David
From the port, we walk, accompanied by Andrés, an older, radiant man, as well as many other people who bring our many pieces of luggage to Miguel and Peloma's house using wheelbarrows and manpower.
From the port, we walk, accompanied by Andrés, an older, radiant man, as well as many other people who bring our many pieces of luggage to Miguel and Peloma's house using wheelbarrows and manpower.
We walk through the small village, people look at us with interest, greet us kindly, and children come hopping out of the streets calling out "Señor David! Como estas?!" - "Mr. David! How are you?"
Many of the people living here remember the tall, blond man very well, appreciate him, and look forward to what and whom his visit will bring this time.
Arriving at Miguel and Peloma's house, the air already smells of cocoa.
After the warm welcome, we were immediately handed the beans from the latest harvest. The fermentation went perfectly, they said. And we were encouraged to compare them directly with Andres' beans, which had undergone a different number of hours of fermentation.
Wow – everyone here seems to be a cocoa expert and have an extremely well-trained palate for every subtlety in cocoa.
In the "backyard" of the house, we get to know the other creatures that live here: chickens, roosters, donkeys, pigs of all sizes, cats, puppies, and the heart of the house: Chocolate—a small, incredibly lovable dog with whom I will spend much more cuddle time here.
As I leave the house to let the impressions sink in for a moment, I see Steve sitting outside. Under enormous, beautiful, and truly impressive trees. The nature and its pristine state here are already almost indescribable.
"Hola! David! Que bueno!!! Soy Jorman. Y eso es mi esposa Karina! Has probado alguna vez el cacao?"
No. Three of us had never tasted cacao fruit fresh from the tree before. So we started right away. Jorman and his wife Karina took us with them to show us their country.
Not a field, as might be typical for us. No – their own little piece of jungle. We harvest the delicious yucca root, eat everything from chili peppers to coriander, and even fruits we've never heard of, but which are more aromatic than many things we could have imagined.
And most importantly: our first cacao fruit in Venezuela. There it is, hanging on the trunk of the tree. That alone is incredibly special. When Jorman opens it and offers us the white "seeds" inside, I start to beam. Finally, a fresh cacao fruit again. Soooo delicious, so fresh and fruity. A bit like a lychee or a mangosteen.
We hike through the impressive jungle, following the locals who could blindly walk every path invisible to us.
At the end of our little excursion, we arrive at the river.
A popular spot for villagers to meet, relax, cool off, or even for birthday parties and other gatherings. Here in the forest, by the river, it is considerably cooler than down in the hot village, where the sun dries the corn kernels and cocoa beans spread out on the street.
We are greeted with a soup made from freshly caught fish, freshly harvested yucca, and plantain. Cooked over the fire, it tastes even better.
What a reception!
We walk back to the village and, tired, full of impressions and very happy, move into our little house, which has 3 rooms, a living room and a well-equipped kitchen, just right for us.
And warmth. It also holds warmth for us. So we won't freeze here in beautiful Macuro.
Tomorrow we're going to the cocoa forest for the first time.
If you want to know what this experience was like for us, look forward to part 5 of our trip to Venezuela. :)
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