Botanists say that wild cocoa trees likely grew in the Amazon and Orinoco valleys of South America thousands of years ago.  The history of chocolate shows that it was first the Mayas who cultivated the plant of the cocoa tree.

The Aztec royalty thrived on the bitter chocolate drink concocted by mixed ground cocoa beans with fermented corn or wine, which was served in golden cups.  It is said that the Aztec Emperor Montezuma drank more than 50 cups of chocolate a day.

Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez or (Hernan cortes) (1485-1547) was seduced by chocolate drink for the main reason that he was told that it had aphrodisiac properties.  He sent loads of chocolate beans to Spain.

The ladies of the Spanish court loved to secretly sip their spiced beverage before chocolate bean was introduced throughout Europe.  Europe loved chocolate, indeed.

Today, Switzerland, Belgium, and France are countries of Europe where you can find the finest chocolates.

Many clever entrepreneurs such as Lindt, Nestle, Suchard, Hershey, Kohler and Tobler made a significant contribution to the chocolate industry, either by inventing more efficient machinery or by refining chocolate recipes.

Is Chocolate Good For You?

It was found that people who consume great amount of chocolate lived longer due to the polyphenols levels in chocolate. This is found to reduce  risks of heart disease.   It seems that chocolate also have aphrodisiac properties, and is  a reducer of anxiety and even depression.  chocolate is also an energy booster and an anti-oxidant.

Yes, chocolate is good for you and good for your palate.

The Euro has been the European currency since 1999 and put in circulation on January 1, 2002.  The Euro is now the currency for 16 European countries. which are part of the European Union (EU).  There are a total of 27 European countries belonging to the EU,  but only 14 are using the Euro.  These  countries  using Euro currency are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.  Denmark, the UK and Sweden have chosen to stay out with an option to review there decision.

The currency rate of the Euro change slightly on a daily basis, but until now if you went to Europe with your dollars you were a bit short changed. More or less  you would get around 3-3.50 Euros for your $5 dollar bill.

Euro banknotes are very colorful with architectural drawings of fictitious monuments, and are issued from 5€, 10€, 20€, 50€, 100€, 200€ and 500€.  The coins have one side showing the value of the coin, and one side unique to each country, and are issue from 1 cent,  2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50 cent, 1 € and €.

To read a full report on the Euro money click HERE.

The Rhône Alpes region got its name from its two most important geographical features which are the mountain Alps (Alpes) and the French river Rhône which flows all through that region.

The Rhône river has been a vital conduit between the north and the south of France for thousands of years when the Romans discovered that route and founded the city of Lyon over 2000 years ago.

The French Alps region is hosting the most popular resorts areas in the world with worldwide known ski stations such as Chamonix, Mégève, and Courchevel.

The Rhône Alps also include historic cities such as Chambéry, capital of  Savoy and major producer of Cheese, Grenoble, a bustling university and high-tech center, Vienne an ancient town which host the most famous jazz festival of the country, and of course its capital, Lyon.

The Rhône Alpes Valley is also the region of some of the best French wines such as Beaujolais region and the Drôme region.

Some breath taking scenery can be enjoyed in the Rhône Alps region, such as the Chartreuse area, Vercors and Ardèche.

It is also in the Rhône Alps Valley region that you can find the oldest preserved village  in the country, named Pérouges.  Pérouges is a fortified village on top of a  hill with cobblestone streets dating from the 13th century.  You can still admire the enormous oak wood door which was the entrance of the village.  Even though the bottom of the door has been eaten away with time, the middle to upper part is still remarkably preserved.

Our famous facteur Cheval (the mailman Cheval) built his beautiful palais in this amazing Alps region as well.

The Rhone Alps Valley region is a beautiful place to visit on your next trip to France.