Its back to “Brain Surgeon” and “Digger” again. It all started when we got up one morning to head over to the Yacht Club for Spanish class and neither of the dinghy outboard engines would start. It’s all starting again, repairs, repairs, repairs. “Brain Surgeon” had his work cut out. The engines coughed and sputtered and would not start. After some tweaks here and there “Brain Surgeon” finally got them back running. You have to be your own mechanic, engine repair man, electrician, etc., etc., etc. to run a boat.
Now the refrigeration is down and “Digger” had to tear apart the v-berth for the !!! time. As usual the parts that were needed were under it. This process usually takes half a day. Pulling out this and that and then repacking it. I think we need a bigger boat with more cubby holes to put parts in. “Brain Surgeon” was stumped on this one and he had to start pondering again. After taking this part off and putting a new part on to see if that would correct the problem and re-reading the manual over and over after about four hours he finally found the problem and was able to fix it. It was almost back to buying ice for the refrigerator to keep it cold. Since this took most of the morning we missed the flee market up at the Yacht Club and Marina. Oh well, maybe next week.
We got brave and went by ourselves into Puerto Plato (the “silver harbour”) one Thursday. We went into town and got on a Guagua (mini bus). One should experience at least once while in the Dominican Republic the Dominican lifestyle up close and ride one of these Guaguas. It is an adventure in the most restricted space, wedged between people and animals, with breathing difficulties and feet that have fallen asleep this, of course, when sitting inside; when outside the vehicle, or if one only found space while hanging halfway out the door, one experiences fits of panic and eyes squeezed shut from sheer terror, piously promising oneself to never again set foot into such a van until the next time: a ride in a Guagua is almost inevitable in the Dominican Republic. We got off in Imbert and got on an air conditioned bus. We were doing great so far headed for Puerto Plato communicating with the Dominican’s with our limited Spanish. Of course we had our trusty little Spanish translating book with us which never leaves our bag. We got off at the Parque Central (the village square) which each city always has one. We walked to a restaurant on the ocean for lunch and after filling our bellies we walked along the Malecon (a promenade along the ocean) to Fort San Felipe which is the oldest European fort in the New World with its moats and battlements and served as a prison during the Trujillo era (1930-1961. In the fort there is a small military museum and the former prison cell in which the city’s found Juan Pablo Duarte was held captive. After walking around inside the fort we took a motoconcho (motor cycle) – no, we didn’t drive one only rode behind the driver with both of us on one bike holding our cooler and bags off to the side and got off again at the Parque Central. What a sight we made and I wish I could have gotten a picture of that. We thought we were so smart we spoke Spanish to find directions to get us to the ice cream parlor and an internet café and would you believe that they understood us for once. After having accomplished those feats we took another motoconcho to the grocery store for a few items. This is where our troubles began with our Spanish, or lack of. We hired a taxi to take us back to the bus station to head back to the boat. We finally had five Dominican’s trying to figure out where we wanted to go. We had a map of Puerto Plato with us but they couldn’t read it, in fact my guess is that they couldn’t read or write which is typical here in the Dominican Republic. We said bus station in Spanish and they looked at us as if we were from Mars. Finally after a half an hour of speaking, gesturing, etc, etc, one finally said –“no problem”, at which time maybe a light bulb finally clicked on. With John directing them we made it to the bus station, (which they don’t call it that). We now know to say “go to La Javilla Tours) and we will get where we need to be. On the way back I sat next to a Dominican whose brother with the last name of Simon pitches for the Baltimore Orioles. Baseball is big here in the Dominican Republic and a lot of major league players come from here. It’s not unusual to see a game going on somewhere. They start out real young and become great players and this is a way to escape from poverty. Every Dominican aspires to become one of these major league players some day. We made it back to Luperon without any more mishaps.
“Digger” was up to her old tricks again and had to tear apart the boat looking for paint brushes. After emptying every cubby hole and repacking them she finally found them behind the drawers in the v-berth. Of course this was her own undoing because she forgot to put them on her list where they were located on the boat.
We left on Thursday September 18th for a few days in Santo Domingo with Al & Paula from Miss Teak a 48’ DeFever trawler. We took a taxi to Santiago and boarded an air conditioned bus with a direct route to Santo Domingo which is the capital of the Dominion Republic. This is not a place for people with weak nerves. This is a metropolis of 2 million and counting. Until one arrives in the center of the city, one must pass through vast, mostly very poor suburbs. However, together with its chaotic traffic this makes up for the Santo Domingo’s flair. Upon arriving we found a taxi man that spoke English and he took us to the Colonial District. He found a hotel for us after three tries for only $40 US complete with air conditioning, TV with over 100 channels) and even hot water for fifty gallon showers. What a treat after being on the boat for 3 ½ months. We deposited our luggage and walked out on the Calle El Conde, a brick road which is the oldest and most important main street in the Colonial District and where no cars are allowed. This street has a wide selection of every type of shops, restaurants, which here too the trend is toward fast foods and offers a strong dose of big city atmosphere. They even have a well stocked record store-for those looking for the newest meringue hits. We found a Dominican restaurant and had pork chops and all the trimmings. We found an Amber factory where they were making jewelry. We purchased a piece of Amber 30-50 million years old with two mosquitos inside it, (Jurassic Park). We purchased a blue Larimar turtle and this stone is supposedly is only found in the Dominican Republic. We found a casino right across from our hotel and naturally Carol had to play the one arm bandits. She was only using penny pacos and won quite a few times. Imagine if that was quarter or dollars. She would have been ahead $50-$75 US dollars. She quit which she was ahead and we all went back to our rooms for the night. We forgot how nice it is to sit in the air conditioning and watch TV. The next day we found a place for breakfast that had a great smorgasbord for only 200 pesos ($6 US) each. That day we toured the “Casas Reales” (Museum of the Royal House). This building housed the colonial government offices for over three centuries. The next place we visited was the “Catedral Primada de America” (Primate Cathedral of America), whose construction began between 1514-1523 and was completed in 1540. This cathedral is the first cathedral in the new world and one of the famous buildings in Santo Domingo. Worth seeing is the late Gothic hall with its beautiful vaulting and fourteen auxiliary chapels with some artistically interesting altars and of course was the original tomb of Christopher Columbus which was constructed in 1898. Next it was off to “Parque Colon” a park which is in the middle of Santo Domingo and dedicated to the islands discoverer Cristobel Colon, (Christopher Columbus), with a bronze statue of him in the middle. Under the old big trees, one can sit here with a beer or drink in peace to recover from the stress of the big city, if the constant nuisance of the black market peddlers is disregarded. The next day found us hiring a guide and taxi, (one who spoke English) for $40 US each. We toured the “Jardin Botanico Nacional” (Botanical Gardens) with 1.8 million square meters and one of the largest in the world, and includes vast areas devoted to aquatic plants, orchids, bromeliads, ferns, endemic plants, palm trees, a Japanese garden and much more. Next it was on to the“Parque Zoological” (Zoo) with about 10 square kilometers in size and located in the northern portion of Santo Domingo. Next we went to the “Museo del Hombre Dominicano” (Museum of Man). The highlights are impressive Taino artifacts, and the small section on Carnival with the masks and costumes used in various cities around the country. Also we saw other sections focusing on slavery in the colonial period, African influences in the Dominican Republic and a small section on voodoo and contemporary rural Dominican life complete with a reconstructed thatched roof house. Next we visited the “Faro a Colon” (Columbus Lighthouse) which is where after it was built Christopher Columbus was moved to from the Cathedral and supposedly is his final resting place; of course Cuba also claims the tomb of Christopher Columbus. We also saw the pope mobile which was built for Pope John Paul II when he visited there in 1992. Next we visited “Los Tres Ojos” (Three Eyes Caves) which were three caves with access down under ground. They had three different pools and the Indians used them to bathe in. That afternoon after arriving back in the Colonial District John and I went to Kentucky Fried Chicken (his favorite) which he had spied the first night we were out walking up and down the El Conde (main street). It sure wasn’t like the United States for these chickens have no fat on them as they are not grain fed. Sunday saw us eating breakfast at our same place. After breakfast we walked to the “Puerta del Conde”, which is the gate from the 18th century and situated at the western end of Calle El Conde. It is a part of the city’s old fortress walls and carries the inscription: “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori” (It is sweet and beautiful to die for one’s country). Beyond the gate is the beginning of Parque Independencia. Near Parque Independencia is the depiction of a compass made of bronze which not only shows the 32 directions but also is the zero point for measuring distances to other points on the island. After leaving there we strolled down the Malecon (beach promenade along the ocean) looking for where 20 kilometers of street are blocked off for the gigantic outdoor discotheque only to find out that this is only during certain months. On the walk back we went through “Fortaleza Ozama” a fortress system including several buildings with the fort the most important component. This is located directly at the mouth of the Rio Ozama on the Caribbean coast. This for served as a bastion protecting Santo Domingo from the frequent pirate attacks. It was also used as a prison during the dictator Rafael Trujillo rule from 1924-1961 when he was assassinated. Monday after breakfast (usual place) we packed our luggage and headed for the bus terminal for the return trip back to Luperon. I don’t know what it is about bus terminals but we seem to always have language problems. No one spoke English and only two of us with more Spanish than John and I knew we had again a communication problem. They are going to start calling us those crazy Americans. We purchased tickets to Puerto Plato via Santiago where we thought we could get off in Imbert when we came through and catch a taxi to Luperon. Wrong!!! After leaving Santiago we blew right by Imbert because the bus would not stop and let us off and needless to say we had to continue on to Puerto Plata where we caught a bus back to Imbert. No problem we said as we weren’t in any hurry and the extra cost was only $2 US for the four of us.
Problems again back on the boat when we returned, the Starboard lights and fans would not work. “Brain Surgeon” had to rethink this new problem and after days of trying to trace the line came up with an idea to rewire and by pass where ever the problem was which solved that problem.
One of the local American boaters here bought and opened a new restaurant called “Shaggys”. He had a Grand Opening where a pig was roasted and a bar room singer “Micah” from the Florida Keys performed. About seventy five boaters from the harbor attended.
After getting all rested up, and a few rum and cokes we are now ready for our next adventure which is to Haiti to visit the Citadelle. There are three couples plus a guide going and it should be a trip of a lifetime. We have been warned thievery abounds and not to carry money in our back pockets. I guess they now slit your back pockets with a razor blade looking for your wallet. We will write of this adventure if and when we return. Stay tuned. John & Carol aboard the S/V Sweet Caroline
Hi Mom & Dad!
Love your stories! They are so detailed, I can see it all clearly!
Miss you,
Jen
Wait to you read our article from Haiti. I am working on it now. I am downloading the rest of the pictures from our trip to Santo Domingo.