Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo

On May 15, 16, and 17, we visited the Ciudad Coloniál or Zona Coloniál (Colonial City or Colonial Zone), which is the original walled city of Santo Domingo and is the oldest permanent European settlement of the New World.  The city contains many other New World "firsts" such as the first cathedral, hospital, customs house and university.  It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site - http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/526 .  The zone has its run-down areas, but the government is financing refurbishing projects and local entrepreneurs are also creating small shops, businesses and restaurants, so it is a dynamic and energetic place.  I took many, many photos so will simply provide captions.   I think the last photo aptly sums up the feeling of the Zone.



Let's explore the old city!

But first, let's eat!  Yummy grilled chicken, rice, beans and salad.

 


















Locals enjoying the afternoon



Residence of the Diego Colon family, governor of the city and son of Christopher Columbus.  It is now a museum.



Calle las Damas (Ladies' Street) built by Diego Colon so that the women in his family
could go for afternoon strolls without mussing their dresses.  First paved street in the New World.
 

Dulces!!



Entrance to Museo de las Casas Reales (Museum of the Royal Houses)
It served as the Palace of the Governor and Royal Court.  It was interesting to read about the justice and legislative system.

Sundial seen from Casas de las Reales

"Clock of the Sun" built in 1753



Looking out at the sundial



Interior room

Royal peacock.  The peahen is hiding behind the palm while Papa struts his stuff.
 

The first cathedral of the New World.  Statue of Columbus in foreground.

We were interviewed by these perky college students who were practicing their English.  They asked us what we liked about the colonial zone and what we thought needed improvement.  We said we liked the people and the music and that we didn't like the garbage and suggested there needed to be an education campaign to promote a clean city.  They agreed with that.

Playing speed chess...only 5 minutes per game. 

Street art

La Cafetera Coloniál hasn't changed in decades, they say.  Great fresh guava juice!

Maybe we need one of these in the US...



Honoring a teacher...

and promoter of education for girls.

Social commentary...not sure exactly what it means.  Something about assasins and bullshit.  Any translations?

Hopefully this video of street music in the Parque Colon will play for you.  I've been humming this tune to myself the past day or two.  Music is everywhere in the DR.  I particularly enjoy Latin music while I'm shopping for groceries. 


And last but not least...



I love the Zone

Boqueron to Samana and Visit with the Kids

We are now in South Side Marina in the town of Provo in the Turks and Caicos.  We have had many things going on and have been remiss about writing, so I’ll have to back track a bit.  All is well.

Boquerón to Samaná



Beautiful Manatee in full sail with shiny gray UFO* in foreground
* Unidentified Floating Object

 

We left Boquerón, Puerto Rico on the morning of May 12 in a very light wind and chop so motor-sailed the entire way.  It would have been wonderful to have had more wind for sailing, but we suppose we should count our blessings to have had an easy and uneventful crossing of the Mona Passage and, 28 hours later, a gentle entry into the Dominican Republic.  Along with our buddy boat, Manatee, we took a slip at Puerto Bahia Marina in Samaná.  Puerto Bahiá Marina is French-run and trés cool.  Fortunately it was not too expensive and was a convenient place to leave Wayward Wind for a few days while we traveled to Santo Domingo.  Rod graciously kept an eye on WW and periodically turned on the fridge. 

Wayward Wind in her berth

 

Dapper Dave at the dock



Lobby at marina

Lots of natural materials



Lovely lighting

Visit with Kids in Santo Domingo

On May 15, we rented a car and drove almost three hours to get to Santo Domingo passing through the edge of Los Haitises National Park, rice fields, coconut fields and finally along the south coast.  Most of the trip was on the new highway - a modern toll road - and very nice.  We stayed in a little hotel, Paseo Colonial, that was simple, clean and cheap right in the colonial district.  We parked our car on the street right in front at no cost, which worked out nicely, as we walked everywhere in the old town section.

 

Rice fields

The next day we drove to the east side of Santo Domingo to visit "our kids" whom we sponsor through Children International.  We first went to the central office where we were greeted by Daniel, who spoke English very well.  After having a tour of the office and meeting many of the staff, we were highly impressed with what they accomplish in their modern but compact space -- setting up sponsorships for over 31,000 children in the Dominican Republic!   They also have built five outreach centers.  We drove to one where we met our families and were also given a tour.  These centers have a small health and dental clinic where free care is given, sports facilities and classrooms.  In one class, a group of young teenagers led by an energetic young teacher were brainstorming ideas about how to inspire positive values in other teens.  They decided to create and present skits.  So inspiring!  These centers also have counselors, job skills training and parenting skills training.  The place was abuzz with positive energy.  Again, we were so impressed. 



Victor and his mom

Crystal and her mom

We shared the gifts that we'd brought for the kids.  Victor, age ten, loves to play baseball and wants to be a professional when he grows up, so Dave brought him a bat, glove and balls.  He also likes to dance and do art, so Dave got him some art materials.  Crystal, age seven,  mostly loves art, so I brought many art materials for her.  Both kids seemed a bit overwhelmed by these two weird-looking old gringos but were as polite as could be.  We went to a lunch at a the big mall at a local fried chicken place.  Daniel was pretty proud and said it was better than KFC.  I was amazed at how much fried chicken little Crystal eagerly put away.  She is missing both of her front teeth which makes her all the more adorable.  We tried to converse with them in our broken Spanish and also with their two moms who were quite amazed that we lived on a sailboat and had many questions.  Both moms are so kind and are going to school to finish their high school educations.  Victor's mom will study nursing and Crystal's mom will study accounting.  And little Crystal wants to be a lawyer!  We had such a nice time with them and look forward to sharing letters and future visits. 

Chowing down.  Daniel, our translator, in orange shirt.  Opolito, our driver, in white shirt.

Dan Phelan Community Center in Los Tres Brazos
 




Daniel's hand pointing out the playground

 

Until we meet again...

Boqueron, Puerto Rico



Club Nautico where we dinghy over to get water.  We get fuel across the street at the service station.

Sitting here waiting for our weather guru, Chris Parker, to come on the SSB.  Check out his website - http://mwxc.com/index.php . We were fortunate to take some weather seminars from him when we were in George Town in the Bahamas.  He started forecasting the weather when he was a young lad and has been at it ever since.   It’s wonderful how a childhood passion can become a career.  He and his partner are also experienced sailors who lived aboard and sailed for many years.  They are now based in Florida.  Chris has helped many a sailor get along safely on passages.

On Saturday night, we settled down early as we were going to leave Isla Caja de Muertos around 4:30am to head to Boqueron.  Around 9:30pm, Dave was asleep and I was doing a crossword puzzle when I heard a motor outside, thinking it was another boat coming into the mooring field.  All of a sudden, spotlights were shining in through the portholes and a lone siren whooped.  Just the Puerto Rican Marine Police making a routine stop.  We only had to show our boat documentation.  We don’t mind as they help keep the waters safe.  As we watched them head over to Dream Walker without any lights on, I phoned Stan and Elizabeth to warn them so they wouldn’t be startled.  Stan told us the next day that he’d just finished listening to my message when the spotlights came on and their visit ensued.

Boqueron anchorage with Dream Walker (yellow sail cover)

We had an uneventful 10-hour motor to Boqueron on the west coast of Puerto Rico.  The winds were almost non-existent.  So unusual.  The only exciting thing was spotting a water spot three miles directly to the south. 

Water spout a safe distance away

 On Monday, Stan and Elizabeth gave us a little walking tour of the town as they’d stopped here last year.  We stopped at this little stand where Stan and Elizabeth enjoyed some fresh seafood.

Elizabeth and Stan enjoying local fare

Stan and Elizabeth left yesterday morning for the Bahamas, about four and a half days away.  We waved good-bye to them.  “We’ll visit you in Vermont,” I shouted as they went by.  “Bring your fleece!” replied Elizabeth.  Sure hope they are dodging the thunderstorms out there and that they have a good trip north.



Fair winds, Dream Walker!  See you in Vermont!

Yesterday we took two trips in to town to get water and diesel in our jerry jugs to top off our tanks.  This morning I worked on the refrigerator as it’s been acting up a bit.  Cleaned the contacts and replaced a couple of connectors.  Seemed to help.  We’ll see.



Nice nursery in town

Today Dave and I strolled around the town of Boqueron.  We’d read that it’s a town where college students come to have fun on the weekend.  When we arrived on Sunday, things were hoppin’!  Jet skis buzzed around.  Small motor boats raced around a course.  Music blared.  Right before sunset, a guy in a small home-made plane flew among the masts in the anchorage - a little nerve-wracking but kind of cool.  That night there were three very loud bands on a stage on the beach.  Today was pretty quiet for a Saturday.  It’s nice to see families enjoying the beach. 




Watch the masts!

Last night, we joined Rod and Evelyne for dinner aboar their lovely 36' Gozzard sloop, Manatee.  Rod prepared Ti Punch, which apparently is the national drink of Marinique.  (Hmmm, what's the national drink of the US...proabably Budweiser.)  Here is a webpage the tells all about Ti Punch http://rumdood.com/2011/07/14/ti-punch/ .  It's made of Rhum Agricole (smokier than rum), cane sugar juice and lime.  It's delicious.  Dave had a Pastis, the national drink of France  It is made from anise.  Evelyne is French and not surprisingly is a wonderful cook.  She especially loved the French West Indies where she could purchase some of her beloved culinary items such as cornichons pickles and lovely cheeses, which we had for dessert.  Rod is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and had a career as a pilot in the Air Force.  We met them in George Town and left together with two other boats to head south.  The seas were pretty rough that day, and the group of four fell apart and each went a different way.  It was comical.  We have stayed in touch with Rod and Evelyne for the past year and hoped that we would get the chance to travel together again.  And here we are!

 

Dream Walker motoring past Manatee (center) as they leave Boqueron

Tomorrow morning around 0800, Manatee and Wayward Wind will leave Boqueron to cross the Mona Passage bound for Samana, Domincan Republic.  It is 145 miles, so we should arrive on Monday around noon.  Unfortunately the winds are supposed to be very light, so we may have to motor-sail.  We were really hoping to sail without turning on the motor.  We’ll see.  Anyway, it's time to move on.

This is what happens when you stay around an anchorage for too long.  Growth at the mast!

 

Isla Caja de Muertos

 

Dream Walker about to pick up a mooring ball near the dock

 

Dream Walker and Wayward Wind moored off of Isla Caja de Muertos

 

Beautiful healthy deep purple fan coral... the most vibrant I've seen

 

05.04.13

 

Fan-fishing*-tastic!!!  (*fish viewing, not eating, that is)  One of the best of our trip!  We are moored at Isla Caja de Muertos where we are enjoying the unusual low – super light winds from the south with virtually no swell or wind chop – perfect conditions for snorkeling.  After we arrived, rested and waited for the ferry to take the fifty or so daytime tourists back to the mainland, Stan and Elizabeth dinghied us around the north side of the island where we dropped the little mushroom anchor and snorkeled away through the reef.  The water was amazingly clear and we saw many colorful reef fish and soft and hard corals.  We were in an area where the tourists don’t usually go, so the reef looked quite healthy.  I had a blast snapping photos.

 

Hello, fish!

 

Beautiful blue!

The staghorn coral was abundant.  None of us had ever seen such “fields” before.

 

Staghorn coral

Elkhorn coral

The elkhorn coral was healthy and thick.  I tried taking a video just for fun.

 

 

 

Approaching the island

 

After awhile, we continued dinghying around the island.  Isla Caja de Muertos is a small island about ten miles off the south coast of Puerto Rico.  The literal English translation is “Isle of Box of the Dead,” but gringos call it “Coffin Island” so named because of its casket-like shape.  It is dry, very dry, on this island which supports large cacti and scrub brush.  On one end is a rock precipice where a statue of the Virgin Carmen, the patron (or is it matron?) saint of fishermen, is located.  Apparently there are also petroglyphs, but those are not accessible to the public.  Nearby is the visitor center and small museum.  We did our best to translate the Spanish signs.  On the windward side of the island is a protected turtle hatching ground.  We didn’t see any turtles, but we were glad to see a fenced off area just for them.  On top of the isle’s central hill is a lighthouse and trail that leads to caves.  Stan and Elizabeth had hiked this trail last year when they were here.  We were planning on doing that this morning but opted instead to go snorkeling again since the conditions were so good. 

 

Patron Saint of fishermen, Virgin Carmen

 

South end of island with turtle nesting area - white spec inside round cave is statue of Virgin Carmen

Visitor Center

  

After our snorkel yesterday, Stan and Elizabeth joined us aboard Wayward Wind for supper.  They had caught a 2 ½ - foot barracuda and we had caught a 2-foot crevalle jack.  Dave sautéed them to perfection and, along with Elizabeth’s yummy cole slaw, we enjoyed a simple and sumptuous meal as we viewed a dramatic sunset from our cockpit.

 

Whoa!

Since the conditions were ideal, we adjusted our plans to have one more day of snorkeling.  After listening to our weather guru, we dinghied over to land and had a short walk around the south end of the island.  We then went to our boats, suited up, grabbed fins and snorkels and dinghied around to the east side.  We saw a couple of rays on the way.  We went to the snorkel area where the visitors go to follow the snorkel trail which is only about 8 feet deep and has informative plaques about the marine flora and fauna.  It was nice to be able to identify the coral and plants, but as Elizabeth said, “I noticed the fish were not at their stations.”  She also said that she was tempted to move one of the conchs over to the conch plaque.  Elizabeth and Stan are great conch collectors, but they fought their urge to grab the several enormous conch that we saw in the protected area.  We also spotted a large lobster attempting to hide.  Elizabeth said that it could not back any farther into its hole, and were it not in the protected area and had she her gloves and stick, it would have made a nice meal.  Lucky lobster. 

 

Conch info sign and

...the real deal

Lucky lobster!

While the three of us drifted and snorkeled, Stan swam back to get the dinghy to bring it nearer.  While at the dinghy, he spoke with RRRRamon, (roll that “R”!) who drove the snorkel tour boat for the visitors to the snorkel trail.  Ramon told Stan that it was the clearest he’d seen the water in over two years.  We are so fortunate to be in this beautiful isle and reef at this time.  It is amazing that such unspoiled beauty is only ten miles from the Puerto Rican mainland.  Many Puerto Riquenos visit the isle on the weekend for a day visit.  Today, after they left, we were the only two boats here.  So peaceful.  Below are more photos of our snorkeling.  And by the way, Stan and Dave both saw a blue tip shark.  I saw a three-foot baracuda. 

 

A large lurker...baracuda

School of Blue Tang

 

Not sure what these little yellow fish are

 

Fan coral and other soft coral

 

Cool coral
 

 

 

Elizabeth and Stan posing nicely by the dolphin statue...
 

 

and Linda and Dave...C'mon, Dave, quit mesing around!

 

That's better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

05/08/13 Update -- We're now in Boqueron, Puerto Rico, on the west coast waiting for the next weather window to cross the Mona Passage to Samana, Dominican Republic, hopefully leaving here on Saturday with our two buddy boats, Manatee and Dream Walker.  More later.  Off to do laundry and provisioning.