Good day everybody, it has been some time hasn’t it? Effectively Comfortable New 12 months and God Bless. In my first Article for the New 12 months I’ve determined to share with you an expertise from my current journey to the Dominican Republic. Sure, I went to the DR 😄.
My brother and I deliberate a visit to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and we stayed at an All Inclusive Lodge for nearly every week. Whereas there we determined we needed to go on a number of excursions, two to be precise as a result of we solely had a number of days; the Journey Boogies which included ATV using and A day journey to Santo Domingo. I’m certain from the title you already know which one I will likely be speaking about on this article 😊.
A Little Background
Santa Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and is among the oldest cities within the Caribbean. It was based by Bartholomew Columbus the brother of Christopher Columbus in 1496. It sits on the Southeastern a part of the Island of Hispaniola ( a Caribbean island made up of each Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and holds a few of the oldest Cathedrals in historical past. It has a inhabitants of over 3 million individuals and it’s a metropolis crammed with historical past and tradition.
The Journey
The journey to Santo Domingo was an all day occasion. We needed to get to the pickup up level by 6:30 a.m. so we have been mainly up at about 4:00 a.m. to verify we had sufficient time to prepare and have breakfast earlier than the bus arrived. We have been informed it might be a 2 hour drive nevertheless it turned out to be about 3 hours. A part of the explanation, nonetheless, was as a result of the bus stopped at one other lodge to select up passengers, however that wasn’t till after a great 90 minutes or so of driving.
The drive was okay, we have been on an air conditioned motorcoach with only a few individuals. We had a tour information who narrated and was in a position to give us lots of details about the nation, like, for instance, how the nation is linked to Haiti and Haitians would come over to hunt work. Whereas driving we might see lots of them by the facet of the highway ready to be picked up for work and the information suggested that some would get jobs to work in building or on the sugar cane factories.
Additionally, whereas using alongside there was lots of sightseeing, we have been in a position to see different cities, rivers, universities, sugar cane factories and extra. The tour information was very informative and supplied the knowledge to us in 3 totally different languages; Spanish, English, and what I imagine to be French.
Locations We Visited
As soon as in Santa Domingo we have been guided to totally different vital areas. The primary place we stopped was the Columbus Lighthouse.
Columbus Lighthouse
The Columbus Lighthouse or Faro a Colon in Spanish, shouldn’t be like every lighthouse you may have seen. It’s a mausoleum monument in Santa Domingo devoted to Christopher Columbus. The constructing is formed right into a cross which is difficult to note standing on the bottom however might be seen from an aerial view. As soon as inside you can find that it’s not solely a mausoleum, but in addition a museum and It’s mentioned that the stays of Christopher Columbus are there within the mausoleum. So why is it known as a lighthouse? my guess is as a result of it has 150 lamps on the higher a part of the monument which might challenge a big illuminated cross throughout the sky at evening.
We didn’t keep lengthy there as a result of the tour information solely gave us a couple of minutes to take footage and return to the bus, however if you’re planning a self guided tour of the town you’ll have the chance to go inside and observe extra intently.
Columbus Palace
Afterwards, we have been again on the bus the place we continued our journey. Our subsequent cease was Columbus Palace or Alcazar de Colon which was as soon as the house of Christopher Columbus’ son Diego Columbus and his spouse Maria de Toledo. It is among the most notable museums in Santo Domingo. The design of the Palace is a mix of each gothic and renaissance aptitude. From the palace you’ll be able to view the Plaze de Espana and the Ozama River with the Terminal Don Diego proper throughout the road.
Whenever you arrive you’re damaged up into teams based mostly on what language you communicate, so there was a bunch for English, Spanish, and there could have been one for Portuguese I imagine or French (that one I’m not certain of). The information then gave us a tour of every a part of the museum and spoke about its historical past. Through the tour you’ll uncover authentic furnishings, artwork and extra from the sixteenth century.
By the best way this was the place our bus left us and for the remainder of the tour we needed to go on foot.
Museum of the Royal Homes
Only a brief stroll from the Columbus Palace is the Museum of the Royal Homes or Museo de las Casas Reales. This was as soon as the Royal Court docket of the Governor of Spain. At present on the museum you’ll be able to study concerning the historical past of the Dominican Republic as you journey by way of totally different durations of the previous with reveals of slavery, replicas of the ships used throughout Columbus’ many voyages, historic transportation, and weapons and armory of the previous and likewise study concerning the gear utilized in sugar manufacturing.
On the Museum of the Royal Homes, we have been additionally damaged up into teams and had a tour information, however I bought left behind as a result of I used to be so caught up in observing the totally different artifacts. I couldn’t discover my group and a lot of the employees standing round couldn’t communicate English very nicely, so I did the remainder of the tour of the museum on my own.
Pantheon Of the Fatherland
After leaving the Museum of the Royal Homes we have been lead on a tour down the streets of the Colonial Zone or Zona Colonial additionally known as Cuidad Colonial which means Colonial Metropolis. So named as a result of that is the place Columbus Settled within the New World. We walked down historic streets, considered notable buildings and visited main church buildings.
The primary church we visited was the Pantheon de La Patria or in English Pantheon of the Fatherland, it’s really a mausoleum that was as soon as a Jesuit Church. Inside has the look of a church, however additionally, you will discover tombs on both sides. Don’t fear there aren’t any our bodies in them however there are names written on them of serious individuals who performed a component within the constructing of the Dominican Republic. It grew to become the DR’s nationwide Mausoleum in 1956.
First Cathedral of the Americas
The subsequent place we went was to the oldest church, the First Cathedral of the Americas or in Spanish Catedral Primada de las Americas and that’s simply one in all its names. It goes by a number of different names and longer names. Though over 500 years previous, this cathedral remains to be a distinguished place of worship within the metropolis of Santo Domingo. It’s believed to be the oldest church within the Western Hemisphere. The primary stone was laid by Diego Columbus in 1514, however resulting from delays it was not accomplished till 1541.
Exterior of the Cathedral you’re given small transmitter units, some in English and a few in Spanish. The units are for if you enter to relate concerning the totally different objects and sections you can find inside. As you tour the within of the church you can find, smaller chapels off to the facet, pictures of Jesus, tombs, artwork work and you’ll’t assist however gasp on the design of the constructing itself particularly the ceiling. Women usually are not allowed to go inside with with shorts or minis, if in case you have that on, one of many attendants provides you with a chunk of fabric to wrap round your waist.
The constructing has three doorways, one in all which opens as much as Columbus Park or Parque Colon the place you can find a statue of Christopher Columbus pointing into yonder.
Buche Perico Restaurant
The spotlight of the journey for me was the lunch that was included. We went to a small restaurant known as Buche Perico situated across the nook from Columbus Park. Whereas the meals was first rate the ambiance of the restaurant was even higher. It was as if we have been sitting and consuming in a backyard, with the sounds of water cascading down the rocks. I even picked up a brand new recipe.
After having fun with a lunch of rice, rooster, with a facet of salad and dessert, the tour information informed us we have been going to “the market” which I assumed could be a giant place with a number of distributors promoting totally different gadgets, however was simply an enormous retailer the place you should buy all of the items and souvenirs you possibly can discover.
Nationwide Palace
As soon as we have been completed purchasing we walked for a bit extra to attend for our bus. As soon as we have been again on, we drove some extra round Santo Domingo till we arrived on the Nationwide Palace or Palacio Nacional. The Nationwide Palace is the governmental seat of the Dominican Republic. The home of the President, nonetheless, per the tour information, the president doesn’t reside there however goes there for normal affairs. We weren’t in a position to go inside, however needed to observe from exterior the gates, the property was closely guarded.
After we have been completed taking our footage we headed again into the path of our lodge, besides we had one final place to go to. We visited Mabel Chocolate – Choco Punto in La Ramona the place we bought to pattern chocolate and somebody got here in and informed us about the different sorts and the way they’re processed. There you can also make purchases of the totally different sort of cacao merchandise out there. In one other part of the shop it’s also possible to discover pure merchandise for hair and physique and simply subsequent door in the identical plaza there’s a Vega Fina Cigar Manufacturing unit. The Vega Fina Cigar model is definitely made within the Dominican Republic.
So that’s how we spent our day in Santo Domingo, studying concerning the historical past whereas we toured the Colonial Metropolis on foot. Whereas touring we additionally bought to see what the individuals have been like. We got here throughout distributors that needed to make some cash, simply hold and eye on them as a result of they’ll come off a bit aggressive. We additionally noticed faculty youngsters on subject journeys, noticed a Pizza Hut and realized that they ship their pizzas on bikes in contrast to right here within the U.S. and we additionally noticed the gorgeous ocean. Whereas there aren’t any seashores in Santo Domingo the closest seaside in Boca Chica shouldn’t be very distant, it’s roughly 19 miles east of the middle of Santo Domingo.
The nation does have some tremendous chocolate and their nationwide drink is the Mama Juana – an alcoholic beverage made by infusing spirits with herbs, tree bark, and honey. Additionally in all places we went somebody was promoting a chunk of jewellery with the DR’s nationwide stone known as Larimar.