A day in Singapore

We have a day and a half in Singapore before we fly off to Medan, Indonesia. The biggest challenge today is getting used to the heat and humidity. And I was told the weather is mild today. Umbrellas came in handy.














The fruit at the market was incredible, the colors, taste and even the smell.












Durian is in season. All the fruit sellers got a laugh out of our sour faces as we came into the vicinity of the Durian. Smells like something died.


















Had to visit Apollo Banana Leaf, famous for its fish head curry. The tastes! Eaten with our hands on a banana leaf with rice and side dishes splashed on the side. Delicious. We all have yellow hands today.

Coffee Roaster Profile

During our stay in the Bay we had a chance to talk to Rouin Rahmani a local coffee roaster at the Beanery at the Alameda Marketplace. Everyone's story is so different with special moments of inspiration woven into them. This is part of the human side, both sides of the story indemic to the coffee business.

One Day and Counting

All is in disarray after several weeks of planning and gathering. I'm in a panic yet I'm not. This feeling is the culmination of all the details of our trip coming together. After today there will be no more room for second guessing and accumulation of required gear. thank goodness:)
We are heading into the wonderful land of Sumatra Indonesia for one month of exploration and adventure. We intend to meet up with local coffee farmers and exporters in the Gayo region of Bande Aceh in north Sumatra. We will try to profile the farmers, compare and contrast their life with ours in the US. What do we have in common? What are our differences? What are their challenges? How to their challenges and our lifestyle interconnect? What do they see as their future? How does that relate to our vision of the future?

I welcome any question you might want to ask. We only know of them through their coffee. They know of us through our media. They are the ones that nurture and grow the produce with care that becomes our daily pleasure. Lets get to know each other better.