Costa Rica Unplugged: Day 4, Part 1-- Sweet Jesus

My Costa Rican guide was tagged in a picture last week on Facebook. He was on a raft with another tour group. Nostalgia swept over me like it hadn't in weeks. I missed the greenery, the lack of responsibility, the outdoors, and the pre-planned activities. Here I am now, working Monday-Friday, driving on freeways under construction with dried vegetation all around. I even caught myself clicking on the "View Details" tab of a Living Social deal for an eight day trip to the Central American country over the weekend. That's how much I miss it. Even the rain. I know the novelty of it would wear off if I lived there so I have to satisfy my urge to be free again with the help of the memories I captured.

By the fourth day in Costa Rica, my troupe and I were professional explorers. We rode out of Tortuguero calling out animals so our water taxi could identify them for us. He surprised us, though, when he pulled over to show us something none of us would have ever spotted; it was a treat the locals saved for us tourists.

Bats! The taxi knew exactly where these creatures lived, under the beams of a patio belonging to another lodge. 

A colorful toucan wishing us farewell. 

Our original driver was waiting for us on land after the hour boat ride. After hauling the luggage back to the shuttle and paying the dollar to use the restroom again, we were on our way to Sarapiqui. Although only 35 miles away, it took all afternoon to arrive to our much anticipated fully-equipped tent in the middle of the forest. First, we retraced the unpaved road with the free Costa Rican massage. Then we stopped at a supermarket where Jackie and I discovered what might come close to my mother's beer-salt-and-lime combination in a can called Rock Limon. As soon as we got back, Jackie checked to see if we could find it locally but it cannot be shipped internationally. I also bought a tee shirt for four dollars because our guide recommended sleeves for our white water rafting trip the following day to prevent chafing.

A chocolate demonstration was last on the list of things to do before we arrived in Sarapiqui. The on-again pouring rain delayed the presentation a bit when we got there. We sought refuge in the reception area as the water dripped off our rain gear, soaked through our jeans, or ran down our legs. But the storm settled long enough for the chocolate guide to lead us to another covered area where we were going to get schooled.

I was familiar with the cacao plant thanks to one of Anthony Bourdain's television shows. But watching the process of a seed being converted into chocolate right before my eyes fascinated me. I felt like I was let into an ancient secret, a secret only to be discovered deep in a Costa Rican forest, a secret only a tiny percentage of people in the world would ever know. Except for the distracting mosquitoes, I was completely enthralled. There's a high possibility I might not have blinked during the entire demonstration.

Cacao tree.

The cacao fruit.

The seeds.

Seed up close. Guide told us to suck on the pulp. The taste of chocolate was very vague.

The entire process in a nutshell.

The fermentation process, from day 1 to day 7.

A roasted seed. You could taste the chocolate already.

The assistant grinding the roasted seeds.

The presenter grinding the seeds even further.

The final product. 

Now, a taste of a spoonful of sweetness!

The guide told us that hot chocolate was the king's drink and if the servants spilled any of it during this mixing process, they would be beheaded. 

It's not hot chocolate if there's no foam. 

My sample. 

Cheers!

These were the rules for tasting the melted chocolate: close your eyes, smell, taste.

The end.

The storm made it appear later than what it was. But I was too exhilarated to worry about more rain. I boarded the bus with an unequivocal satisfaction. Having been a part of the chocolate presentation made me feel like I had been baptized into the Costa Rican culture. I felt tied to their traditions now, like I belonged to them, and no one would ever take that away from me.