that. The park not only offered museums and exhibitions with interesting information but also some of the most incredible gardens and landscapes too. My whole morning was spent walking along the "Coffee Trail" which presented many different types of flora and fauna. Coffee, of course, was everywhere escept when interrupted by jungle, bamboo forests and tons of exotic tropical flowers and plants. I couldn't stop taking pictures of everything that introduced itself. It truly was a remarkable place but the best part was when I got to visit the "Jardín de Café" (Garden of Coffee) which featured different coffee plants from around the world. Ethiopia, Brasil, Colombia, Costa Rica...you name it, they had the beans and were all growing side by side. A world of coffee right before my very eyes!