On Saturday I went
with some coworkers to the Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone) to explore some of the
historic sites in the capital. The weather was sweltering and so our paseando (wandering) was
cut a bit short. However, we did get to enjoy a nice lunch at a café on the historic El
Conde street, a ride on the Choo-Choo train through the city, and plenty of people watching in the
Plaza Colón. I took my film camera with me to capture sights of the day.
This was my third time visiting the Zona Colonial,
and it was nice to kind of figure my way around again. It’s fairly easy to understand
the layout of the area after only two or three walking tours. If you ever get the opportunity to
visit DR (and I hope you do), I definitely recommend a stop in this part of the capital. There are so many
historical sites, and “firsts” in the Americas. You can take pictures on the
grounds of the first cathedral in the Americas (Catedral Primada de las Americas)
and within five minutes be in front of the very first hospital, or even a fortress
(Fortaleza Ozama), or the house of Christopher Columbus’s son, Diego Columbus, located
in the impressive Plaza de la Hispanidad. Every historic site is within walking distance, and either free or very cheap to visit. There’s plenty to see, so it is a
perfect day trip.
The rest of our weekend was pretty laid back. On Saturday night, we went to a small party at the home of a USAID employee, where we enjoyed two of my favorite things: conversations with U.S. expatriates and delicious food. There was even a German chef there to prepare an assortment of meats for the guests. Although I didn't partake in that deliciousness, I made up for it by eating more than my share of the fresh caprese salad that was also served. I've come to love these weekend house parties, as they provide an opportunity to socialize with coworkers away from the office, network with people from different departments, and interact with the expatriate community here (which includes everyone from young students to military personnel).
On Sunday, my roommate and I spent the day at the pool and in the evening we went to the home of one of our coworkers for dinner. We had spent the past weekend with their family in Bávaro. They will all be leaving the country soon to go back to the U.S. for a bit, and so in an effort to get rid of their extra food, they invited us over for "Thanksgiving in July." We ate creamed corn, green bean casserole, stuffing, fresh bread, and of course turkey. After dinner we were all pretty much in a food coma from the carbs, so we relaxed in their media room, and watched Zero Dark Thirty.
Of course, after such a relaxing, yet fun weekend, I was not ready to go back to work on Monday. The "Case of the Mondays" really does start early! But my roomate and I made up for the stress of a new work week by going out to a sporting event on Monday night. We joined a coworker and his friends for a "pro-basketball" game at the Olympic Stadium, here in Santo Domingo. The Huracanes (Hurricanes) of Santo Domingo played against the Titanes (Titans) of Puerto Plata. These were by far some of the tallest guys I've ever seen in the DR. It was no NBA, of course, but they played a good game. Unfortunately, the team we were rooting for lost by an astounding 30 points, but the experience was memorable nonetheless.
The rest of our weekend was pretty laid back. On Saturday night, we went to a small party at the home of a USAID employee, where we enjoyed two of my favorite things: conversations with U.S. expatriates and delicious food. There was even a German chef there to prepare an assortment of meats for the guests. Although I didn't partake in that deliciousness, I made up for it by eating more than my share of the fresh caprese salad that was also served. I've come to love these weekend house parties, as they provide an opportunity to socialize with coworkers away from the office, network with people from different departments, and interact with the expatriate community here (which includes everyone from young students to military personnel).
On Sunday, my roommate and I spent the day at the pool and in the evening we went to the home of one of our coworkers for dinner. We had spent the past weekend with their family in Bávaro. They will all be leaving the country soon to go back to the U.S. for a bit, and so in an effort to get rid of their extra food, they invited us over for "Thanksgiving in July." We ate creamed corn, green bean casserole, stuffing, fresh bread, and of course turkey. After dinner we were all pretty much in a food coma from the carbs, so we relaxed in their media room, and watched Zero Dark Thirty.
Of course, after such a relaxing, yet fun weekend, I was not ready to go back to work on Monday. The "Case of the Mondays" really does start early! But my roomate and I made up for the stress of a new work week by going out to a sporting event on Monday night. We joined a coworker and his friends for a "pro-basketball" game at the Olympic Stadium, here in Santo Domingo. The Huracanes (Hurricanes) of Santo Domingo played against the Titanes (Titans) of Puerto Plata. These were by far some of the tallest guys I've ever seen in the DR. It was no NBA, of course, but they played a good game. Unfortunately, the team we were rooting for lost by an astounding 30 points, but the experience was memorable nonetheless.
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| At a basketball game in Santo Domingo with friends |
I wish so bad to be there with you! I can only imagine how freeing it is to be away from our stresses here on the stateside! Meh I'm just jealous! And I miss you terribly! But I'm happy to read about your experience! Im inspired to start writing thanks to you but I don't have much save for chemistry and lovely enthalpy equations to write about! Hehe love you bunches!
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