My Trip
Well here goes- Got back from the DR on Sun. after 10 days. The only way to start is to thank the Dominican people for what really makes a trip there special. The smiles are worth their weight in gold and the lessons learned from a people who are able to relax and enjoy life despite hardships that make our hectic lifestyle and worries approach the comic. We were three young guys ranging from 52-62. Arrived in Santiago on Delta. It was a very good flight and we were well taken care of. Headed right to Jarabacoa which took one and a half-hours in our KIA rental car. I wanted to check out Jarabacoa because ideas of spending winter months in the DR when I retire have been bouncing around in my head. Plenty of room for bouncing I think. I am not a real hot weather and beach person, but just want to escape the upstate New York winter for a while, find some sun and warmer temperatures. Jarabacoa is 2 hours from the beach and an excursion is always posssible.
Jarabacoa, is a nice town, a little hard to define. Not many tourists when we were there. Seemed pretty working class and I liked it. Stayed at Brisas del Yaque about 6 blocks from the main square. The rooms were real nice and the shower great. Though not on a real busy street the motorbikes in the morning were loud. The next morning we got up and headed for Constanza. I expected Constanza to have a more relaxed feel and read someplace that it was the cleanest city in the DR. I was dissappointed, but I want to emphasize I was only there for a few hours, but I definitely prefer Jarabacoa. We took the rough road over the mountain to get there, which took an hour and a half. The ride was beautiful and you can get a close look at how many people live. The potholes are many and there are kids on the side of the road filling some of them in and looking for a reward. On a side note I heard something about the farmers in Constanza spraying the vegetables with something that keeps the dogs away?
General Info-- Tony's Mercado is owned by Tony, who speaks English and is a very helpful and friendly guy. We ate at an Italian place on the Square that was very good. I think it was called Lenas. I am a bit of a food snob and would recommend it. We stopped into a place where the locals seem to go to dance- a small place on the road that leads down to the bridge. I should add here that we like to mix with the Dominican people and probably enter neighborhoods that many Americans would be a little leery of. Of course one has to be smart but I have never felt threatened and only welcomed wherever in the DR I have roamed. Did the easy walk to the Gran Jimenoa waterfalls. outside of town, lush and beautiful. So it was a quick trip to this area and I will definitely go back again.
After two nights we headed over the hill and down to Sosua for another two nights. It was my friends first time in the DR and I wanted to show him the sights. You will forgive three old guys the enjoyment of beautiful women giving them such great smiles even though we know that it is not our great personalities that is the special allure to them. I will leave the complicated topic of sex, men, women, culture and economics for another day. It is the food for much thought.
We stayed in Charimicos at the Villa Almonte. It is run by a nice German woman, Sabena. It is a reasonable budget choice and only two blocks from the beach. To get to the heart of the nightlife or Sosua you have to drive, catch a taxi or walk the length of the beach which is what we did day and night.Had a good brealfast at Rocky's where you can always find help and info. Also ate at Orchidee which I would highly recommend. The pasta and pizza have fresh ingredients and the price is unbeatable. My friends rented two motorcycles and headed off to the hills for a day and came back looking wind blown, sandy, tanned and tired. My friend who was making his first trip to the DR was amazed at the driving situation as I did the driving to Jarabacoa, Constanza and Sosua. But he came back from the trip describing it as a dance where everyone is alert to how to proceed and avoid each other. While I am sure this is a bit romantic nevertheless in my three trips to the DR I have not seen an accident.
So day 5 we're off to the Samana Peninsula and Las Galeras. We stopped at Playa Grande which is a favorite of mine. The water was rough throughout our trip and I have learned to exercise caution over the years when it comes to the ocean. Las Galeras is like a mini, quieter Las Terrenas. A little touristybut nice enough. We stayed at Juan y Lolo's where we rented two separate places. One was great- It is called el castillo and has great stone walls, a clear view to the water and great breezes coming in thru a pair of double doors. The other bungalow was nice enough but el castillo was the hit. We made friends with Janathan who runs the local cigar store who is newly arrived there. We went out dancing with him a couple of nights and were invited to a party in a Dominican neighborhood which was the highlight of my trip. I love to dance and while not versed in Merengue and Bachata was able to find helpful partners and just had a great time. Again welcomed by the people , men and women alike. We drove our car to Rincon a couple of days for a little isolated relaxation on the beach. We had a local man and woman who have a little stand between the two mercados cook us a samana specialty called coconut fish. It was very good.
So that's a quick description and I am certainly willing to answer any specific questions. I am far from an expert on the DR, but would love to help fellow travelers enjoy the beauty of the Dominican people. Eddie.
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