The Cocora valley is located in the central cordillera of the Andean mountains, about 20 minutes by Jeep („Willy“) away from Salento.

It’s a mystical scenery -

high mountains with their tops wrapped in clouds...

...soft green hills to your left and right...

...and majestic wax palms that seem to end in the sky. 

Salento is a small town in the department of Quindío and lies within the triangle of coffee („Eje Cafetero") in Colombia.

In the colonial area the main route from Popayán to Bogotá traveled over the Quindío pass and passed Salento. When the route was diverted, Salento became isolated and did not develop as fast as the rest of the region.

The colonial heritage, the many coffee farms and the relaxed life style made it a main tourist destination.

Did you ever think about the coffee, that used to save your life after a rough night?

I need coffee in the morning to be able to talk in my mother tongue, but never spent a second thought, how much work and love it

needs, to actually reach my mug.

As Salento is located in the middle of the Colombian Coffee Triangle, we took the chance to find out more about our favorite drink. 

Cartagena de Indias has a lot more aspects beside the obvious, also more than the ones I talked about yet. 

Let me show you some other facets of the city.

Some beautiful, some sad, some really hilarious! :-D 

Here's the second part.