Day 19 in Santa Cruz

Hello! Happy Saturday! Today we started off our day by visiting El Trapiche, a local farm that produces sugar cane, coffee, and chocolate. We got to hear about the rich history of Ecuadorian agriculture and how the first colonists were able to survive off the land. We learned about the traditional process for making sugar cane and coffee production. It was eye-opening to imagine how much work goes into each of these products. Understanding the steps, labor, and effort that goes into a simple coffee bean makes me appreciate it even more. We got to try out the methods of production including the ecological sugar cane mill and have taste tests along the way. Our next stop was at Garrapatero Beach, where we spent the afternoon relaxing on the sand, swimming in the waves, and kayaking in the blue water. The most memorable part of today was seeing a massive shark while kayaking out in the ocean. It looked to be over 10ft, presumably a tiger shark. After our afternoon exploring, we had the rest of the day free, which we spent shopping and getting dinner. I can’t wait for another great day in Santa Cruz!!

All love,

Leah