Saturday - 07 February 2015 - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Walked at 6:20 am -- breakfast at 6:55.  Today we are going on tour -- 8 hours.  Everything is at least 90 minutes from the dock -- so we chose a visit to a coffee plantation -- Finca Filadelfia --- then to Antigua -- an old colonial town -- both are 5,000 feet above sea level.

Phil Picking Coffee Beans!

Our bus is very nice with good air-conditioning and bottled water.    As we drive up into the mountains -- Edgar, our guide, tells us about his country.  Guatemala is a democracy -- with lots of corruption.    The population is 20 million people in 22 states --- products include sugar cane and coffee -- only 42% of the people are literate.  As we climb Edgar points out the three volcanoes  -- one is active with black smoke spewing from its crater

Pat Inspecting Coffee Beans as they Dry!

Our arrival at Finca (meaning farm) Filadelfia is through a guard gate and then a long driveway -- reminiscent of a California vineyard.    Carlos -- our guide at the plantation  -- boards the bus at the gate to give us a brief review of the schedule for the next few hours.  

Phil in a hairnet before entering the Roasting Room.

This is a resort -- with a hotel -- residences -- pony rides -- zip-lining, etc.   Carlos takes us to the "nursery" an outdoor area where some of the coffee plants live.  He explains the varieties -- has us pick the red berries -- a sign of ripeness -- open the berry and find two beans in each.     From the nursery Carlos takes us through each step in the process of beans becoming a cup of coffee.  It is a wonderful education especially for a coffee-lover like me.

After our tour -- we have a delicious lunch -- food I never would have ordered but all really tasty -- including a cup of coffee.  

Antigua is about 10 minutes from Finca Filadelphia -- it is a very old town with some buildings in ruins and narrow cobblestone streets.   We stop at a Jade Factory (not in the tour description) -- and hear from the owner who came to Guatemala from the U.S. in 1974 as an archaeologist -- she stayed when she discovered Jade.  She and her husband run two Jade factories and showrooms.   Of course -- we are encouraged to buy.  I told Edgar that this was not on the schedule and we would just like to walk to the center of Antiqua and where should we meet the bus.   He was not open to that suggestion -- and would not tell me where the bus would be. 

Ruins in Antigua.

Edgar was not a good guide -- he was a nice enough fellow but insisted on treating us as if we were in the 3rd grade.   He was hell bent on giving us all the information in his head whether we wanted to hear it or not --- he knew not when to stop talking. 







Finally we are out of the Jade Showroom (where people were buying as I overhead one couple discussing their $800 ring purchase) and walking the four blocks to the park in the middle of Antigua.    Vendors are everywhere selling shawls, jewelry and souvenir stuff -- pesty but not obnoxious.   Edgar positions himself in the middle of the park and begins pontificating about something or other.  I tuned him out a while ago --  the appeal to me is watching the show of vendors and tourists.

Pat Investigating a Purchase in the Antigua Park.

Wall Clumbing in the Park.

Several of us notice thick black clouds rolling in with a concern that we will be rained on.  However, we now know the clouds were due to volcanic eruption.  Edgar seemed oblivious and just continued to talk.  Back on the ship is when we heard that the volcano had erupted raining debris on Antigua -- luckily were on our way back to the pier by then.

My take on Guatemala is a place in turmoil --- just about every structure is surrounded by a wall topped with barbed wire --- residences and commercial buildings alike.   Graffiti is everywhere and all establishments have guards including the coffee plantation and the jade factory --- but I never felt unsafe for a minute.    People seem happy and accepting of their lifestyle -- even the pesty vendors.

It was a good tour --- even though our guide was a bit too full of himself.  We enjoyed the day -- the weather was spectacular -- no humidity with a temperature around 75 F.   We visited a new country and learned about how their people live.

This evening as we enter the dining room -- we notice the Sommelier and our Wine Steward tete-a-tete near our table.    As we approach the Sommelier starts to head in the opposite direction -- Ruel, our wine steward, calls to him so he stops, comes back says "hello" and pours our wine which is sitting on the table --- then he is gone.

this entire situation is very strange.

Thanks for Reading!

Pat

Black Clouds from Erupting Volcano!