Day 3 - Santa Elena Flower Farm and arrival at Pereira
We left the hotel for a morning tour to a flower farm in Santa Elena, which is a town in the Andes located at 2200m above sea level to the east of Medellin. The journey took just over an hour and we were continually climbing up the mountain where we had spectacular views over Medellin.
When we arrived it was much cooler and far more comfortable. The flower farm is owned by a family whose ancestors originated from the Basque region of Spain. They grow a wide range of flowers all year around and provide displays locally and to the wider Americas including California.
One of their main annual events is the Medellin Flower Festival in August. The festival is the most important social event for the city and includes a pageant, automobiles, a Paso Fino horse parade and many musical concerts. We were given a short talk on the history of the Flower Festival, which started in 1957. It is also a competition with 5 categories of flower displays.
The traditional display is put together on a legless chair which is then carried on a persons back at the festival for a distance of about 4 kms. Winners get a large cash prize. We then had a walk around the gardens which is at about the highest point of the mountain before getting the coach to a restaurant for lunch and then onto the airport for our flight to Periera (via Bogata) - which is in the Coffee growing region.
We were transported from Periera Airport to our hotel by minibus and it was dark and spotting with rain when we set off. We started on the Pan American Highway which stretches from Alaska to Patagonia. We then turned off on to a side road which was very narrow and full of pot holes. We seemed to be on this road for miles before eventually turning off to The San Carlos Lodge which is to be our hotel for the next 3 nights. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere. On arrival we checked in and completed the paperwork. When we saw our room we were absolutely gobsmacked. It is huge and so unusual. 8x8m with the bathroom area in the middle. It is almost all made in wood. The bed is so large that it would comfortably sleep 6 people.
We took lots of photos and then our luggage arrived. The porter showed us a few things and then went to what we though was a wall and pushed it aside to reveal a hot tub on a patio area. I don't think the photos do it justice. Cant wait to see this place in the daylight.
Tomorrow we go on a tour of the coffee plantation areas.
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| View of Medellin from mountain |
When we arrived it was much cooler and far more comfortable. The flower farm is owned by a family whose ancestors originated from the Basque region of Spain. They grow a wide range of flowers all year around and provide displays locally and to the wider Americas including California.
One of their main annual events is the Medellin Flower Festival in August. The festival is the most important social event for the city and includes a pageant, automobiles, a Paso Fino horse parade and many musical concerts. We were given a short talk on the history of the Flower Festival, which started in 1957. It is also a competition with 5 categories of flower displays.
The traditional display is put together on a legless chair which is then carried on a persons back at the festival for a distance of about 4 kms. Winners get a large cash prize. We then had a walk around the gardens which is at about the highest point of the mountain before getting the coach to a restaurant for lunch and then onto the airport for our flight to Periera (via Bogata) - which is in the Coffee growing region.
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| Strawberry beds |
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| Flower Display saying 'Medellin, we love you" |
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| Owner of flower farm with Flower Festival display |
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| Flower Festival Display |
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| Flower Farm and house |
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| View from Flower Farm |
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| Vulture type bird |
We were transported from Periera Airport to our hotel by minibus and it was dark and spotting with rain when we set off. We started on the Pan American Highway which stretches from Alaska to Patagonia. We then turned off on to a side road which was very narrow and full of pot holes. We seemed to be on this road for miles before eventually turning off to The San Carlos Lodge which is to be our hotel for the next 3 nights. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere. On arrival we checked in and completed the paperwork. When we saw our room we were absolutely gobsmacked. It is huge and so unusual. 8x8m with the bathroom area in the middle. It is almost all made in wood. The bed is so large that it would comfortably sleep 6 people.
We took lots of photos and then our luggage arrived. The porter showed us a few things and then went to what we though was a wall and pushed it aside to reveal a hot tub on a patio area. I don't think the photos do it justice. Cant wait to see this place in the daylight.
Tomorrow we go on a tour of the coffee plantation areas.
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| The bedroom side of the room |
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| The bedroom ceiling |
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| The kitchen side of the room |
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| The entrance hall with front door on the left. |
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| The bathroom area |
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| The bathroom washbasin |
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| The outside door and window |
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| Quick jacuzzi before going to bed. |
Hello again :-) looks fabulous, Jean and the hotel is DEFINITELY a memory to cherish. The vulture type bird looks, to me, like a Condor. Massive wing span, used to cruise the thermals the length of the Andes. It is a scavenger, so "vulture-like" is a good description. Envious of your entrance into "coffee-land"; Colombia is famed for its quality coffee, and you may be aware of my caffeine addiction from FB! Keep having a brilliant time!! xxx
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