The Moves:

Still floating somewhere between European and Mountain time zones and current hostile affairs like political blunders and terrorism in Nice, I rediscovered a few American habits quickly.  I went nuts at my local Smith’s grocery store and bought a bunch of unhealthy stuff I didn’t need. I pounded out some productive work time.  And, gained a sense of perceived “manliness” I hadn’t experienced before by taking my car to the shop, pulling out and charging the battery after it’s juices had drained in the hot sun for two weeks.  We also had a fantastic wedding getaway for Alli’s cousin Nate and his Brazilian bride in Park City staying at the fabulous Hotel Park City.

Also, I booked another trip abroad leaving 8 days from the last.

The Return:

Every summer, Alli’s volunteered to take students for a service trip to a different developing country.  This time, it was the Dominican Republic.  Two trips like that back to back is a lot for anyone, especially with planning and funding in mind.  Thankfully, I had another set of credit card bonus offer points to pave the way. The last time, it was my Marriott Rewards Visa, this time my Skymiles Amex got me just about enough points for a flight to the D.R. (although not the full bonus because I had it and cancelled it before using it previously, despite hitting all the benchmarks).

As part of a study abroad experience and the equivalent of my graduate school thesis, I went with my George Washington University School of Business cohorts and each of us explored our own topic of choice tied to baseball, tourism and the D.R.  It was such an eye-opening experience for me that really opened my eyes to opportunities beyond our topic of choice (mine was a case study on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ comparative international efforts).  Although I wanted to hold out to go somewhere new, I caved for the prospects of Cuba, consulting angles and the chance to learn how one could help more in the D.R. not to mention the chance to live a little Caribbean life, “mon.”

Community + Compromises:

We agreed to do this one her way.  She describes her style as “hopping on a bus without being sure where it’s going.”  Antithesis of plans. I like to maximize the experience.  I arrived in the capitol of Santo Domingo, where Christopher Columbus (o Cristobal Colon) landed and created the 1st city of the New World soon after 1492. I was picked up by my softball teammate’s brother Jose Ignacio, who first took me to a meeting I had set up from my 2011 contact list. I sat down with the President of TURENLACES, a tourism organization and spoke about some consulting ideas tied to my past project and visit.  She voiced that there’s still huge opportunity for baseball tourism.  More international players in MLB come from the tiny island that is the D.R. than any other place – kids drop out of school to focus on it early. She also voiced that a small % go back to community service – specifically schools or teaching women a trade.  She said that they really have a tough time – stay home, often working on something and the men come home, take the money and leave them with little if anything, going to spend it on beer.  Political corruption makes it tough for big change when it comes to sustainability, etc.

The Struggle

Jose Ignacio provided a unique perspective on the Dominican struggle. He’s got a Master’s in Engineering, had been working on a skilled logistical engineering project, yet was without full-time work at the time and was doing Uber while trying to land what’s next. He said college grads make $800-1000 per month in the D.R. on average and that he was at $1800 with that project, yet $400 or $700 at factory and other jobs despite the degrees. Subsistence living, with education often not playing as much of a factor making it hard to get ahead.  Over a nice Dominican-cooked dinner on the water featuring Mofongo (plantains mashed with avocado and meat – fantastic sweet and sour mix, and Sancocho – a number of meats in a stew), I heard about their mother, who raised them in nearby San Cristobal while working three nurse jobs after their father was lost when they were young – electrocuted while working on a car.

Eudy, his brother, had a big tryout with the Angels, and it didn’t end up working out but he was still able to come to the U.S. and play at Utah State.  He’s now successful in software, married (which was news to us) and needs to have a kid to help solidify citizenship.  We then went to a comado or colmado for a Presidente, which is the equivalent of a neighborhood hangout spot that sells beers and the like.

Botches and the Europeans’ Continued Influence 

Then the ugly head of lacking international wireless coverage kicked in. WiFi-less botched flight pick-up of the lady, who’s flight was delayed, but not by the 4 hours we eventually located her later.  Up for 48 straight hours put her out for the next day.  I got to know the internationals at the Island Life Backpacker’s Hostel in the heart of Zona Colonial in Santo Domingo. Yan, a Dutch student was solo-exploring the remote mountains near Haiti before working his way down to Domingo and taking off on a 60 day sailing trip to the Azores islands off of Portugal before being back to Holland.  Francisco got tired of the Chilean routine and moved to the D.R. with his home-made Marlin spearfishing gun. Romanian, Dutch, British, German, French and 1 American weighed in on the hidden wonders of the D.R. beyond the tourist havens of Punta Cana and Puerto Plata.  After exploring the ruins, Christopher Columbus house and the likes of Zona Colonial and missing out on last spots on an Isla Saona excursion, we took off for a chosen hidden gem.

Island Life Backpacker’s Hostel

Fresh Cooked Chicken & Plantains for under $2 from the neighbors

LOCO!!

When we got to Las Terranas of the Samana Peninsula, there was a swarm of guys looking to get us to point B without cars.  You’re going to get us and our bags there on your motorcycle? You got it.  These locals buzzed around on bikes and scooters all day, constantly looking for tourists they could give “moto” rides to for 50-100 pesos per person.  Based on recommendation, we stayed at Fata Morgana – a set of hostel casitas owned by a Dutch expatriate and local guide named Edith, who lived with her 15 year old son on this sprawling private tropical plot along with 4 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 donkey lovers who found you anytime food was potentially around.

Las Terranas was said to be heavily French and Euro-influenced but walking up through the town it was very third-world local.  Locals outside their tiny casas (houses), comaldos, tiendas (shops) or bancas. I tried to trade in cash at bancas in Domingo and got funny looks, later finding out that they’re lotteries (obviously government-backed) and they’re everywhere.  Beer and lotteries for the poor to invest the few pesos they’ve made and they’re everywhere.  We ended up deeply lost in a very poor neighborhood trying to find the beach while getting directed through backyards, etc. but never got a bad look or felt in danger. We finally stumbled onto the beach, where the Euro-influenced was discovered, explored a bit and ended up taking an adventurous motocoche home.

Paco & Flora – hungry lovers.

Casita grounds

Playa Bonita

The next day we discovered the beauty of Playa Bonita – a 20 minute walk from our place.  Fine, caramel brown sands, turquoise water, no wonder it was named a top beach in a country with so many great beaches.  After some fresh catch and Presidentes on the water, we walked back, noticing burning trash and the like in the street.  There was lots of trash lying around and if you’ve been to developing countries, you know trash cleanup and disposal is not a priority – survival is. Another fire was off a ways a bit into the brush.

We got back and Edith said there will be no going out tonight – there is a strike that started the night before when we lost power.  It had been a long-endured battle with the electric company, who held a monopoly and was apparently charging the town 3x what others were paying – a really big deal when you’re barely getting by.  The locals had had it and were going to let it be known.  No, not by picket signs either. She showed photos of riot police being sent in the night before, tear gas being shot, fires in the street, etc.  We spent the night playing cards by lantern with the power out commenting when there weren’t gunshots over a 10-15 minute span.  I handled it the only way you could and pretty much the normal nightcap: rum, fresh-rolled cigars, and a hammock listening to shots fired in every direction that wasn’t water.  The locals weren’t going to loot or target their own, they wanted the government’s attention, and we actually fell asleep and actually ended up sleeping better than the previous night (believe it or not).

We woke up early as we had set up a trip to get off-campus and take a ferry for a tour around the national park across the bay for some caving adventures with Native American paintings and the like.  8 came and went and no pick-up.  The locals were buzzing around like usual, while the street messes were cleaned up.  They had set ablaze electric poles in prominent places, which were still smoldering.  The message had gotten across and a meeting was set with President Danilo, who was the popular choice during our group on the last visit (they have “next door neighbor” photos of candidates looking approachable in suits all over, we probably just saw his the most).  There were many riot police around in case the strike re-engaged, which was common but didn’t happen as the power was back and the meeting was set – initial win for the people.

Hidden Beauty

We were enticed to leave to another legendary beach on the drier east side of the peninsula in Playa Rincon, or a surf beach up the coast in Cabarete, yet were encouraged by others that those are nice but the grass was pretty green here. So, despite all the craziness, we stayed.  We hitched a “guagua” ride on the back of a truck through the next town to El Salto de Limon, fought off claims that hiring a guide with a horse was mandatory and ditched them when they tried to follow us.  A tough climb later, we reached two fantastic waterfalls.  We let the tourist waves pass and enjoyed a cool swim under these, tucked in the tropical mountains.

Although I grew up often near and on the beach, I did a lot of bodysurfing with my pops in the small waves of the Gulf, but never learned to surf until Australia and I hadn’t picked up a board since then in 2006.  I decided to give it another shot at Playa Bonita by renting a longboard for the day.  The surf at Bonita was straight forward for a noob like myself and the beach and waves were pretty empty that day.  I was up on my 3rd try although it wasn’t necessary all gravy from then.  It was tough re-adjusting to catching waves at the right tempo from paddle to peak.  It was tough balancing weight on the pop-up, and surfing just  really takes it out of you.  I got up a good amount, thanks to a helpful drop-off closer to shore and it felt pretty awesome to improve upon where I was at back when and spend a day sitting, spotting and riding waves in such an unbelievable setting.  The shop pro who was watching me from the beach said I needed to keep my arms in and together to get up better.  There’s always next time for further improvements – or maybe learning paddle boarding or better yet kitesurfing!

We then went to explore another hidden gem in Coson, said to be an hour and a half walk from Playa Bonita, with a cool river, desolate beach and mountain scenery, and a legendary restaurant in Luis’ serving the freshest catch you could imagine.  We were joined by two westernized Israeli guys Lior and Avner, just fresh out of the mandatory Army service everyone in Israel serves after high school, who served in Intelligence and at least had some good stories to share.  Lior was traveling for 6 months starting in Spain and Portugal through the Caribbean and ending up in Colombia, Avner previously trekked through much of South America similarly. The walk was about an hour up some remarkable beach line.  It was Sunday, so the Dominicans were off and enjoying it and Coson was more crowded then advertised. We passed a gathering then doubled back to what we found out was Luis’ before enjoying some amazingly fresh catch and sides.  We looked down the shore and could see how on any other day, this setting could offer a uniquely desolate and beautiful scenery and solace.

That way to Bonita

Cool river flowing

Desolate the other way

The freshest feast

Back Where It Literally Started

To get more of a look into the area, I thought we’d take the scenic route.  6 vehicle transitions later, we reached the town of Samaná, a colorful town home to many great winter whale-watches on the bay.  We were advised not to take the scenic ferry as the buses back to Domingo didn’t run late enough, so no scenic ferry ride back. We enjoyed a very nice meal at the hotel across the street, met a local guy who played for the Pirates Dominican team a few years back. I checked out his gift shop, bought some Larimar gifts (blue colored stone found only off the south coast of the D.R.), traded numbers as he had a few 15 year olds he thought were good enough to get signed soon and talked about another visit in the winter.

After many vehicle transfers later, we made it to another hostel oasis in Zona Colonial. She left early, I spent a day wandering (read: mostly lost) in and outside of Zona Colonial, finding great food deals in Chinatown on empanadas and the freshest most wonderful fruit smoothie I’ve had (under $2 combined) plus some valuable directions.  I checked out the Rum & Sugar Cane Museum then spent more than I could’ve on Coffee & Passion Fruit Rum made in the Museum, cigars rolled right as I watched at El Tabaquero (3rd visit there) and the legendary local/mythical Mamajuana drink – a mix of rum and red wine with the root of a special plant (said to be an elixir with special mood enhancement powers).  All to enable me to channel a day in the Caribbean life/my inner pirate.

Most amazing tropical smoothie ($1)

Taking aim at a statue

Columbus House

Inside Columbus House

The Lay (Over)

Before long, I was off that flight full of excited Dominicans and back stateside spending a nasty overnight layover on the floor of the JFK airport to avoid missing my 7am connection.  I was excited to soon not have to think, speak and navigate unfamiliar territory in Spanish, got a patty melt at a diner and thought about what the takings were from the trip.  Here they are:

Takings

• Take advantage of credit card bonus offers to score amazing trips, helping you do it on the cheap (we spent less than $1,500).
• If you’re adventurous, shed the group/tourist mentality and get off the reservation and off the beaten path, finding out from locals where the best spots are. What you may lose in perceived security and comfort, you’ll make up much more in life experience and cultural understanding.
• There is ample opportunity to help developing countries via volunteer work, stimulating new thought and economic impact, etc.
• Developing countries may seem to offer much comparative opportunity but infrastructure is very hard to change, especially if built on long histories of corruption.  Advancement programs in schools, job training especially for females is much needed beyond the programs that feed on the poor like the lotteries.
• There is distinct need for decentralized energy and I’m interested in further exploring making Solar cheaper and more palatable for the poor – would need buy in from MLB and energy partner to help reduce costs and benefit the masses to sway the government from the deep pockets of monopolies clearly exploiting the masses.
• Dominicans are very intrigued by Americans, will market services like everyone else but not relentlessly. You are not in trouble going “off the reservation” unless you’re really sticking out uncomfortably.
• The Caribbean islands are all very unique with much pre/post colonized history. We’re kicking ourselves for not making Cuba happen – the clock is ticking on seeing this gem before we corrupt it. It’s about stepping into the past and the culture, not the beaches there. Bring plenty of American cash though, you’re in big trouble if you run out!.

As always, don’t hesitate to try me for more.

Salud y un amor,

-CR

Zona Colonial

1st hospital in new world ruins

La Hospital

2nd Hostel pool

Beach feast

Alli and her tube

Fresh catch

Gotta stick to the rules!

Colon house

1st cathedral in new world

1st university in new world

Cigar shop!