Colombia has long been associated with premium coffee, and the
province of Quindío typifies this intimate association. There, man and nature
revolve around coffee. Its Spanish architecture, its music and its folklore all speak of coffee and coffee growing. Quindian cities, towns and villages cling
tenaciously to the mountain hills, red-tiled roofs on white houses and wood trimmings painted in blue, red, green or orange. Balconies peer out from under the heavy overhanging roofs onto coble stone streets.
The town of Salento, founded in 1842, is the oldest settlement in Quindío,
developed by the Antioquian colonizers. Its architecture is both modest and
harmonious. The surrounding area is of an alarming beauty, within the Cocora Valley and the Andes mountains.
The Colombian Architect and painter Fernando Turk Rubiano has
painted a beautiful watercolor of this town. You can see his entire art
collection at www.colarte.arts.co.
Yours truly,
Mariano Ospina
