The minibus was winding its way into the forested mountains inland from Roseau, and then I suddenly saw the sign for Cocoa Cottage.
"Stopping" I shouted my orders to the driver, from the back of the bus, in true Dominican fashion.
I squeezed past fellow passengers who were heading up to the nearby village of Trafalgar, and went in to find Iris, owner and manager.
Walking down the pathway, I could already see how the place got its name. There were cocoa trees everywhere. Their dividing trunks and shady canopies lined the way.
There were even some cocoa pods ready for picking.
From the outside, I could see that the lodge was built using local materials- volcanic rocks, wood and galvanized roofing, all so typical of the island.
The lodge is orientated to look out over the steep forested hills and valleys.
Alongside the main lodge, there is a two storey bungalow, also called the honeymoon suite. Views are equally spectacular and like the main lodge, there are porches on which to sit and enjoy the serene nature of the place.
I wandered around the gardens, finding more cocoa trees as well as large stands of tree ferns and palms.
Then I took a steep path bordered by heliconia down into the cool shady forest.
At the bottom, I found a tumbling stream and a stand of banana palms, whose leaves were lit up by the sun.
Inside the lodge and bungalow, there is the same feeling of being immersed in nature. Through large open windows and French shutters, cool interiors of wood and stone receive mountain breezes and the sound of crickets, tree frogs and buzzing hummingbirds.
There are books everywhere, and I particularly loved this collection of 1930s National Geographics.
The architectural design has been artfully conceived. Above the downstairs lounge and dining areas, the upstairs bedrooms each have their own style and character. What they have in common are porches with mountain and forest views, the use of wood and stone, attention to detail and local works of art on the walls.
Around the lodge, there are secluded seating areas, from where you can hear the stream and look out over the mountains.
And everywhere there are artistic touches. I liked the way this wooden cable spool has been painted and turned into a coffee table.
The kitchen and dining set up is great, built with open sides and leading straight out into the gardens. There is a large round dining table and Iris also applies her artistic talent to the cooking. As she prepares dinner, using fresh local herbs, spices, fruit, vegetables and seafood, guests can chat, drink a glass of wine and gain a free lesson as an island chef. The atmosphere is very relaxed.
Something which grabbed my attention was everything related to cocoa.
In the lodge, there is a sort of small museum, explaining all aspects of this crop. For example, I learnt that there are three species of cocoa tree- Criollo from Central America and Venezuela, Forastero from the high Amazon and Trinitario from Trinidad. And the process of preparing cocoa paste involves many stages- harvest of the cocoa pods, sweating and fermentation of the white cocoa fruit (traditionally inside shallow wooden boxes covered with a banana leaf), removal and sun drying of the beans, roasting to release the rich aromas and flavours, cracking of the shells and winnowing, followed by crushing of the nibs into the thick paste which can then be used for making chocolate.
This is everything that Iris does when preparing her own dark CocoJazz chocolates, blended with local cinnamon, coffee, ginger and orange. I tried some- they out of this world, and just as good as the best artisanal chocolates I've had in Brussels. What's more, it couldn't get more local or ecological than this. I was eating something produced from a tree literally yards away.
It also made me feel good to read up about all the health benefits of pure cocoa (the unhealthy part of eating chocolate comes from all the saturated fats, sugars and additives found in mass produced milk chocolates).
This list of healthy ingredients in pure cocoa included being a top source of antioxidants (exceeding, by far, almost every other fruit, nut and vegetable), and containing a range of minerals- magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese and sulphur. It also contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, which is found in olive oil. In addition, cocoa has compounds that stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain. For example, tryptophan causes the release of serotonin, an anti-depressant and theobromine is what leads to the sense of physical and mental relaxation.
But in case all of that won't convince you to consume more cocoa and dark chocolate, perhaps the sign outside Cocoa Cottages will.
Cocoa Cottages, located on the mountain road just below the village of Trafalgar, has six double rooms. On a single occupancy basis, they cost US$100 and for a double occupancy $125, excluding the 10% island taxes. The 7th night is free and there is a 20% discount, if staying two or more nights, for the canyoning excursions which they also organise. For further information on Cocoa Cottages and the canyoning, please visit www.cocoacottages.com
