DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

"...We always celebrate something; we celebrate hoping that Monday is over, Tuesday because Monday is over, Wednesday because it's already halfway the week, Thursday 'cause it's almost Friday and the rest of the days are pretty obvious why we celebrate..."

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One of my best friends was living in Dominican Republic and during his 5 year stay I promised him I'll go visit him. Years passed and 2 weeks before he went back to Costa Rica, he invited me to his wedding.  Finally I decided to fly to this strange but wonderful island. I was welcomed by my friend with the coldest beer ever- 'Vestida de novia'- white frosty bottle, the only way to drink beer here.

After a few of those we picked up his fiancé and headed to a house birthday party where I met a warming Dominican family. We closed the night at a rock bar, famous for tributing the rock folk legend "Luis el Terror Dias’.

Next morning, I left the Hostel to explore around, I had a list of different food dishes I wanted to try, as I had previously read, Dominicana had an excellent local cuisine.

​'Chivo Picante“ (Spicy Goat Meat Stew) was my first local dish. I tried an old restaurant, where an old black guy (pictured on the right) fully in white, gold sun glasses, cane and massive gold wrist watch was sitting outside having a beer - I joined him - I liked his style. Welcoming, friendly guy, though I started to realize he was trying to sell me a tour. I bought him a beer and ask where the bus to "3 Ojos National Park' was.

I found the 'bus' which was more like a chewed seat on wheels, no doors, no nothing, loud as hell from an over used milled engine. Fighting the traffic I got there for less than a dollar.

​This place was almost as if you entered the first circle of hell! I walked a few steps down (covered in sweat) and saw a massive cavern which is located almost under the city, pretty crazy! As you go deeper you are pulled by a small "rope boat' into this wonderful green "crater/cavern" where I took these black and white pictures.

Next off, I wanted to try 'Sancocho soup' so I walked along the “Malecon' (pier) but it started raining, so I had to stop like every 20 minutes or so, sheltering inside bars from the quick rains. I met a guy in the street who insisted in taking me to get the best 'mamajuana' -a rum and wine beverage with honey, herbs and tree bark. I let him tourist me around the old city and actually learned some Dominican history. This is where I started to think the whole island was a tourist trap.

People on the streets (on my way to Boca Chica) getting ready for a parade.

I was told they had the best fried fish outside the city, So I traveled to "Boca Chica“, famous for it! 

I took a ride with "Galvin' a very friendly and happy guy. He stopped on our way to buy me some road beers and explained a bit of the Dominican lifestyle, while listening to extremely loud 'Dominican Hip-Hop?‘.

"We Dominicans are simple people 'echaos ‘pa'tras (laid back) but when we dance we are energetic and create a happy environment...that makes our <simple> life bearable..." 

"We always celebrate something; we celebrate hoping that Monday is over, Tuesday because Monday is over, Wednesday because it's already halfway the week, Thursday ‘cause it's almost Friday and the rest of the days are pretty obvious why we celebrate..."

​"We like our beers cold and our women hot..."

After seeing where and how most of the population lives and 'struggles' in, soon I realized the importance of their music and dancing (something I was never fond of).

Galvin joined me for fried fish, which was great by the way! He then left and I walked around the streets and the beach. Found a german bar, so I had a couple more beers there and then rushed back to the city, had a wedding to attend!

Galvin picked me back up with some more beers he bought for me. We stopped on our way to pickup "one of his girlfriends" and dropped me at the hostel to take a shower and put my penguin suit on, wedding night was ahead!...

Just before taking the night plane back to Costa Rica, 1 did some bar hopping around the old town. Walked in the rain and got shelter inside a 'Colmado" (pictured on the right) I met an old guy - dressed fully in white with a magenta tie, hat and a cane.  He told me he was a doctor who've studied in Spain, very eloquent and proper we started talking politics and history. While sharing a couple of beers he told me how he wanted to change the system;

'...democracy didn't had enough time to fully develop before it was <forced> in almost every country... ‘

He explained to me how Dominican Republic was slaughtered by Spanish pirates when it was discovered - He said that in those days, Spain wasn't doing so well, so the people sent to 'find new trading routes” were the worst of their people; pirates, thieves, rapists and what so...unfortunately these where the people who arrived first to Dominican Republic.

After a great talk, I continued to some other bars;

I met a few people in this bar (above). This Dominican couple and some germans who asked the bartender to play some Rammstein, the song lasted like 7 seconds then he switched back again to Dominican Folk music, hehe.

Later in the night, I was talking to a filmmaker I met at a metal bar (he worked there) it was almost 2am and I realized my plane was almost leaving.  I ran back to the hostel, picked up my stuff and got an uber to the airport, but first, I told the driver to stop somewhere to get me the best 'puerco en puya' (pork on a stick?-pulled pork) so we did, we stop on a street (above) where local people were having a small gathering around an improvised food kiosk.

​I almost didn't make it to my flight, but it was the best 'pulled pork" I've ever had! .

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