Peninsula de Samana e Sosua e Puerto Plata e passion fruit (chinola)

Wow we really toured around the beaches. The beach and area of the Peninsula de Samana are quite spectacular actually and I was told by a sailor that I met that it is THE best area of DR. We will see. Northwest coast of DR is quite busy with French and other European tourists. Too many tourists period for me but interesting to visit for sure.

How about some highlights from the past few days which often are surprises and differences for us westerners. Probably the most important thing is to realize how fortunate and free we are and the importance of hygiene, running water, open spaces, family...

Recent observations include:

...a motorcycle pulling a donkey
...4 women on ONE little motorcycle
...pulling over on the side of the road for a 2 year old to go caca on a brick walkway with a casino on the other side
piles of cabages, plaintain (large banana that is fried or boiled or made into mafongo )plaintain, oil or butter, garlic and often some pork) on backs of small trucks being hauled to Santo Domingo, the capital
...visiting Sosua, prostitution capital of DR....lots LOTS yes lots of old white men (and one white woman) with the most attractive beautiful young DR people. Very disturbing to see this. I definitely saw more of it in Thailand but it is painful to see it at all anywhere. Men mauling women in public and you can see the looks on their faces like why does this have to be me
...just purchased my $9.00 cell phone and right outside the building is a begger with legs bent and on his knees with tattered kneepads...
...every dog is super skinny
...no one is overweight period
...children eat what their parents put in front of them if it is fish soup for breakfast then so be it.
...cock fighting IS a major attraction everywhere
...beautiful BEAUTIFUL handmade furniture made with wicker and hardwood
handmade cloth rugs and saddles for horses
...DR produces EVERYTHING....tropical fruit trees, rice fields, pork, cows, chicken, seafood, yucca, plaintain, papas (potatos)...extremely self sufficient
pools made in small villages from the cascade of water that falls from the mountains
...gorgeous gorgeous homes with a guard on the corner with an AK 47 (i think) or some sort of automatic machine gun

Ok more manana (tomorrow). Thank you Muchos Gracias to my friends for the phone calls and text messages. I so love getting calls. I thnk I may be getting more communication with friends than I did at home.

Lots of love and besos (kisses), Georgie
Dormir bien (sleep well)