- Thread starter ben jammin
- Start date
DR Trip 2011
Thanks all for the positive feedback, it was a pleasure doing the report. Once again was very impressed with our sanyo digital camera, tough as nails. On our first full day there i dropped the nikon coolpix and broke the screen. Am so glad i did 
The third day my wife dropped the sanyo out of the car window shooting a video and the screen started separating but it held through and took awesome pictures and videos. I will try to do a couple of more Samana trips with a few more pics. BUT... this ones dedicated to the one I love I could never nor would ever wish to without my beautiful and patient wife. She is my best friend and I can think of no other person I would want to spend so many days, years, vacations or lifetimes with. Here's to you babe. (will check with her later and let her read so some pics may mysteriously disappear )
always ready for adventure!
can drink big beer with the best of them
has a great sense of humor
has never met a stranger, person or animal
doesn't need to be pampered, she's just as comfortable rummaging as sunning!
And last but not least!
is beautiful, funloving and puts up with me! I love you
The third day my wife dropped the sanyo out of the car window shooting a video and the screen started separating but it held through and took awesome pictures and videos. I will try to do a couple of more Samana trips with a few more pics. BUT... this ones dedicated to the one I love I could never nor would ever wish to without my beautiful and patient wife. She is my best friend and I can think of no other person I would want to spend so many days, years, vacations or lifetimes with. Here's to you babe. (will check with her later and let her read so some pics may mysteriously disappear )
always ready for adventure!
can drink big beer with the best of them
has a great sense of humor
has never met a stranger, person or animal
doesn't need to be pampered, she's just as comfortable rummaging as sunning!
And last but not least!
is beautiful, funloving and puts up with me! I love you
BUT... this ones dedicated to the one I love
That is sooo sweet, it made me smile! She seems like a cool lady, and beautiful!
Ben jammin, good for you, and MUCH needed relief from the typical skeezy old expat guy posts you see around here!
This post is for the parents and big kids of us who get bored on the beautiful beaches everywhere. It is called BEACH BOWLING was invented by yours truly and can be played on any beach. All that is needed is a ball (we use a softball here in NC) or a piece of fruit about the size of a grapefruit or softball. Dig two holes in the sand (size of the holes varies, i usually make them about 16=18 inches wide) and use the sand you remove to make a backstop. stand beside one hole and roll to the other, trying to get the ball in the hole.
example of hole and fruit (from back of hole)
the distance between the holes depends on the terrain. if the sand is compact and smooth where the ball rolls easily you can make them farther apart, if soft sand and/or rough terrain make them closer. most times the course is not level so you have to roll it uphill and let fall to the hole, sort of like a putt in golf on a slope. if you roll it too fast it will go over the backstop so you must have some touch as well
pictures of new highway at coson and playa coson
yes she beat me again!
usually the game is to 10 and switch sides after 5 in case one hole is more difficult to score on. it can be played in teams also, with players alternating shots. we played until the fruit burst and then used it for a drink (added bonus of playing in the DR!)
example of hole and fruit (from back of hole)
the distance between the holes depends on the terrain. if the sand is compact and smooth where the ball rolls easily you can make them farther apart, if soft sand and/or rough terrain make them closer. most times the course is not level so you have to roll it uphill and let fall to the hole, sort of like a putt in golf on a slope. if you roll it too fast it will go over the backstop so you must have some touch as well
pictures of new highway at coson and playa coson
yes she beat me again!
usually the game is to 10 and switch sides after 5 in case one hole is more difficult to score on. it can be played in teams also, with players alternating shots. we played until the fruit burst and then used it for a drink (added bonus of playing in the DR!)
PLAYA MORON
We had the good fortune of spending the day at this beautiful beach! It seems to have become the custom off the guys on motoconchos in Limon to ride beside the tourists as they enter town to hustle up business. I guess I understand they are out to make a living and serve a purpose so I won't gripe too much but of course one made us roll down our window and once he found out we weren't going to the falls and were going instead to Moron felt it his duty (ie chance for $ ) to guide us there. I feel we certainly would have made it ourselves but once there he talked to some folks inside the gate and they let us drive right to the beach. So my frustration turned out to be good fortune and we ended up getting the guy to bring us an excellent lunch as well. A bit overpriced in my opinion but heh, you only live once! We even had a police escort(the wife felt like Margarita!) and got to speak at lenth with a very nice gentleman who spoke excellent english and was developing the property. A very peaceful day on a beautiful, isolated beach!
We had the good fortune of spending the day at this beautiful beach! It seems to have become the custom off the guys on motoconchos in Limon to ride beside the tourists as they enter town to hustle up business. I guess I understand they are out to make a living and serve a purpose so I won't gripe too much but of course one made us roll down our window and once he found out we weren't going to the falls and were going instead to Moron felt it his duty (ie chance for $
) to guide us there. I feel we certainly would have made it ourselves but once there he talked to some folks inside the gate and they let us drive right to the beach. So my frustration turned out to be good fortune and we ended up getting the guy to bring us an excellent lunch as well. A bit overpriced in my opinion but heh, you only live once! We even had a police escort(the wife felt like Margarita!) and got to speak at lenth with a very nice gentleman who spoke excellent english and was developing the property. A very peaceful day on a beautiful, isolated beach!
PLAYA EL VALLE
To begin here I'd like to say a special thanks to a great guy and new friend Terry Bandi. From the first time we traveled to Samana years ago and every time since Terry has been a great help in answering questions and giving good advise over the web and via email. We thought we'd return the favor and do an excursion with him this year Tour Samana With Terry Official Website - Best Excursions & Tours in Samana, Dominican Republic
I was gladly mistaken because I still feel in his debt ! What an experience! You can just feel the mutual respect between Terry and the locals and his love for this part of the DR. If ever in Samana and want a true experience he is the guy. OK, now that I've gushed over my wife and good friend I'll get to el valle and another great part of our vacation, hamburger beans! At Barahona, Coson, Playa las ballenas and even bahia de las aquilas all the locals thought we two gringos were simply loco. We'd be on the most beautiful beaches on earth and all we could do was look through the washed up debris looking for these treasures. Here on the NC coast these are very rare and a friend of ours here that often scours the beach looking for shells and things has only found a handful. There are a group of close women friends here where we live who are all survivors/victims of cancer (my friends wife and mine included) who he has made necklaces for out of these beans, which are supposed to represent good luck. Before we went to el valle we thought we were doing good to have found 21 of these gems(we actually found at least one at every beach we went to). At el valle beach we found 85 in just 2 hours!
hamburger bean in sprout
this one was actually growing a vine
you think the pockets were getting full here... just wait
can't get these at mcdonalds!
some would say this is a messy beach.. good for beaning so we loved it!
now the pockets are full!
sea bean loot (called oyo de burro here Terry says!) Please leave us some for our next visit
To begin here I'd like to say a special thanks to a great guy and new friend Terry Bandi. From the first time we traveled to Samana years ago and every time since Terry has been a great help in answering questions and giving good advise over the web and via email. We thought we'd return the favor and do an excursion with him this year Tour Samana With Terry Official Website - Best Excursions & Tours in Samana, Dominican Republic
I was gladly mistaken because I still feel in his debt
! What an experience! You can just feel the mutual respect between Terry and the locals and his love for this part of the DR. If ever in Samana and want a true experience he is the guy. OK, now that I've gushed over my wife and good friend I'll get to el valle and another great part of our vacation, hamburger beans! At Barahona, Coson, Playa las ballenas and even bahia de las aquilas all the locals thought we two gringos were simply loco. We'd be on the most beautiful beaches on earth and all we could do was look through the washed up debris looking for these treasures. Here on the NC coast these are very rare and a friend of ours here that often scours the beach looking for shells and things has only found a handful. There are a group of close women friends here where we live who are all survivors/victims of cancer (my friends wife and mine included) who he has made necklaces for out of these beans, which are supposed to represent good luck. Before we went to el valle we thought we were doing good to have found 21 of these gems(we actually found at least one at every beach we went to). At el valle beach we found 85 in just 2 hours!
hamburger bean in sprout
this one was actually growing a vine
you think the pockets were getting full here... just wait
can't get these at mcdonalds!
some would say this is a messy beach.. good for beaning so we loved it!
now the pockets are full!
sea bean loot (called oyo de burro here Terry says!) Please leave us some for our next visit
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LOVE this thread and posts. Thanks for your time and effort in posting this, I'm sure everyone appreciates it. I'm looking forward to venturing out from our new home-away-from-home in Punta Cana when we have sufficient time to explore, and after the north coast and the capitol, hope to see some of the places you describe. Merry Christmas and a very safe, healthy and happy New Year. (We'll get to experience our first New Year's Eve in P.C. in a little more than a week!)
The beach at El Valle isn't always covered in that sea weed. It's only been in the last 2 weeks since we've been having rough seas. It will clean up again in a few more weeks.
I loved the report Ben. My 2 favorite places after Samana are Paraiso/Barahona and Jarabacoa/Constanza. I need to get back to visit both of them soon!
Was the same way all over Samana. Even the "manicured" beaches on Playa las Ballenas had tons (literally) of the stuff washed up. Of course since we live at the beach we understand there is nothing you can do about this and much of what people term as garbage simply comes from parts unknown and washes up. So in summary look for beans if it is rough with lots of flotsam or play beach bowling if sandy and debris free
Either way you can't go wrong at Playas Moron and El Valle.Super-fantastic report--thank you so much for taking the time to upload the fab fotos and showing me places I've yet to visit-- And i can't wait to start looking for "hamburger beans"??!! Please know your efforts are much appreciated!
Susan (in Las Terrenas)
Susan (in Las Terrenas)