Half Time Highlights

So pretty much half through my time in the DR I took a moment to reflect and, contrary to my habitual verbosity, briefly summarize the ups and downs of the journey so far.

Best Bits

-Improving my Spanish. there's nothing quite like that moment when you use a new word, in the right context, at the right time, and someone understands you.

-Caberete. Free Jazz Festival, loads of people, clubs, bars, the Joe Calazaghe fight on Cable, minimal sleaze all with the ocean lapping at my feet. Then to Playa Rincon for an all night rave and back to Constambar at 7AM for a swim before bedtime.

-The Beach at Las Terrenas. That first tantalizing glimpse of the Caribbean up close, and the white sand, and finally the water itself. Stunning.

-Dajabon. A slice of reality pie and an inspiration.

-The People. Too many to mention but shout outs in particular to Rosa for looking out for me, Monika for giving me a place to stay when I arrived and every random person on the street who lent a hand with anything.

Other Chulo items: Election Night, Baraboncourt 5 Estrella Rhon, Merengue, Bachata, Reggaeton, The Seafood, The Mountains, Halloween, the 24 Hour Sandwich Place ...etc etc etc


Worst Bits (though it's all part of the experience)

-My Spanish. Those totally impotent moments where you just don't have the words,and if you did you'd have no idea what to do with them!

-Power Cuts

-Missing loved ones at Home.

And aside from minor bug bears like Merengue full blast through terrible speakers on Coaches at 730 Am, is it for the bad bits!


Left on the To Do List

-Baseball

-Scuba

-El Limon (Most Famous Waterfall here)

-La Pica Duarte (The highest mountain in the Carribbean, with a three day walk to the summit)

-Haiti (Me. Port Au Prince. December. Watch this space.)

And so, on to the second half...