On Sunday, September 26 in 1993, we both got up early at 6:00 AM as I had to drop Pieter off at the Atlanta airport for his flight to Medellin, Colombia.
Now it is spelled: INTERCONTINENTAL just click it.
On Monday morning the 27th, Pieter arrived at Santa Rosa de Osos, Antioquia which was about 2 hours north of Medellin.
The reason Pieter got asked to go there, was for assessing the situation for a USA importer of mushrooms, Fred Giorgio for Giorgio Foods.
Here it is coming into sight...
The hotel Pieter slept for one night (luckily!) was a kind of a prison room. A hatch with bars in the door and no windows. That's what they called a hotel?!
The shower was with a kind of submersible element, which hung from a wire under the water that came out of a curved pipe.
Because the water ran over the element, it got a little warm. Of course, you had to watch out for not touching that wire, it could have shocked you...
Quite an experience, the mushroom farm was also heavily guarded... Pieter got to see lots of guns!
Like entering a military camp.
The layout did show several shortcomings, technical errors but in the end, they got it sorted out and at present they seem to have a good operational business.
You can view a short video here: Setas Colombianas SA click it for seeing the actual finished mushroom farm.
On Tuesday night Pieter was back at the Inter Continental Hotel in Medellin and on Wednesday, I picked him up at the Atlanta Airport.
Happy to be home, that was quite an adventure and one for not repeating...
Hi Mariette,
ReplyDeletewasn't it scary, to see Mushrooms so protected with a lot of guns?
Thank you for sharing all those interesting things!
Wishing you and Pieter an good and safe new week!
Love and hugs,
Claudia xo
Dearest Claudia,
DeleteThat sure was a scary sight for my Pieter!
Hugs,
Mariette
Liebe Mariette,
ReplyDeleteherzlichen Dank für deinen schönen Post.
Alles Liebe
Elisabeth
Liebe Elisabeth,
DeleteImmer gerne.
Alles Liebe,
Mariette
Hello Mariette, It surprises me that there is much of an import/export trade for mushrooms (unless dried or canned) as they are so fragile and perishable. Is it to get fresh mushrooms in all seasons, or does it have something to do with cheap labor or prices?
ReplyDelete--Jim
p.s., I can't remember if I told you, but I checked and the bai mu-er fungus I get in Taiwan is indeed grown here. I made some recently with fresh pineapple and lemon juice.
Dearest Jim,
DeleteNo, there is no export trade from fresh, that is used for their own local markets. Besides they also have a cannery for products in glass and such. You could see that on their video, via link below. Mushroom growing is not limited to season, it is indoors and year round.
As for you p.s. it had to be grown in Taiwan, they are masters at it.
Hugs,
Mariette
The sceneries leading to the mushroom farm and the area around it look so vast! Beautiful cathedral. Sounds like it was a very memorable visit for your husband Pieter. By traveling many different places, there must be both good and bad experiences but I imagine all are precious memories.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful new week, Mariette!
Dearest Tamago,
DeleteYes, sometimes you can run into some unexpected surprises. But as long as it turns out well in the end, you hold on to the good memories.
Never have been in Colombia, only landed in Equador and visited Curaçao, their neighboring countries. That would be still 1,023 km or 636 miles to Colombia...
Sure, nature would be spectacular!
Hugs,
Mariette
Love the relaxing views at the mushroom farm dear Mariette! That Cathedral looks very beautiful, still has that Spanish architecture that we have here as well in the Philippines but they have this own flavor in Colombia and Peru about their churches that I really like!
ReplyDeleteDearest Stevenson,
DeleteYes, the architecture in Cathedrals and Churches is very much influenced by the Spanish, as it is in the Philippines.
Hugs,
Mariette
Dear Mariette - my husband has also been to Colombia twice. However, he went there in the 1970s when he worked for the UN. The first time he travelled there was by boat from Ecuador. He landed in a place called Tumaco - a coastal port, and was very shocked to discover that all of the buildings stood on stilts in the water and that there were armed guards everywhere. It was a very lawless place.
ReplyDeleteOn his second visit he brought home a beautiful emerald ring for me from Bogota.
I can well imagine how Pieter was pleased to arrive home safely, my husband felt the same.
Dearest Rosemary,
DeleteGuess the 1970s was quite a difference with late 1993. So your husband also knew about the need for armed guards.
Yes, emeralds are the best from Colombia, we saw them at all jewelry stores in St. Maarten and on Curaçao.
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello dear Mariette!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Very interesting and adventurous was Pieter’s trip to Colombia.
Like the scenery of the mushroom farm and the wonderful pictures!
Have a happy week! Stay safe!
Dimi...
Dearest Dimi,
DeleteThat was indeed a very adventurous trip but all turned out well.
Hugs,
Mariette
Scary place!
ReplyDeleteDearest Anne,
DeleteThat was exactly what Pieter said... but the hotel even more so with that strange heating element.
Hugs,
Mariette
Mariette
Lindos recuerdos, de un viaje de hace ya algún tiempo.
ReplyDeleteLas fotos están ahí para poder recordarlo.
Besos
Querida Antónia,
DeleteSí, hace bastante tiempo, pero todos estos recuerdos son importantes para mi marido. Ahora, finalmente tiene el tiempo de mirar hacia atrás...
Abrazos,
Mariette
What a trip more adventurous then any I would do
ReplyDeleteDearest Jo-Anne,
DeleteWell, one not always knows ahead of time what can be expected but adventures we both have lived through quite a few and are convinced that we do have a Guardian Angel. Ours has been on heavy duty in a lot of instances!
Hugs,
Mariette
Hello! Love the photos and commentary about this trip, certain Pieter must have been happy to be home and in his own shower! The countryside was lovely, I have not traveled to that part of the world. Take care, be happy, Love ... Helen
ReplyDeleteDearest Helen,
DeleteThank you and our own shower sure felt great after that experience but he was fine in Medellin too.
No, I've not been there either, only in Chile and in Guayaquil at the airport for a stop in Ecuador on the way over to Santiago, Chile and of course in neighboring Curaçao.
Hugs,
Mariette
Las imágenes son muy hermosas. Saludos
ReplyDeleteQuerido José,
DeletePor cierto sono por Pieter!
Un abrazo,
Mariette
Cara Mariette, resto sempre affascinata dai tuoi racconti di viaggi per il mondo...
ReplyDeleteChe vita avventurosa avete fatto. Una cosa impagabile.
Ma il libro è una vostra autobiografia?
Un abbraccio.
Lorena
Carissima Lorena,
DeleteNo, il libro sarà una versione aggiornata del libro di Pieter che è in otto lingue, ora solo in inglese sulla storia completa, la posizione dei funghi nel regno vegetale, i fenomeni fisici, l'intera coltivazione scritta in dettaglio con tanti consigli su cosa non fare e ho aggiunto il capitolo sulla raccolta. Piuttosto un manuale complesso ma più accademico in stile.
Abbracci,
Mariette
Unreal - Another Stellar Post - Well Done - Thanx For Sharing
ReplyDeleteCheers
Dearest Padre,
DeleteThat sure was quite an adventure for my Pieter!
Hugs,
Mariette
Un altro bel viaggio, la Cattadrele deve essere molto bella.
ReplyDeleteCia Mariette, buon giovedi.
Caro Giancarlo,
DeleteLa Colombia è davvero un paese bellissimo!
Un abbraccio,
Mariette
So interesting to hear about places I have never been, actually I have not been to any of the countries in South America...
ReplyDeleteDearest Janey,
DeleteSouth America is beautiful and it was in the very South of Chile where we both had our Church wedding.
Hugs,
Mariette
Colombian is my native country, so I can explain why the heavy armed guards. I saw that happened in 1993. It wasn’t about protecting the mushrooms, but rather the businessmen, as there’s a high risk of kidnapping. The risk is still high, but at that time, kidnapping for ransom was happening too often. Now, if the people involved with the farm were foreigners, it got even more attention. Colombia is a beautiful country but unfortunately it’s not a safe place. About the awkward hotel, I’d think you should look at it in its historic element. In little towns there are no fancy hotels, you will find more like Bed & Breakfast type of lodging, and those could be homes of 300 years old etc . The heater piece I kind of remember hearing about it. Just options to heat the shower, I don’t think it killed people but I always bathed with cold water so I am not sure about it. I wouldn’t use it either. 27 years later, I’d be curious what they are using.
ReplyDeleteDearest D,
DeleteYes, Colombia is a beautiful country and Pieter sure enjoyed its natural beauty.
We sure are grateful that all went will for this short trip. Also that the farm started producing well and it created jobs for many.
Both of us can relate to certain places with the bare minimum of bathroom facilities and we survived that too. Good question how it would look right now. Hope things improved for those people.
Hugs,
Mariette