Had NO idea so much went into coffee production. Pickers wear these huge bins around their waists called cajuelas, holding 28 lbs of berries. 75% of the fruit is cast off and used for compost, while 25% are the actual beans inside the berries. When they're picked, they look like little red cherries. When the outside is peeled off, there's a slimy, sugary coating and a shell. They're sorted by quality and then sit fermenting for a few days. Then roasted. The premium coffee beans are roasted out on these huge patios and turned every 45 minutes for several days, while the lower quality is roasted in an oven for less time.
Most coffee plants produce berries that contain 2 coffee beans, but there's a genetic mutation that caused only a single bean in each berry. It produces a kind of coffee called peaberry and its sweeter and a bit smoother than regular coffee. It's not exported, only available in Costa Rica. I will DEFINITELY be taking some home with me.
The first part of lunch was tripe soup, which is cow stomach with vegetables. Slightly icky texture, but I DID IT. Then rice and beans and papaya juice.
(Here's where I start getting tired and lazy with the blogging....) Hiked up Paos volcano, 9,000 ft, to Laguna Botos. Gorgeous. Saw a cute little guy, maybe a coati?
Humongo waterfall. HUMONGO. La Paz.
Wine tasting on the side of the road at a tiny kiosk. Delicious strawberries, passion fruit, eggnog (lol?).
Dragonfruit icecream stop across the street from an area known for ENORMOUS iguanas. Several feet long, bright orange, roosting in the trees.
So exhausted. Must sleep. 6 hours until tomorrow's activities a start...
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