We had a very full and wonderful day.

We started it off hiking to Cascade aux Ecrevisses waterfall in Guadeloupe National Park. It was a fun place, especially since you can swim beneath the falls. See a short video of the waterfall here (sound up!).

We then visited a chocolate plantation, where there was a tour in English at noon. While waiting for the tour to begin, I enjoyed the plantation’s gardens, and you can see lots of their gorgeous plants below. We learned how chocolate is manufactured out of cacao and we tasted every step of the process. We now understand how different types of chocolate are made, including white chocolate, the effect of fat and/or sugar content has on chocolate, the advantages of cacao butter, and the range of different flavors added. The woman giving the presentation was especially wonderful.

Afterwards we made our way north on the western shore of the island to a restaurant in Deshaies, where our table was on a deck that was literally a couple feet over the pounding surf of the bay. Since we were eating too late for lunch, and too early for dinner, we felt comfortable taking our time hanging out in that gorgeous spot, enjoying in the scene, sketching (me) and journaling (our daughter). This was so relaxing, with the repeated crashing of the waves reverberating loudly and soothingly beneath us.

We left that perch in time to watch the sun set on a gorgeous beach below an overlook a little north of there. See a short video of the surf at sunset there (sound up!). We then drove back in the dark to our Airbnb for some popcorn and bed, since we’re leaving early on a ferry the next day.

Certainly, waterfalls, flowers, chocolate, surf, and a lovely sunset make for a magnificently satisfying day.