This was at the country house/ranch/farm/whatever it was...Sandro said this was typically how the average Dominican person lived, although this particular family did a bit better than most because a few of these tours stopped at their house and bought their products...I'm sure the tour company kicked in a couple of bucks as well...
The kitchen...that blue seemed to be a very common colour down there for houses and such...the home had natural gas and electricity, but no running water. A very large percentage of homes have natural gas, a lot have electricity but the running water seems to be the issue. As we entered the home, Sandro said Dominican people are extremely clean even though the general impression by outsiders is that it is a dirty country..."If you want to know what kind of person someone is, look at how clean their house is" he said, I think trying to dispel the idea that these people and others like them are "lower class"...the house was spotless...
This family grew coconuts, mangos, sweet lemons, pineapples, coffee, bananas, cocoa, oregano and aloe vera...they also raised roosters...that's coming up in just a minute...I think I saw a goat or two hangin' around as well...that's a cocoa tree posing with Sandro...
We got to sample most of it...I have never tasted cocoa or coffee even close to what we had there...WOW! is all I can say...and fruit so fresh and delicious it pinched me on the butt...
Yep...that's a cock fight...I said "cock" (teehee)...apparently it is a very lucrative business down there, perfectly legal and a good cock (teehee) sells for around $1000.00 US. Renegging on a cock (teehee) fight bet results in a fate worse than death...shame and dishonour...
They wash the cocks (teehee) in rum to toughen the skin...Weird...
This battle was not to the death and only lasted about 5 minutes, but it was cool none the less...
This is the view of the mountains from the ranch where we ate a lunch of beans and rice, BBQed pork and bread...YUMMMM! We also went horseback riding...I got bit on the leg by the asshole horse the Greek lady was riding...OUCH!!...then he tried another two or three times to get me...that horse was a dick head...maybe he thought I has an apple...I am pretty fuckin' sweet...
We hung out there for a bit looking at the alligators, flamingos, various other birds and the terrified monkey in the cage...oh yeah...and the really sad sickly looking dogs...
I found my favourite souvenir there...a really gnarley piece of beach glass that I will be making into a pendant...I love free....
That's Dave in the thick of the school children feeding frenzy of candy...they completely surrounded and ambushed the truck, their tiny hands reaching in and grabbing at us like something out of a nightmare...it was CRAZY...a lot of the people on the tour brought candy to hand out...I forgot mine at the resort but I did bring school supplies and they loved it..."A mi, a mi, Senora, a mi!" they would scream, meaning "to me". I did end up buying a bag of candy at the store behind Dave and tried to hand the sweets out in an orderly fashion, making sure to get to the really little ones but by the time my hand got down to them it was always empty.
Off to the side, Rob and Sandro were discussing the situation. This practice used to bother Sandro a great deal until he remembered what it was like when he was young and his uncle would visit from New York and bring him candy. Sandro and the driver let this craziness go on for a bit and then they would step in and chill things out...the kids always listened to them and order was returned...
On the ride back to the main truck loading place (I talk good English, eh?) Sandro spent most of the journey asleep in the front of the truck...he was a bit hung over, I think...it seems the local baseball team won some sort of National championship and the whole town celebrated...very loudly...we could hear the ruckus at the resort...
The gang in the back of the truck did not mind...we emptied the beer cooler thanks to the French guy who was a champ at opening beer bottles with a lighter...VIVE LA FRANCE!!
The excursion and the beautiful wedding made going into debt toally worth while. The resort was beautiful and awesome and fun, but I am so happy we got to see the real Dominican Republic. I would do it again in a heart beat.
Now for a few more general fun photos of high jinx and stuff...
...not there 4 hours yet and drunk already...Graeme is the champ...
...at the swim up bar...of course...
...best bed buddies in the lobby bar...
...me with a monkey on my back...uh, shoulder...
...three fingers at the buffet bar...Rob, Donna and Dave...
Kelvin...Jay's Spanish teacher and bartender and friend to all...
...Speedo Steve-O and the Princess...
...my God we were happy to be there!
1 comment:
And for the final time, damn you all!
Post a Comment