Taste Test – Universal Yums (Columbia)

Universal Yums returns to South America with a visit to Columbia.

The Bridge Arequipa Wafers were good wafer type cookies and Akex and I both rated them a 7.

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The Maxcoco were more wafer cookies this time with coconut cream filling.
Alex-5 Joe-6

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The Bianchi Bar with Carmelo and Mani was a chocolate bar with nuts and caramel.
Alex-6 Joe-6

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The Gullets Maduritas were plantain cookies. The cookies were good at first bite but had a strange aftertaste.
Alex-7 Joe-7

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The Piazza Barquillos Con Crema de Chocolate were wafer cookies with a chocolate cream filling, we both thought these were very good and would eat them regularly if available.
Alex-8 Joe-8

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The Trululu Chocolates were chocolate coated gummies, OK but not a combination I would want again.
Alex7 Joe-7

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Trululu Gomitas Fresitas or Strawberry and Cream Gummies. Absolutely delicious.
Alex-7 Joe-10

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Oka Loka Ovnis Frutos Rojos were fruit flavored candies.
Alex-8 Joe-5

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Tocineta Limon – Bacon and lime flavored chips. Again with meat flavored snacks, yuck!
Alex-5 Joe-3

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Maduritos – Plantain snack
Alex-5 Joe-6

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Rizadas Mayonesas were mayonnaise flavored potato chips. They did not sound appetizing but weren’t bad at all.
Alex-5 Joe-8

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Caramelo Snacky were caramel flavored corn puffs. Alex loved them, I thought they were OK.
Alex-9 Joe-7

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

La Nina Pipits Limon were lime flavored potato chips. Pretty good and I was happy to see so many potato chip type snacks.
Alex-7 Joe-8

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Rizadas Picanticas – spicy potato chips
Alex-7 Joe-8

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Tosti Arepa – Cheese and butter flavored corn tortilla chips
Alex-7 Joe-7

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Turbana Garlic Plantain Chips
Alex-6 Joe-6

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Next up was a box of assorted Columbian sweets not only a highlight of this box but of all the Yum boxes so far!!

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

There were six sweets in the box and we will rate each of them individually.
Milk Caramel, absolutely the best caramel I have ever tasted.
Alex-7 Joe-10

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Coffee – Columbian coffee in dulce de leche fantastic.
Alex-6 Joe-10

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Guava – Just like in the Brazilian Romeo and Juliet
Alex-8 Joe-6
Panela – a confection similar to brown sugar
Alex-6 Joe-9

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Orange – Another delicious caramel this time with bits of orange peel
Alex-7 Joe-9

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Coconut – Caramel with coconut
Alex-6 Joe-8

Passion Fruit Bon Bon Bum – Passionfruit lollypop with bubblegum center
Alex-10 Joe-6

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Supercoco Tirudito – Chewy coconut candy
Alex-5 Joe-8

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Cafe Gurme – and the best for last coffee flavored caramel chew
Alex-6 Joe-10

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Stats:

Alex – 6.68 out of 10
Favorite: Passion Fruit Bob Bon Bum
Least Favorite: Rizadas Mayonesas, Maxcoco, Tocineta Limon, Maduritos, Supercoco Tirudito

Joe – 7.40 out of 10
Favorite: Trululu Gomitas Fresitas, Milk Caramel, Coffee caramel, Cafe Gurme
Least Favorite: Tocineta Limon

Columbia is known for the quality of their chocolate but I found their caramel to be superior to any I have had before. Surprisedly not being a big fan of sweets I found myself totally enjoying most of the confections in this box. I was also glad to see so many potato chip snacks.

Franconia Notch State Park – Franconia, New Hampshire

Franconia Notch State Park in Franconia, New Hampshire is one of the jewels of the White Mountains. The state park is easily accessible just a few hours from Boston straight up US Route 93. There is definitely enough to see to make an overnight or longer stay.
The Flume Gorge was discovered in 1808 by 93 year old Jess Guernsey and extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The walls of the gorge range from 70-90 feet and are 12-20 feet apart. A water soaked walkway winds its way up the gorge.

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The Basin is a 30 foot wide 15 foot deep bowl carved into the granite by rushing water. There is a handicapped accessible path to the basin viewing area.

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The Old Man of the Mountain Profiler Plaza is the site of the famous granite outcropping that was the symbol of the state of New Hampshire prior to its collapse in 2003.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

The Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram will take you up to the summit of Cannon Mountain for spectacular views.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

At the foot of the tram entrance is the New England Ski Museum.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

If you want to take a swim or rent a paddleboat there is Echo Lake Beach.

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A bicycle path winds its way through the park.

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Numerous trails of all levels of skill.

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Lafayette Place Campground is in the heart of the park.

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An all season destination offering the best of New Hampshire.

Hawke Meeting House Historic Site – Danville, New Hampshire

The Hawke Meeting House in Danville is the oldest and best preserved meetinghouse in New Hampshire. Beginning construction in 1755 and finished in 1760 the remarkably preserved interior has the original box pews and raised pulpit. Hawke was the original name of Danville.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

There is a cemetery adjacent to the site.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos
New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

Atlantic Cable Station Historic Marker – Rye, New Hampshire

Rye, New Hampshire was the location of the first undersea cable connecting the United States with Europe. The Cable Station was located at the end of Old Beach Road which is also where you can see the remains of the Sunken Forest during extreme low tides.

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The cable was laid by the steamship Ambassador in 1874 and was capable of transmitting morse code. The cable went from Rye to The Isles of Shoals to Nova Scotia and then on to Ireland.
The cable station was manned by four workers around the clock two to receive messages and two to send messages. The remains of the cable is still in place and can be seen by scuba divers.