Walking the Trails of Finca Lérida

After staying one full day at Finca Lérida, it was time to stretch my legs and climb to the heights of the coffee plantation and wander through the various trails of this lush tropical site. The color green captured everything, then it gradually changed to blue (the sky) and purple (the mountains).  The combination of colors which you can see from the trails is indescribable.

My guide and I started the mountain walk at eight o’clock sharp.  Right after a quick breakfast.  It was a bright sunny morning and the weather was fine, cool and brisk.  The air was as fresh as it can possibly be; excellent for my lungs accustomed to the polluted air of the city.

Before I forget, the name of my informative guide is Edilberto González, but he prefers to be called Eddy.  So Eddy it was during the four-hour tour.

After a few footsteps I was out of air.  It’s amazing how lazy you become in the city.  Automobiles, elevators, electric stairs, couches, television sets, and computers don’t cooperate in providing you with a healthy lifestyle.  Eddy understood and stopped when he noticed I was gasping for air.  I appreciated his patience.

Finca Lérida’s trails are surrounded by primary and secondary forests, where a variety of exotic animals and vegetation make their home.  The perimeter of Finca Lérida borders the Amistad International Park (PILA), a natural reserve protected by both by Panama and Costa Rica that has been declared a World Heritage Site.

Finca Lérida’s hiking tours start at 7:30 a.m. (a hike lasts about 4 1/2 hours).  The current fee per person is $53.50, tax included.  It includes an interactive tour, a specialized guide and bottled water.  During our tour we met two young women from Madrid, Spain (Concha and María) who were spending a day at the hotel.  That afternoon they would fly to the sunny beaches of Bocas del Toro.  They were both enthusiastic and talkative, so we chatted amicably along the way.  It was a very warm and friendly experience, plus the information flowing out of Eddy’s head made the tour even more interesting.

Below are some of the pictures I shot while I hiked the trails together with Eddy, María and Concha.  Here we go.

Snapshot of one of the trails which took us through a thick patch of bamboo trees. It was nice and cool under the shade of these elegant trees. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A nice view of the coffee plantation from an observation point of the trail. It was a clear day, perfect for hiking. Eddy pointed out and I could see the Pacific Ocean from the trail. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

These purple mountains represent the Continental Divide that extends all the way from North to South America. At this point, it divides the Province of Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro. “For purple mountain majesties”. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

A landscape view of the valley where the coffee plantation and the mountain hotel is located. We were about 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) above sea level when I took this shot. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of our guide, Eddy, showing Concha and María the coffee berries which would later become a steaming cup of strong black coffee somewhere in Madrid, Spain. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

If you love nature and outdoor activities, please return tomorrow for more pictures of a tour to a cloud forest in Boquete.  It’s dramatically different from what you see from your office window in a large urban center where cement, steel and glass asphyxiate your sight.  Good Day.

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The People of Finca Lérida

If you studied Accounting 101 during high school, you will probably remember that a Balance Sheet is divided in three parts, (e.g., Assets, Liabilities and Equity).  Assets are everything a company owns that has value, Liabilities are amounts owed by the company to third parties and Equity is what’s left after the debts are paid.  That’s it—easy as pie.

Now, if you take a hard look at the Assets section of a Balance Sheet you will find that all of the accounts are organized in order of liquidity, being the first one, the most liquid of assets, which is of course cash.  Then you go all the way down the ladder until you reach Real Estate, Property, Plant and Equipment and so forth.  All are elements of value that a company needs in order to generate a profit to keep the investors happy.  Good for Capitalism.

No matter how hard you look at the financial document, you won’t find the most important resource a company has—its people.  This resource is essential for the success or failure of any enterprise, no matter whether it is profit oriented or not.  However, few managers pay any attention to the well-being of their human resources.  Happy employees will augment the bottom line; disgruntled employees will destroy it.  Pretty obvious you might think, but often neglected by detached upper management.

Having said all the above, I would like to introduce you the precious human resources of a place I recently visited.  Yep you’ve guessed it—Hotel Finca Lérida.  Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you the people who make this wonderful hotel spin, giving immense satisfaction to its privileged guests.  Here we go.

Employees of the Laundry Department, responsible for keeping our sheets and towels snow-white. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Please meet Briana of the Purchasing Department. She could easily be identified as a high fashion model or a candidate for a Miss Universe Pageant. She will surely get me vote. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

This employee is responsible for quality control of the coffee that Finca Lérida exports to the United States, Canada and Europe. He’s a walking encyclopedia as far as coffee is concerned. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of one of the manual workers of the coffee plantation. When you sip a hot cup of coffee in the morning, it could very well be, that your coffee could be traced back to him up in the mountains of Boquete. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of one of the security guards at the entrance gate of the hotel complex, posing for the camera. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

And now you know some of the anonymous heroes of this magnificent hotel nestled on the purple mountains of Boquete.  These are the precious assets of Hotel Finca Lérida.  Good Day.

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A Coffee Shop in the Clouds

Finca Lérida, founded in 1922 is one of the oldest and most traditional Coffee Estates in the Isthmus of Panama.  Located at an altitude of 5,500 feet above sea level, on the foothills of Volcán Barú, with deep rich volcanic soil, this beautiful and traditional coffee estate offers optimum conditions for growing premium mountain coffee.  Ample rainfall and sunny, dry harvesting season, promotes ideal production of exquisite high altitude coffee.

Lerida´s several times award winning coffee, was ranked number one amongst 119 varieties of coffees from 15 countries at the Cupping Pavilion during Boston SCAA’s (Specialty Coffee Association of America) annual meeting.

At Finca Lérida, coffee is roasted daily and brewed for the guests of the hotel.  After a day of birding, hiking, walking or just relaxing, you can take advantage of sipping a cup of the best coffee in the world at the hotel’s famous Coffee House.

The following pictures will get you acquainted with this gorgeous coffee shop in the clouds.  Here we go.

How do I get to the coffee shop?

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Can you tell me how the building of the coffee shop looks like, so I can get there without getting lost?

Snapshot of the buildings of the Reception Section on your left and the Coffee Shop on your right. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Snapshot of an enlarged picture of the Checkup Section of the hotel and the Coffee Shop. Take notice of the Scandinavian architecture. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Can you give me an idea of how coffee shop looks like from the inside?

Snapshot of a cozy leisure room inside the coffee shop where you can chat with your relatives and friends about recreational facilities of the mountain hotel. Through the glass window (right) you can take a peep inside the coffee production process at the adjoining coffee mill which dates back to 1922. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Do you have a picture of the coffee shop supervisor?

Snapshot of Nileyka Morales, the dynamic supervisor of Finca Lerida’s famous Coffee Shop in Boquete. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Can you provide me with the options of coffees available at the coffee shop and their currents prices in U.S. dollars?

The list of coffees available at the venue are:

• Cappuccino – $2.50 per cup
• Latte – $3.00 per cup
• Moka Latte – $3.00 per cup
• Moka Cappuccino – $3.00 per cup
• Iced Cappuccino – $3.00 per cup
• Iced Mocha – $3.00 per cup
• Regular American coffee – $1.50 per cup

Do you know if the coffee shop markets any typical souvenirs for the visitors?

As a matter a fact they do.  Just ask Nileyka and she’ll be glad to usher you to the “Souveniers’ Hot Corner” where you will find attractive souvenirs to take back home and proudly tell your folks about your recent vacation down to Finca Lérida in Boquete.

I hope I’ve answered all your questions.  Now the ball is in your court to buy an airplane ticket down to Panama and head up towards the mountains and enjoy the best cup of coffee in the world.  Nope, I’m not kidding.  Coffee is serious business down here.  Good Day.

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Discovering a Gap in Panama

Landscape photograph of a coffee farm known as Finca Lérida, in Alto Quiel in Boquete, specialized in growing high quality coffee for exportation to the United States, Canada and Europe. This farm is just about a ten minute drive from downtown Boquete. (Kindly click on the picture to expand it.) Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Boquete is a small town on the Caldera River, in the green mountain highlands of Panama, about 37 miles from the border with Costa Rica.  Due to its altitude, about 3,937 feet above sea level, its climate is cooler than that of the lowlands.

Boquete’s mesmerizing scenic site, temperature, and natural environment, make it extremely popular with locals and attract tourists and retirees from all over the world.

In Spanish, the word “boquete” means “a large gap or opening”.  It was through this gap that adventurous gold seekers traveled looking for a cheaper and quicker route to the California gold mines in the Pacific Coast.

According to the U.S. News & World Report, “about 3,000 foreigners live in the colorful mountain town of Boquete in the Province of Chiriquí.  Migration continues, and the number of foreign residents in this picturesque place, es expected to escalate to 10,000 by 2016.”

What’s so special about Boquete?  Beautiful setting, excellent climate, straightforward pensionado rules for the country of Panama, but mainly; the draw in Boquete, is the established American community.  This is a place to come to enjoy many of the benefits of being retired abroad without leaving behind too many of the comforts and conveniences of American suburban living.

More recently, Boquete has become the home away from home for many American and European retirees.  Some 14 percent of its population of about 19,000 inhabitants, are of foreign origin according to La Prensa, a widely distributed Panamanian newspaper.  This means that communicating in English with the local people of Boquete  is no problem at all.

Ex-pats are attracted by the comfortable climate, first-class drinking water, and clean air, by the quietness and Panama’s relatively low-cost of living.  Boquete is also well-known for its coffee, judged to be among the finest in the world. Residents of Boquete have access to good medical care at hospitals and clinics in David, about a half hour drive away.  If further medical attention is needed, you can travel to Panama City which has medical institutions similar to the United States.  By plane, you can reach Panama City, in about half and hour from David’s Enrique Malek international airport.

About 50,000 acres of coffee are now in production, and the best of the country’s Arabica coffee is grown about 3,000 feet in the Chiriqui’s Highlands.  The highest quality coffee is shade-grown, organic and handpicked.

I recently returned from this exciting place and plan to dedicate several blog posts about one of the best kept secrets in the dynamic world of tourism.  This sweet spot is called Hotel Finca Lérida in Alto Quiel in Boquete.  Stay tuned for jaw-dropping photographs of this spot delicately nested in the highlands of Chiriqui.  The first blog post with pictures depicting Panama’s unique Shangri La will start at the break of dawn tomorrow morning.  Until then Good Day.

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A Pleasant Aroma of Strong Hot Coffee

November is a special month for Panamanians.  It’s called the Month of the Country—Mes de la Patria—because many days of this month are dedicated to commemorating the independence of Panama as a sovereign nation.  The remembrance starts on November 2 which is a special day to reminisce our loved ones who have departed before us.  The day is called “Dia de los Difuntos”, (Day of the Dead).  It sounds better in Spanish than in English, at least to my ears and senses.

Other festivity days of November are:

• November 3:  Separation of Panama from Colombia in 1903.
• November 4:  Day of the Flag.
• November 5:  Day of Colon City.
• November 10:  Day of the “Shout of Independence”—Grito de Independencia.
• November 28:  Day of Independence from Spain in 1821.

El Día de los Difuntos is a day where relatives and friends buy flowers to take to the cemeteries where their loved ones rest.  It’s a special day of remembrance, love, and meditation.  In my heydays, radios stations only broadcasted classical or semi-classical music.  That is no longer true nowadays.  Times have changed.  I feel nostalgic for those days of deep remembrance for those who have departed before us.  At the end of the day, all of us will travel through that road towards infinity.  The obvious question is not if, but when we will set forth.

While my wife Aura was purchasing flowers for her deceased parents, I waited in a dark coffee shop at the entrance of a local supermarket known as El Rey—The King.  It was a small, but very cozy place flooded with a most pleasant aroma of hot coffee.  Above hang an exquisite example of a Tiffany style lamp.  The walls were decorated with steaming cups of coffee.  It was a wonderful place to be at.  Ahh…it feels so good to be alive.

Below is a picture of where I was while my wife was buying flowers for her loved ones.  Here we go.

Snapshot of an enticing Tiffany style lamp hanging above a small coffee shop in Panama City, Panama. Notice the hot cup of cofee towards your right. I can still smell the aroma of strong coffee while I type these lines. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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Story: The Taste of Salty Coffee

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys were chasing her, while he was so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she  accepted. They sat in a nice coffee shop.  He was too nervous to say anything. She felt uncomfortable.  She thought, please, let me go home.  Suddenly he asked the waiter:

“Would you please give me some salt? I’d like to put it in my coffee.”

Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.

She asked him curiously,  “Why do you have this strange taste?”

He replied,  “When I was a little boy, I lived near the sea and I liked playing in the sea.   I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there”.

While saying that, tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.

That’s his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak.   She spoke about her far away hometown, her childhood, and her family.

That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who met all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person.  Thanks to his salty coffee!

Then the story was just like every beautiful love story.   The princess married the prince, and they lived happily ever after.  And every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that’s the way he liked it.

Forty years later, he passed away, leaving  behind a handwritten letter which said:

“My dearest, please forgive me, forgive me for having lied to you. This was the only lie I have told you—the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time.   Actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt .  It was hard for me to change, so I just went ahead with  the salt.

I never thought that would be the start of our relationship.  I tried to tell you the truth many times,  but I was too afraid to do that, as I had promised not to lie to you for anything.

Now I’m dying, I’m afraid of nothing, so I’ll you the whole truth.  I don’t like salty coffee,—what a strange bad taste. But I have had the salty coffee during my whole life since I met you.   I never feel sorry for anything I did for you. Having you beside me was the biggest happiness of my whole life. If I could live again, I would still want to share my life with you, even if  I have to drink the salty coffee again.”

Her tears made the letter totally wet.

Some days later, someone asked her, “What’s the taste of salty coffee?”

“It’s sweet,” she replied gently.

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Photograph: A Cup of Coffee, Anyone?

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