Final days in Tarapoto

It has been a pleasure to work side by side with Nativos and Elizza. To finish my stay, both invited me to delightful meals in Tarapoto. I am going to miss them and hope that my work will help them in the future

I was on TV and radio twice this week!!

Imagen rtv  from Tarapoto interview me, not once, but twice!

You can find the first video here https://www.facebook.com/ImagenTVRadio/videos/231897893996195/

And the second video here  https://www.facebook.com/ImagenTVRadio/videos/231251324060852/

Amazing finds at a street corner in Tarapoto!

 

Choripans anyone? Rafael, owner of El Tio Sergio and Hilda’s husband makes “chorizos” and they are planning to sell them already cooked in a bun. But who will come up with the idea of selling  hot-cooked-boiled-quail-eggs? People from Tarapoto, of course! The small eggs are cooked on that small “carrito”. Or who will expect that coconuts were brought on a wheelbarrow and sold directly from there? The liquid was delicious and I left with the pulp from 2 for the price of 1! A TV screen is attached to a street corner house to be used as advertise! Or one can find a moto-taxi ready for the rain at the intersection of two street! But the best, is the corner store that sells Cerveza Qusqueña Negra! Super buena!! Cheers

Workshop

I gave a workshop to all employees and directives from both partners, Elizza and Nativos. Christian, another volunteer with Uniterra working in tourism, was able to get a room in the Chamber of Commerce in Tarapoto, two blocks away from my Hotel and from la Plaza Central (considered the heart of the city). I talked about the solid structure in cocoa butter and showed them X-ray results as well as micrographs. Everybody said that they now understand why it is necessary to have a proper tempered cocoa butter

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Canada’s volunteers in Tarapoto

No estoy sola! Hay 5 volunatrios mas en Tarapoto and they are all from Canada, of course since Uniterra is a Canadian initiative! We get together to help each other and to eat!

They work in tourism, chocolate and coffee and of course, we get together to EAT!! Some times at Cristian’s house and some other times in little cozy restaurants or they help  sharpening the Canadian pencils that I gave away during the workshop.

Elizza, my other partner

Hilda is the owner of this company, Elizza. The company starts with the grinding of the nibs and finishes with bonbons and chocolate bars.

Cocoa Plants in Tarapoto

Elizabeth took me to visit a  small chocolate company that process the cocoa beans starting with the fermentation process and finishing with the chocolate bar. They give tours of the plant but no pictures are allowed. The view of the rain forest from the gardens was spectacular!

Nativos – One of my Partners

Elizabeth is the amazing owner of this little company that makes chocolate bars, bonbons and tablets for hot chocolate. It is a pleasure to work with her!

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Check Tarapoto’s buses

I figure out that it is cost effective to use MOTO-TAXIS  since there is no need to have air conditioning and they appear out of no-where infront of you! And of course, you negotiate each ride!! Amazing! I am fascinated!

La Patarashca- my Hotel!