Last days on Hispanola.

It just doesn’t matter how many times you have seen it the beaches are incredibly beautiful. We decided to spend a couple of more days there before we have to leave.(Just enough for a sunburn)


Nephew’s wife is a local beauty.


The Airport is far away from the city but local transport gets you everywhere.


Travel Agencies and the tourism industry can afford the newest equipment. Mercedes Sprinter bus at the Airport.


Everything was great but we had to say Good Bye and 8 hrs later we are back in the Canadian winter.

Travel & Transport the Dominican way # 2

We drove around as much as we could; we even tried public transport. Rush hour traffic is just like anywhere else but much louder and more smoke. Trucks are loaded far over the limit and there is a lot of freight to be moved. They have big modern shopping centers that could be anywhere else in the world and they are full of goods. The vehicles moving those goods are not exactly state of the art but they do the job.


Environment is definitely not an issue in trucking.


Big shopping centers full of goods...


....and those goods have to be delivered.


Back to getting around: next step after the scooters; taxi. You have to negotiate the fare before you get in; it saves some headache. If you share the ride it’s even cheaper.


It is really cheap travel with mini buses. You have to hail a bus, it will maybe stop or just slow down. You pay the guy in the door and hold on tight because it will move in the next second. They come every 2-3 minutes and we’ve never seen one that could not squeeze in one more passenger.


Before you think I see just the negative side: yes, there are the latest model intercity buses; tourism is the biggest industry of the island and they take good care of the customers. It only takes a couple of days to find out how to travel on the island or in big cities and you will see a whole lot more from the country, meet locals and have a lot more fun then just staying in a resort.

Travel & Transport the Dominican way

Before we left I've read a few things about driving in the Dominican Rep. Quote from the Brochure: (almost) all drivers are using the right side of the road; that is about the only habit familiar to our driving. Everything that moves should haul freight as well. If it's designed to haul 100 lbs it will still move with 200 just a bit slower but you just turned it into a real money maker. All the trucks, buses, cabs we saw seemed to be big money makers; they were overloaded only 2-300%. The cheapest way of transportation: You buy or even just lease a scooter and you can haul people.


Here every vehicle is for hire at the corner.


You need just one more wheel and you can haul freight.


The really lucky ones can haul people and freight at the same time. It must be a fun ride behind the picture.


You think you have seen it all? How about a family of 5 on 2 wheels?


The only ferry is between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. I'm sure there would be a lot more tourists if they had another ferry to Florida. Next time more pictures about getting around in Hispanola.

Santo Domingo up close.

The wall around historic downtown Santo Domingo. Yes, you really feel history in every stone and every step around it.


...and there are guards all over the place. Serious business; serious guards.


Obvious Spanish influence wherever you go. And once again: history in every stone.


Our favorite spot in the whole historic downtown area: this big tree; probably a few hundred years old. In the midday heat the shade under the tree filled with locals is so peaceful, you just have to sit down, watch them, have a break and appreciate life.



Looking at this picture is hard to believe the experience what we had driving to Santo Domingo. Wait 'till you see the next post, it will be about getting around in the Dominican Republic.