A Coffee Vinca

Every grade level at CNG takes a Classroom Without Walls trip somewhere: Macchu Pichu, Paris, the Amazon..... And second graders go to a Vinca outside of Bogota where they grow coffee, small bananas, and flowers. It was a great trip and I was glad that I was able to travel with them.



On the way there we stopped for lunch. Some of us are just too cool!



The school hires a private company that organizes the trips and provides chaperones/guides. I was in a group of 13 kids with our principal and a guide.





And yes, we even saw Juan Valdez. Or at least the latest incarnation of him. Turns out that the real Juan Valdez, years ago, had the first commercial filmed on this Vinca. It is also the set for a popular soap opera called Coffee.



On this farm they also grow bananos, those are small bananas theat are delicious!




Most of these get exported to France.





And there are also fields of flowers. Many of which get exported to the US. So, if you see one of these in the supermarket, think of me :-)



Ever seen a baby palm? Us either!




Then is was time for lunch and a tour of the actual coffee plant. Again, it was very small and simple. It's a good life here.





The guides that accompanied us played cooperative games with the kids.




And I thought we weren't allowed to tape them together! Huh.

While the kids played, Mr. Gilman took me on a tour of the hacienda with the owner. It is a beautiful home with lots of bedrooms for lots of guests. Really a sign of the culture here.







Here are some shots out of the bus window ~ just a small view on the world here.