On Thursday we took a very different type of excursion. This one was billed as an “Outback Adventure” but actually gave us small snapshots of the true Dominican life.

We left midmorning from or neatly manicured, posh resort –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and headed, with our guide Eddy, to the residential back roads of Puerto Plata. Wandering through the narrow, bumpy, partially paved roads

and through the lush,

forested countryside

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we eventually arrived at the home of a smiling, congenial, old gentleman named Papo. We spent the next while meeting his extended family, touring his home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and small farm and learning about his way of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For me, the most interesting takeaway of this part of the journey was that the majority of the Dominican people are monetarily poor and live very simple lives, but they are rich in the things that matter. They have everything that they need. Their homes are mini plantations providing almost all of their nutritional needs and building needs. They are surrounded by extended family and neighbors who help each other and enjoy each other’s company. Their life is good.

Our next stop was also very interesting. We visited an elementary school near Papo’s house.

The children greeted us with smiles and a poem recited in English. The classroom we visited was quiet and the children were well behaved and actively engaged in learning.

 

There are not enough schools and so the children attend school in shifts with 3 shifts per day and a shift only lasting 4 hours.

 

We were told that the current president of DR, President Danilo, is working very hard and pouring a lot of tax dollars into building new schools and upgrading the educational system. He wants to make education for all children mandatory and to increase the length of the school day to 8 hours.

 

Eddy obviously has great respect for the current president and explained that, unlike many of the past presidents, President Danilo is working to clean-up the corruption of the government and to improve the lives of the Dominican people. He has a 90% approval rate. That’s pretty impressive.

*A brief history lesson: the Dominican Republic gained independence from Haiti, 130 years ago, but then struggled under an oppressive dictatorship for another 70 years. They over through the dictatorial form of government and have had a stable, democratic republic for the last 60 years. They have a very good national healthcare system and free public education. Tourism is there main source of income followed closely by mining, agricultural exports and a rapidly growing textile industry.

Some other random pictures taken along the journey:

 

 

 

 

Okay, enough learning. It’s time for lunch. We traveled next to the Outback Camp where we were served an authentic and very delicious Dominican lunch – YUM!

We wandered around the grounds a bit and then headed for our last stop –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a private beach with miles of golden sand and beautiful blue, clear waters.

They provided chair massages, boogie boarding, and, of course, rum punch and Presidente (the local beer). A was a great ending for our last and very interesting excursion.

 

A last thought: This is our fourth trip to the Dominican Republic and we love it here. The people are friendly, happy and always willing to share help, information, you name it. The island’s north shore is beautiful setting to get away and has been a perfect place for us to unwind, relax and center – just what we needed.

Buenos Dias, mi amigos