I was in Jarabacoa yesterday and after enjoying a visit to Salto Jimenoa and a few other places with AZB, I decided to spend the night.
I went out to a bar right on parque central. Anyone familiar with the area knows where I am talking about. At night, this place comes alive with young people from around the area who enjoy the cool night breeze of the mountains while listening to music playing from car stereos around the parque. A few bars are open in this location where people gather to drink a few beers and socialize. As I sat in one of these bars, I watched all the young kids in their late teens and early twenties (man, I feel old), singing, dancing, drinking and having a good time. I realized that the majority of them, from the poor areas immediately surrounding the parque, probably have no other outlet to enjoy themselves. The vast majority or them weren't even drinking as I assume they didn't have any money but they danced to the music, boys flirted with girls, girls flirted with boys, etc. There was no violence, no crime, just young people having fun.
At about 11:30 pm, I asked the bartender if she had to close at midnight as per the new restrictions. "No", she replied beaming, "the restricion is lifted tonight because ot the holiday tomorrow". "Ah, that's good", I thought to myself. But then, suddenly, at the stroke of midnight, police cars with flashing lights came down the streets and the bars were ordered to close. Within 10 minutes, they were completely shut down and the young people who had been enjoying themselves were left in the street with almost no light (as the lights from the previously open establishments had been providing most of the illumination) and before too long, they all headed off in small groups in different directions until the area surrounding the parque was empty. I assume some of them went home while others, with their only outlet for enjoyment taken away, probaly got into some kind of mischeif or other as young people do when there is nothing else to do.
Sad.
Larry
I went out to a bar right on parque central. Anyone familiar with the area knows where I am talking about. At night, this place comes alive with young people from around the area who enjoy the cool night breeze of the mountains while listening to music playing from car stereos around the parque. A few bars are open in this location where people gather to drink a few beers and socialize. As I sat in one of these bars, I watched all the young kids in their late teens and early twenties (man, I feel old), singing, dancing, drinking and having a good time. I realized that the majority of them, from the poor areas immediately surrounding the parque, probably have no other outlet to enjoy themselves. The vast majority or them weren't even drinking as I assume they didn't have any money but they danced to the music, boys flirted with girls, girls flirted with boys, etc. There was no violence, no crime, just young people having fun.
At about 11:30 pm, I asked the bartender if she had to close at midnight as per the new restrictions. "No", she replied beaming, "the restricion is lifted tonight because ot the holiday tomorrow". "Ah, that's good", I thought to myself. But then, suddenly, at the stroke of midnight, police cars with flashing lights came down the streets and the bars were ordered to close. Within 10 minutes, they were completely shut down and the young people who had been enjoying themselves were left in the street with almost no light (as the lights from the previously open establishments had been providing most of the illumination) and before too long, they all headed off in small groups in different directions until the area surrounding the parque was empty. I assume some of them went home while others, with their only outlet for enjoyment taken away, probaly got into some kind of mischeif or other as young people do when there is nothing else to do.
Sad.
Larry