Roça Monte Forte

We enjoyed staying a night at Monte Forte guesthouse. The owner Geronimo is a very kind and wise elderly gentleman who enjoys entertaining his guests. When we arrived there, his cooperative workers were just finishing up the festivities of their annual Christmas get-together. Geronimo and his wife, Angela made sure all the merry makers were gone and we had peace and quiet. They cooked us a sumptuous dinner for us with fish, chicken, rice and fired bananas. Geronimo kept us company at the table and narrated all different stories about his work and his country. In the morning, Geronimo was personally involved in putting breakfast on the table for us, and sat with us until we finished breakfast. He was a great source of information. We also enjoyed hearing about his large family; he was proud when he told us that he had 31 children and grandchildren! Hallelujah! The guesthouse room was very simple; it had a double bed, clean linen, a fan and towels and soap. The back window opened up to a nice view of the forest. When walking around the house we could also catch sight of the ocean. We had no time to take a tour of the cocoa plantation, but one could take a walk around the area. We also noticed that people lived in abject poverty around the cocoa plantation. I would say that the guest house would be a good place to stay for people who would like to add some cultural experience to their trip. Don't expect a 5-star hotel service. Expect these people to welcome you with open arms!