Hurricane Irene Update: At most yesterday there were maybe a couple downpours and a few drizzling light rain showers here in site. And yet, the majority of town has shut down today, school’s closed nationwide again and we’re another day behind. Bueno. I know I’m not a meteorologist/weather person, and of course time spent planning ahead/being cautious/putting safety first is time very well spent. ...But subjectively speaking for a second - come on, really? Closing all the schools in the country again? Day off due to light rain and a gray sky? Imagine that, New England! ...Well you might not have to, since all this internet time has led me to weather websites and that Irene is shipping up to Boston soon. That and just now apparently there was an earthquake, too? Ugh, being connected to current events is draining. If being this news-informed were my normal day-to-day, I would be constantly scared out of my mind. Praying for you, family and friends. Hopefully the hurricane just blows away somewhere in the ocean and the environment calms down a little.
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On a non-Storm Chaser’s note - taking advantage of the time and internet again to get this blog updated a little since I know you’re all super anxious to know what’s going on my Grandma will be checking in. :)
So I came across some photos from mini travel day trips that I never shared on here and if internet cooperates, I think I will now. Over the past few months, I’ve been making an effort to see more of my region - the northwest. The northwest is great! I’ve been to Monte Cristi a couple of times (pictures here and here), but there are many sights and much history to see elsewhere in this region, too. The problem is that off the main highways, the roads are pretty undeveloped in this region (read: bad - made of dirt, rocks, and sometimes completely non-existent - you’ll see what I mean in the pictures!) So it can be tough to get out there and see all there is to see. Nonetheless, it is an adventure, as always. One afternoon in May I went to Punta Rusia & Playa Ensenada, and just the other day I visited La Isabela. Enjoy the pictures!
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Punta Rusia & Playa Ensenada
Going to start this off by saying maps are deceiving. After studying a map, I determined that these two beach sites were not that far away at all from my town - probably an hour tops. What a great Friday afternoon post-work day trip! I was looking to go see a new place, and this seemed perfect because I could be there and back so quickly. So on a whim after work, I decided to check out both places and brought my little dog along (she’s very well-traveled, pa que lo sepa) and off we went. Cute day. Until I see just how far off the beaten path these places are. Taking the bus out there was easy enough, but after being told to get to the beach itself I’d need to take a moto on a dirt road for 300-something pesos? (roughly 9 dollars, but that’s a lot to me here. Yes I know. Ha-ha) Thanks, but that's too much. After dismissing the moto option and having all the moto drivers warn me that my destination was bien lejos (very far) and dangerous, I set out to just walk it. Going off the fact that Dominicans have also deemed it bien lejos to walk a couple blocks, I figured I could handle whatever the distance ended up being. Well to make this short - turns out they were all correct this time. A long, really bad, mostly very deserted dirt road, and hours later, we arrived. Although it was fun in the end, and of course I met a lot of interesting and wonderfully nice, helpful people along the way - decided I may not need to do this trip again for a while. Bien lejos, indeed.
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| after walking for a long time, finally found a sign! Punta Rusia is to the left, to the left. |
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| made it to Punta Rusia! |
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| Playa Ensenada |
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| sea food on the beach - perfecto |
La Isabela
Wanted to see this place for a long time now. Considered one of the first European settlements in the Americas, Columbus lived here in the 1490’s and named the settlement “Isabela” for the Queen of Spain. It was founded in 1493 during his second voyage to the Americas after the Tainos (indigenous people native to the island) destroyed La Navidad (first European settlement, only lasted a year, located in northern Haiti). La Isabela only lasted for three years, then Columbus abandoned it for a new settlement - Santo Domingo (the DR's capital). In La Isabela there are lot of Taino artifacts, as well as the excavated ruins from the little settlement including the house where Columbus himself lived. Not that I’m a huge Columbus fan or the direct/indirect repercussions he brought upon the island, but La Isabela was a place I had to check out, for history’s sake.
For being among the first established settlements in the Americas, La Isabela was kind of deserted. The location was set up really nice, with an entrance fee and museums, but we were the only people there! We had to cross two rivers (literally, Oregon Trail style) to arrive - fording the first river, then floating across on a raft for the second. The experience made me wonder of how La Isabela might be were it Stateside...think Plymouth Plantaion, Sturbridge Village, and all the re-enactment history stuff in Pennsylvania. Kind of funny. But it was a beautiful place just as it was - deserted, quiet, and a bit of an adventure to get to - it was really neat to see. I’d definitely bring future visitors. But I think next time we’d travel on a real road from the east - and not wade across rivers, (unless you’re into that sort of thing, too, then by all means it's on). :)
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| exactly what it looks like - road ends and we cross the river on a raft. |
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| Bridge we would have used if it were finished. Locals told me that after Trujillo (former dictator) died, bridge construction stopped...over 50 years ago now |
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| the rock outlines designate building locations from the 1490's |
Thanks Emma, glad you were not affected by Irene. I had three trees down but no damage to the house/cars...love you, Dad
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