Chocolate review: Chocolat Stella Cacao Nacional de los Rios, Ecuador 68% Dark

Heading to Tagaytay for a workshop last weekend, our group had a stopover at the Paseo Sta. Rosa. After having breakfast, we had time to go around before we proceeded with our trip. And so I dropped by the Santi's branch there to check out what they had in dark chocolates. I was pleasantly surprised that they had a lot of choices and decided to pick up one each of what they had not being sure if I could pass by the store on the way back the following day. 

Upon arriving at home, the Clairvoyant and I selected our first bar for "sampling" and decided on the Cacao Nacional de los Rios Ecuador 68%. The cacao is supposed to be taken from a single plantation (according to the information in the label) and there is even a nice story about the chocolate on the inside of the packaging.

The packaging for Chocolat Stella's Cacao Nacional de los Rios Single Plantation Ecudaor 68%.

More detailed information at the back

The story behind the chocolate.

The bar did not disappoint and proved to be among the smoothest chocolates we've tasted. My only regret here was not buying another bar. It's definitely one chocolate worth the price and the effort of going to store for a bar or more! :)
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Limousine bus services from Narita

There are several options for passengers to travel between Narita Airport and their destinations in the Kanto area. There are many train services connecting the airport to Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba or other destinations. These include the Narita Express (N'EX), the Airport Narita trains of the JR Yokosuka-Sobu Line, and the Keisei Skyliner. Another option is to take limousine buses from the airport, which includes the Airport Limousine bus from Narita. Information on fares and schedules are available from the internet links I provided.

The Airport Limousine counter at the arrival area where people may inquire about routes and schedules, and purchase tickets

Bus stops are located just outside Narita Terminal 1

The information boards on Airport Limousine stops provide information for the next bus for a particular destination in both Japanese and English.

Smoking areas are located outside the airport and are enclosed (there's ventilation).

A bus bound for the Yokohama City Air Terminal (YCAT) is shown loading passengers. I used to take this bus as an alternative for going to Yokohama, where I lived for 3 years in the 1990s. My other option was the Airport Narita trains of the JR Yokosuka-Sobu Line.

Back of a bus bound for Shibuya and Futako Tamagawa in western Tokyo.

When I was still residing in Yokohama, I usually took the train to Narita and the bus when returning from the airport and via YCAT. This was because I usually travelled lighter when going to Manila than when I was returning since I brought back some food items for times when I was feeling homesick and longed for something familiar to eat. Cost-wise, the airport limousine bus service cost a bit more but was more convenient for my return trips. Later, in my stays at Saitama, the obvious choice was the bus to and from Narita through Omiya Station as traveling by rail was more complicated due to the transfers. The additional cost is easily justified by the convenience and comfort provided by the bus service.

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Getting reacquainted with the Tokyo subway

Back in Japan after almost 5 years, I was excited to go around Tokyo during our free time after our meetings. With all the information available online now, it is quite easy to do a desk review of public transportation in Tokyo. Since our hotel and meeting venue were near subway stations, it was practical to know about the metro lines near us. Whenever I was in Tokyo, I always took the trains whether it was by subway or by Japan Railways (JR) lines. There are two companies operating the subways in Tokyo. One is Toei and the other is Tokyo Metro. I seldom, if ever, used the bus or taxi preferring to walk between train stations to/from my meetings or appointments.

Tokyo subway map that is downloadable from the internet

One can purchase tickets at the station using these machines. These have bilingual features so you only need to press the button to have the interface in English. Maps overhead provide guidance about stations and fares.

Subway turnstiles where passengers enter and exit for the platforms

Information on transfer stations and the cars nearest the stairs. This information is helpful so passengers can easily position themselves in the car to minimize transfer time from one train to another.

"Manner mode" sticker on the subway train near the door advises passengers to refrain from making calls while on the train. This is considered rude and annoying to fellow passengers.

Metro line information overhead at the train doors include a line map and a message board announcing the next station in Japanese and English.

One can also purchase special tickets or passes from the stations. Ticket vending machines may also have the capability to issue the popular Pasmo or Suica IC cards that can be used in almost all transport modes in Tokyo and other cities. Information on these cards are easily found in the internet. There are also online route or travel planners that people can use to plan their trips. One such tool is Hyperdia, which provides information on lines, transfers, travel time and fares.

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