Casa Marina Bay Las Galeras

Hello Friends! April has arrived and the world is heating up a lot! Cinderella, my 9 month old puppy, and I are doing alright although she did eat something terribly toxic this week. We gave her a round of antibiotics and I believe she is on the up and up now. Semana Santa begins tomorrow and the beaches in Samana will be very crowded. I hope to stay away from all the people. This week ...

This weekend I travelled with six other girls to the Samaná peninsula. We arrived Friday afternoon and it poured down rain for the rest of the night. We also had an hour-long debate about which hotel to stay at because our original plans turned out to be much more expensive. But we ended up at a fairly nice place right on the beach. To my surprise there are a lot of businesses run by foreigners in ...

October 26, 2008 Hey Gang, After a rough first six months in my site, things are finally coming around. Adjusting and adapting to my new surroundings has been all consuming. Please forgive me for not writing more frequently or keeping up with you. I also hope that you continue to stay in touch with me and remember to keep me updated on your life. I have learned that time is precious, passes much too quickly, and, it is hard to ...

I've decided to spend 3-4 days in Las Terrenas before returning to Santo Domingo. I've noticed it's a heavily developed area in Dominican Republic with many expats from France, Italy and Germany. In fact, when I held a conversation with a local Dominican women she assumed I was French! Major restaurants and buildings in the area seem to be owned by many French people so she just assumed. Although the beaches are beautiful here I find myself missing ...

Location: Just outside the city of Samaná, located in the Samaná Peninsula Cell Phone Number: 1-809-467-2786. It's pretty easy to call the DR, just check your international calling rates with your phone provider or purchase an international phone card. Status: Official Peace Corps Dominican Republic Volunteer Hola Mis Panas, Como está todos y todas? I hope that all is well and this election season isn't driving you nuts back home. I hear it's ...

... of it in: a) the ocean, b) the river, c) the lake d) the beach, e) the gutter, f) the park, g) the garden, h) the floor, i) the tree.... or if you can´t find any of the above appropriate places, one of the rubbish bins that say "keep our town clean." (At least someONE out there is trying) The result of this broad policy on trash is the ubiquitous and unpredictable presence of the "dead zone" so named by me because of the resemblance of the smell to that of ...

... when he came up to breathe. Once he surprised everyone by sneaking up a few feet away from the side of the boat, and breaching to get a good look at us. It was so fast and nobody got any pictures of that breech. A little later he breached further away from us and we were able to get a picture. By this time, I was pretty sick, both from my bad breakfast, and also from the rocky motion. At one point, there were around 10 or so people asking for ...

... just as any rap video is often merely fluff and folderol, so too is any free trade package, despite the hype, hooks, catchphrases and seductive imagery. And just as those who produce the records are the real stars, so too are the creators of the infallible commercial wizardry, though there is no shortage of shilling done by those who have been tossed a few bones. Just look at the number of Mexicans heading north and the levels of crime, corruption, poverty and ...

... darker. In the evening we sample the fine fine fine home made Sangria and cook home made food. We are both house trained. In the morning we jump in a local Gua Gua minibus for the trip to the bigger nearby town of Samana. Here during the first three months of the year, you can join Whale watching tours. Humpback Whales apparently come here in huge numbers for the warmer waters, sitting off the coast in the bay. We pay up our US$51 and jump aboard, promised 7 hours or ...

... seater minibus - 16 people plus luggage crammed in. The road was a potholed dirt mess for the first fifteen or so kilometres. While the local guy next to me tried to sell me pirated CDs and Porn DVDs, we were flung into the air at every bump. The minibus had no suspension. The whole thing was a creaky metal on metal screeching mess. Goatgirl loved it. This is her kind of travel experience. I have seen it once too often I guess, so I don't love it as ...