Photos from my Dominican vacation

[LunaP]

Posting an ID photo in the ECC thread made me remember that I am WAY overdue to share my photos from my first trip out of the country.

So, maybe they don't belong in General Discussion... but the gallery seems to be all rally and scooter pics... not sure. Admins, move it if it needs to be moved.

Anyway, I went to the Dominican Republic for 6 days, March 27-April 1st. I didn't get to do as much exploring as I wanted to (outside of the resort), because when we booked, we kind of totally forgot it was Easter weekend in a very religious country... so several things we wanted to do were closed. Boo.

It also rained most of the trip, but it was a nice, warm, drizzly rain... nothing substantial enough to ruin it. I only ended up swimming once, though.

Overall, it was an amazing, gorgeous trip. There were scooters and mopeds EVERYWHERE. Everywhere. It was awesome.

Here's the link to the Flickr album, it should be open to public viewing:

Vacation!

[JohnKiniston]

In this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413 the girl 2nd from the right looks like she's got a TV Dish on her head!

If a bird in one hand is worth two in the bush then wha'ts one bird in one hand and two in the other worth? http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413

I wonder if car people take pictures of random cars when they go on vacation like us scooter folk take pictures of scooters when we go somewhere new.

[LunaP]

In this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413 the girl 2nd from the right looks like she's got a TV Dish on her head!

If a bird in one hand is worth two in the bush then wha'ts one bird in one hand and two in the other worth? http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413

I wonder if car people take pictures of random cars when they go on vacation like us scooter folk take pictures of scooters when we go somewhere new.

Hahaha, yeah... those are four dancers from the vegas-style show we went to... they were walking around in costume advertising the show at the water park that we went to. That's my friend Amanda that went with me, she translated for us.

Oh, yeah.... I got to meet and play with a dolphin at the park! Amanda has those photos, though... I need to get them from her. Hugging a dolphin = best day ever.

[TVB]

If a bird in one hand is worth two in the bush then wha'ts one bird in one hand and two in the other worth? http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413

Six birds in the bush! (I was always good at story problems.)

[JohnKiniston]

If a bird in one hand is worth two in the bush then wha'ts one bird in one hand and two in the other worth? http://www.flickr.com/photos/luna-p/870 ... 3384550413

Six birds in the bush! (I was always good at story problems.)

A Gold Star for TVB ladies and gentlemen.

[irishtim]

Did you try any of the excellent Dominican cigars?

[LuvMyScoot]

It also rained most of the trip, but it was a nice, warm, drizzly rain... nothing substantial enough to ruin it. I only ended up swimming once, though.

Glad you had a great trip and that the rain didn't ruin it completely. There's nothing like travel to give a person a sense of their place in the world.

Your experience with rain reminds me of my first safari. After 30 hours in airports and on planes I arrived in Kenya's Amboseli National Park to find it cold and miserable. I was literally shivering on the ride from the airstrip to the camp. Who packs warm clothes to go to East Africa during the dry season? I cried, I mean literally cried, positive that as I journeyed around Kenya I would be followed by rainy weather that's not at all conducive to game sighting, never mind pictures. Exhausted and depressed I crashed in my tent and woke a couple of hours later to sunny skies. 80F temps and a herd of elephants not far from my tent platform with a totally unobscured Kilimanjaro in the distance forming the perfect backdrop. I have never gone from the depths of despair to the heights of elation so quickly.

[LunaP]

Did you try any of the excellent Dominican cigars?

I did not. I don't smoke tobacco. (I bought some for other people, though) However, I had three different people insist that I had to drink coffee while I was there. I also do not drink coffee... I drink tea and soda. On the occasion that I do get coffee, it is the ridiculous mocha-choco-chippy-caramel-whipped who knows what with something drizzled on top.

The first day we arrived, we were given some sort of welcome seminar to learn more about the resort and basically get a sales pitch... and they throw drinks at you. I didn't feel like booze yet, so I asked for coffee. WOW. Hooked. I brought 5 1lb bags of grounds home with me, after drinking multiple cups a day (nearly black!). I gave 3 a souvenirs and kept 2 for myself.

I was, however, very disappointed to find that coffeemakers here just do not brew the same way as they do in the Caribbean. My roommate made a pot when I got back and I tried it, it tasted so watery to me. I walked out on the porch and started to complain, and everybody looked at me weird. "Are you kidding? We were just saying how good it was..." Lokky used to make me so mad when we were together always talking constantly about things Americans don't do right... I hate to admit it, but he was right about coffee. Bastard.

It also rained most of the trip, but it was a nice, warm, drizzly rain... nothing substantial enough to ruin it. I only ended up swimming once, though.

Glad you had a great trip and that the rain didn't ruin it completely. There's nothing like travel to give a person a sense of their place in the world.

Your experience with rain reminds me of my first safari. After 30 hours in airports and on planes I arrived in Kenya's Amboseli National Park to find it cold and miserable. I was literally shivering on the ride from the airstrip to the camp. Who packs warm clothes to go to East Africa during the dry season? I cried, I mean literally cried, positive that as I journeyed around Kenya I would be followed by rainy weather that's not at all conducive to game sighting, never mind pictures. Exhausted and depressed I crashed in my tent and woke a couple of hours later to sunny skies. 80F temps and a herd of elephants not far from my tent platform with a totally unobscured Kilimanjaro in the distance forming the perfect backdrop. I have never gone from the depths of despair to the heights of elation so quickly.

That photo is simply breathtaking. Just... wow. You have me trumped.

[CapnK]

/me loves pictures of tropics - Caribbean, Pacific, it don't matter - time to go back...

Coffee tips from an addict - try one of these for better "strong but good" coffee than what you'll get from American "coffee makers" -

1) "Cheap" electric espresso maker - think "Mr. Coffee" or the like, $35-40 or so - the ones which come with a coffee-mug sized pitcher. Use it to make 1 good mug of coffee at a time. Quick, easy, no filters to buy or mess with, just knock the grounds out of the basket after brewing. (I put em into my banana tree pots and compost. )

2) Bialetti Moka - http://tinyurl.com/n5rdf3a (@Amazon) - works on the stove top and/or the camp stove for a good rich cuppa joe. Again, no filters to mess with. Not as acidic as espresso, but thick and rich.

3) @Google "Cold Brewed Coffee" - very smooth, almost acid free way to 'brew', also convenient for quickness, makes a concentrate. @Home, add 1 oz coffee concentrate to mug, fill w/water, nuke to heat. Especially good for summer camping, since you are not using a heat-producing stove to make the coffee start to finish, only enough to warm it to your preference.

Last - When you run out of the stuff you imported , look for "Cafe Bustelo" - its a dark roast espresso grind that you can usually find around the Latin foods section in supermarkets. Check @ WalMart, too - around here they have the best price for it, it's cheaper than the usual "American blends". 2 tbsp's per mug makes a good one.

Thanks for the island pics!

[rick71454]

Hello LunaP:

Thanks for sharing those beautiful photoz of a very nice time!!

Rick71454