Sarah and the Chocolate Factory

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I discovered today that there really is such a thing as too much chocolate.

I know, this sounds scandalous, particularly coming from me.

Now, rest assured, I don't mean too much chocolate ever, just too much at one time. But anyway, allow me to start at the beginning of the day and explain the exciting, chocolatey end to my day.

The class made an excursion to Birmingham today, a focal point during the industrial revolution which led to the surrounding area being referred to as "black country", as the whole area was dirty from the dirty industry happening in Birmingham.

Birmingham is a delightful little town. We went to the art museum and looked primarily at the pre-Raphaelite painters, as our art history teacher had requested. Then we went outside to the courtyard, which has a pretty fountain, a tribute to gas and water (from the industrial era and Chamberlain era), and some nifty statues randomly placed on the steps. We sat outside on the steps and enjoyed our lunch until it was time to walk to the train station so we could go to the Cadbury chocolate factory.

The majority of our time in Birmingham was spent at Cadbury World. When we arrived at Cadbury World, we were instructed to go to Essence and the museum first. So we walked over to Essence, and everyone was absolutely ecstatic and bubbly. Everyone felt just like Charlie being allowed in to Willy Wonka's factory.

Essence is a silly attraction, but we had a ton of fun and were laughing throughout the whole thing. You get taken back in time to the early 20th century and watch the Cadbury brothers try to figure out the perfect recipe for their chocolate. Once they discover it (one and a half glasses of milk is the secret), magic chocolate bars start floating around them.

Once you've been thoroughly excited, you get taken in to a room where two people are at a chocolate bar with candy behind them. Everyone gets to create "the perfect chocolate". You choose a candy from the back wall, and that gets mixed with a cup of liquid chocolate. If you don't want the candy, you just get a cup full of chocolate. If you don't want the chocolate, you just get a cup full of candy. Everyone is happy.

This is the point where I discovered that there is such a thing as too much chocolate; the first couple bites were pure heaven, but then as the chocolate began cooling, it began to get thicker and thicker. It was sticking to my mouth like peanut butter; I was almost worried that I wouldn't be able to open my mouth again (not seriously)! Halfway through the cup I figured I had to throw away my cup or I might make myself sick. It was still amazing and delicious nonetheless.

After we finished up at Essence and the museum, we went back to the main part of Cadbury World. When you enter that part of the attraction, they give you two free candy bars! Then you go to the Aztec forests and watch as they first discover cocoa. Then you watch cocoa get taken to Europe, and watch as chocolate grows in popularity through Europe.

Eventually you find yourself on a replica of Bull Street, where John Cadbury owned a tea shop and sold chocolate products. Then Mr. Cadbury himself shows up, and you learn about how his sons built a factory in the country, and built a whole little model town for the factory workers, complete with playing fields, swimming pools, and other modes of recreation.

You get to see the chocolates getting packaged in the factory, and then you take a ride on Cadabra (but first, they give you another free chocolate bar. Oh, and I mean legitimate, full-size candy bar; none of that whimpy sample or "fun-sized" crap)! Cadabra is clearly a ride meant for little kids, but when you have a group of college students acting like they're at Disneyland for the first time, it's still exciting.

There's some more strange and trippy exhibits after the ride (you can turn yourself in to a chocolate sculpture, or watch a gorilla playing drums for no apparent reason), you eventually find yourself in the World's Largest Cadbury Shop. The prices in the shop were amazing, and I literally loaded up my arms with chocolates I've never seen before to ship home for my family. I spent less than 9 pounds on my armful of chocolates.

The cashier ringing me up asked me where in America I'm from. I answered Washington State, and then specific "Seattle area". The cashier said "oh, the birthplace of grunge! Nirvana and Sound Garden, right?" I assured her that she had correct, and was kind of amused that grunge was what came to her mind regarding Seattle. I certainly prefer it to what people usually say to me, which is "Oh, like Sleepless in Seattle!"

All in all, it was a very fun day exploring Cadbury...oh, and seeing Birmingham too.