A night on the farm, and a good one too. I’m surprised sharing with four guys how much sleep I got. I hear the room next door was not so quite, and was a very late one for them. Roberto Bendaña the farm owner and our host has supplied us with a great place to base our selves from, and feeds us very well, the perfect host. I have found every one we have met on this trip has been incredibly generous not only with there time but there hospitality. Nothing is too much trouble, and I wonder if I could be so generous should they be visiting me. I do hope I would but worry I wouldn’t be able too.
The morning was 6am start to go looking at the birds around the farm. I took the opportunity to get in the shower shared by 8 men while they went looking at the birds I’m sure you can understand why. The farm where we were stopping was the first trip of the day. This was very good as it meant no travelling. Or so I thought I was able to get to drive these wicked 4 x 4 go cart style things, it was great fun. The farm is called El Quetzal and a coffee I hope will be available to us in a few weeks time.
Roberto took us to see the school thats on the farm, thats really well equipped. you can see from the photos below. Roberto is looking to put the internet into the class rooms so the children can do what normal kids do, and thats very much the feel of the farm, a small village where everyone was really happy and everyone waved.
From here we went on the 4 x 4 toys to El Paraíso and Los Altos. Los altos has just come under Robertos control and the first thing he is trying to do is improve accommodation for pickers.
It looks really nice and I did ask but there is no room at the inn for a useless picking gringo 
We then went to visit the mill and a cupping of the coffees we visited. The standard was fantastic, and I look forward to seeing them on our range soon.
The last visit of the day was to Los Nogales (meaning ‘walnut trees’) and which the family recently took over. The farm at its best produced 4000 bags (thats right 4000) last year it produced just 400. But with some changes Roberto put into place he felt it was good enough to enter into this years Cup of Excellence competition. Well it obviously was as it came third and it tasted fantastic. Ohh yes the name comes from the walnut tress on the farm, of which I helped myself to one.
On the way back I chose to sit in the back of the 4 x 4 as its only close back to El Quetzal where we are stopping. As said before close in Nicaragua translates to anywhere between 30 min and three hours. But an elementary mistake was to leave me in the back on my own with my ipod and the cool box containing all the beers. Not feeling well all week I haven’t really drunk much alcohol but as I am feeling better what the heck. A few hours later we arrive back at El Quetzal and I’m worse for wear and my vice going from my own personal karaoke in the back
More great food, and a late night I’ve really enjoyed Nicaragua its been a blast. Tomorrow is a wind down day so I guess will be the perfect time to sum it all up then.
