Things that are basically always vegan in Colombia, unless otherwise noted.

Vegans can almost always eat or drink:

1. Juice (jugo) except that you nearly always need to specify jugo con agua, because a lot of places like to put milk in it, making it jugo con leche. I recommend lulo, mora, naranja, and maracuya.

2. Lentils (lentejas). Lentil soup is naturally vegan in Colombia, except in resaurants and homes that like to make things fancy and add chorizo. So, just ask if you are in doubt: Tiene carne o pollo o chorizo o sustancia? If they say no, you´re good to go.

3. Fruits and veggies, although I generally don´t think it is a great idea to eat any of the fruit sold at street vendors, solely because most of them do not wear gloves or wash their hands and I have gotten sick too many times.

4. Some crackers sold in Supermarkets. Most Dux and Club Crackers are okay. Almost no granola bars are. Read the ingredients. Avoid anything with huevos, leche, mantequilla, queso or gelatin.

5. Santander 70% dark chocolate. This is very important.

6. Rice (sometimes it has butter, which is mantequilla, or milk, which is leche.) I like coconut rice best, which is arroz de coco.

7. Salads without dressing (or only oil, which is aceite, and vinegar, which is vinagre).

8. Most versions of plantains, including platano maduro, patacon, and tostones. When ordering a giant patacon (like in Salento), the best vegan topping is a mixture of pina and pimenton, but it goes by different names. Just ask for it. Platano maduro is sometimes served with butter or cheese, so just ask if it has queso. (Tiene queso o mantequilla?) Tostones should be fine no matter what, but avoid eating most Colombian guacamole, because they put mayonaise in it (generally speaking, it is okay in most Mexican restaurants though.)

9. Canned beans in the supermarket that are ONLY beans... basically just garbanzos. Always read the ingredients, and avoid anything called manteca de cerdo or other meat.

10. Fruit popsicles at Mimo´s.

11. The refried beans at many Mexican restaurants.

12. Falafel at most Arabic resaurants.

13. Things you cook yourself.

Parque Nacional del Cafe, Montenegro, Colombia

It's a long weekend here (today is one of those Catholic holidays), so on Saturday the "gringos" went to the one place everyone always tells us to go and the one place none of us had ever been: Parque Nacional del Cafe. I haven't mentioned it much before, but since the beginning of Term 3 there have been 5 American teachers at LPV (previously there were 3, me, Warren, and Ben, who teaches high school English). We very occasionally do activities as a group (bars, food, parties, etc.), and for whatever reason, we decided to tackle Parque del Cafe as a group of gringos instead of asking a Colombian friend to help us out.

What that means is that we took the wrong bus and probably spent too much money, but we also had a great time.

Parque Nacional del Cafe is literally a theme park dedicated to coffee and the coffee-growing spirit of Colombia. The rides are not exactly thrilling, but the landscape is beautiful and we saw an enjoyable "Show del Cafe" that featured traditional dances, music, and costumes. It was a good day and we had fun, especially after we returned to Pereira and ate at one of the only restaurants in PEI that I can recommend for vegans--Kilaba. (It's an Arabic restaurant across from Pepe Ganga on Circunvalar. Decent hummus and falafel.) Anyway, I've outlined my advice for Parque Nacional del Cafe below. Hope it's helpful!

1. To get there, DO NOT take the Expreso Alcala bus that says it goes directly to Parque del Cafe. It is a lie. It goes on the back roads to Montenegro, and then you need to take a bus, taxi, or Jeep Willys to get to Parque del Cafe. INSTEAD, take a bus to Armenia (there are a lot of express buses to Armenia from both Cali and Pereira). Once you arrive, you can arrange to take a Willys, taxi, or bus to Parque del Cafe. I imagine a bus is the cheapest way, but due to Expreso Alcala's false advertising, we went the wrong way there and took a Jeep Willys from Montenegro. The Jeep ride cost us 8,000 pesos total from Montenegro. A taxi was apparently 7,000, but we didn't fit in a taxi, and we didn't feel like finding a bus. A taxi TO Armenia from the park was 20,000 and a Jeep was 25,000.
On our first jeep:
2. Once you arrive, you have a lot of choices when it comes to buying a ticket. We had planned to do the "7 aventuras" ticket, but when we arrived our group decided to do the "multiple" ticket instead, which was more expensive but included everything. My advice is this: if you have all day, especially during the week, and also if you like horses, go for the multiple ticket. If you don't have all day (We had less than 6 hours) and you don't care if you ride the horses or not, go for "7 aventuras." Remember you will waste a lot of time standing in lines for the rides and/or shows. If you want to skip the rides and just walk around the park, you could definitely do that. It's also possible to pay for the various attractions when you do them.

3. What to do: Take the teleferico down to the main part of the park OR walk down the hill through the "Forests of Myths and Legends." Enjoy the rides but don't expect Six Flags roller coasters. Make sure you spend a substantial amount of time just wandering through the park, because it is quite beautiful. I think the park itself is much cooler than the rides. Also, make sure you see the "Show del Cafe." It's not exactly Broadway, but it was fun and I enjoyed it. The show is about an hour; make sure you are in line at least 30 minutes before the doors open. Apparently the museum is a bit lame; we didn't have time to go in so I can't personally attest to this. The teleferico and coffee fields below:


4. Food: There are restaurants outside of the park and inside the park. Snacks and drinks were not marked up inside the park, and you could bring small food items inside in a purse/backpack. Apparently the park serves good food, but all I had was juice, popcorn, and cotton candy. Those were all good though!

5. Leaving: To leave, we took a Willy to Armenia's bus terminal and then hopped onto a direct bus to Pereira. Definitely easy. The bus cost 7,700 pesos and the Jeep was 25,000 for 5 of us. A taxi would be cheaper (and warmer) but as I said before, we didn't fit.

Overall impressions: I think Parque del Cafe is a good stop in Colombia if you have time and you don't mind going a bit out of the way for it, as it is not really close to anything. It isn't cheap, so try to spend the entire day there to get your money's worth. Personally, I'm glad I took my family to a real coffee finca instead of Parque del Cafe. It's a nice place, but the coffee finca was more authentic (and cheaper). Parque del Cafe is a nice place to spend a day though, and it is a very safe and easy option for tourists. Almost all the signs were translated into decent English, and it was definitely geared for mass tourism.

I know I'm supposed to write more about veganism, and I'll try to this week, but we've been busy so I can't promise anything. Sorry!

Melody's Guide to Cartagena de Indias

Ahh... Cartagena. I never properly posted about it after our first trip, and I definitely owe it a better post since our last trip. Cartagena is by far my favorite city in Colombia. I even love it more than Medellin, and I LOVE Medellin. In my opinion, Cartagena is the very best of what Colombia offers in one package. Good (but hot) weather all year, the Caribbean Sea, a beautiful setting, great restaurants, fun things to do, easy access to other places in both the States and South America, tourist activities, and easy reach to other destinations in Colombia. Unlike other places in this country, it also has really great hotels and decent hostels. (Medellin has decent hotels, too, but still not Cartagena quality.)



Here are some important tips:
1. Cartagena is hot. Bring and wear sunscreen, because the sun is bright! Even with SPF 30 you'll get a tan.
2. Try to stay somewhere with a pool and air conditioning so you have a cool place to retreat to in the afternoons.
3. If possible, stay in one of the gorgeous boutique hotels in the Old City or Getsemani.
4. Plan to spend your evenings wandering around the Old City.
5. Know that if you are on a super tight budget, it just isn't as enjoyable.
6. Avoid street hawkers with a simple, "No, gracias."
7. If you are a Colombian or someone living in Colombia, the Hard Rock Cafe is fun. Go during lunch and try to find one of the many 20% off coupons floating around the city. It's super cheap that way.
8. Splurge on a carriage ride through the Old City at night.
9. Take taxis at night if you are staying in Getsemani.
10. Drink a coco-limonada.

First things first... getting to Cartagena. There are three options for tourists: by plane, by bus, and by boat. You can take a boat from Panama (and many cruise ships stop in Cartagena), you can take buses from virtually any major city in Colombia, and you can fly from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and many other cities within Colombia and the world. I recommend flying when possible. Cartagena's airport is probably the nicest one in Colombia.

When to go? NOT in December, the beginning of January, Easter Week, or the summer. Those are prime tourists times, and the streets will either be crawling with thousands of Colombians (December, January, and Easter) or thousands of Americans (summer). We loved being there in October--it was quiet and even though there were other tourists, we only saw fellow Americans a few times. There was more of a European/South American crowd, and therefore fewer hawkers on the streets. (Hawkers love Americans.)

Once in Cartagena, get ready to take some expensive taxis. Taxi fare starts at 5,000 pesos (roughly $2.50), while in Pereira taxis start at 3,700. It's quite a leap, but not awful because Cartagena isn't that big. Taxi drivers don't know the names of all the hotels or restaurants in the city, and many of the streets in the Old City don't allow taxis. Whenever you are going somewhere, use a map to find a nearby landmark (like a plaza) and just tell the taxi driver to head there. Obvious exceptions would be the entrance to the Old City, most hotels in Bocagrande, the Sofitel or Hotel Charleston in the Old City, the airport, and the Hard Rock Cafe.

Where you should stay in Cartagena really depends on your budget and company. There are many hostels, especially in the Getsemani neighborhood. They tend to be in the seedier section of Getsemani, and they definitely attract a certain type of backpacker (think dreadlocks). If possible, I definitely recommend hotels. There are hundreds of hotels to choose from. The Old City and Getsemani offer a lot of boutique hotels which are very nice, Bocagrande offers more modern and large-scale hotels, and then there are shady hotels in Getsemani and super fancy over-priced hotels in the Old City. I recommended Casa Santa Ana, a boutique hotel in Getsemani, but just do some searching online to find something that fits your needs and budget. (Check out TripAdvisor, and make sure you look at the specialty lodging and B&Bs.) An absolute must is to find a place with air conditioning, because Cartagena is hot and humid. If at all possible, stay somewhere with a rooftop pool, and if it matters to you, try to find a place with hot water. A rooftop pool in the Old City is great because you are close to everything, but still can cool off during the afternoon. Bocagrande offers hotels on the beach, but Cartagena's beaches really aren't that wonderful, so I personally wouldn't stay there. It's better to be within walking distance of the Old City.

What to do...
1. Relax. The first time we went to Cartagena, we made the mistake of being tourists. Cartagena is hot, humid, and dusty in the afternoon. It's not a great place to walk around seeing the sights. Instead, spend your days relaxing, and spend your early mornings and nights/evenings sightseeing. Don't be hard on yourself for taking an afternoon nap in your air-conditioned room or lounging by the pool drinking beer. That's one of the best things you can do in Cartagena.

2. Go to the Castillo de San Felipe. It's an old fort where the Spanish stored their gold, and there's a lot of history behind it. It's a good morning activity, and shouldn't be skipped. (Although we did skip it on our second trip... no need!)


3. Walk the walls around the old city. This is one of the most enjoyable and quintessential experiences in Cartagena. I like walking them at sunset. It's cooler and the walls make a great place to watch the sun set over the Caribbean.


4. Wander through the Old City. It's not that big, but comfortable footwear does make it more enjoyable. The streets are beautiful, and the flower-covered balconies and twisting ivy make great photos. Be sure to see the old cathedrals and Plaza de Bolivar.
5. Eat. I recommend eating at least one meal in Plaza de Santo Domingo, even just for the atmosphere. Torre Luna was also great for a vegetarian meal. San Pedro had veg pad thai, but bad service.
6. Try to visit India Catalina, she's cool.
7. Relax again. For real.

Get out: One of the coolest things about Cartagena is how close it is to the Rosario Islands and Baru Island. If you have time, do your best to go to the Rosarios, which are gorgeous, and definitely to go to Playa Blanca on Baru. I didn't actually go to Playa Blanca, but our boat went past it, and it looked absolutely gorgeous.
(above, Playa Blanca) Apparently it gets packed on the weekends, so I'd recommend paying a taxi driver a lot of money (or taking a bus/renting a car) and going there during the week. We went by it on a Friday and there was literally NO ONE on the beach. Other places you can go are Santa Marta and Baranquilla, which are a few hours away by bus.

I personally wouldn't recommend SportBaru unless you do it as a day trip and everything is included. I think it would be better to pay someone that money to take you to Playa Blanca or the Rosarios.

*side-note* Many of these pictures are from last summer, and two of the pictures (night photo of Cartagena & Playa Blaca are from the interwebs.

***For those of you waiting oh so patiently for the vegan posts, I promise they are coming! This is my last vacation post.***

Review: Casa Santa Ana, Cartagena, Colombia

Above: Limonadas we received when we arrived. Limonadas are my favorite drink in Colombia (in Cartagena they also make coconut limeade!)

I apologize for the pictures, they aren't my best, but hopefully they will demonstrate how awesome this hotel was... and FYI, this is a picture heavy post.

First of all, if you are going to Cartagena, you have a few options when it comes to lodging. You can stay in the modern and generally upscale neighborhood of Bocagrande, you can stay in any array of generally over-priced hotels, B&Bs, and hostels inside the Old Walled City, you can rent a house or apartment, you can stay in a hostel in Getsemani, or you can stay in one of the cities exquisite boutique hotels. Cartagena, for whatever reason, seems to specialize in tiny boutique hotels. Generally, they are built in remodeled houses in the old city, which is great because it means they are usually beautiful and that they help to preserve a lot of the integrity of the old colonial buildings.

I found Casa Santa Ana on TripAdvisor. It was ranked quite highly under "specialty lodging," was more affordable than the other places we were considering, and we decided to go for it. Casa Santa Ana is located in Getsemani, which is actually just outside of the real walled city. We stayed in Getsemani last summer, but it a much noisier and dirtier part of the neighborhood. This time, we were a few steps away from Plaza de la Trinidad, where an old church stands (and I think it is being renovated). Getsemani is a real Colombian neighborhood, and as such it offers salons, grocery stores, street vendors, playing children, and Comcel shops galore. Although the Old City is probably a tad bit safer, I prefer Getsemani because there aren't pushy hawkers trying to get tourists to buy things. The Old Walled City is special because it has been almost completely renovated, and it is very beautiful. It is also where most of the best restaurants are located, so it is convenient. That said, Getsemani is a quick walk (or taxi ride at night) from the Old City, and it's in the process of being renovated. It was a good base for our trip.

Above, street art in Getsemani and La Trinidad Church

Now, for the real review:
When we arrived, we were greeted by Jamie, who was our hostess for our entire stay. She led us to couches and had Gloria (another staff member who rocked) bring us limonadas. She also brought us cold, damp wash clothes, which were definitely appreciated as Cartagena was hot and we had just gotten off a bus. After a tour of their gorgeous hotel, we were taken to our room. Although we had booked a standard room, they gave us the junior suite because we were the only guests. It was awesome.



Above: doors to our room, our room, and Warren with the cold washcloth on his face.

As I said before, the hotel was simply gorgeous. It only opened a year and 4 months ago, so everything is new, but it is also obvious that the staff really cares about the hotel, and they work hard to make it beautiful. Here are some pics:







Top to bottom: bikes for guests to use, sitting area in the massage/hot tub area with views of the San Felipe Fort, view of the San Felipe Fort at night, entrance to the hotel, rooftop pool, massage tables (where we had awesome massages), sitting area with WiFi, rooftop terrace next to the pool, balcony and view of our room, foyer.

Finally, I feel it is necessary to mention these two details:
1. At night, Casa Santa Ana gave us "turn down" service and left a dessert in our room.
2. They had a good breakfast.



Overall, we had a wonderful stay, and I would definitely recommend Casa Santa Ana. It's probably best for individuals or couples (read: not families), but honestly it would be absolutely fabulous for a girls' weekend. Other than one tiny little complaint* we had a perfect stay. It was relaxing and the service was incredible. The staff helped us with everything from directions to restaurant recommendations and reservations to folding our clothes. They also provided an airport transfer, which was greatly appreciated as taxis in Cartagena are expensive, and one night they even brought up an iPod dock to the pool just so we would have music to listen to. Fantastic. They were very attentive. Also, the hotel is gorgeous and it smells REALLY good. That's a weird thing to say about a hotel, but it's true. So, in conclusion, if you are going to Cartagena and you want to splurge a bit on a perfect vacation, stay in Casa Santa Ana.

*My only itty, bitty tiny critique of the hotel is this: it's pricey. The rooms themselves are probably priced correctly as Cartagena is expensive and they were cheaper than most of the other hotels, but the services (non-food-related) they offered were expensive, especially for Colombia. Although our massages were excellent and we were given a glass of wine at the end, they cost around $60 each, which is a lot more than what is normally charged in Colombia. Of course, they were also hour-long aromatherapy massages given by professionals. Also, the pedicure/manicure package they offered started at 40,000 pesos, which is only $20, but I get mine done all the time for 15,000 pesos, so it was a bit high. In the end, though, they did walk me to a salon in Getsemani and made me an appointment to get my nails done, so they weren't really trying to cheat us. If you are coming to Cartagena on an American budget, I'd definitely say the massage and any other services are worth it. On a Colombian teacher's budget, they were a tad over-priced.

Vacation Update

We got back from vacation on Saturday evening, spent yesterday doing basically nothing, and had to go to work for planning meetings today. Classes start tomorrow.

We have 60 days left in Colombia, and I'm pretty happy about that.

As far as vacation goes, it was one of the most relaxing trips I've ever taken. Here's a quick summary, but please know that I'll be updating more thoroughly about the places we stayed and what we did. (Also, I still have those vegan posts to write!)

1. We spent 4 blissful days soaking up sun and swimming in both a gorgeous pool and warm ocean water in Covenas. We had a condo all to ourselves that actually slept 8 people.
2. We took a 3 hour SUPER bumpy bus ride to Cartagena from Covenas. The other passengers included a rooster.
3. We stayed in the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in while we were in Cartagena. It was a boutique hotel called Casa Santa Ana. Only 5 rooms. We were the only guests. I've never been so pampered. Also, they upgraded our room.
4. We both got aromatherapy massages.
5. We swam in a rooftop pool while looking out over Cartagena and the famous fort where the Spaniards stored their gold.
6. We went swimming on a private white-sand beach with blue-green crystal clear water.
7. We ate at an awesome vegetarian restaurant.
8. I finished two books and Warren finished one.
9. We both studied for our respective standardized tests.
10. We came home completely relaxed, tanned, rested, and happy.

It was a good vacation.

Fall Break

Okay, kids, here's the deal. Post 100 was a lie, and I haven't updated in a few days because I've been super dedicated to graduate school things. So whatever. Deal... I will finish my vegan-info posts, but right now, it's time for you to be massively jealous of me.

I'm going on vacation. HA! And yes, Post 100 was a lie because I'm not going on the vacation we originally planned. Things fell through, and although we considered about ten thousand other options, we eventually settled on cheap and warm.

We're spending a week on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, first at a condo that our school rents out and lets teachers stay in for free (see beach 100 yards from the condo above) and then 3 nights in Cartagena. It's definitely not my dream vacation, but it is warm and stress-free.
The pool at the condo where we are staying.

We ended up getting lucky--we're the only LPV souls headed to the condo during this break, so we'll have it all to ourselves for four blissful days. Then, we're heading to Cartagena. We've been to Cartagena before, but now, as experienced travelers, we knew where we wanted to stay, what we wanted to do, and how important a roof-top pool was in relation to our personal enjoyment of the city (the answer--VERY important). We're staying somewhere that I hope will be fabulous, but honestly, anything will be better than where we stayed last time. On our last trip to Cartagena (end of our 6 week stint here in 09), we stayed in the school's house. They are currently in the process of renovating it, and well... it still needed some work. I happened to stumble into the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning and caught a glimpse of the largest rat I've ever seen in my entire life... so really, with a roof-top pool and a guarantee that I won't be allowed in the hotel's kitchen, we're doing really well.

We have almost no activities planned. We're taking books to read and study materials and movies and sunscreen. We've planned to spend one day at this resort while we're in Cartagena:


And honestly, Cartagena is probably the most beautiful city in South America, and it's easily one of the most romantic places I've ever been. So... yes. Vacation. Finally.

Ciao! (Below: Cartagena. Imagine it lit up at night, and imagine strolling through little streets with flowered-covered balconies. Didn't I say it was romantic?)

Melody's Guide to Being Vegan in Colombia: Introduction

Welcome to the beginning of a series of posts about being vegan in Colombia... and let it be known before you read this post that I totally get/understand/don't need to be told that veganism is a choice. It is a personal choice I made over three years ago, but certainly one that I'm freely able to change my mind about. I get it. Don't attack me for it, okay? The point of this post is to talk about something near and dear to me: the challenge of being vegan in Colombia, and how to overcome said challenge.

I really do love Colombia, even when I complain about my job and the other frustrating things that happen here. It's a beautiful country full of truly wonderful people, and I absolutely encourage people to travel here and experience it.

Despite this, Colombia is a very, very difficult place to be a vegan, and even a fairly difficult place to be a vegetarian. The main reason for this is that people don't even really understand vegetarianism, and so veganism is something that confuses most Colombians. This isn't because they are stupid or anything, it's because it is very uncommon for people to be vegan/vegetarian here. Vegetarians in Colombia come in many different versions, too. Some people consider themselves vegetarians if they only avoid red meat. Many vegetarians still consume sustancia (chicken broth) and other kinds of animal products, like gelatin and beef juices. A lot of vegetarians do avoid meat and meat by-products, like broth. Even so, people who work in the food business will not understand exactly what vegetarianism is, generally speaking. For example, if you order beans, there's an extremely high chance that they were cooked with meat. They might not have meat IN them, but they might have been cooked with a bone or meat juices or just big chunks of pork fat. This is very typical, and generally it is safe to assume that most beans served in restaurants are not safe for vegetarians to eat. I've ordered beans before that the cooks swore did not contain meat, and there was a big chunk of pork in my bowl when they were served.

In the States, if I didn't have a lot of time to make a meal, or if I just didn't want to do a lot of prep, there were always lots of alternatives. I could easily eat out, even at a fast food place like Taco Bell (not healthy, but definitely convenient), I could grab a carton of packaged hummus, I could buy a frozen Amy's burrito from almost any grocery store, or I could even cook something using packaged foods, like canned beans or fake meat. Even tofu is less work in the States because you can get it at almost any Thai restaurant OR you can buy packaged, flavored, and pre-cooked tofu at a health food store. At that was in Springfield, not New York City or Portland. In Colombia, being vegan or vegetarian requires a lot of work. It takes a lot more effort to get the necessary amount of protein and calcium in my diet here. It can be exhausting and frustrating to constantly be prepping food just to meet my nutritional needs.

During the next food days I will be posting about what foods to avoid, what foods to eat, where to find vegan products, what to bring to Colombia from the States if you are vegan, vegan recipes, and how to ask questions in Spanish that will help you survive as a vegan in Colombia.


At the Chicago Diner for my birthday last year. Best restaurant ever.

Traveling in the Coffee Region of Colombia, Part 2.

Okay, so let's say you've seen Plaza de Bolivar in Pereira, taken the bus to Salento and the Termales, and now you are looking for something else to do. Great!

Since this is the coffee region, I think exploring something coffee-related is fairly crucial to seeing the area. Most people searching for coffee inspiration head to Parque del Cafe, which is a giant theme park devoted to coffee. I must admit, I'm a bad coffee-region resident, because I have never gone. Another popular place is Panaca, which is basically a giant farm. I haven't been there, either. Here's why.

Although people rave about Parque del Cafe and I do intend to go there before we leave, it's still a theme park. That means it's a commercial business, and the money isn't being pumped directly into the pockets of local farmers. It's also very expensive. Plus, since it has roller coasters, ski lifts over the coffee fields, and various other rides, it's a bit inauthentic. I don't doubt that it is fun, it just wasn't the version of Colombia I wanted to share with my family. As for Panaca, well, my guidebook describes it as a place where people from the "city" (i.e. Bogota) go to see what life is like on a farm. Hello, I'm from the Midwest. I know what a farm looks, feels, and smells like. Skip!

So... what did we do instead?

3. Hike through a hillside of coffee!



I researched this part of our trip for a long time, and although we ended up spending a lot of time walking through fields in the rain and we learned way more about coffee than I personally needed to know, it was definitely a beautiful, interesting, and authentic afternoon, which is what I wanted. We went to Hacienda Guayabal, which is near Chinchina. Chinchina is considered the heart of the coffee region, which is considered the heart of the Colombia by many people, so basically, we were knee-deep in the heart of Colombia. Almost literally, as it was a pretty muddy experience! The Hacienda offers tours (call ahead) in Spanish and English. (25,000 pesos for Spanish, 30,000 for English.) The tour takes you through numerous hillsides of coffee and the guide instructs you on every aspect of the coffee making process. Don't be afraid to ask questions, because our guide seemed to be bubbling with information.

At the end of the tour, they gave us a cup of coffee and then a really cool dessert. We also got certificates that said we were now coffee experts!




The next day we had to go to school (what???), but LPV is sort of like a mini adventure all by itself! My brother and his girlfriend had a great time...


And that brings us to number 4: Spend time with the locals.
My family mostly spent time with our friends and our students, but I think that's a pretty safe sample of Colombian people in the coffee region. I mean, I have 16 students alone who are happy to tell you anything you might ever want to know about Colombia. So my family could get to know them better, and so we could hike around in the mud "experiencing" the ecosystems in Colombia (science unit), I took my family and my class on a hike through the school's sendero, or forest path.


5. Experience the flora.

On Wednesday, my family and the entire LPV primary went on a field trip to the Universidad Tecnologica de Pereira (UTP)'s Jardin Botanico... Botanical Gardens. There are a lot of other ways to experience the botanical abundance of Colombia and this region, and I'm not sure this is the first one I would recommend, although it made a decent field trip. It was definitely pretty, but I personally enjoyed Medellin's Botanical Gardens more, and any hike around this region will basically be just as beautiful. The La Florida region (catch a chiva from the center of Pereira) is supposed to be incredible, for example. Even so, it was a fun trip.

6. Go to Juan Valdez Cafe. (McDonald's is optional, but encouraged.)


Juan Valdez is the symbol of Colombia's coffee growers, and Juan Valdez Cafe is truly a fun place to hang out. Great coffee, cute sweatshirts, and wireless internet. It's a must for experiencing the coffee region. Pereira's largest and nicest Juan Valdez is on Circunvalar, which is like our Zona Rosa, and is conveniently located up the street from our new McDonald's. What what.

7. Go to a working farm.


I took my family to a friend's trapiche, which is where they grow sugar cane and process it so it becomes panela, which is then used for desserts and drinks in Colombia. (For more information and to see my post from our visit there last summer, see this post.) I love this place because it's as green as can be... everything is sustainable. The workers live off the farm (and live on the farm), the horses eat the discarded leaves from the sugar cane, the woody substance from the cane provides fuel for the fire, and absolutely nothing is added to the cane. It's just cooked over and over and the molded into panela blocks. Cool!


8. Spend time eating pineapple in Cerritos, or at least see the mansions.
Cerritos is a little town super close to LPV, and many of my students live there. It's known for two things: money and pineapple. For real. A number of huge subdivisions filled with fancy houses have popped up in the past decade. The biggest industry for all the non-nouveau riche is pineapple. Cerritos is supposed to have the best pineapple in Colombia, and it produces more pineapple than any other region of the country. I can attest that it is truly delicious, and worth a stop if you are ever in the area. Cerritos also has some very nice hacienda hotels, and if you are looking for a nice, luxurious place to spend the night, this would be a good area to look. After our trip to the trapiche, the owners of the trapiche took us to one of the local haciendas for dessert, and then drove us to their home in Cerritos for a warm cup of panela.

Well, that's all for my recommendations today. I'm in the middle of finals at school, but I'll try to post again soon.