Rincon Rubi Las Galeras

... lots of energy, to say the least. I would like to propose a couple of projects to get it going in a more productive direction though sometimes! 3) My Brigada Verde (environment youth group) has become more motivated since returned from the regional conference last weekend. The Yaritza, Massiel and Ileidy, the three girls who attended the conference, gave a charla (presentation) during our ...

... bought us special Dominican coconut bread on the way. Whale-watching was a 5 hour endeavor...quite fun but I think I'm covered on whale-watching for the next 20 years. The boat was soooo rocky and several people were getting sick. It wasnt helped by the fact that the crew started playing a recording of a male whale singing...because that in itself resembles the sound of vomiting. Thankfully, i am not ...

... attribute their interest to the growing tourism industry in Samaná and to the unique history of the peninsula of Samaná. Samaná was settled by freed African American slaves in the 1840s along with others including folks from England, France and Haiti. Before the time of Trujillo, English was the language of the people in Samaná; therefore, many of the other folks speak English and sing English church songs as their native tongue ...

... staying at home. Me thinks she's a city girl! The beach town vibe is very laid back and probably makes it harder for her to make friends. I also had the chance to see a performance showcasing Dominican folk dancing. It was definitely a treat and lasted well over a hour. Unfortunately I lost many of the pictures and videos from that night but salvaged a few! I'm preparing for my trip back to Santo Domingo and ultimately Costa Rica for my next country.

... is very important. The way it works it is a democratic process and the winner must win with a majority of 50% + 1. If the winner does not have a majoring, there will be a run-off election between the two top candidates in following months to come. Friday, May 16th is a National holiday just for voting. Instead of just a two party system (as in the States), there are seven presidential nominees, which of those, the top three garner the most ...

... stinky, unhealthy eyesore. On one walk around Santo Domingo, we succeeded in finding a small, sheltered beach - there was more rubbish than sand and a couple of scavengers (one dog, one woman) were the only sign of life. I know I sound scathing, and I know one isn´t supposed to be judgemental of third world (well second and a half) countries, but it´s still horrible. So that, along with the hassling by hawkers, beggars, oversexed men and even primary-school ...

... once in a while. I was still feeling sick from the trip, and being crammed into the back of this truck, with the hot sun beating down on me, didn't help the situation (see pic). As we rode closer to Las Galeras, more and more people got off the truck, which gave us some breathing room. I also started to feel a little better, and the guy working the back of truck started to talk to us. I was pretty happy that I could practice my Spanish with him ...

Goatgirl and I want to make the most out of our apartment experience here on the beach. After a breakfast of home cooked pancakes, we packed our bags ready to go.... But were we ready to leave? The fridge still has supplies in it, including half a bottle of rum and plenty of Coca Cola. Even though it is 10.48am, we decide to treat it as if it is lunchtime. The remainders of last night´s pasta is transformed into Pasta Salad. The Cuba Libre´s start to flow. Soon enough we ...

... size, but you can not actually see a great deal. Still it is an experience to see them in thier own environment rather than jumping through hoops in an aquarium. After an hour or so with the pair, the boat heads off. We think we are off to search for others, but instead dock at a nearby package tourist island. Much to our disgust, Goatgirl and I are told we are here for the rest of the afternoon to sample the ordinary food, drink the expensive drinks, run the ...

... I mean me heading to a new destination, not my nuts...) Our abode of plan is Cando Hondo, some 9kms out of Sabana de la Mar. We arrive at the jetty, and although the Gua Gua driver tries to negotiate an enormous price to get us to our final stop, Goatgirl sticks her feet out the door Flintstones style to stop the minibus. We are dropped outside of a bank, and thus head in to get a top up of cash. There is something unnerving about being in a ...