El Salvador. The journey begins. A journey I took 12 months ago.

An amazing eight day journey through such a wonderful country began with a couple of nights in a remote location, a captive audience, alas not much to do that tickled my fancy.

Bird watching....NO
Turtle watching....NO
Learn about biodiversity..... Fella, until you mentioned it I have never heard of that word before in my life...NO
Do my own thing....YES

Jiquilisco Bay

This was home for the two nights, originally I was put to share with a couple of single ladies.........be still my beating heart, alas they were both in their late 70's. My little soldier returned to his bunker disappointed.

I informed our leader that I walk around with no clothes on, and am unlikely to change a habit of a lifetime just for a couple of nights, I ended up having the place to myself as he did not want the elderly ladies to go into shock! (as he put it).

Yup lets go for a decent sized bed complete with en suite and balcony.

Situated on the southeast Pacific coast of El Salvador, Jiquilisco Bay, is a massive mangrove site in the country, a very photogenic area.

Chaparrastique volcano in the distance, last active as recently as 2016

Fishing boats on the jetty

Canoes on the shore for the energetic!

I always think of the waiting on staff,so...... one trip two drinks, what a kind guy am !?

Considering the remoteness the food was pretty decent.....

...... as was the sunset

Cacao

Visiting a small family run farm, part of a larger co-operative, I learnt about chocolate.

Not personally a lover of chocolate, I can't see what all the hoo haa is about, endorphin rush, euphoria? nope, and there are better ways of releasing said chemicals than stuffing several bars of galaxy in ya gob!!

Once these large low hangers are picked

It is the seed inside that is the chocolate bean, loads of little white things, slimy to the touch. Popping one in my mouth was not unpleasant, I sucked ever so gently not wishing to rush the experience, quite a pleasant sensation running my tongue around the bean getting fruity flavours, eventually down to the bean biting in hard released a rather intense but very bitter chocolate flavour, I didn't, swallow, I spit it out, enough is enough.

Once fermented over a week to ten days the beans are sorted, graded and left to dry

Ready for the next stage once dried

That is packaging and forwarding to the wholesaler; chocolate? nah? give me a bag of wine gums.