Haitian-Dominican Friendship Rally

More than 100 Bikers from the Dominican Republic with guests from Puerto Rico, Italy and the United States of America, are currently in Haiti taking part in a Friendship Rally organized by the Hispaniola Riders Club of Haiti. The Dominican bikers participating in the rally are members of Harley Davidson clubs in the Dominican Republic. They came from Santo Domingo by road to visit Haiti. They arrived on Friday November 9th.

I caught them on my phone camera (I'm sorry for the bad quality of the photo) as they were getting out of their Hotel this morning and heading for Port-au-Prince where they will be riding the streets. There will also be a bike expo and many other activities before the bikers go back to the Dominican Republic.

You can read more about the rally in spanish here.

This is the Pattern of our country, the virgin of altagracia

The Dominican ones, we are very religious people (catholic by birth) to this basilica come people from all the country to the town of Higuey to be thankful to the virgin of the Altagracia by granted favors

Punta Cana

The Punta Cana destination is made up of the areas (going from south to north) of Cap Cana (Juanillo), Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, El Cortecito, Arena Gorda, Macao and Uvero Alto.
Today, the East Coast beach strip is one of the best choices for those seeking the perfect beach and R&R (rest and relaxation) vacation. Bill and Hillary Clinton in April 2001 chose Punta Cana for their first sojourn after leaving the White House. Punta Cana is that perfect place for a honeymoon – first or second.
This is a place for vegging out… miles of silky-fine white sand, deserted beaches with coconut palms. Unless you rent a car or purchase an excursion, don’t expect much sightseeing or outstanding shopping opportunities nearby. This area is made up almost completely of large all-inclusive resorts populated mostly by couples or families. Some resorts in the area cater to sports-minded people, others are couples only. But most resorts focus on family entertainment. The exception is spring break time when groups of university students fly down from Canada and the US. The better hotels for this crowd are the larger complexes, where night time entertainment is more lively. If you don't mind losing a day at your all-inclusive, Punta Cana can also be for explorers. If you rent a 4x4, venture out to discover a magnificent world of caves, mangroves, private beaches in the nearby Hato Mayor and El Seibo provinces. Or drive west on to Altos de Chavon, Bayahibe, and even to Saona near La Romana. These are at least two hour’s drive away.
What else is nearbyThe Punta Cana area lends itself more to those looking for the type of vacation where the resort has everything and one never has to go outside the gates. Note the nearest city, Higuey, is about a 40 minute drive away. Beyond the resorts is mostly empty countryside. You can literally walk for miles along the beach without seeing anything but an occasional unfinished construction project or the next hotel.
El Cortecito, located between Punta Cana-Bavaro and Macao, is the closest thing to a little beach town in the area. Nearby is Manatee Park, a wildlife ecological/adventure site and the Ponce de Leon house is near Boca de Yuma, a choice for fresh fish lunches by the seaside. Handicraft vendors rotate offering market day at the different hotels. There are several souvenir shops located right on the different beach stretches

this is a really,really paradise, lets enjoit!!

This is my town: Puerto Plata

Christopher Columbus discovered this natural port in the early 1490's. History has provided a couple of explanations for its name, which translated into English, means Port of Silver . Some say it was due to the silvery appearance the mist took on the background mountain, Isabela de Torres. Others say it wasn't the mist at all, but the silvery looking leaves of the guayaba trees that grow on the mountain. Others believe it derived from the appearance of thousands of shimmering silver coins in the port's waters at sunset. The beauty of Puerto Plata is illustrated by its nickname, 'La Novia del Atlantico' (The Bride of the Atlantic).
In 1540 the first fort in the New World was built, Fuerte de San Felipe, and the port became a stop for traders between Europe and this area. During the 1600's the Spanish lost interest in the port, moving south to Santo Domingo and the neighboring Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico and Cuba. Having been abandoned, illicit activities increased, and as a result, the city was later destroyed by Spanish royal decree. In the 1740's the city was rebuilt by some Spanish families who immigrated from the Canary Islands. The thriving port and a tobacco boom made this city the wealthiest and cosmopolitan in the Caribbean for a few decades, beginning in the 1870's. It lost most of its importance of that time but did grow into the largest city on the North Coast of the country. The 1970's brought tourism to the area and while the city of Puerto Plata did not itself become a major tourist destination, it continues to have many visitors from the surrounding resort areas.
Many visit the city to see the historic fort, Fuerte de San Felipe, and the Victorian gingerbread-like mansions from the late 1800's, located in the older part of the city. There is a 2 km boardwalk, or Malecón, lined with typical Dominican restaurants, where you can take a walk and enjoy views of the port and the Atlantic Ocean. Popular attractions include the Amber Museum of Puerto Plata, featuring leaves, flowers, insects and reptile fossils trapped in amber (resin) pieces; the Brugal Rum Distillery, where they offer guided tours of how their rum is made; Central & Independance Parks, where you can see city residents enjoy a break from the mid-day sun under the shade of trees; and Mount Isabel de Torres , the mountain located just behind Puerto Plata. You can take a gondola/cable car from Puerto Plata, to the top, which will provide you with spectacular views of the city and surround area. Once at the top, you'll find the statue of Christ the Redeemer and beautiful botanical gardens.

The Dominican Food

The typical Dominican cuisine is very rich and varied. The most common meal known as “la bandera” (the flag) consists of white rice, beans, meat, vegetables and fritos verdes (green plantains fritters). The Dominican Sancocho is a gastronomic derivative of the Spanish cocido (stew), and each region of the country has its peculiar way of preparing it. Don’t leave without tasting a sancocho prieto, made of seven different local meats.
If time permits, we suggest you try other foods of the regional kitchen that for specific circumstances, can only be found here. For example, Samana’s pescado con coco (fish with coconut sauce); chivo de Azua (goat dish from Azua); and chivo liniero (goat dish from the north western region) which has an exquisite, peculiar taste because the goat eats wild oregano daily and consequently, its meat is seasoned while the animal is alive.
Johnny Cakes and mangú, gastronomic inheritance of the cocolos, immigrants of the Windward and Leeward islands, are part of our daily diet. You can ask the fritureras (women who sell fried food) in the beaches for the former as “yaniqueques”; and the mangú (a puree made of boiled platains) is already in the native breakfast menu of most hotels.
The casabe (flat round cassava bread) and catibias (cassava flour fritters stuffed with meat) are the only Taino foods we maintain in the typical Dominican diet. Those who enjoy natural food should know that cassava bread has a high content of vegetable fiber and less than 0.35% fat per portion. You can buy casabe in almost all the colmados (small grocery stores) and supermarkets in the country. Hotels and restaurants offering native food, serve it seasoned in substitution of bread.
Dominican Locrio
This native preparation of rice is the missing link of Valencian Paella (Spanish rice with seafood and meat). Apparently, the Spanish ladies who arrived here at the time of the Conquest, not having at their disposal the necessary ingredients to make the paella, adapted the recipe to the ingredients found on the island. For example, they substituted annatto for saffron, and giving free rein to their imagination, created a basic formula which originated the Dominican locrio.
In our country, locrio is made with the most varied ingredients. For this reason, it is considered the most versatile dish of the native kitchen, allowing us to create, with a little rice and whatever else is in at hand, an exquisite meal specially designed for our guests.

The Island (Dominican Republic)

How is to live in a tropical paradise?
In a magic island with beautiful beaches, warm sun & great People
The truth is, I never asked that question to myself……..
The Dominican Republic is an Island with a population of 8.5 million (2002)
8.5 million of Stories, dreams and hope.
But, this is my first post and I just want to show you some amazing places of my country
a wise men said: “a image is more eloquent than words”
Just for today, I let the images speak for me.