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Episode 63 Overview
Over the past months, I have been working on finalizing the details of two different travel programs to take place during Q4, 2024. In this episode of PodSaveChocolate I will go over the two programs in more detail.
Paris
In 2010, I organized my first Discover Chocolate in Paris group tour. It took place over four days during the Salon, and elements included guided tours of the show floor with personal introductions to exhibitors I knew personally as well as walking tours of top chocolate shops on the Left and Right Banks. Also included were two very special events – a private AMA dinner with Stéphane Bonnat and an extended afternoon wine, chocolate, cheese, and charcuterie tasting event hosted by a colleague who owns a natural wine shop. This year’s tour will build on the success of the 2010 event, with invites to two events not open to the general public – but to which members of my tour group will be able to attend.
Ecuador
My first two visits to Ecuador were both learning trips, one in 2003 and the other in 2005. Both trips included Quito (the political capital) and Guayaquil (the economic capital). Both trips also included time in the Amazon (east of the Andes) to visit cacao farms and take in-depth lessons from staff at CIRAD. My most recent trip, a business trip was in 2022 and involved visiting cacao farms in Pichincha and Guayas as well as participating in a chocolate festival in Puerto Quito.
This trip is designed to go broad and deep, spending less time traveling to and from our destinations. Every evening (as well as time on the road) will be an opportunity to ask questions and learn about cacao and chocolate as we visit cacao farms in Pichincha and Guayas provinces. Included is a guided tour of the National Cacao Museum in Guayaquil.
Discover Chocolate in Ecuador is sponsored by Cocoa Supply.
In this episode, I will go over more details of the tours and answer questions about the trips from the live audience.
Discover Chocolate in Paris – Itinerary Highlights
Oct 30th to Nov 3rd
| Discover Chocolate in Paris 2024 |
|---|
| Day 0 – October 29th: An optional gathering at Clay’s hotel in the evening to discuss the tour and for everyone to meet the other participants on the tour. |
| Day 1 – Wednesday, October 30th: Meet at the Porte de Versailles at 09:00 for a pre-show coffee (on me!) and to get your entry ticket to the Salon. A guided tour of show highlights with introductions will be followed by invites to two, invite-only events. Want to know which ones? Email Member Support. |
| Day 2 – Thursday, October 31st: Walking tour of the Left Bank. The meet-up time is 09:00 by the fountain of the Church of St Sulpice. |
| Day 3 – Friday, November 1st: Walking tour of the Right Bank. The meet-up time is 09:00; the location is TBD. |
| Day 4 – Saturday, November 2nd: Full day at the Salon – entry ticket provided. |
| Cost: US$350 for Free members of TheChocolateLife. $300 for Premium members of TheChocolateLife. $400 for non-members. This price includes admissions to the Salon, entry to special events, Metro tickets as needed (eg to get to special events from the PdV), and chocolate tastings during the tours. |
| Not included: travel to/from Paris, accommodation. |
| All participants also get access in advance to a custom Google Map listing all of the destinations to be visited. This map will be updated after the tour to include additional destinations and more.) |
| The group size will be a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 12 people. |
Discover Chocolate in Ecuador – Itinerary Highlights
Sponsored by Cocoa Supply
Nov 11th - 16th
| Discover Chocolate in Ecuador 2024 |
|---|
| In addition to the daily events described below, every evening after dinner, host and guide Clay Gordon will convene a casual get-together in the hotel to talk what to expect the next day and to field participants’ questions about cacao and chocolate. Participants will be able to submit topics in advance to ensure they are addressed fully during the trip. |
| Day 1 – Nov 11: – Arrive in Quito. Transfer to hotel La Casona de La Ronda. Tour of Calle la Ronda, Welcome Dinner. |
| Day 2 – Nov 12: Drive to Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve. Welcome lunch followed by a tour of the coffee and cacao farm. Optional activity: Night hike through the cloud forest (add’l fee). |
| Day 3 – Nov 13: – Relax in the hotel, join Clay on a tour of the cacao farm, or explore the Cloud Forest. Lunch will be served before returning to Quito to fly to Guayaquil. Transfer to hotel Ibis Styles El Malecón Guayaquil. |
| Day 4 – Nov 14: – Guayas cacao farm visit with lunch at the Hacienda. Tour of El Museo de del Cacao (the National Cacao Museum) with English speaking guide. Dinner on your own. |
| Day 5 – Nov 15: – Cacao farm visit in El Oro or Los Rios. UNOCACE Coop tour. Farewell Dinner – local cuisine with cocoa fusion. |
| Day 6: – Nov 16 – Check out. Optional activities can be scheduled depending on departure time. |
| Price: P/P single or double occupancy, see the downloadable itinerary. |
| Price includes: Hotels, meals specifically mentioned, and local transportation. |
| Price does not include: International flights, necessary travel documents, travel insurance (recommended), optional tips, alcoholic beverages, meals not specifically included, and miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses. |
| Notes: Participants must ensure their passports, tourist visas (if required), and any necessary vaccinations are up to date. |
| We recommend participants secure an open-jaw itinerary, flying into Quito and returning from Guayaquil. A domestic connecting flight from Guayaquil to Quito on the return is not included. |
| Supplement: If people wish to extend their visit, we will be happy to help make arrangements. |
| Itinerary details are subject to change. |
| The group size will be a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 12 people. |
Where would YOU like to go on a ChocolateLife tour of a cocoa-producing country? Let us know in the comments!
Questions? Comments?
If you have questions or want to comment, you can do so live during the episode or after. If you are a ChocolateLife member, you can add them in the Comments below at any time.
Episode Hashtags and Related Accounts to Follow
#PastryCon #PastryCon2024
#cocoa #cacao #cacau
#chocolate #chocolat #craftchocolate
#PodSaveChocolate #PodSaveChoc
#LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife
Cocoa Supply (LatAm, US, EU, and OZ) on Instagram
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