Finally today I made a long delayed visit to see some of the gf's family who apparently lived in the less than welcoming barrio of Santo Domingo named Manoguayabo.
Not so difficult a drive out via Luperon and 27th before turning into Av de Los Beisbolistas and then turning at the Cruz de Managuayabo.
But then we drove and drove and drove until soon after crossing the new ring road and into a very rural Managuayabo......... along way from beginning to end of this barrio.
Very simple surroundings on the edge of the city with the mountain vistas in the close distance and Rio Haina close by.
Got the usual excellent local family welcome and an excellent simple local Dominican feed in a simple wooden shack.
Now the family own a colmado alongside and the locals including a police colonel were already imbibing so we joined in. Frankly the most basic of surroundings and more basic than where I lived north of Villa Altagracia in the campo. Great.
It was superbly enjoyable and made me think back of the campo where I once lived for many years. A simple life without trimmings. Poor people enjoying their weekend relief with plenty of drink. Happiness Dominican style that not so many DR1 members see. A lot of legal Haitians too, living at the edges of the city where they can afford.
In discussions I quickly realized we were right next to Rio Haina and not far on the opposite side is the San Cristobel to Villa Altagracia road which is one of my favorite drives.
On the way back I was escorted to a dirt road which joined the ring road and took that road to Haina joining 30 de Mayo and was back home in less than 15 minutes albeit with a 100rd toll fee.
The campo is close to the city and I love it.
Not so difficult a drive out via Luperon and 27th before turning into Av de Los Beisbolistas and then turning at the Cruz de Managuayabo.
But then we drove and drove and drove until soon after crossing the new ring road and into a very rural Managuayabo......... along way from beginning to end of this barrio.
Very simple surroundings on the edge of the city with the mountain vistas in the close distance and Rio Haina close by.
Got the usual excellent local family welcome and an excellent simple local Dominican feed in a simple wooden shack.
Now the family own a colmado alongside and the locals including a police colonel were already imbibing so we joined in. Frankly the most basic of surroundings and more basic than where I lived north of Villa Altagracia in the campo. Great.
It was superbly enjoyable and made me think back of the campo where I once lived for many years. A simple life without trimmings. Poor people enjoying their weekend relief with plenty of drink. Happiness Dominican style that not so many DR1 members see. A lot of legal Haitians too, living at the edges of the city where they can afford.
In discussions I quickly realized we were right next to Rio Haina and not far on the opposite side is the San Cristobel to Villa Altagracia road which is one of my favorite drives.
On the way back I was escorted to a dirt road which joined the ring road and took that road to Haina joining 30 de Mayo and was back home in less than 15 minutes albeit with a 100rd toll fee.
The campo is close to the city and I love it.