The secret diary of a green coffee buyer aged 40 and 1/4

A trip around Central America Day 6 Palencia Guatamala

Day 6 starts very very early. Guatemala City traffic is a nightmare, so I needed to be out the city early, so my driver arrived before 7am and we were on the short journey to the North East of the city to the town of Palencia in the region of Fraijanes. This is a small town which is not really known for its coffee, but a gem we found last year.

I love finding lots like this. The farm is so so professional, the cup is stunningly amazing, the people are lovely welcoming charming people, but the region is off the radar. Amatitalan and Antigua are crawling with buyers, this place there is non.

Beto used to be the mayor of Palencia, and owns some shops in the town as well as this 60 hector farm. He love the area as much as he loves his farms, and is very respected around town.

Last year when I visited they held a huge lunch for all the family to come together, this year the group was smaller, but the food more delicious than ever.

Some great improvements have happened to the farm, more records of picking, more detailed mapping of the areas in to tablons, and the introduction of a pacamara lot that were looking forwards to sharing with you later this year.

We went to the lot that were looking to buy this year, and its tucked in an amazing alcove within the farm, great hight and great cup.

This year is going to be a special one with El Limon this year.

But no time to wait, I have to be back in Guatemala city by two to get my mini bus to El Salvador, this is the part of the road trip, no more flights until home next week.

The journey starts out fine enough, but another accident on Guatemala roads holds us up. No data signal on my phone, I am desperate to find out how the sunderland game is going on against Manchester united in the league cup (I’ve been a sunderland fan through thin and thinner) a text marathon begins.

The game is close and after normal time goes to extra time. Some how in extra time with seconds to go we throw away the chance to win when united equalise. It goes to penalties, so I ring andy our old roaster who now lives in the states and a united fan who describes each awful penalty until we win through. The min bus driver nearly crashes off the road with my yelp.

But I have to calm as we approach the boarder of Guatemala and El Salvador, we wizz through with no problems and we are soon in the town of Apanaca, a small friendly town near the city of apanecha. Non of the street have names or numbers, but asking for Glorias house seemed to work and we found it.

Gloria and Maria Jose (her Daughter) are waiting for me, and are amazing hosts, with a cool beer chilling. I of course tell them of my teams amazing result, and I think the first ever celebration of going out to eat Pupusas was called for (I am fairly sure I was the only Sunderland fan celebrating this way).

Pupusas are a traditional Salvadoran dish made of a thick, handmade corn tortilla (made using masa de maíz, a maize flour dough) that is usually filled with a blend of either cheese, pork or refried beans, but sometimes with plant leaves and flowers. How ever unique the celebration was they were delicious, and I was pleased that they could see how important it was to me.

Tomorrow I get to visit San Jose after three years since my last visit, I am excited