Well, we finally left Pederneles and on the way out our bus was stopped probably a dozen times at checkpoints. Sometimes we had to all get off and sometimes police would get on and sniff around. They were looking for Haitians and drugs. At the first check a police showed his power over of course by asking for my passport in front of everyone. Stupid me had it tucked away in my bra with all my other goods so... then the people on the bus warned me, "They are watching you". So lesson learned to keep passport separate and accessible..........but that was the only time.
After several checks a man neatly dressed with a backpack who had shown his passport numerous times was escorted off the bus. He looked Haitian. His bus money was returned to him. Who knows what happened to him. The unemployment rate in DR is 45%. The unemployment rate in Haiti is 75% or higher. So....DR is better if you can make it here, right?
Mom met a very nice two couples on the way out of Bahia de Las Aguilas. We stopped to see them in El Arroyo. What a beautiful beautiful spot. Oh my goodness. Robert and Heiki and their friends were such fun and we communicated somehow in Spanish, English and German and laughed and chatted. I smoked a huge DR vanilla flavored cigar that cost me 45 cents on their lovely deck. Wow what bliss with a big cold beer like I did on a porch with Mom in Cuba. Great food, lots of beer. Mom had sancocho (a stew with vegetables, yucca, potato, onion many meats, YUM) cooked by their cook. We did a washing in a semi automatic washer. You have to move the wash, then rinse, then move to the spinner. quite a process but much easier than by hand on a washboard when I was in South Africa. The view was spectacular. We were right near the Larimar mine so I got a good deal (or so I think) on two pieces of Larimar rock (only mined here). Then from Barahona we took a bus to Santa Domingo then a bus to La Romana and then a guagua to Bayahibe to go out for the BEST fish supper and an overnite with Mom there.
Ok more.........not sure when? Miss you and as much as I love to travel and see the world I love even more returning home to my family, friends, farm. I really really do. I hope that I can keep my home safe and healthy for as long as I am alive because I visit so many places that are sadly getting riddled with garbage, people and destroyed slowly but surely from PEOPLE.
Please do your best to NOT use styrofoam. Please. It does NOT biodegrade. EVER. EVER.
x, G
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