A view from the private resort beach.
Clouds of humidity surround me the second I stepped out of my ice box hotel room during the morning hours. My tanned skin reacted to the sudden temperature change, immediately softening and beading slightly with sweat. Palm trees dotted the skyline, stemming from the paved paths of my resort. Poles as tall as the palms themselves sport the nation’s primary red, white and blue flag with a centered coat of arms. Friendly staff greeted me with “hola” and “buenos dias”. Bienvenidos to the Dominican Republic!
Peacocks seemed to be the unofficial national animal of the D.R. – they were everywhere!
I’ve avoided coming to this country for a while, mostly because I thought it was a tourist trap. In a way that is true, providing you want that experience. Large, all-inclusive resorts are lined up all along the beach of Punta Cana, a sunny coastal city on the Atlantic side of the island. Everything is based heavily on the American dollar; purchases and tips are expected in U.S. currency. Otherwise, the resorts provide everything for you: food, drinks, pools, entertainment. You really don’t have to leave, but I did.
Fresh coconut water is always a must for me in tropical locales! This is from one of the brief hours I actually spent relaxing at my resort.
There is a whole other side to this country that most don’t get the chance to experience if they don’t choose to. The resorts are built for tourists, but the extravagant set ups are a far cry from how most of the locals live. An excursion into the countryside of the province, Altagracia, exposed me to miles of farmland, as well as compact city life in the Dominican Republic. Our first stop was a primary school. School was out for summer recess but we were able to step inside the one room schoolhouse. An old school chalkboard sits in the front of the room, and posters of the alphabet as well as students’ artwork cover the walls. This school is for students age five through thirteen, before they advance to high school for five more years, and then university for another two. The first university in the Americas was built in the Dominican Republic in 1538, however it is no longer standing. Schooling is an important institution to the nation, and funding is currently being used to build more schools. As soon as we pulled into the dirt parking lot, dozens of school children rushed up to say hello, but also to beg for money. The quality of living in the countryside ranges, but it is often low. After chatting with a young girl named Loria for a few minutes about the school, I asked if I could take her picture, only to have her respond “un dollar por favor”. We were directed not to give the children any money, because it would promote begging instead of schooling. I had no choice but to tell Loria that I could not, and left feeling a mixture of sadness and guilt.
The exterior of the one-room primary school I had the opportunity to visit.
A chalkboard sits at the front of the classroom near the teacher’s desk. The board reads “Summer 2015” and “Long live France” on the board, possibly referring to previous French visitors or the French language part of the curriculum at the school.
From the school we traveled up into the mountains to visit a cocoa bean plantation. Chocolate and coffee are two of the Dominican Republic’s top exports. I have a special place in my heart for all things chocolate, so this was an exciting part of my journey!! We met the family that owns the plantation, and they kindly gave us a tour of their home. It is a simple structure with a zinc roof, but it has all the necessities and is painted a bright turquoise. The youngest girl in the family, Marilla, spoke very little English, and was quite shy, but she presented each of us bright orange daisies as we walked through their front door. The grandfather was stirring roasted cocoa beans, a necessary step before being pounded into cocoa powder, and he offered me a turn before continuing to roast the beans over the fireside. After looking at some cocoa pods on the nearby trees, and sampling some all natural, homemade hot chocolate composed of pure cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and steamed milk (DELICIOUS), brothers Miguel and José sold us cocoa powder of our very own. José is only about seven or eight, but he can mentally calculate the exchange and profit from the US dollars he received in sales better than I can!
A shot of me stirring roasted cocoa beans over the fireside as the experienced roaster of the family looks on.
The vibrant daisy little Marilla presented to me.
I later visited the Choco Museo in Punta Cana where I learned more about cocoa production in the Dominican Republic from knowledgeable manager, Alvero Luis. In the Choco Museo itself, 2,000 bars are made by hand every day. I was even able to make some milk chocolate myself during my visit! The D.R. is one of the greatest exporters of cocoa in the world. This is due to its tropical climate, making it an ideal place for cocoa trees to grow. Cocoa grows in pods, and each pod has about forty-five beans in it. When cocoa beans are first taken out of the pod, they are white, and must be dried, roasted and grounded before they can be made into chocolate. Prime harvesting time is between eleven to thirteen weeks. Anything older and the beans become too dry to be used. We usually think of cocoa being used for chocolate, but it also has many more purposes. According to the locals, the shells of the cocoa beans can be made into a tea that helps with digestion, energy, and memory. Cocoa oil and cocoa butter can be extracted and used cosmetically, or in cooking, and pure cocoa butter can also be used to cure and prevent minor infections when mixed and taken with steamed milk.
Fresh cocoa beans straight out of the pod.
Dark, milk, and white chocolate samples at the Choco Museo.
I was also able to visit Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic. The port was the first thing that came into view, and ironically, it was lined with docked Japanese warships. Our guide explained that the Asian presence is very strong in Santo Domingo; there is even a Chinatown. There seems to be a subtle social tension regarding jobs between the Asian and Dominican people, because our guide mentioned that “Dominican people work for [Asians]”, but it is never the other way around. Another interesting aspect of the Dominican lifestyle that I was made aware of while in the city was the motorcycle culture. By this I mean up to four people piling onto a motorcycle without helmets or safety measures of any kind, speeding down the streets. This is seen all over the country, and it is done because transportation by motorcycle is cheap. Most families use their motorcycle as an equivalent to cars in the U.S., which is why entire families are often riding one bike at the same time to get to work, or school. It seems dangerous, but the drivers have to be skilled to navigate the narrow routes in the Dominican Republic!
One of the many colorful streets in Santo Domingo.
The streets of Santo Domingo are lively; street vendors and artists are not in short supply here. The late, iconic fashion designer Oscar de la Renta was born in the old town, which is teeming with pastel buildings around every corner, filling the city with color. I also made sure to stop by all of the important government buildings while in town, all heavily guarded, all very ornate architecturally. The national cemetery, Panthéon Nacional, is the final resting place for the founders of the Dominican Republic and honored members of the Dominican society. Originally a Jesuit Church, the ceiling is a partial replica of the fresco painted by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel, and the walls are made of marble. The arches are exquisite. Later on, we drove to the Presidential Palace. With its heavy gates, and dome shaped top, it’s appearance resembles the White House. However, the building itself is more of a creamy ivory color, sitting in the middle of a perfectly manicured lawn fitted with tropical plants, and patrolled by armed guards. Christopher Columbus has a very large monument, in addition to several statues, dedicated to him throughout the Dominican Republic. He’s revered in this country, since Columbus expressed his love for the island in many of his journal entries. He requested to have his remains stay in “La Hispaniola” which is what he called the Dominican Republic upon his discovery, and deemed it the most beautiful place in the world. Today, his ashes lie at the heart of the Christopher Columbus Lighthouse (not an actual lighthouse; think Mayan temple made out of concrete and dedicated to Christopher Columbus), where each of the lands he discovered throughout the Americas has its own display of the culture and Columbus’ relation to the lands.
The heavily armed Presidential Palace.
Guards dressed in Dominican colors stand at the door of the Panthéon Nacional.
Christopher Columbus’ remains lie in the heart of his main memorial, the Christopher Columbus Lighthouse. This friendly guard agreed to have his picture taken in front of the decorated mausoleum holding Columbus’ remains.
Although Columbus was wrong about his shortcut to India, he was 100% right about the beauty of the Dominican Republic. Being a part of the Caribbean islands, the D.R. is also home to the stunning beaches and nature the islands are known for. Macao Beach was one of my stops. This beach is the only beach open to locals as well as visitors in the Punta Cana area, and all others are for resorts only. This fact depressed me a bit; it seems unfair that the locals can’t enjoy their own beaches.
The scenic Macao Beach.
Nevertheless, Macao Beach is a sight to see. The sand is incredibly soft, with rocky jetties and cliffs bordering the warm, blue water. Although the waves aren’t big, surfing and stand up paddle boarding are two water sports available at this beach. I am an avid surfer myself, but I was unable to go during my trip due to an open cut from a horse riding injury on my first day (fast, foreign, horses that do not listen well and shoes unfit for riding are not a happy pair). Saltwater is healing, but I didn’t want to risk becoming chum to any of the marine fauna.
Taking a stroll along the shores of Macao Beach.
Another breathtaking water view was Hoyo Azul, a freshwater pool in a limestone cave with water that is naturally turquoise blue. After a short hike through the ecological reserve, Scape Park, visitors are rewarded with a swim in the pool for about an hour. At its deepest point, the pool is 85 feet, but there are plenty of shallow spots and rocks to hold on to throughout the cave. I cannot even express how clear the water is! Staring at it from its surface it’s possible to see all the way to the bottom, giving an illusion of a shallower swim. My tour group for this excursion was an especially joyful one. After being separated into tours by language, us anglophones made our way to the pool laughing and poking fun at Jeff, an older gentleman that only seemed to speak in the third person, and a happy, burly man named Kirby that became the group’s large teddy bear by the end of the excursion. It’s always a grand time meeting new people from around the world while sharing memories!
Kirby (left) and Jeff (right), two of the hilarious people on our tour to Hoyo Azul.
The incredibly clear turquoise waters of Hoyo Azul.
Floating in the natural freshwater pool. The water is pleasantly cool.
I have come away from this trip with changed opinions about the land. There is so much more to the Dominican Republic than just piña coladas on the beach. While there is nothing wrong with spending part of your time that way, it is an eye-opening experience to get out of the resort and become more in touch with the locals. Even if you cannot venture out of the tourist-infested areas, at least talk to the people who work at these resorts; I’m sure they have their own story to tell. After speaking with some of the staff at my resort, I found out that they work for twelve days straight and then get three days off. These three days are usually used to visit family. Pablo Rodriguez, a personable and helpful supervisor at the Barcélo Dominican Beach resort showed me pictures of his youngest daughter, Estrella, that was waiting for him at home. When people are providing a service, they can seem dehumanized to those being served but that shouldn’t be the case. Everyone has a voice, and something such as a language barrier or a lack of respect should not block those voices from being heard.
Juan Ozuna, driver from Olympus Tours, would like to visit the United States some day. Americans should realize what a privileged life we live, and will hopefully turn that privilege into appreciation when visiting developing nations such as the Dominican Republic.
One of the final sunsets I got to witness in Punta Cana.