Hello all. Much has transpired since my last update. For those of you who are not already in the know, US$1.00 0 $23RD (pesos) at this time.
After the dive cancelled again and the rain refused to stop I decided to go to Santo Domingo. It was a last minute decision on Saturday morning. I packed up, checked out, got in a taxi to the Estacion de Autobus de Caribe Tours. By 10:20 am this air-conditioned chariot whisked me away to Santo Domingo in just 4 hours for a meer $130RD (pesos).
I arrived at the bus station only to discover that very few tourists ever use the buses so nobody at the bus station speaks english, not even the taxi drivers. A German woman who overheard my dilemma came to my aid. Turns out she had just completed a 2-week Spanish training course in Sosua and was on her way home. She suggested we share a taxi to her hotel in the middle of the Colonial City where I may be interested in getting a room. It was a perfect location, clean and comfortable room (except somebody should tell the Dominicans that a pillow's comfort level must be high, it is the absolute lowest here) at a reasonable price. I took it for 3 nights.
Santo Domingo is the centre of this country`s history. It is the site of many firsts in the Americas. The first cathedral in the Americas, the first seat of European government in the Americas, the first Catholic Monestry, the first Convent, The first University which started life as the first collegiate, etc. Most of these places were built from 1498 to 1527. So my visit to this city full of atmosphere was spent touring the fortress, museums and historic landmarks. It was a great change of pace and gave me a much needed hit of cultural pursuit that I have been craving for weeks.
I left Santo Domingo on Tuesday afternoon by bus but this time I took Metro Tours bus. It took 4 hours to get to Sanchez on the Samana Peninsula (Samana province) for $120RD. Then I had to take a taxi (the guaguas were done for the day when I got there) to make the 25 minute trip over the mountain to Las Terrenas. The taxi climbed to 1547 feet in about 15 minutes and decended 1547 feet in less than 10 minutes.
This was the highlight of this trip. It is so hard to describe this drive in words. This is the lushest, greenest, richest land I have ever seen. Tropical forrests of 100 ft tall coconut palms, swift mountain streams flowing over cliffs to create 100 ft pencil thin waterfalls of cool clear mountain water. Shades of green that I have never imagined and the soil the colour of wet red cedar. Prince Edward Island's red clay pales in comparison. Then ther`'s the view. The Atlantic Ocean. I swear I could almost see Africa from up there. The deep indigo blue expanse of water stretching out to the universe. Clouds hovering like they were suspended from heavenly wires. And all that framed by the lush, green tropical forrests. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Like I say though, even the photos I took will never give the feeling of actually being there. Totally breathtaking. My gasps were so strong that the taxi driver could here me over the meringua blasting over the stereo.
Las Terrenes is a bit of a disappointment though. It is a tourist town filled to the brim with scooters, motors (motorcycles) and cars, trucks and busses (guaguas). The people just keep driving up and down the road offering rides to walkers, any walkers whether tourist or local. They honk their horns to say hello, to say goodbye, to show appreciation for a woman´s physique, to let people into and out of traffic, to let other vehicles know they are passing, to ask is you need a ride, to tell the world they're alive. The noise of motors and horns, the stench of exhausts (diesel and leaded gas - unleaded costs too much) and the annoyance of having to say "no, gracias" every 30 seconds. I hate this place. But tomorrow I am booked on a day trip to the National Park, its beach for lunch and a set of small islans called Los Haitises. Then Friday I want to try a single tank dive here. I may book the room for another night and change my onward booking to a day later and a day longer.
Next stop Las Galeras at the peninsulas eastern most tip. Then onto the Punta Cana area in search of a boat (ride or job) going to Barbados or somewhere nearer to it.
Gotta go. The no-see-ems are eating my legs to death. I´ve actually started bleeding from several bites.
Posted by gailene at April 9, 2003 08:26 PM