There is nothing better than a fiesta in campo. The campo parties / festivals are the best in Dominican republic. The people genuinely enjoy the festivities the town has to offer.
On Sunday (yesterday) there was a party in Sabana Iglesia (a little town in the province on Santiago). It is famous for its presa (water dam). The party was sponsored by Ron Bermudez (Bermudez rum) and Don Filipe of sabana Iglesia. Don Filipe is a very successful and equally respectable citizen of this small town. He owns about 800 plus Tareas of prime lake front property in Sabana Iglesa, over looking the lake. He is developing the area by selling land and constructing beautiful houses, villas etc. Total investment is 6 million dollars. I think this location will rival Jarabacoa. Don Filipe probably has more power than the mayor of this town. He treats people to regular parties and brings musical bands to the town for people to enjoy, for free. He even brought Fernando Villalona to the people of that town once. Needless to say, he is loved by his people.
The party was organized in his property. I have pictures posted below. The guests were varied from millionaire businessmen, to NYC Dominican yorks to recent Cuban baseball top player (defectors). These boys are about to sign lucrative contracts with the major league in USA. These boys already know their price , no wonder they were acting so reserved. They maybe just shy, who knows. They stayed together the whole evening and talked little with other folks around them. They are being taken care of by Aguilas players. Good boys who have a bright future ahead.
Then we had the campo tigres with hungry eyes locked on food and free rum. They came in bikes and pasolas (scooters). The food was also ranged from roasted pig to chivo to even lobster and fresh water fish. The pigs were roasted in caja china. It?s a metal box covered with hot burning wood charcoals. The pig gets roasted inside for hours. Then we had chivo (goat) cooked on natural fire, yucca and green bananas. The lobster was also boiled and then cooked with veggies to a delicious finish. Unfortunately the lobster never got to reach us (VIP guests), the tigres snatched it all when it was coming to us. So little was left, we only got to taste it a little. OHHH, I hate those damn tigres, just can?t enjoy food with them. They eat like as if the food is served to them after a devastating natural disaster. They eat fast and pack a huge quantity.
The first serving was goat with yucca, green boiled bananas and lobster and roasted pig. Since I don?t eat pig, I doubled up on goat. I never got to eat lobster in good quantity. It was gone before I got back from peeing in the lake. Then we had fresh water fish. Wow, so delicious I am still dreaming of it in my office. Then at night a meringue band was invited but I left when they came on stage. We heard an old guy sing old songs for us in our gathering and a guy from Santiago who sings professionally. The local folks were treated to the meringue band by Don filipe and delicious dish of local delicacy Asopao (spelling???). This is sort of like think chicken rice soup. I just can?t describe the flavor in words. It was the most delicious dish I have ever eaten in DR. Can?t beat local campo food cooked on real fire. These campo cooks really know how to swing out delicious food on natural fire for such a large quantity of people. I was impressed.
The drinks were given out free to local people by ron Bermudez and some gift bottles were handed out to some people as well. We had cases of corona beers, whiskey (black and blue label- typical Dominican york brands) and other drinks, all served to VIP guests.
Did I mention Cuban cigars?
I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
I say this is better than going to the beach, so beautiful yet so close to Santiago. What more can you ask for.
AZB
P.S. pictures are also taken by my cell phone camara. Sorry for the quality.
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Video I took by my cell phone. Please forgive the bad quality. This was towards the evening when the people were in lesser numbers.
He sang old folks songs for us all afternoon.
People joined in to sing along.
People playing dominions on lazy Sunday afternoon.
Cuban defectors who will sign up with major baseball league in USA.
They are accompanied by the owner of century plaza hotel on Rafael Vidal avenue.
On Sunday (yesterday) there was a party in Sabana Iglesia (a little town in the province on Santiago). It is famous for its presa (water dam). The party was sponsored by Ron Bermudez (Bermudez rum) and Don Filipe of sabana Iglesia. Don Filipe is a very successful and equally respectable citizen of this small town. He owns about 800 plus Tareas of prime lake front property in Sabana Iglesa, over looking the lake. He is developing the area by selling land and constructing beautiful houses, villas etc. Total investment is 6 million dollars. I think this location will rival Jarabacoa. Don Filipe probably has more power than the mayor of this town. He treats people to regular parties and brings musical bands to the town for people to enjoy, for free. He even brought Fernando Villalona to the people of that town once. Needless to say, he is loved by his people.
The party was organized in his property. I have pictures posted below. The guests were varied from millionaire businessmen, to NYC Dominican yorks to recent Cuban baseball top player (defectors). These boys are about to sign lucrative contracts with the major league in USA. These boys already know their price , no wonder they were acting so reserved. They maybe just shy, who knows. They stayed together the whole evening and talked little with other folks around them. They are being taken care of by Aguilas players. Good boys who have a bright future ahead.
Then we had the campo tigres with hungry eyes locked on food and free rum. They came in bikes and pasolas (scooters). The food was also ranged from roasted pig to chivo to even lobster and fresh water fish. The pigs were roasted in caja china. It?s a metal box covered with hot burning wood charcoals. The pig gets roasted inside for hours. Then we had chivo (goat) cooked on natural fire, yucca and green bananas. The lobster was also boiled and then cooked with veggies to a delicious finish. Unfortunately the lobster never got to reach us (VIP guests), the tigres snatched it all when it was coming to us. So little was left, we only got to taste it a little. OHHH, I hate those damn tigres, just can?t enjoy food with them. They eat like as if the food is served to them after a devastating natural disaster. They eat fast and pack a huge quantity.
The first serving was goat with yucca, green boiled bananas and lobster and roasted pig. Since I don?t eat pig, I doubled up on goat. I never got to eat lobster in good quantity. It was gone before I got back from peeing in the lake. Then we had fresh water fish. Wow, so delicious I am still dreaming of it in my office. Then at night a meringue band was invited but I left when they came on stage. We heard an old guy sing old songs for us in our gathering and a guy from Santiago who sings professionally. The local folks were treated to the meringue band by Don filipe and delicious dish of local delicacy Asopao (spelling???). This is sort of like think chicken rice soup. I just can?t describe the flavor in words. It was the most delicious dish I have ever eaten in DR. Can?t beat local campo food cooked on real fire. These campo cooks really know how to swing out delicious food on natural fire for such a large quantity of people. I was impressed.
The drinks were given out free to local people by ron Bermudez and some gift bottles were handed out to some people as well. We had cases of corona beers, whiskey (black and blue label- typical Dominican york brands) and other drinks, all served to VIP guests.
Did I mention Cuban cigars?
I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
I say this is better than going to the beach, so beautiful yet so close to Santiago. What more can you ask for.
AZB
P.S. pictures are also taken by my cell phone camara. Sorry for the quality.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EzjOrDT0498&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EzjOrDT0498&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Video I took by my cell phone. Please forgive the bad quality. This was towards the evening when the people were in lesser numbers.
He sang old folks songs for us all afternoon.
People joined in to sing along.
People playing dominions on lazy Sunday afternoon.
Cuban defectors who will sign up with major baseball league in USA.
They are accompanied by the owner of century plaza hotel on Rafael Vidal avenue.