Wow, what a trip Mom and I are having. We are now in Bonao which is NOT in Lonely Planet and staying at www.ranchowendy.com which is a gem. I have several entries for a blog that I may never get to but here are some ideas.
The Pig and the Palm tree in Boca de Yuma
Mauro, best Italian cook in the DR and he taught me his special pasta sauce recipe OMG!
Viscape, virtual blog travel to promote folks to purchase realestate abroad, hmm...not sure how I feel about this
Cruise ships PLOGGING Samana Bay........
Pets in Pain. One could go around DR euthanizing very miserable dogs and cats
Exploitation of nature, resources, people.
Haitians fleeing from Haiti
DRUG TRAFFICKING
the list goes on..........
We met up with Jan and Lenny, my DR buddies from Santa Domingo yesterday. Mom and I were in Las Galeras on the eastern tip of the Samana Peninsula for three nights. We soaked up lots of sun on some very sweet beaches. At one point on the beach there were men fishing with small nets in their underwear catching sardines, a man also in his underwear washing down his horse in the water and many people frolicking as well. What a combination of tourists and locals all enjoying the beach. This beach had little sandbars with eel grass. I thought of my friend Kate when we travelled to Tulum Mexico years ago before the tourists arrived. We went skinny dipping together there and poor Kate was totally spooked by the seaweed that was floating in clusters. She would have freaked out at this beach but it was beautiful. The sun set behind layers of mountains perfectly stacked behind each other with giant coconut palms hanging out over the sandy beach in silouette with the setting sun. Is my camera broken? yes but we met a few folks from Israel and CA and hopefully they will send us a photo of this gorgeous beach simply called Playita (little beach).
The day before we went North Atlantic Humpback whale watching in Samana Bay with a Canandian woman who has been here for 20 years. Wow probably one of the best tours Ive been on in years. Very thorough, eco conscious, people friendly and worth it. We stayed a very safe distance from the whales and a young male breeched (leaped fully out of the water) a dozen times. It was amazing. There are an estimated 10-12,000 and they come down from Oh Canada and our lovely Bay of Fundy and off Boston to flirt, frolick and mate and nurse their young in Samana Bay. They do not eat for I think it is 4 months while they are there. Just play.
In 2004 they started bringing cruise ships so now 2-3000 people get off a boat in Samana two times a week during WHALE season..... can you believe this. The cruise ships do not anchor but hover using gps and running their engines for 3-5 months 2x a week, 4-6 ships per week. What a strain on the envt and everything else AND once they are here you will never get rid of them.
I can honestly say I do not like the cruise ship industry at all. I think it is an insane idea for Eastport. Be careful what you wish for.......luckily our sweet Downeast Maine has a SHORT season.
Now I am beginning to question ecotourism.........Im so conflicted. Basically humans do so much wrong even though we think we are doing good but whatever we do do is generally wrong. Eeeish...as we say in South Africa.
I am ready to come home. Mom and I are travelling really well together. We went thourgh our rough patches and settled into healthy traveling.
My fingernails are as long as they have ever been. For 80 pesos or $2.00 I can get my fingernails and toenails painted in lovely matching colors and it looks awesome. No photos though except the first one I put up.
Take care everyone. xx, G
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