Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Excursion: Coffee Estate & Antigua

Can you see a face carved out by the weather?

I have been so tired today.  My poor finger was so sore and throbbing once the local anaesthetic had worn off that I hardly slept.

Apart from feeling tired and being sore, the day was enjoyable.

Once we boarded the tour bus Karen, our guide, soon had us all feeling welcome.  Throughout the day she was an excellent guide, very informative, attentive and caring.  She also had a fantastic sense of humour, laughing a lot and always smiling.

The nursery - coffee beans have been planted

The journey to Filadelfia Coffee Estate was a good 90 minutes but Karen kept us entertained.  I am not a coffee drinker because I don't like the taste.  But I do love the smell of it, oohhhhh....!  So I am glad I had put my name down for the tour as I thought that the tour would be interesting.

The coffee bean dryers

It was near enough midday by the time we got to the coffee estate so we had a nice lunch (with coffee for afters) before we started our tour.  The tour itself was around the coffee plantation and with an explanation of coffee growing - from planting to grafting, growth and gathering of the coffee berries.  Coffee berries at the plantation are gathered by hand rather than by machine because humans can tell which are the ripe berries, machines can't.  If a coffee berry is picked when it is too young, the coffee will be bitter or or poor quality.

Coffee beans drying on the patio

Getting the hair nets on - guests having a laugh!

We were then taken to the processing plant where the berries are processed via the 'wet method'.  During the wet method freshly harvested berries are passed through a pulping machine to separate the skin and pulp from the bean.  The beans are then separated by weight as they pass through water channels. The lighter beans float to the top, while the heavier ripe beans sink to the bottom.  They are passed through a series of rotating drums which then separate them by size.  After separation the beans are put into water-filled fermentation tanks.  They will remain in the tanks for 12 to 48 hours during which time naturally occurring enzymes remove the gooey-like substance that is still attached a parchment-like layer that surrounds the bean itself.  The beans are rinsed by going through more water channels, and are ready for drying.  They are either dried in tumbler drying drums or on the courtyard drying floors.  At the time of taking photographs of the drying drums the flash on the camera died.  There was a sizzle, a popping sound and the smell of smoke ....   After the drying process, hulling machinery removes the now dried parchment-like layer that surrounds the coffee bean.  Next is the grading and sorting of the beans, by size and weight, roasting and packing.  Some companies prefer to roast their own beans so the roasting process is skipped. Before going into the roasting room we had to wash our hands and put hairnets on.  Some of us looked really funny!

Our next part of the day's tour was a trip into Antigua.  Our tour bus had left and was replaced by two minibuses because it is easier for them to drive along the narrow streets in Antigua.  Karen missed two guests in her head count between two transfer mini-busses as we headed from the coffee estate to Antigua.  Fortunately Christian (our guide on the estate) was 'on the ball' and quickly called our driver before we had left the estate gates and we went back to fetch them.  The left-behind guests seemed fine and were laughing.  They accepted Karen’s apology.

The minibus drivers dropped us the town centre near the Jade Museum and we took a short walk to Antigua's main square.  During this time Karen gave us a run-down of the buildings surrounding the square and also of the town's history.  After a wander around the square we were given free time to either explore the town or local market on the square, or simply rest on seats in the shade.  I went with Karen on a short walk, along with 4 or 5 other guests who were interested in seeing a bit more of the town but with a guide.  It was a nice stroll and we were back well in time to meet up with everyone at the square and walk back to the minibuses.  Karen checked and double-checked heads before we headed out of town back to our waiting tour bus on the outskirts of town.

On the way back to port Karen eventually left the guests to their own thoughts until we arrived at the outskirts of the port.  Being a long drive, we were a bit tired.  I was the last person to leave the bus and as I said my goodbyes to Karen and the driver, the driver grabbed my sore hand and gave me a hearty handshake.  I nearly hit the roof, the grasp was firm but so painful on my finger.  I kept my composure until I got back to the cabin - and burst into tears, howling with pain.  Poor Paul....  Later on I went down to the ship's infirmary and got some ibuprofen from Linda, to try and help lessen the swelling and pain.

We were due to dock in Corinto, Nicaragua, tomorrow but unfortunately there is unrest in Nicaragua and therefore it is not safe to visit there at the moment.   So the Maasdam is leaving Puerto Quetzal later than planned today, and will sail slowly overnight and tomorrow to Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. 

 PHOTOGRAPHS

Filadelfia Coffee Estate

Drying courtyard surrounded by house and processing plant.

The red wall is actually a series of water channels through which the coffee
berries pass, heavier riper beans sink; less ripe ones pass into the
next channel.  The drying tumblers are in the shed with the blue pipes.

Coffee beans drying before the parchment is removed.

In the trays from left to right: coffee beans with their parchment on;  next,
husks that have been removed;  next to that is the coffee beans without
husks on; and right tray, coffee beans have been roasted.

Coffee bean with the parchment taken off

Roasting plant

Husking machinery

Roasting machinery

Packing room and coffee tasting

Christian, our coffee estate guide, with some of the
packaged coffee.

Time to leave the coffee plantation and head to Antigua in the waiting
minibuses.  This is a nice view of the main driveway down through the
coffee estate.

 Antigua