> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# March mini-photoblog — Brazil
- URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/march-mini-photoblog-brazil/
- Published: 2018-03-30T23:18:15.000Z
- Updated: 2020-12-30T22:03:27.000Z
- Author: DiscoverChoc
- Tags: TCL Originals

The main story image was taken at Fazenda Sagarana. The pattern of light on the ground comes from clouds, not any image manipulation.

![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/wordpress/2018/03/ilheussunrise.jpeg)

**Sunrise over the Atlantic, Ilheus**. The hotel I was staying at was right across the road from the ocean and sunrise itself was time for just around 06:00\. It was a simple task to wake up early and take some photos before breakfast. I did this every morning, but on only one was the view this spectacular.

![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/wordpress/2018/03/ilheusbay.jpeg)

**Ilheus Bay**. This photo was taken one afternoon while returning from a visit to Fazenda Ventura, the farm of Lola Gedeon and Jim Lucas located outside Itabuna. It was a long drive and I got to practice my Portuguese with my driver, and he got to practice his English with me.

![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/wordpress/2018/03/feetofacocoadancer.jpeg)

**The Feet of a Cacao Dancer**. There is a unique practice in Brazil, “dancing” on the wet cacao on the drying platform after fermentation. The cacao is heaped into a pile and the worker quite literally dances on it. The thinking is that dancing removes excess pulp, which leads to better quality. I don’t know enough about the process to know if there is any actual science behind this (I suspect it’s done because it’s traditional to do so). However, I do have to wonder if it’s hygienic – I am confident it would not pass HACCP muster. I would not want my cacao danced on if the dancer had an open cut on his feet, or worse.

---

Archived Comments