Today, we travelled to Quito. On our way, we made a few stops. The first stop that we made was to a cable cart which took us up to the Pichincha mountains. There, we were able to hike up a bit for a nice viewing spot. After this, we went to a botanical garden. There, we were able to see some carnivorous plants in a greenhouse as well as many different native species to Ecuador. Then, we went to an area to have lunch. Most of the students went to a “tourist trap” for pizza and pasta. Once lunch was finished, we went to the Pacari chocolate factory where we were able to learn about the processes of making the chocolate bara and the founding of the company. Among the educational component of this trip, we were able to do some chocolate tasting. After we finished our tour, we obviously bought a bunch of chocolate. At this point, it was around eight at night so we decided to go back to the hotel. A group of us followed Tait, our TA, and our tour guide to an area to get dinner. There was no presentation tonight, but I’m going to count the chocolate tour as our presentation. I thought that it was very interesting that the company had a focus on keeping their employees satisfied and educated so that way they would know their impact as well as be treated fairly for providing such a popular product.
During the bus ride, we saw a fire on the side of the hill. Diego had said that fires like that happens all of the time and that the locals believe fire like that forms clouds and will provide rain. The government sees the issue with this and is working to stop that way of thinking. I thought that this was particularly interesting to see how the locals think and how it varies from other areas.
During the bus ride, we saw a fire on the side of the hill. Diego had said that fires like that happens all of the time and that the locals believe fire like that forms clouds and will provide rain. The government sees the issue with this and is working to stop that way of thinking. I thought that this was particularly interesting to see how the locals think and how it varies from other areas.
Expansion of knowledge
Cacao Plant
Since the Pacari factory taught us about the cacao plant and how they manufacture it into a food bar, I decided to look up more information about the cacao plant itself. According to the Plants for the Future's page on the cacao plant, the plant has many uses. It explains that there are three different types of cacao that grow depending on the region it is grown in. The edible parts of the plant are the seeds and the oil that is derived from the plant. The plant is known to stimulate the nervous system, lower blood pressure, and dilate the coronary arteries. It can also be used to ease the symptoms that come with anemia. The oils also are known to be very hydrating and rejuvenating to the skin.
Works cited
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://pfaf.org/USER/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Theobroma+cacao