Day 5: Chocolate!!!

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Today started out with a 4 hour hike into the Amazon. We started by walking through an old rusted gate onto what seemed like a logging road until it ended and our guide Favio cut some bushes to the side and revealed a very narrow path that we followed him through.

The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, even though the humidity was honestly insane. Our guide was super nice and made us different things like hats, a purse, and a skirt, all made out of palm leaves. In the jungle we saw a bunch of really cool things like some huge spiders, and 2 really small, poisonous frogs that were interestingly coloured.

At the end of the hike, we ended up next to the river that we had tubed down the day before and saw that there was a boat waiting for us. We got in and it took us back to a small village where we waited for our taxis to take us back to the place where were staying. After lunch, the staff here showed us the process they go through to make chocolate.

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It was really interesting! I never would have guessed that the cocoa seed was surrounded by a layer of a white, sticky and sweet substance. After that, they leave them out in the sun to dry for 2-3 days. After the seeds have dried out, they grind them up 3 times and then combine it with vanilla, milk powder, cinnamon and other flavours to make dark chocolate. It tasted amazing!

- Sam Boroevich, Westview Secondary

Next up is Day 7: Into the Andes! 

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