27.12.2017 - Waterfall Gardens and Doka Coffee Estate

Today we visited the waterfalls in the north and then the Doka Estate Coffee Ranch including a guided tour. Despite the horrendous entrance fees, both were worth it. Meanwhile, we know why Costa Rica is called the Switzerland of Central America and why backpackers avoid the country. You always have cash in hand here and the dollars disappear like snow in the sun.... It's really expensive.

The waterfalls were really impressive and so was the guided tour at the coffee ranch. Let the pictures speak for the former, and here are a few interesting facts about coffee:

Starbucks buys 97% of the first-class beans grown in CR (and later roasts them)....

1.5 million guest workers from Nicaragua help during the harvest, which takes place during the European winter.

Only two countries in the world have the patent to decaffeinate coffee beans with water vapor. Switzerland and, unsurprisingly.... Germany. All other countries use chemicals, namely acetone.

By the way, decaffeinating the beans does not cost the producing countries anything except for shipping. The profit is the caffeine extracted, which is mainly used for medical purposes....