Monday

 Due to some scheduling conflicts, we were able to take our Cultural day today rather than later in the week.  Everybody appreciated the early day of rest to get a different perspective of the Dominican Republic. 

And, La Chocolata made a great impression!

It is a small chocolate operation originally built as a female safe business- women only- thirty years ago that was a big deal here. 

Today the founders granddaughter gave us a tour that included:

Breaking and eating the mucus from a chocolate pod. It was quite sweet.  How hungry do you have to be to be the first to try this?!

We then roasted the dried cocoa beans, ground them into a paste and rolled into balls 

Pretty straightforward process actually and we bringing the process home.  Or maybe just the product!😁

And oh yeah! Our self proclaimed avocado lover said the ones grown here are the best!

God bless you all!