Finca Azotea Coffee Farm Tour

A visit to Guatemala would not be complete without learning about coffee.  We took our Summer Sojourners to Finca Azotea in Jocotenango to tour the coffee farm and see how coffee is not only grown but processed.  The tour cost Q50 (around $6.00) and takes at least an hour.  

 

our crew ready for the coffee tour

 

learning where coffee is grown around the world

 

David relaxing while the students did the tour.

 

Me relaxing as well.

 

The boys rotated between the hammocks and the swings while we waited.

 

coffee plants

 

the coffee plant flower

It blooms right before it starts to produce the beans and has the sweetest most pleasant smell.

 

 

coffee beans growing

 

 

our students walking through the farm on the tour

 

 

 

At the end of the tour everyone gets to sample a cup of coffee. They also get to sample several jellies made from coffee.  And of course there is time to shop in the store.

 

coffee cheers

 

When the tour ended we joined them for biking.  The farm rents bikes for 30 minutes or an hour.  We spent the rest of our time there biking through the farm and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

 

 

a video of our time at Finca Azotea

Camping

Our family loves camping.  Since our return to Guatemala, we have been eager to make a trip to Finca Florencia to do just that.  Finca Florencia is located in Santa Lucia, which is only about a twenty minute drive from our house.  It offers a great outdoor space with plenty of room to run, play, and explore.  We started camping there during Covid and plan to continue that tradition for years to come.  On this trip, we were joined by the Contreras family.  Camping is fun by ourselves, but it is extra enjoyable when we have friends come along with us.  

 

All loaded up and ready to go!

 

 

 

The boys helping David set up our tent.

 

We always camp in the same spot.  This is our "kitchen".

 

All set up and ready for some downtime in the great outdoors.

 

 

Between the two families, we had three hammocks.  We all took turns relaxing in them.  

 

We took a late afternoon walk.  This tree was budding the most beautiful pink flowers.

 

The kids enjoyed playing

 

and helping us gather fire wood.

 

That evening we made taco salad for supper.  Later, we had hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows for S'mores.   We sat around enjoying the fire until we all went to bed.

 

 

 

Our volcano view the next morning.  It was a beautiful, clear day.

 

The boys were up early, as usual.   It was cool so we built the fire and all huddled around it.

 

I got busy cooking breakfast.  We had sausage, egg, black bean, and cheese burritos.

 

Enjoying more hot chocolate to warm up.

 

David keeping me company while I cooked.

 

 

After breakfast, they spent some time playing soccer.

 

morning snack break

 

We went on a long nature walk.  It is one of my favorite parts of camping there.

 

The kids stopped to play along the way.

 

 

After lunch, we played wiffle ball.  

 

Sweet friends!

 

 

Somehow I failed to get a photo of the group or the adults together.  Here is a photo of us all taken about a week earlier on another outing together to a Guatemalan theme park. We are thankful that God brought this family into our lives.  They have been a joy to get to know.

 

That afternoon there was a group of drone racers who came and set up on one of the open fields.  We went and watched them.  It was cool! 

 

Our family had seen them there before on a previous camping trip but it was Ethan's first time to watch them.  He was excited as you can hear on the video.

 

That evening we roasted hot dogs and made S'mores again.

 

We use Chiky cookies to make our S'mores.  Normally we just use the chocolate ones but this time I tried to new blueberry flavor.  It was amazing!!   I ate way too many of them!

 

Gathering by the fire on our last morning.

 

The volcano view from our tent. 

We packed everything up and headed home mid-morning.  We were all tired and ready for a hot shower.  It had been a very fun few days together.  

 

I am already looking over my calendar trying to find a date that we can return.  It really is one of our family's favorite things to do here.