Hi everyone! Just back from two weeks of fun in the sun in the DR> We stayed at the Casa Marina Beach and I will say that it was enjoyable! The Casa Marina Reef, next door, is a newer property and I would stay at either one in future. The rooms are very basic...two double beds, a night stand with a lamp in between the beds...a desk/dresser affair with a mirror and a lamp and a bathroom with shower/tub. Nothing 5 star but very clean. We had ocean front rooms in Building 11 and we were close to the pool, beach bar and restaurant. The only bad thing was the noise from the bar late at night but ear plugs remedied that!
Banana Mama is a phrase that everyone should come to know when they arrive. This is a name for a drink containing coconut milk, grenadine, banana liqueur and rum. Smooth as silk and they pack a punch! The only draw back is that coconut milk contains natural laxative properties so ....drinker beware!
The weather was great until the last three days of the vacation and the beach suddenly became an area to be feared. The hotel cordoned off the beach section due to the height and strength of the waves, to protect the tourists. Despite the fact that the beach was roped off, people continued to flounder around and risk life and limb....the guards on the beach were kept very busy telling people to get out of the water. We are talking 25-30 foot waves at times....with half the beach disappearing for two days. Apparently this happens at least three times a year there and it eventually rebuilds itself. Windy weather and showers are common at this time of year from what we were told...March is hotter and the swimming better. 85-90 degrees every day so we have no complaints there!
The economy of the country revolves around the tourist and money...the situation everywhere in the world but it is more evident here. Children attend school in shifts - we were told - and they work in the off time to help support the family. They try to give flowers to tourists for 5 pesos...smile for a camera..for 5 pesos....sell hard boiled eggs on the street- again for 5 pesos. It is heart wrenching but a fact of life there.
I saw a large man sitting on a ledge at the top of Isabelle del Torres Cable Car station..with a small boy of about 6 polishing his shoes for him. The child was doing his best not to get black polish on this big Americans socks and the man was moved to tears as he watched him. He promised us that he was going to give that little fellow lots of money when he was finished and I am sure he did. Our children in North America need to see things like that to make them appreciate the lives we lead here.
Despite the poverty and the definate wide range in class systems in the country, everyone we encountered....was happy. They are a musical people...singing and dancing just because! We wandered the streets off of Sosua Beach with a Dominican friend and we saw the abject poverty and homes with dirt floors and tin walls and roofs...but the people were smiling and greeted us with a cheery "hola!" It was interesting to see that some had no windows or carpets...but they had a tv! Dominicans love their t.v...we were told.
We dined at a Dominican restaurant in that area and the meal was delicious. Fresh shrimp..white rice, boiled potatoes and vegetables...plus Presidente Beer and rum...a feast for us all. Cost was reasonable and the proprietor used purified water to prepare the meals so none of us suffered any after effects.
One thing we loved at the hotel was the coffee. Santo Domingo brand is the best and you can find it at the local supermercados for about 40 pesos per pound. That was the cheapest we came across...it varied from 40 to 58 pesos (10 pesos per Canadian Dollar approximate)
Amber and Larimar are great buys but verify that it is the real McCoy before shelling out the dough. We shopped at two jewellers in Sosua...The Amber Collection and Joyeria Henry Duclos.. Good value and honest sales people. Mr Duclos will do custom work as well and is fast and efficient.
True amber will float in salt water we were told....never gave it a try...and Larimar is found only in the DR...so is considered a semi-precious stone. It can not be sold outside the country or exported for sale elsewhere. It is a beautiful blue stone that got its name from the discoverer...the man's daughter was named Larissa and he took Lari from that and mar from the spanish word for sea. Sounds romantic and gets the tourists every time I am sure.
I could go on forever so will close for now. Do check out the Britannia Pub and say hi to Barb and Linden...they are great people! Linden had his arm in a cast when we were there so hope he is all better now!
Adios!
Banana Mama is a phrase that everyone should come to know when they arrive. This is a name for a drink containing coconut milk, grenadine, banana liqueur and rum. Smooth as silk and they pack a punch! The only draw back is that coconut milk contains natural laxative properties so ....drinker beware!
The weather was great until the last three days of the vacation and the beach suddenly became an area to be feared. The hotel cordoned off the beach section due to the height and strength of the waves, to protect the tourists. Despite the fact that the beach was roped off, people continued to flounder around and risk life and limb....the guards on the beach were kept very busy telling people to get out of the water. We are talking 25-30 foot waves at times....with half the beach disappearing for two days. Apparently this happens at least three times a year there and it eventually rebuilds itself. Windy weather and showers are common at this time of year from what we were told...March is hotter and the swimming better. 85-90 degrees every day so we have no complaints there!
The economy of the country revolves around the tourist and money...the situation everywhere in the world but it is more evident here. Children attend school in shifts - we were told - and they work in the off time to help support the family. They try to give flowers to tourists for 5 pesos...smile for a camera..for 5 pesos....sell hard boiled eggs on the street- again for 5 pesos. It is heart wrenching but a fact of life there.
I saw a large man sitting on a ledge at the top of Isabelle del Torres Cable Car station..with a small boy of about 6 polishing his shoes for him. The child was doing his best not to get black polish on this big Americans socks and the man was moved to tears as he watched him. He promised us that he was going to give that little fellow lots of money when he was finished and I am sure he did. Our children in North America need to see things like that to make them appreciate the lives we lead here.
Despite the poverty and the definate wide range in class systems in the country, everyone we encountered....was happy. They are a musical people...singing and dancing just because! We wandered the streets off of Sosua Beach with a Dominican friend and we saw the abject poverty and homes with dirt floors and tin walls and roofs...but the people were smiling and greeted us with a cheery "hola!" It was interesting to see that some had no windows or carpets...but they had a tv! Dominicans love their t.v...we were told.
We dined at a Dominican restaurant in that area and the meal was delicious. Fresh shrimp..white rice, boiled potatoes and vegetables...plus Presidente Beer and rum...a feast for us all. Cost was reasonable and the proprietor used purified water to prepare the meals so none of us suffered any after effects.
One thing we loved at the hotel was the coffee. Santo Domingo brand is the best and you can find it at the local supermercados for about 40 pesos per pound. That was the cheapest we came across...it varied from 40 to 58 pesos (10 pesos per Canadian Dollar approximate)
Amber and Larimar are great buys but verify that it is the real McCoy before shelling out the dough. We shopped at two jewellers in Sosua...The Amber Collection and Joyeria Henry Duclos.. Good value and honest sales people. Mr Duclos will do custom work as well and is fast and efficient.
True amber will float in salt water we were told....never gave it a try...and Larimar is found only in the DR...so is considered a semi-precious stone. It can not be sold outside the country or exported for sale elsewhere. It is a beautiful blue stone that got its name from the discoverer...the man's daughter was named Larissa and he took Lari from that and mar from the spanish word for sea. Sounds romantic and gets the tourists every time I am sure.
I could go on forever so will close for now. Do check out the Britannia Pub and say hi to Barb and Linden...they are great people! Linden had his arm in a cast when we were there so hope he is all better now!
Adios!