chocolate and more chocolate

Just before the New Year, R took me to Cadbury World along with his friends. I don't know how to describe the experience exactly, because by the end of it all, I swore to myself I'd never have chocolate again. Is that a good reaction you want out of Cadbury World?

Mind you; that reaction didn't last very long at all. I had chocolate the next day. It truly has become a staple food in my diet since this Christmas.

chocolate Christmas tree!

I'm trying desperately not to eat too much chocolate for the new year because I've done a shocking, and embarrassing amount of eating throughout the whole month of December 2011. Cheese, chocolate, wine, bread, more chocolate, mince pies. It never ends does it? I can't complain though- the Christmas spirit here in the UK is something I'll well and truly miss when I go back to New Zealand.

Upon entering Cadbury World, we were given "free" chocolate (as my economics lecturer explains, nothing is ever free), and of course I practiced little to no self restraint and open a pack of Cadbury buttons while walking through the history of the discovery of cocoa beans. I have to confess though- I got through my crunchie bar a bit too early in the tour because my throat started to get sore from all the sweetness of Cadbury Daily Milk Chocolate. =p

a board telling you how much cocoa beans are worth a pumpkin, a rabbit, and an Aztec man

The place itself wasn't laid out too well because we got confused as to where we were supposed to go several times, but all in all, it was a ton of fun! I learned an impressive amount about George Cadbury, and the Cadbury's, and their empire of Bournville in setting up villages and creating job opportunities for all their workers (whilst providing them good welfare and security unlike other capitalists back in the day)
I also learned that they were fascinated with Chinese culture (coinciding with the tea trade), and in order to lure people into the store initially, George Cadbury had employed a "fully dressed Chinese man" to stand outside the door of his shop! Thanks Cadbury World for the most interactive and interesting history lesson I've had so far.

The most confusing thing about Cadbury World though... Can anybody explain the picture above? Anyone? So far I've gathered that it's a man wearing a harness and dangling from...somewhere. But what's the significance of this sign indoors? It's hardly a warning sign either! AND it wasn't exactly like there was just one sign on the wall. There were almost a hundred of them lined close to each other along the pathway! Oh Cadbury.

Apart from learning a ton of cool facts about the making of Cadbury itself, we had the opportunity to create our own chocolate, see it getting made, shop at the world's largest Cadbury shop, and go on fun rides that involve the adventures of certain cocoa beans in the Aztecs to the United Kingdom. We also took many photos that involved imitating the figures around the Cadbury museum. Some of the best ones aren't too well lit, but here are some photos anyway!

Anna and I imitating some Aztecs

In Japan, R and I used to take photos in these giant mirrors that they have in the street. There was one conveniently located in the Cadbury World factory, so for the sake of tradition...

懐かしい！歩きながから携帯から撮った写真！

the main feature of this is anna and tom posing beautifully in the background, really :P

Cadbury World itself had many things to see and explore, and I definitely recommend it as a destination point if you ever come to the UK! Not only is it a fun, educational experience, you get lots of free chocolate. So much so that you temporarily experience a slight hatred of dairy milk chocolate.

I bought lots of chocolates that NZ doesn't tend to stock in the supermarkets, some cute postcards, Cadbury World tote bags, and gifts for friends and family. Some of you might be getting a Cadbury postcard very soon!

R had to persuade me not to buy this chocolate teapot that apparently will melt when I put hot water in it. I know for a fact it won't because it's only made to look like real chocolate, but R has developed nasty compulsive lying habits since I've come to the UK. =p

isn't the packaging adorable? Wish the ones in NZ were the same!

SO MUCH CHOCOLATE. 

1kg bar of chocolate with a side of diabetes? yeah?

The Cadbury store in itself is impressive beyond description. I mean, who the heck would think to stock up 1kg chocolate bars?! Seriously! And not to mention all the endless concoctions of chocolates... *Sigh* Writing about this place now makes it seem like I never went. I really should have bought a kg of chocolate, and just leave it on my study desk, never to be opened until I survive the next academic year. Wouldn't that be a great incentive? Not sure if its a great health decision though.

it honestly does look bigger in real life. My camera lies to people all the time.

Cadbury World will definitely be a memory that will stick with me long after this vacation is over. It's quite nice spending the New Year in a different country. I'm not sure what the new year has in store for me yet; but for one thing I'm sure, is that I'm definitely going to not eat as much chocolate for 2012. =p

Hope you all had a lovely New Years, and I'll see you in a month and a bit!

All my love always, and eat dairy milk chocolate :P

April