Cheese, Chocolate and Salt Mines

After our jungle experience we thought we needed a bit of luxury and so headed to the mountain town of Salinas - famous for its cheese and chocolate.

It was a big change after the humidity of the jungle to head up to the mountains, and very refreshing. It´s given our mosquito bites a chance to heal as well!

Salinas is described the Lonely Planet as a ´charming little village´ and it really is. It´s got a lovely atmosphere with a real community feel. The first of the industries was cheese and it was started by an Italian priest in the 70s. Apparently he´s still alive and living there as well. Shows that cheese and chocolate have to be good for you.

We had a guide who showed us around the different industries. All the money they produce goes straight back into the community and none of the products are exported out of Ecuador. It seems to keep the community feel going though and the guide had real pride in Salinas.

They also have salt mines which neither of us realised. These sound much less exciting but are really interesting. It was less of a mine and more of a mountain side that salty water ran down. There were bowls that had been made by people leaving the shape for it and then the minerals hardening round the edge and so now the bowls stay there by just minerals. You could also taste the salt in the water which is also full of minerals and so the salt is good for you. Tell that Western doctors!

The cheese and chocolate lived up to expectations and I hope we added to the local community by our purchases :)