COBAN

N E X T J O U R N E Y . O R G

Another long bus ride took me from sultry Sayaxché to cooler Cobán, in the province of Alta Verapaz. The landscapes were spectacular: flat at first, then mountainous - through the cloudforest. As always, my traveling companions were quiet and as dignified as could be, considering we were packed solid. Cobán is a coffee growing center originally settled by Germans. The Cobán central square is odd: facing the standard catedral sits a modernistic grandstand which looks like a reject from a Star Trek set.

	Cobán is famous for its damp and chilly weather, making it an ideal coffee growing location. There are several fincas (plantations) offering coffee tours. One of the best is right in town: the Finca Santa Margarita. You will learn a lot about coffee during the visit to a finca. And not only about coffee: most fincas have alternate crops to keep the workers busy throughout the year: avocados, bananas, chili peppers, and Cardamom. Cardamom, the "other" main product of Cobán is not as conspicuous as coffee, except that every so often, you smell a strong whiff of it. Cardamom is a wonderful spice, used in Danish pastries, Arabian coffee and Indian cooking.
Almost ripe coffee beans Right: the best beans are the pale ones. The other ones are imperfect, with some peel still attached and will be used for instant coffee.
	Left: the flower of a banana tree. If you look carefululy up the weird stem, you will see a bunch of immature bananas. Cardamom pods being bagged. Such a large bag would retail for thousands of U.S. Dollars.
Typical threatening Cobán skies	Crude but effective security system
Cobán panorama	International Orchid Show inside the catedral

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