Going to our island destination, we boarded our first flight on JetBlue.
It might be a "no frills airline", but we were impressed to finally experience an American air carrier that treated its "coach" passengers nicely. Spacious legroom, smiley service, clean seats, quick beverage service, and unlimited snacks (as compared to pricier tightfisted airlines that merely give only one small bag of peanuts for the entire ride)!
We landed at a modest airport on the island-nation. This is DR's coat of arms.
*Trivia: the first flights in DR occurred in 1927 by a native aviation company named West Indian Ariel Express. In 1928, the first flight from America involved the famous pilot, Charles Lindbergh, aboard his famous plane, the Spirit of Saint Louis.
Puerto Plata is the provincial capital, and this is its flag.
In 1496, the explorer, Christopher Columbus, arrived from Europe and was awestruck by its foggy beauty. The city was founded in 1502 by Spanish conquistadors as a colonial settlement of the Kingdom of Spain. As the main port, it often struggled against pirates of the Caribbean and English privateers (pirates) who worked secretly for England's Queen Elizabeth I. DR overthrew Spain in 1821, but Haiti conquered it until 1844. In 1869, America's President Grant wanted to take DR on the pretense of keeping it away from Europeans, but Congress thwarted him. In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt forced DR to let him appoint a money-supervisor for DR's debts. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson invaded DR with 3,000 troops to make it repay its debts. America occupied DR for 8 years! After World War One, Americans opposed it as against international law. Troops withdrew, but America continued to control DR's customs revenue until 1941, and it supported DR's future evil dictator, Rafael Trujillo. President Franklin Roosevelt supported Trujillo because he served American financial interests for salt, tobacco, and alcohol industries. Those illegal actions bred resentment from DR for decades because it increased inequality, benefited rich companies, and pushed most Dominicans to poverty. The USA said that it was merely upholding its Monroe Doctrine from 1823, which told that world that it was the supreme supervisor of the Western Hemisphere. Please watch this short video...
The airport overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. It is so small that passengers exit from their planes onto the runway and walk to the terminal.
I was pleased with T-Mobile, during this trip, too.
A small band of musicians celebrated our arrival!
The currency rate is 1 peso = 2 cents. Thus, a few dollars gratuity to the savvy baggage attendant at the airport bypassed time-consuming procedures and promptly got us aboard our shuttle to the hotel.
Soon, the comfy bus swung through the entrance of our resort and deposited us under the porte-cochère near the sparkling fountain.
Bellmen wearing safari hats brought our carry-on luggage to the front desk.
Alcohol & food was complimentary for our all-inclusive stay, but it was still a hospitable treat to get a native-distilled rum drink, as we checked in.
The Front Desk team was accustomed to welcoming global tourists and did our Check-In swiftly. In Spanish, Lewis' name is "Luis". My named doesn't translate, so it remained as "Kenneth"; it originated with ancient Gaels to mean "handsome lord born of fire". "Lewis" has Frankish-Germanic origins to mean "loot-carrying warrior".
Fedora-wearing men drove guests to their rooms.
Our room was perfectly near the pool, beach, activity center, and two of the nine restaurants. Peacocks roamed the grounds!
After unpacking and admiring the view from the veranda...
(Below) that sliver of swimming pool started right near our room, and we used it daily for our morning entrance to the rest of the pool areas (it gets deeper as you wade in).
A beautiful old tree grew nearby.
A footpath quickly led us to see the ocean. Palm trees gave shade to cozy tables and chairs on the beach.
...we breakfasted at an open-air restaurant.
Then, we returned to the concierge desk to plan our excursions. The first one we wanted to do was horseback riding through the mountains!
An open-air coach drove us to the nearby horse ranch.
It was our first time on horses, so we were ecstatic! Thankfully, the horses were well-trained to behave nicely, and they follow each another along the well-worn bridle paths.
Some people had difficulty getting mounted. We "hopped into the saddles" rather well, and we easily learned to use the reins and stirrups. Once astride, we did a fine job at maneuvering. Thankfully, six staff on horseback accompanied our group of 12 riders, to keep us literally "in line" and prevent horses from pausing to munch on tree leaves. We cantered through farmland, a cacao plantation, leaped over creeks, along public dirt roads, and up the mountain for breathtaking views!
A light drizzle occurred, but it came just as we gave the horses a "grass break", so we scooted under a nearby farmhouse porch. We saw cows and baby ducklings!
The homeowner offered to sell us bottled water/soda, and his daughter politely picked roses as a free gift for each female in our group. Then, she shucked her sandals, climbed a guava tree and shook loose some fruit for anyone to have! Such simple hospitality! From there, our mounts climbed the summit of a ridge, and we savored the expansive view!
We trotted back to the ranch, and several employees tried to earn extra income by offering souvenirs and "refreshments".
An open-air coach drove us to the nearby horse ranch.
*To see the next time that we rode horses, please use this link:
In a gift shop, Lewis noticed a hand-carved statue of a horse that made from petrified wood. Full of delight, he bought it as a keepsake, and it now occupies a shelf on our bookcase.
The shuttle van drove us back to the hotel, just in time to soak our butts in the beachside whirlpool. Then, we rested in the "hanging beach beds" to enjoy late-afternoon sunshine. We stayed out until dusk.
The following day started with an early dip in the pool.
After a leisurely breakfast, we took an air-conditioned bus tour of Puerta Plata "proper", two rum factories, an organic chocolate factory, a historic fort, a cigar rolling shop, and the cathedral. The driver was accompanied by a congenial tour guide.
Studying to be a lawyer in the otherwise corrupt government, the native-born man hopes for improvement. His passion for the area was evident! He educated us, as we drove along the "boardwalk".
Thankfully, we started with the BEST part: the Del Oro chocolate factory! Owned by a humble American, it takes advantage of the ancient lineage of Dominican cacao trees. Around the world, many cacao trees succumbed to disease, which caused chocolate producers to start planting other species of trees. Those other trees cannot compare to the fruit made by DR's trees. Over centuries, the trees in DR miraculously avoided those diseases... thus producing a great a flavor. Furthermore, the world's regions that produce exquisite cacao are 20-degrees from the equator, which includes DR. Del Oro relies on well-tended cacao plantations, and they have a steadfast influence on the farm-to-factory processes.
Our tour involved a lot of samples of chocolate, freshly made hot cocoa (with cinnamon), and freshly-baked brownies. It smelled HEAVENLY as soon as we entered the building. We briefly met the owner, unexpectedly. We saw how they harvest, dry-age, roast, stone-grind, liquify, and prepare the cacao into chocolate. Cacao grows in pods attached to trees, and the pods change color when they are ripe.
Speaking of rum, our next stop was the Brugal Rum Factory. It smelled equally pleasant! Despite its lineage of being family-owned, the latest generation sold it to a Scottish distilling company, Eddington Group, for $200 million in 2008.
We saw/smelled the local molasses that they use, and watched how the distilling occurs. We saw a video of how they torch the barrels (of American Oak) at different levels of char, to produce different varieties of flavor.
The factory's guide was heavy-handed when pouring shot glasses of rum samples! To say "Cheers" is Brindis!
He also pointed out that females are restricted from working in the actual factory... "because the mixing of genders might create babies". Maybe they should hire gay guys.
It is a huge operation, and I imagine that their barrel-aging facility must be a sprawling cellar... in order to produce so many cases of rum bottles per day!
Our bus pulled away and crossed town to a 16th-century fort. To keep "spirits high", our bus guide surprised us by offering "Rum & Coke" or shots of rum, as complimentary beverages.
The 500-year-old Fortaleza San Felipe has low doorways and ceilings. It shows how much shorter humans used to be! (Growth hormones in our food since the early 1900's is probably to blame).
In 1564, the seaside fort was commission by King Phillip II of Spain to protect the territory from pirates.
That night, we dined at the candlelit buffet restaurant, while two strolling guitarists serenaded everyone and attentive waiters kept wine glasses full.
Late-night jazz singers at the pool--and rum drinks--brought us to our pillows quickly.
The chocolate-making process starts at the farm. During harvesting, the pods are cracked open to reveal the "fruit". Seen below, cacao butter is the white gooey stuff that surrounds the beans.
Cacao beans are superfoods: packed with nutrients and antioxidants. Pure cacao is an energy-boosters that is healthy to eat; it's low in fat and high in fiber. When corporations add sugar (usually bleached), corn syrup, dairy fat, innutritious oils, and emulsifiers, that destroys the vitamins/nutrients and makes chocolate unhealthy to consume. Del Oro avoids that.
The pulpy white-covered beans undergo fermentation in buckets for 4-7 days, and a microbial transformation occurs. Natural bacteria (and yeast) forms on the pulp, and enzymes break down the pulp. The beans endure heat (120-degrees Fahrenheit), acid, and enzyme effects from the fermentation, and that changes the beans internally. During that time, the containers of beans are "turned" and rotated to circulate more air and release heat (which builds up again). The bacteria creates acetic acid, which the air's oxygen breaks down into water and carbon dioxide. The acid and heat stops the beans from germinating and transitions their proteins and carbohydrates, which removes the astringent taste.
Next, the beans are dried in the sun for several days. Any humidity or rain of the season will impact their flavor.
At that point, farmers and plantation owners will export the dried beans to discerning chocolate makers who prefer to control the roasting themselves. Del Oro is one of those. They want to have an influence on the flavor, and that part of the process if their only chance. Unlike coffee beans, cacao requires a "long and slow" roasting process. During that time, outer husks are cracked away from the inner beans. The rest of the husks are removed during a milling process. (The husks/shells are repurposed by beer brewers). The beans are almost ready.
A huge grinder chops the beans into edible "nibs", as seen below.
Further grinding creates cacao powder. Both are used to make chocolate. Cacao is an excellent source of vitamins, fiber, monounsaturated fats, cholesterol-free saturated fats, minerals, natural carbohydrates, and protein. It is hugely different than cocoa powder. They are spelled similarly, but cacao is better for you.
To preserve their nutrients, nibs are heated gently so they melt. Their tempering machine produced luscious liquid. It smelled divine!
It was so delectable that it reminded us of the cocoa and churros that we snacked on in the Kingdom of Spain! (seen here)
Since the early 1600s, the Spanish "love of chocolate" came from places like this.
*To see our second trip to Spain, please use this link: https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2023/11/our-trip-to-madrid-spain-part-1-of-7.html
We purchased bars of chocolate (elated to have true "bean to bar" products) and powder to make hot chocolate. Del Oro also makes the better-known label: Pirate's Bounty Chocolate (which includes locally-sourced rum flavors), so we got those too.
The City of Puerto Plata was founded by conquistadors in 1502, and it's the oldest continuously-inhabited European settlement in the Americas. Originally called the Spanish Indies, it was lorded by the Spanish Crown of Castile. The Spanish Habsburgs ruled from 1516 until 1700, followed by Bourbon monarchs. During those eras, pirates and privateers notoriously plundered cargo/gold-laden galleons en route for Spain. The Imperial Colony achieved independence in 1865.
For Lewis and I, the low doorways were evocative of the fortress and the castle that we explored in Japan. To see that, please click this link:
*To see when we explored a magnificent fortress in Norway, please use this link: https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2023/08/our-trip-to-oslo-norway-storting.html
Next, we zoomed into the parking lot of Ron Macorix (Ron means "rum", which I'll happily tell my friend, Ron). We detected evidence of an unspoken former family-relatinonship between Brugal and Macorix rum companies. That factory didn't show us their bottling/boxing assembly line, as Brugal had, but they did offer more varieties to taste.
The driver sped us to the local Amber Museum, which is famous for hosting the creators/actors of "Jurassic Park". Housed in a renovated Victorian mansion, it's a rather small museum--quickly traversed.
The actual city-center of Puerto Plata is admittedly "passable". If you don't visit it in person, you won't miss much. Pictures will suffice. Yet, is shows the poverty of much of DR... continuing despite the centuries of "progress".
The cathedral lacks a pipe organ; a classroom-style upright piano makes music instead. Pigeons fly through the open windows of the hot building. Stone construction was too costly, so the plaster building is not cool inside. Just like on NYC's Fifth Avenue, peddlers and sidewalk vendors walk through the church unimpeded, trying to get people to buy stuff from them. Just like at NYC's Grand Central Terminal, the ornate light fixtures have been neglected. It's sad. The place is supposed to inspire hope.
In fact, anywhere beyond the resorts involves iron-barred windows of decrepit shacks/stores.
Gasoline being $8 per gallon forces 3-4 people to ride on taxi scooters (without helmets--or even hanging on)!
Just like in suburban America, nearby poverty doesn't stop materialistic homebuyers from wanting McMansions, which are walled/separated from the rest of the world. In DR, expensive homes abut filth, empty lots, foreclosed homes, and even a prison! It looks like the boroughs of NYC. We never understand why homeowners erect such expensive things amidst squalor; it might be better to live elsewhere.
Everywhere, the people were generally quite smiley to us, and a simple "Hola!" got us gracious (unforced) grins and waves. In reciprocation, we are good tippers, too. We were especially happy to see the bright smile of our preferred bartender, that afternoon!
Our selection for dinner, that night, involved true Dominican food: tripe, steamed yuca, fried plantains, sweet plantains, grouper, chicken on-the-bone, paella, fish fritters, carved pork leg, and varied sweets. All acompanied by uptempo Latin beats!
A young man with curly locks made sure everyone got cups of Mama-Juana: a classic Dominican concoction of rum and red wine marinated with cinnamon, herbs, medicinal twigs and roots, and tree bark. The hotel's homemade mamajuana was very good!
A woman adorned in native garb served Dominican coffee, a muddy concoction similar to Turkish coffee.
Brewed over hot rocks, it'd make my cultured baristas in Astoria cringe and shudder. I did, too. No wonder they drink it laden with sugar and condensed milk, like Cubans. How could a place that makes such great cocoa make such lousy coffee? It did keep us energized to use the gym, that night.
That night, we saw the first gay-friendly television commercial by Coca Cola! Contrary to its other long-lasting ads, if this one ever plays on American TV, I'm sure it won't last long. (Despite pretending to be a "Land of the Free", America retains huge phobias and discriminations). Nevertheless, it's an amusingly cute commercial about siblings ogling the pool boy, racing to offer him a cool drink, only to be outwitted by their mom.
The next morning, we simply soaked up the sunshine and enjoyed the amenities of our resort!
We spent two days like that! Before we knew it, evening arrived on our last day in DR. Watching the sunset, we soared homeward... just in time for our next jaunt. Read about it next: Halloween in Boystown!
Some businesses thrive in the vacant lots: unregistered sex workers and bankruptcy lawyers.
Despite all that, it's wondrous how locals keep so upbeat. A cheery fellow sold us freshly-picked coconuts, and he used a machete to cut them open.
That night, we saw the first gay-friendly television commercial by Coca Cola! Contrary to its other long-lasting ads, if this one ever plays on American TV, I'm sure it won't last long. (Despite pretending to be a "Land of the Free", America retains huge phobias and discriminations). Nevertheless, it's an amusingly cute commercial about siblings ogling the pool boy, racing to offer him a cool drink, only to be outwitted by their mom.
On the topic of arousal, I will mention that prostitution is legal in DR. Brothels are banned, so sex workers scour for clients at the resorts. Lewis and I noticed young men with nice physiques getting cozy with older women by the pools.
Despite perceived homophobia, we observed gay tourists "advertising" their openness for sex workers.
Most "professionals" did not discriminate on gender. "Money talks and nobody walks".
Languid conversations ensued, and sometimes the pairs disappeared together. Obviously, I do not have photographs of that. As a vacation spot, it's a Pleasure Island.
We spent the afternoon at the Spa!
In lieu of their steam room, we opted for an ensuing soak in a private whirlpool. At dusk, a cute cat approached and meowed at us. Lewis gave it tender petting, and it purred. They clicked--as cats usually do with us--and the kitty followed Lewis all the way to the Spa's exit! Awe!
As the sun disappeared, the island's nightlife appeared.
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