1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: Okay, it's Monday morning, the day of the Big Oaker, 2 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: a police sting operation on the trunky dodcalfeeves. So I'm 3 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: gonna walk out to stretch of roadside where the bikes 4 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: stand to park, and we'll see what's happening, if there 5 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: are any cacalfee is operating today, and if the police 6 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: are doing anything more soon. So funny story, it's and 7 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: I'm in Bolivia at try and Kila Dad Volker Lehman's 8 00:00:55,280 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: Wild Cows Day in the Jungle, Good morning. I have 9 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: not slept that deeply in years, I think, did you? 10 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: It's crazy dreams, crazy dreams, crazy dreams. Yes, Vulcar's back. 11 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: He burned out on cocao and left the country bankrupt 12 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: and bitter, but he couldn't stand to stay away any longer. 13 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: The game had changed and for the better. The new 14 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: wave of craft chocolate makers was willing to pay more 15 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: than ever before for really great beans. The bean too 16 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: bar movement. It's more than chocolate making, it's really exploring 17 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: new horizons. So he came back to Bolivia with a 18 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: new plan. Restore Try and Kilodad, transform it into a 19 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: state of the art demonstration center for wild cacao and 20 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: concentrate on quality instead of volume. That sounded great to me, 21 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: But there's just one catch. Actually there's a lot of 22 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: cats is, but this is the most present. The situation 23 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: started developing a few days ago. Each day, people who 24 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: live near try and kill a DoD ride their motorbikes 25 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: into the coca dres and spend the day picking and 26 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: opening pots. I try my hand at the harvest to 27 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: in the afternoon, the pickers ride out and drop off 28 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: the beans. Volker weighs the beans on an ancient scale 29 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: and hands them cash. Then he and his team sort 30 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: through the slurpy beans, kicking out it's gunk, and begin 31 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: the long process of fermenting and drying. Have you done 32 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: for pod? No perquilo herquila? Yeah? Beans? No, but you 33 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: have to present me a bag with the beans, and 34 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: then I can tell you how we weigh them and 35 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: how much do I get pequila? Um, the quilo will 36 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: be almost one dollar? All right? I think I earned 37 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,959 Speaker 1: about a dollar. To oh, I got a dollar. I 38 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: timed my visit to coincide with peak Hartist. But after 39 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: several days of picking, Bulker isn't liking what he's seeing. 40 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: It is scratch will be cloned down. It's not so 41 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: easy animal. He's getting about two kilos of beans per day, 42 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: and he'd like to be getting twice that. On a 43 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: good year, Tranquila Dad can produce about five tons of cacao, 44 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: and this year is looking super light, even though conditions 45 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: have been good. So each day as the light harvest 46 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: comes in, Bulker gets increasingly quiet, and after a particularly 47 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: light day, he says, let's go for a ride. So 48 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: we hop in his antique truck, Dodge power Wagon, classic 49 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: and indestructible. Back before this part of Olivia had rhods, 50 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: this was how Vulker got his cock out to market, 51 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: tooling over the grasslands during the dry season in his 52 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: power wagon, sacks of cocao in back. Now we take 53 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,119 Speaker 1: it down the red dirt road a couple of miles 54 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: to the other side of tran kilodat far from the 55 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: entrance game. I wasn't sure why Bulker brought me on 56 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: this field trip, but now I understand. Motorbikes are stashed 57 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: in the weeds all along the barbed wire fence that 58 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: marks the property line. The fence is bent open in 59 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: multiple spots, and from each a well established trail heads 60 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: into the forest intruders. But are these guys also getting 61 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: her kickclfeves they're sneaking into tryan kilodat each day, picking 62 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: Vulker's cow and carning it off to a competitor. Vulgar says, 63 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 1: it's happened before and he tamped it down, but the 64 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: problem has flared up again. So basically, if you if 65 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 1: you retaliated and along too or three fours. Yeah, if 66 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: I retendiate, they suddenly intenpiating and they are in majority 67 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 1: five six. He hops out of the truck and starts 68 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: now think photos of the bikes, So I hop out 69 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 1: to I just want to keep uh these show. Yeah. 70 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: We briefly float the idea of waiting for the thieves 71 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: to emerge with the woods red handed, and we quickly rejected. 72 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: I cannot come front five young young, young guys getting 73 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,720 Speaker 1: angry at hell because I I go through the system, 74 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: I go through the police and ask him please do 75 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: something till Stephen monca what you're gonna do? And if 76 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 1: you think that is going to be straightforward, well then 77 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: you haven't been paying attention from Kaleidoscope and i Heeart podcasts. 78 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: This is obsessions wild chocolate. I'm Roman Jacobinson, Chapter seven, 79 00:05:47,400 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: The Art of the Deal. Wow. I had like Bedlock 80 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 1: for at least twelve years. You don't know. You know, 81 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: there's a there's a blues. You know. If they weren't Bedlock, 82 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have luck at all. I don't know. It's 83 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: morning in Tranquila. Dad and Vulker and I are supposed 84 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: to be out in the coal forest, but once again 85 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: it's boring, So we're hanging in his screenhouse while he 86 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: tells me why he came back to take one last 87 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: shot at his masterpiece and maybe even save his favorite place. 88 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: I always kept my self contilda. I always kept it 89 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: out of you know. I never mingled it too much 90 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: into to all of this why right, because it was 91 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: mine and I wanted to protect it. When the bankruptcy 92 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: lawyers were circling like vultures, Try and Kilo DoD was 93 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: the one thing we managed to keep out of their talents. 94 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: Were you worried what it was gonna look like when 95 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: you got back? When I came back, I was crying. 96 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, it's I have to start all 97 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: over again. When I came here was a paper and 98 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: and garbage all over the place, and I always terrible. 99 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: I was close to sixty a long time for me. 100 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: Five years is a long time being sixty, and not 101 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: because I thought, a yeah, maybe in two years I 102 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: will retire. Um. Then I realized that I have to 103 00:07:53,840 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 1: start again. And did that seem daunting? Oh? Yeah, that 104 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: was um And and then it creeped into my mind. 105 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: And if that fails again, then what what? And did 106 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: I achieved? Now the emotional turmoil and financial misery, there 107 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: had been some bright spots. He'd put a brand new 108 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: idea into the world. The chocolate had been recognized as 109 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: some of the best of all time, and the chocolates Halle's. 110 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: The wild cow forests were now permanently protected. Bulker actually 111 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: helped write the regulations most important of all. By proving 112 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: the greatness of wild chocolate, he'd helped to spur a 113 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: global treasure hunt. The US was now full of bean 114 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: to bar chocolate makers eager to get their hands on 115 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: great beans with unique flavors and prices and sword so 116 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: he had a new plan. Instead of chasing forty five 117 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: tons of beans across half of Bolivia each year like 118 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: he used to do, he could just make a few 119 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: times of the most deliciou just pcao imaginable, and that 120 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: would be enough to keep trying to kill it out 121 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: a flood. Last year, I um, I got some money 122 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: out of savings and I put put it all on 123 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 1: Zero's so this better work. He went for it, spending 124 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: every sn he had to build a new solar powered 125 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: fermentation center and to use it to produce the world's 126 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: most perfectly fermented beans. So he spun the wheel and 127 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: prayed Zero would come home. So there was my last coin. 128 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: So I put my last con on it and you 129 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: and it hit. Zero explained that yeah, last year I 130 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: could make ten tons and has sold it for the 131 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: best price ever. That set him up for great The 132 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: fermentation center was paid for. If he could just make 133 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: another ten tons this year and sell them at top dollar, 134 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: he be golden. Now, normally Volker could do ten tons 135 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: of cocaw and his sleep, And that's kind of what 136 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: I thought. I was showing up for a victory lab 137 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: of sorts. To finish my foura into wild chocolate. We 138 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: picked a cow, cracks and beers, maybe fry another crocodile. Instead, 139 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: things have gone haywire on multiple fronts, which is why 140 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: instead of a victory lab. I'm going to spend a 141 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: lot of this episode sucking dust on Bolivia's horrendous back roads, 142 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 1: chasing new supplies for starters. There's the cocao that's disappearing 143 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: out the back of Try and Kilodat. Volker was counting 144 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: on Try and Kilodat for four or five tons, and 145 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: now it looks like he'll be likely to make two. 146 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: Normally that wouldn't be a problem either. Wolker used to 147 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: source fifteen tons a year from the other chocolate Talis 148 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: and Bowres. But what I suggest that we just go 149 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: hit up his old contacts, He says, Actually it's complicated. 150 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: The town council and Bowres just passed a new law 151 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: banning anyone ouse side of the town from buying fresh 152 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: bow raised beams. And Try and Kiloda is just across 153 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: the river in the town of Wakaraje, so he's been 154 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: cut off. At first, that didn't make any sense to me. 155 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: Why would they cut off their number one buyer? And 156 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: when I prod Vulcar, he kind of hems and haws. 157 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: But then as we're driving to Wakarraje, he confesses I 158 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: am actually the the person who triggered it because I 159 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: was in this chat group in What's Up. It was 160 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: a technical group of Bolivian cocau professionals, and if you've 161 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: ever been a part of a chat group, you know 162 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: there's always somebody who asked to stare at the pot. 163 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 1: And in this group you can probably guess who that 164 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: somebody was. I posted photos all almost green pots, and 165 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: I I wrote, um, you know, this is how it 166 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: is when there is no control. Basically, he had new 167 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: competitors that were buying cacao that wasn't even ripe yet, 168 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: and so the KO was getting harvested too early, which 169 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: was screwing things up for people who were waiting to 170 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: buy until it was ripe. People like him now. And 171 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: I made a comment, you know, fifteen years of you 172 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: now working with mngos and everything and nothing, you know, 173 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:31,599 Speaker 1: no control nor no organization about it. They got this, 174 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:35,959 Speaker 1: he bet they did. He just publicly flamed the proudest 175 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 1: cacao town o Bolivia for having terrible quality control and 176 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: in apt management. Sometimes Hebrew spites back. And then a 177 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: lady said in the in the chet group, I will 178 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: make sure that this guy will not get any means 179 00:12:55,679 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 1: out of bowders. Yeah, So in a matter of days 180 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: his two main sources of cacao have evaporated and the 181 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: season is moving along fast. So instead of peacefully picking 182 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: to cow pods in the forest, I find myself riding 183 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,599 Speaker 1: shotgun in Vulgar's land cruiser as we rack up the 184 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: miles tunneling back into a cow underground and his own paths. 185 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: I mean. The first buyer we visit in Wakaraya used 186 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: to sell the vulcar years ago, but he says he 187 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 1: doesn't think there's a bunch of cacao out there this year. 188 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: The season is a bit of a dud. Yikes. But 189 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: our next stop, a guy named Ideal who lives out 190 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: in the sticks, says, no, there's a coo out there. 191 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: You just have to know the right people, and Vulkan 192 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: and I have a strong sense that Ideal is the 193 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: right people. And surprise, surprise, After a lot of chip chat, 194 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: Adil says, well, maybe I can set some for you. 195 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: It turns out that way way up the Rio Blanco, 196 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: which is the river that runs past rank kilodad Adeal 197 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: knows of a village, Little Carmen. He has relatives there, 198 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: and he said we can arrange what bean transport where 199 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: he would do basically the work running up and down 200 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: the river and bringing the beans with his relatives. You 201 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: don't have an idea of what the quantity could be 202 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: up there, but all probably all you need for your purposes. 203 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: I have no idea. This is why we want the 204 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: golf and see it ourselves. After striking out at a 205 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: few more spots, we passed another kacao agent named Maria, 206 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: and Volker says it needs beans, and Maria says, yeah, 207 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: you should talk to my cousin Chino up in a 208 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: town called bay Vista, Babies the borders this huge forest reserve, 209 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: and Chino is a park ranger there, and he knows 210 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: some guys who've been camping out in the forest and 211 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: picking cacap. Back in his heyday, Polker actually had a 212 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 1: buying station in Baya Vista, so he knows there's a 213 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 1: lot of cocao in those forests. So we get Gino's number, 214 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: and so after a couple of days of mostly dead ends, 215 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: Bulker has rustled up two leads, Gino the park ranger 216 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: in Bay of Vista, and Elk Carman the mystery village 217 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: in the middle of nowhere. Frankly, both sound pretty iffy 218 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: to me, but the future of Tranquilo dot is on 219 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: the line, so we're going to both. The first, we 220 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: need to go to the law and nip this cacao 221 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: fevery in the bud. That's after the break. I want 222 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: to taste of some real wild chocolate, delicious, nutritious and 223 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: free of preservatives or moral conundrums. We got you covered. 224 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: Call i escope is joined forces with Louisa Abram and 225 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: Statler Chocolate to make a special box to go along 226 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: with this very podcast. Now you too can sample flavors 227 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: from the banks of the Amazon without having to fight 228 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: off jaguars at the Antakontas. Just visit www dot Stetler 229 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: dash Chocolate dot com to order your wild chocolate today 230 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: link in the show notes. And how do you want 231 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,320 Speaker 1: to play this? You want? Who do you want to say? 232 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: I am to the Philice, No, I'm triving you are 233 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm here doing a story about kau and Bolivia Inbowras. 234 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: All right? That sounds good. Honestly, it sounds a little 235 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: lame to me. And I can already see my Pulitzer 236 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: prize slipping away. But there's no time to bargain. We've 237 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: already pulled up to the Wakarige police station, which isn't 238 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: exactly bustling with activity. The doors closed and the only 239 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: thing going on in Wakaraye is a guy on the 240 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: sidewalk pounding coca leaves on a stump with a mallet 241 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: beepsh it's easier to have to chew and holdenda. Police 242 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: cars off at the other end of the street, so 243 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 1: they might be over there. Do I see if they're 244 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: in the car afterre so we cruise up to the 245 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: other side of the plaza. The police car is empty, 246 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: but then we spot the policeman around the corner drinking 247 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: coffee with a friend just hanging you. The conversation looks cordial, 248 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 1: and when Volker gets back in the car, he seems pleased. 249 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: Any word, Yeah, he's the inn and he told mean too, 250 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: he's coming over and we should just wait, which we 251 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 1: do and wait and wait some more to kill the time. 252 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: I asked Vulcan when the trouble started at Tranquila Dot, 253 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: and he says, right from the beginning, because the previous 254 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: owner was never around, so everyone got used to thinking 255 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: of the land as a common larder and they were 256 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: happy you know, to a hunt and get the cocou 257 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: get the wood they wanted. Yeah, so you think you 258 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: think there was some resentment in the community. Um when 259 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 1: you put up the fence, yeah, Um, you know, everything 260 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: was easy, you know, and all of a sudden somebody said, no, no, 261 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 1: it stops. Um, the guy is not coming. I'm I'm 262 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: really I'm really getting no tired it it bothers made 263 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:48,159 Speaker 1: the police in come. It really what about? Oh no, no, no, 264 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: I think I see right as is added. But I'm 265 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: gonna remain open to all possibilities. Well, we agreed tomorrow afternoon. 266 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: He's busy, he's busy chatting with me, So we have 267 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: to wait till tomorrow for an official audience with the cops. 268 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: But in the meantime, we're off to Bay A Vista 269 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,120 Speaker 1: to track down this gino dude, Maria's gas. It's four 270 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 1: bone rattling hours and Vulgar's land cruiser and the only 271 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: breaks are a couple of tiny settlements we passed through. 272 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: At each we turn off the quote unquote main road 273 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 1: and cruise the back streets, peering into yards looking for 274 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 1: hanging bags of beans or tarp spread out with drawing 275 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: ones to be it smacks of desperation. The vulgar says, 276 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 1: it's all about laying the groundwork. I buy a call 277 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: from this area every year a little bit. All of 278 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 1: a sudden, somebody pops up and says, I got some call. 279 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: What you'd like to buy for me? It's pretty much 280 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: a drive through. But if you see sometimes you'll seek 281 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: a cow. Then I would stop and ask, and the 282 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: um make a chat and asking questions, and sometimes it's 283 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: it's like, oh, yeah, I have a cousin and he 284 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: has already need some bags. When don't I see the 285 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: color and the smell right away? It tells me if 286 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: it's interesting enough to dig keeper and make a cutting 287 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: test and chew on it or you know, and then yeah, 288 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: little by little I might be interested. Don't buy or 289 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: not or straight poker doesn't see anything he likes. And 290 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: in a couple of brutally bumpy hours we hit Bay 291 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: of Vista and wow. True to its name, Bay of 292 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: Vista is up on a ridge overlooking the confluence of 293 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: two rivers, and it's stunning. A huge sweep of velopty water, 294 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: double decker riverboats, kids playing in the shallows, a graceful church. 295 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,480 Speaker 1: There's a fiesta under way and everyone is partying. That's 296 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: really beautiful, like a piece of arya. Po Bulker peels 297 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: off to work as connections while I explore the river 298 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 1: and swim with the kids. We meet up at sunset 299 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,439 Speaker 1: at a bandstand looking over the river. There's an actual 300 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: band playing a Hallmark sky and I'm ready to move 301 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: to Da Vista. Did you manage to hook up with 302 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 1: your contact? Yeah, tomorrow, I'm we're going to have a 303 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: look at his place at ten about ah. His name 304 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: is Chino, that's his nickname, of course, hopey. He wants 305 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: the opportunity, opportunity and see what comes. So I take 306 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: the risk giving him some money and see first why 307 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: what he's doing with all giving a shop? Yeah, focus shrugs, 308 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 1: looks at the sunset and cracks of here. He doesn't 309 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: look enthusiastic. Um, yeah, I mean if there's a lot 310 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 1: of a cow here and no one's doing it, this 311 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: could be people, potentially a lot, like a significant amount 312 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: coming out of here. I know the potential here because 313 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: I worked here over ten years and I know what 314 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 1: what is possible. But that isn't that has to be 315 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: dicked out again, basically coming starting again. You know, like 316 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,440 Speaker 1: like years before they have. Vista had been really good 317 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: for Bulker for a few years, but then it collapsed 318 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: and the culprit was the same old nemesis he's been 319 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 1: battling in one way or another for thirty years. It's 320 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: a hot spot for cocaine smoke. This is an acocle 321 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: spoilt You know why why here? Yeah, because it's from here. 322 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: It's pretty close to the Brazilian border, so they fly 323 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: in the stuff and then they ship it down the 324 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: river to Brazil. I know that many people here got 325 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: involved and got money. And that's easy money for a 326 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 1: young kids just working very a couple of weeks with 327 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: these guys getting maybe a thousand dollars. Yeah, that's a 328 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: lot of money, Easier than brazil nuts. Definitely. I'm getting 329 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: deep ye at last, I'm starting to understand the weird 330 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,199 Speaker 1: dance between coca and coca. The drug trade is like 331 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: an Amazonian river, always shifting, jumping its banks and finding 332 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: a new path. And when that path flows through a 333 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: town like Baya Vista, everything else suffers. No one wants 334 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: to harvest coca or rubber for small change. But then 335 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: after a few years, the smuggling ships somewhere else, and 336 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: the cacao is still there. Bulker has to hope that 337 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,400 Speaker 1: the cocaine trade in Baya Vista has dried up long 338 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: enough to give cacao new life. And when we ring 339 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: Gina the next morning, it sounds good. We're on. Yeah, 340 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: he's coming, he's coming, he's coming coming here and with 341 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:19,120 Speaker 1: his multi party. So then and then we followed him 342 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:23,160 Speaker 1: to see his plays, his plays. All right, it sounds 343 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: like it's all coming together. Maybe no, yeah, you're never worried. No, no, 344 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,639 Speaker 1: not too much. Already, I've done it so many times. 345 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: It's like rehearsal the same plane and no Shakespeare Macbeth, no, 346 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: five times on. Yeah, but this performance turns out to 347 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: be Les Macbeth and more waiting for good. Oh, but 348 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: the guy doesn't show up. So but I'm leaving. We're 349 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: just leaving, that's it. So but in the nicktime, Gino calls, 350 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: so now he's coming, Now he's after. Finally Gino rolls 351 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: up on his bike. He's a young guy, blurry eyed 352 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: but eager, and he leads us through Bay of Vista 353 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,119 Speaker 1: to his place near the river. Gina lives with his parents, 354 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: his grandparents, his siblings, his wife and his newborn who's 355 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: lying on the floor and gawking, and everyone we all 356 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: play with the baby while China and Vulgar get down 357 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 1: to brass tacks. Volcus got his fedora pulled down low 358 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: over his eyes and his arms crossed, and he's giving 359 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 1: off skeptical vibes as he quizzes Gino on his plants. 360 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: How does he for mean? Cacaw? Where is he gonna 361 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: do it? Gino shows Vulcar a paved garage base, and 362 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: Vulcan nods and approval. At least it's out of the weather. 363 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: Nino's father points across the street to an empty house 364 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: on a promontory over the river, and Vulkan nod some more. Afterward, 365 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: Bulker walks me over there, and once we're alone, his 366 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:20,479 Speaker 1: skepticism melts a by this what this place? Ye? I'm 367 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: going I'm going to apply this, yeah, to be your 368 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: sales entry like warehouse? Are what? This will be? Six 369 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: thousand dollars? Right? And will you make it a house 370 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: or you'll make it? Now he's in his own and 371 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 1: he's justing a woman who's drying a cow on a 372 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 1: tart beside his new warehouse, and he forgets all about me. 373 00:26:46,920 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: He's cutting deals on the spot, and by the time 374 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: we leave, he's even whittled Chino's father down to five 375 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: thousand dollars for the house. This will be my new 376 00:26:55,160 --> 00:27:00,160 Speaker 1: Harvard Center then for this area. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's 377 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: always good to show you know that you were here. 378 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: This investment would be like ten tho dollars in total, 379 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: and and ten tho dollar for a very prominent house 380 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: at the Barranco with view to the river. It's a 381 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: no brainer. It is a no brainer. And by the 382 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,159 Speaker 1: time we roll out of Bay of Vista, he's feeling 383 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: the old magic. Perhaps his karma has turned after twelve 384 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: years of bad luck. At least it certainly seems like 385 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: it when we swing past the Wakara police station on 386 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: our way back. So we agreed to catch catch the 387 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: guys in fla granted in the forest. How's that going 388 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:53,360 Speaker 1: to happen? And yeah, he said he would need help. Yeah, 389 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 1: somebody else coming over and helping out. And then we 390 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: do an operation and we can good people. I love 391 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:32,960 Speaker 1: it a steak out after the break, I'll admit I've 392 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:34,719 Speaker 1: never been on a steak out before, and I'm kind 393 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: of excited. The plan is that the police will come 394 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: on Monday morning and meet us on the dirt road 395 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: where the thieves are hiding their motorbikes. Then as the 396 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: scoundrels come out of the woods with their bags, Pacao, 397 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: we nail them. They haven't advised me they can't do it. Actually, 398 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: he said that he will tell me that we will 399 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: let me know if so. If they don't do anything today, 400 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: then I would say them that's it. And then Vulcan's 401 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: stuns me by saying he's not even going to be there. 402 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: He says he has to head up to Baya Vista 403 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: the same morning to meet with Gino. He told me 404 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: the I want to see it, and I'm I'm going 405 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: to tell him, you know, this is this is what 406 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: we want and this is what we don't want. Yeah. 407 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: I do a little training with him throughout on the spot. Well, fine, whatever, 408 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: but I'm not missing the steak out, so I make 409 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: my way there on foot. I have no idea what 410 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: people will think of this unsupported gringo talking into his 411 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: tape recorder like Agent Cooper on Twin Peaks. But I 412 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: just hope they're not armed. I walked throughout and here 413 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: we got We've got bike number one, blue moped and 414 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: no filth signs of police. It's pretty quiet, Um, I 415 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 1: don't know, it's only what it's like ten thirty. Maybe 416 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: they're still working on their second cup of coffee while 417 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 1: they wait for the colonel to show up before they 418 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: launched the big sting. Anyway, I'm gonna get a photo 419 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: of the spike and keep going. See what we see. 420 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 1: It's really quiet out there. I'm trying to wrap my 421 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: head around this whole thing. Did the police ever intend 422 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 1: to come? Did Boker always know they wouldn't, or are 423 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: they just late. I'm just about to head home when oh, 424 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 1: we got some action. There's somebody just parked and sneaking 425 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: under the fence. It's a woman and she's got dogs 426 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:49,040 Speaker 1: with her and she's carrying buckets. Got a photo. Oh 427 00:30:49,120 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 1: there's two people here. Fun cook out, cook out, Hi mucho, 428 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 1: And yeah, that's how it goes. The people are unfazed 429 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: by my presence and the police never show. I hang 430 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: out for about an hour and finally I give up 431 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 1: and trudge. Hum. Well, that was all very interesting, but 432 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: I don't know what to make of it. They definitely 433 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:27,840 Speaker 1: didn't look freaked out that I was seeing them. They're 434 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: laughing in the woods, dogs are barking. It's definitely not 435 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 1: a secret operation. These bikes are right on the road. 436 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: They certainly don't seem to feel that they're in any 437 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 1: Jeffordy at all, and maybe they're not. Vulker comes back 438 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: from daya vista baby. She knows forest friends are delivering 439 00:31:56,720 --> 00:31:59,480 Speaker 1: more cacao than he toped. And when I show Vulgar 440 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 1: my photos the day, he just drugs it off. At first, 441 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: I can't figure out why, but I think I can 442 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: piece it together. For one thing, he's just received notice 443 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 1: that one of the chocolate makers in the States that 444 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: uses his beans has just received a big award for 445 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: the bar and they proudly splashed the word try and 446 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: kill it Dad across the front of their labels like 447 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: you would for a great wine estate. After twenty years 448 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: of struggle, Bolker's little patch of paradise is achieving landmarks 449 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 1: status at last. And I don't know if that was 450 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: directly responsible, but now he's got a new idea for 451 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 1: his endgame, his swan song in chocolate. It sounds romantic, 452 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: but maybe maybe some of some other people take it 453 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: over and make something similar. I asked what he means, 454 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: and he hesitates. It's clear he hasn't tried out these 455 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: ideas on anyone yet. But eventually he speaks, maybe in 456 00:32:55,120 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: the future, if it's more and more known, the maybe 457 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: uh Environmental trust um buys me out and put some 458 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: money to it to to bring other people in here 459 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:13,960 Speaker 1: to continue. Yeah, that will be great, you know, because 460 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 1: it's not for me, not only for me, it's also 461 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: for all the families here to know who are now involved. 462 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: As soon as he says it, it makes total sense 463 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 1: to me try and kill it as a destination where 464 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 1: people come to learn the craft, to meet the bare people, 465 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: and to understand the tradition of making wild chocolate. A 466 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: kind of center to push the art of chocolate to 467 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: new heights. That would make explicit something he's been circling 468 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:41,680 Speaker 1: around for years that you can't really be an owner 469 00:33:41,680 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: of these trees, just a caretaker. They were here long 470 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: before he'd arrived, and with any luck, they'd be here 471 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: long after he was gone. But there's another piece to 472 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 1: this puzzle, one I know nothing about at the time. 473 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,800 Speaker 1: It's that old Amazonian promise of adventure, and helps explain 474 00:33:57,840 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: why Bulker wasn't going to fret over a couple of 475 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: tons of beans from Tranquilodat, remember El Carmen, the mystery 476 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: village way up the Rio Blanca. Shortly after I leave Bolivia, 477 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: the first test batch of beans comes down river to 478 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:14,799 Speaker 1: Vulgar and with it information The pickers have been kipping 479 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:18,279 Speaker 1: out for weeks way up river where no one ever goes, 480 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:22,720 Speaker 1: and what they found was CaCO forests like none they'd 481 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: ever seen, beautiful pods, countless trees, all growing out of 482 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:32,800 Speaker 1: raised forest islands, just like the ones that Tranquilodat, another 483 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,360 Speaker 1: overgrown human made landscape stretching all the way to the 484 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:40,759 Speaker 1: Paraguay border, an area unknown to anyone except for a 485 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: few drug smugglers. Focus says, right now he has no 486 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: time to take on such an expedition, but he could 487 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: be convinced, because I can tell he's curious, and so 488 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: am I. The whole new lost city of z a 489 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: brand new x on the Treasure Man, just dripping cacw 490 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:04,439 Speaker 1: and waiting for someone crazy enough or obsessed and enough 491 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:21,440 Speaker 1: to try to get there first. Annie Daker's Wild Chocolate 492 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: is a Kaleidoscope production with I Heart Podcasts, hosted and 493 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 1: reported by me Rohan Jacobson and produced by Shane McKeon 494 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,760 Speaker 1: at Nice Marmatt Media. Edited by Kate Osbourne and mangesh 495 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 1: Out of Kudor. Sound design and mixing by Soundboard. Original 496 00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: music composition by Spencer Stevenson, a k a Botany production 497 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: help from Baheni Shorty from My Heart. Our executive producers 498 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:47,720 Speaker 1: are Katrina Norvell and Nicky Eator. Special thanks to Laura Mayor, Costas, 499 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:53,400 Speaker 1: lnos Ozwalash and Aaron Kaffman, Will Pearson, codel Burn, Bob Pittman, 500 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:56,160 Speaker 1: Daria Daniel and the team at Stetler who are helping 501 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,040 Speaker 1: us make a very special chocolate of our own. That's right, 502 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 1: We're working with Louisa and others to protect the rainforest 503 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 1: and make delicious Amazonian chocolate. Visit www dot Stetler dash 504 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 1: Chocolate dot com to taste it for yourself. That's www 505 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: Dot Stetler dash Chocolate dot com. And if you want 506 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: to hear more of this type of content. Nothing is 507 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: more important to the creators here at Kaleidoscope than subscribers, ratings, 508 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: and reviews. Please spread the love wherever you listen