Christmas Cabarete Style!

Before I talk about our Christmas plans, I have a few photos that have been sitting on the camera for a while I want to share. 




On this past Tuesday we went to Puerto Plata. Felt like being in a somewhat big city after Cabarete and Sosua. We do want to go back sometime as there is an old fort there that looks very cool, plus I'm sure a lot of other things worth exploring. But for this trip my favorite site was the LaSirena store (picture a super Walmart) where I could buy some of the things I've been missing and the beach malecon. Here's a pic from the malecon.

 

 We have tried and tried to get a good sunrise pic from "our" beach but most mornings there is a big cloud bank off the mountains to the east.  Well, one day this past week we noticed clear skies so scooted out to the beach to take this pic.  That is the palm tree that we sit under during our beach days.



Matt also took a pic of Herm and I watching the sunrise....good beach dog.

Our neighbor Pat asked us if we wanted bananas.  Well...Matt thinks it's required to start each day with a banana (he gets that from his dad) so he quickly said yes and went over to Pat's to get a bunch.  Well I was expecting a bunch like you'd get from the grocery store, but this is what Matt came home with.  The good news is that Pat has about a dozen more trees all ready to produce over the next couple of months.  Not likely we'll run out of bananas!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was our progressive Christmas party.  Here's a pic of Louise, Greg and Robyn coming to pick us up.  Notice little white dog......more on my favorite Dominican dogs at a later date.  Our first stop is Lynn's house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

David wanted to stop at a comida for some water.  These little stores are about on every block.  You can usually by ice cold beer, water, bread, or a couple of eggs.  And I do mean a couple, they just sell them individually.

I've mentioned before how isolated Lynn is.  On the way to her house we walked by some beautiful houses, a small hotel, and some areas like the one on the left.  This is an abandoned hotel that has been taken over by Haitian squaters.  Just thought these beautiful kids were an excellent example on how much need there is on this island.

We usually run into a couple of cows, calves and even bulls on every walk.  Surprisingly these were fenced.











Now this is Lynn's beautiful house.  Beautiful from the front, from the inside and from the back patio.  It's a very unexpected oasis from some of the poverty we passed.  Lynn has lived all over the world and spent a lot of time in Africa.  She has an amazing collection of African art and collectibles, like the hair combs on the wall above the t.v.



















The next four pics of are all of us gathered on Lynn's porch.  The last one is from the second stop of our progressive happy hour - our place!  We held it at our beautiful pool.