To Sosua and Beyond . . .

We arrived in the DR in good time and as usual Mechi had a nice meal prepared for us on the patio when we arrived. I think that's the think I like the most about coming here - the food that is 1. made for me 2. delicious and 3. healthy. Here's Tica and Mechi on the patio with lunch.

These past few days I've been in Sosua - a city with beautiful beaches and a little less than appealing ambiance otherwise.  Let's just say that it's a little less than clean, and has "special" women for male tourists everywhere.  

Anyway,  we stayed at an apartment of a friend that was great except for the lack of running water - seems we have a lot of bad luck with the water in borrowed houses. But it was within walking distance from the beach, and as I'm fond of saying, "Free is always in the budget." We walked along a few beaches, but after some investigation we ended up at my favorite (and Rafelo's favorite to boot) beach and spent the day in complete tranquility. This image I like to call Happy Feet - because they and I spent many a fond hour there and were oh so happy in the sand.

Here's Tica and Rafelo at the "home base." Note the perfect amount of shade provided by the fig tree as well as the ubiquitous sponsorship of Brugal.

For lunch we had some fresh fish which they brought to us (once it was cooked of course)

with fried plantains and ice cold soda. Yes, Rafelo loved the fish too.

We only spent one day at Sosua; one perfect day. On the way home we passed by La Laguna Gri Gri, which provided me with my first mangrove experience. Very cool trees, and check out my dream house which we boated past . . .

The plan is to spend the next day or so in La Vega at Tica's parents' house (I'm hoping we'll take the motorcycles up to the mountain), then we're off to Tia Fanti's house for Christmas dinner and to visit my cute little niece who can scream like no child I have ever heard - it's really amazing.