Is never too early for rum!
When I reached the Dominican Republic, the summer hit was Danza Kuduro. If you missed it, here you go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj4ukZFNEgs
This song was literally on every boat on the island, full volume. In the trip we took on the Catalina & Saona islands we got on the boat at 8 am. Of course, the summer hit was on. And as we were admiring the incredible views, the hostess on the catamaran we’re inviting us to drink some rum. Yes, you read it right. Rum. At 8 am! My answer was that is too early for rum so I got the answer that: Is never too early for rum!
This became the motto of our 8-day holiday in the Dominican Republic.
The rum we tasted there.. yummy, can not be compared indeed with anything we have in Europe. Local production. 90% for consumption, 10% for export J I guess they don’t live by the rule: sharing is caring. There are 2 popular brands: Brugal and Barcelo. Brugal was my favourite. Dark rum.
I am planning to return to the Dominican Republic in maybe 10 or 20 years. It was for me, the first “exotic” trip and I was not disappointed by this experience: lush vegetation, a lot of trip options, entertainment options, sight-seeing until you get bored, a lot to choose from for everybody. If you know me a little bit by now, it’s clear what trip was my favourite: one day trip to Santo Domingo, the island capital. The first street in the New World, Cristofor Columb’s house, the houses of his aristocrats, the first cathedral, all the stories that lie in those walls.. took my breath away.
My second favourite trip was the one we took to Altos de Chavon. This small village is inhabited by artists and is up on the hills. Yes, the view is amazing because you are up above a canyon. This is not a natural canyon. It was obtained by men while they where using dynamite to create a passage in the mountains, in the 16th century.
If you plan a visit to the Dominican Republic, having a coffee here, with a cat at your feet is a must have of your vacation.
What I did not like in the Dominican Republic? Well, I did not feel safe. It was our first exotic trip so we “played” it safe: touristic agency, all-inclusive resort, 5 stars, all the charade. We stayed in Punta Cana, at Dreams Punta Cana Resort. If you wanted to leave the resort, you were shocked by the number of cops, shot-guns and other forms of “protection” which made you realize that visiting the island by foot is not an option. An inhabitant of the Dominican Republic had a wage of about 100USD/month in those days. So, imagine how much they loved tourists, considering how much we would spend in a resort like Dream Punta Cana. Well.. you could feel the “love” in their gaze
Maybe things have changed since 2012.. If you were recent, I am waiting very interested your impressions.