Seeing the Island

I went on two tours from the hotel.
The first was the Northern Highlights which gave us a good look at Puerto Plata, the Amber Museum, the Cathedral and a few shops. It was good for me as I won some Larimar earings by picking out the false piece of amber! Watch this space to see if I have my ears pierced!
It was informative to be driven round some of the luxury houses of the rich as well as the shanties of the poor. Despite this the crime rate is the lowest in the Caribbean.
On to Sosua beach after a dismal lunch, served by the only miserable people on the island. It is a lovely bay with glorious sand but there is only a short distance of sand before the trees and the souvenir shack shops which circle the entire bay. Also there is a little bit of hassel to buy trinkets or rent a sun bed but it is very mild.

The next outing was the Outback Safari which was much more exciting, so many things packed into the day. A drive on dirt roads into the bush to see the very wild and picturesque countryside where Jurassic Park was filmed. Onto a fruit farm and a chance to see so much growing and to taste the freshest fruit ever. A visit to a typical house and a school and then the crocodile farm, they are a bit slimy feeling! Lunch and demo dances by local girls.
We cruised down the river for a relaxing half hour into what looked like jungle to me with some very grand trees. Finally to the Beach that is famous for surfing the whole world over, Cabarete beach. What a contrast to Sosua. Nobody there but those on the trip. Many miles of beach with impressive waves. Those with some affinity for the water ventured out with their boogie boards to try to surf in on a wave. Most succeeded, all enjoyed. I just plodged along the shoreline for a few hundred yards.
Back on the bus for the trip back with rum and coke or 7up. The amount the guide poured out of the bottle decided how strong your drink was as it was topped up with rum.
A hot bumpy fascinating day.