Incessant noise and a hint of drains but apart from leg cramps for which I had some electrolytes not a bad night. Part of the noise was the aircon which I'm never much good at controlling.
There are about 10 types of banana. The flowers drop a petal a day.
Now it's raining and the sea and sky have nearly merged.
Off to Oreba cocoa area. However it's not quite as billed as the people who own and produce the cocoa went on strike and no longer work for a big company but for themselves then sell to the cooperative which ships to Europe especially Switzerland where the beans are auctioned.
They are largely self-sufficient as the forest provides huge a variety of fruit and plant products both to eat and for medicines.
A fast boat ride to Almiranti and Samuel met me.
The original cocoa plant was hybridised with the one from Trinidad and is now the main type.
But the fruit is susceptible to fungus which does not harm the tree and thrives in cooler conditions.
The flowers are minutes and are pollinated by a tiny fly.
This frog was on a rubber tree. Helen says its the blue jeans frog.
The beans are roasted to remove husks.
Then ground into a paste which is raw cocoa and tastes good. When drunk with hot water it sets them up for the day.
We had some.
The waterfront in Almiranti.