Feeling a little adventurous, Mom & Dad left the kids on the resort and took a 7+ hour tour of the Dominican countryside, towns, and the city of Higüey. We had a great tour guide named Angel with an interesting backstory and deep knowledge of his country. It was a memorable day where we enjoyed open window access throughout the ride and immersed ourselves in the local culture
Angel took us through the history of the Dominican, Haiti, and the vast differences between the countries
Our 1st stop was a cigar rolling demonstration - this gentleman had been hand rolling cigars for over 50 years!
Any takers?
Aerials from the Home Base Tower
Views from the drive through the country
This was an abandoned Castle that a North Carolina investor purchased 5 years ago for 400k - rumor has it he has not returned to the island since scoring the property
Red Billed Oxpecker gather on this one tree which is native to Africa - the bird found it's way to the island over 100 years ago but still cling to their African instincts
We found our way into a local town
This was a school which was funded by resort & entertainment co's
Friendly wave from the local police
More pics from the ride...
As we head into the city of Higüey we saw the Basilica Nuestra Señora De La Altagracia towering over the skyline
The arch climbs over 225 feet
Mom was sporting her "Daisy Duke" shorts so the powers that be wrapped her up in more appropriate attire - Great details at the entrance of the chapel
Murals & Jewels
Prayer Candles adorn the exterior of the chapel
Outside the Palms are meticulously planted in lines
After an unforgettable experience at "The Basilica" we were headed into the mountains for a tour of a Cocoa Bean Farm and traditional Dominican lunch
Scenes from inside & outside the house
Compliments to the Chef (Dona Maria)
It was a great meal - we also enjoyed fresh coffee & chocolate made onsite
Demonstration of Cocoa beans being cooked and crushed into powder - we sang a traditional song and the fresh samples were a bonus
To wrap up the tour we headed to a random river - adventurous travels could jump in
After learning there were no venomous creatures in the Dominican, Dad took the plunge
Mom checked out a local dog
We loved our time in the Dominican and are grateful we had such a memorable trip!!!
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