Family Day Tour of Lopinot - My family splits its time between North America and the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. After discussing some fun activities to do with the kids for the summer, my wife suggested we do the "know your island" experience and visit all the attractions we would recommend to our North American friends. Today's trip took us to Lopinot, which is part of the Northern Range of Trinidad. There's a lot of rich history and heritage there going back to the days of the sugar plantations. Ironically, sugar cane didn't do well in the area, so Theobroma cacao (cocoa trees) were planted, from which we get cocoa powder and chocolate from the bean (cocoa pod). The tours are led by very experienced guides who know the history of the area. Our guide, Donna Mora, did an excellent job in sharing the history and heritage of the Estate. We were able to see how the beans are processed in order to make the cocoa powder and chocolate. There's ample to sample from, whether to eat directly from a bean pod, drink a cup of the cocoa tea, or devour one of the 65% dark chocolate bars. The tour of the Estate includes a visit to the Gomez Cave and a walk-through of the actual plantation where the trees are. This was fun for the family, especially the kids. We left the city at 7:30am, after making the relevant (and necessary) runs to Starbucks. It was an easy drive into the hills, which took roughly 1 hr and 10 mins. We started the tour at 9am and ended at noon. Truthfully, we could have stayed longer had there not been the need to be back in the city in the early afternoon. Be sure to check out Restuarant Mariposa while you are there. You will not be disappointed. I'd rate this tour and experience 10 out of 10 for the scenery, the interactions, and the overall warmth of Donna and her team. It's well worth the time, and we look forward to doing this again soon.

Interesting, relaxing, and educational experience - The tour operator who picked us up from our bed and breakfast was prompt and helpful, and we enjoyed the scenic drive to Lopinot. We arrived early for the official tour of the plantation and thus had time to do some macro photography of butterflies, flowers, bees, and a baby praying mantis within the plantation grounds. We enjoyed seeing the plantation structures, including the grave site (Compte de Lopinot) and hearing spooky tales. We especially liked the walk within the cocoa trees and eating the fruit around the cocoa beans of a freshly picked cocoa pod. We appreciated the chocolate-making demonstration and explanation, the cocoa bean dance, and the chocolate sampling. The plantation tour guide was enthusiastic and energetic, which added to the enjoyability of the experience. A highlight for us was the visit to a cave with fascinating creatures, which ended the tour.