Comprehending coffee

Yesterday a trip to Illycaffe - something that I have been waiting for since September. We are doing a module on The World of Coffee and it was really fascinating to understand more about the process of how the beans get from the bean to the cup.
Some facts about coffee we learnt yesterday:
1) All Illy coffee consumed everywhere in the world comes through Trieste for roasting. Amazing to me to think that when my friends in HK are drinking Illy coffee it has been through Trieste - and to think I had never even heard of the city before I applied for MIB!
2) The beans are checked by machine, and by the laboratory too. The rejected beans are sold onto other coffee companies for their premium coffees. (Other companies say the same though)
3) There is a big difference between arabica and robusta. Arabica is harder to grow, easier to ruin, and way more tasty.
4) Moka (the machine you put on the stove) accounts for 70% of all coffee consumption in Italy - but most people don't make it properly and ruin the coffee. (A tip for those not in the know - as soon as the coffee starts to splurt out of the spout at the top - turn it off. This will mean that you avoid the bad taste that comes from overextraction)
5) Ethiopian coffee has a naturally sweet taste - that actually decreases the amount of sugar people use if it is added to the blend.
The training facility was really impressive too, but what I really loved was the collection of cups on dsplay.
The coffee wasn't bad either! But at 3 times the price, it ought to be good!