Sat. 23rd- Finally the students are returning, although we had a holiday on Thurs. and will have another on Monday when I hope to post this. It’s been a good week seeing the sun again. My classes started Monday for Level 2 and Friday for level 1.
On Friday a lady arrived from Washington, who will help us for a couple of weeks.
Saturday she and I headed out for Santiago. It was a big day for me as it was my first time to catch a ‘guagua’ for the ride to her place. I also got to try out a little Spanish when I could think of the right words. We took a bus from Sosua. It’s about an hour and a half from there to Santiago and only cost 130 pesos (about $4.30) one way.
When we got there we tried to ask someone where we could get a map. He turned out to be a police officer. He led us to a bookstore and asked for us, but no. Then he took us to a taxi driver and we managed to tell them what we hoped to see. But the taxi was more than we wanted to spend, “mucho dinero”. So then he flagged down a public taxi. They just drive around and fill up with people who get in and out where they want. He told him we wanted to go to the city center where the town square and big church are. That was only 15 pesos each and as usual, the ride of your life- four in the back, through the city streets, at top speed.
When we got to the square there was a presentation going on with music and performances. We saw a museum and had just stopped to get a fresh orange juice when this guy came up to us and spoke English. He asked if we would like to see inside. We asked how much and he said it was by donation for the poor children of the area. It turned out to be the house of Trijillo, who was a very bad dictator. We learned about him in October when we had Mariposa Day. We looked around there and took pictures and then he took us past the big Catholic church with its carved wooden doors.
We went on into Old Santiago and walked through the streets there seeing older buildings of wood. He took us to a fort, which overlooked a big river. This was the fort they used to defend the city when Haitians tried to invade. I don’t know all that history, only what he told us. There was a museum there with many huge paintings. We went on from there to Christopher Columbus Park, where we saw some murals, metal sculptures of the 3 ships and a huge tree. After we looked in the big church there, we told him we needed to eat something and asked if he would join us, He took us to a corner and explained that there were restaurants to the right and for later the bus to Puerto Plata.
Then before we could ask again if he would join us, he said,” You liked my services that will be 24 dollars.” Imagine our shock. I had been walking along trying to decide what would be a fair donation, but in no way was prepared for that amount, nor could I afford it. AND that was for each of us. We told him that was too much and were digging in our wallets trying to recover from the shock. I gave him 500 and he said, just 200 more. I said I can’t do any more. She gave the same. He finally gave up and disappeared as quickly as he had come.
We continued to stand there for longer thinking of what we should have done and how we should have refused, etc., etc. It wasn’t till I was home writing in my journal that I thought about how licensed vendors, like on the beach, always wear a name badge. He did, however, give us a good tour.
Anyway, poorer but wiser we found a place for something to eat. This, at least was very reasonable. We had chicken and rice with a bottle of 7-Up for only 95 pesos($3.) After re-energizing we walked around some more and then headed back to the park where the group was still entertaining. It turned out to be an Evangelical group presenting the Gospel in song and mime and people circulating with tracts. The refreshing thing about the Dominican is that there was a huge very receptive crowd gathered. We sat and watched for a while and I bought a CD for 30 pesos. They were raising money selling things including used clothing. We thought it might be for Haiti but we didn’t see any signs so it could have just been for their own needs. I like the music and will learn what the words say. I put it in my computer and plan to give it to Judnel, who understands Spanish and loves to worship.
After we looked inside a theatre and used their ‘bano’ we watched a large group of performers having promo shots taken on the steps. Then we decided it was time to find our way back to the bus station. We flagged a taxi and with the help of his passenger, signing, writing some words, rhe bus schedule, etc. we managed to get across where we wanted to go. It must have been out of his circuit because the other passenger got out. We gave him the same as we’d paid on the way in, but by the look on his face it may not have been enough.
It was 5:10 when we went to buy our ticket for a bus we thought was leaving at 5:30 but only to be told departure was 6:40. We walked along the street and found a place to buy some Chinese food-chicken and broccoli…with plantain. We weren’t really hungry but knew we would need something by the time we got home so we took it ‘to go’. Finally we managed to put in the extra hour+ and we were on our way just as darkness fell. We got back to Sosua some time after 8, but there are no guaguas that late so we had to ask several taxis before we found one we could afford for 50 each, instead of the usual 20 in the daytime when they are competing with the guaguas, which cost 15.
I was home a little after 9, having to walk down from the main road. I looked at the few pictures I managed to get, as my camera keeps blacking out, and contemplated the great adventure. Mistakes and all, the whole day only cost me about $40. so was well worth it to get to see something new.
Little did I know at the time how appropriate was this picture of Pepe in front of a man with an axe. That's how I felt when he finished with us.
On Friday a lady arrived from Washington, who will help us for a couple of weeks.
Saturday she and I headed out for Santiago. It was a big day for me as it was my first time to catch a ‘guagua’ for the ride to her place. I also got to try out a little Spanish when I could think of the right words. We took a bus from Sosua. It’s about an hour and a half from there to Santiago and only cost 130 pesos (about $4.30) one way.
When we got there we tried to ask someone where we could get a map. He turned out to be a police officer. He led us to a bookstore and asked for us, but no. Then he took us to a taxi driver and we managed to tell them what we hoped to see. But the taxi was more than we wanted to spend, “mucho dinero”. So then he flagged down a public taxi. They just drive around and fill up with people who get in and out where they want. He told him we wanted to go to the city center where the town square and big church are. That was only 15 pesos each and as usual, the ride of your life- four in the back, through the city streets, at top speed.
When we got to the square there was a presentation going on with music and performances. We saw a museum and had just stopped to get a fresh orange juice when this guy came up to us and spoke English. He asked if we would like to see inside. We asked how much and he said it was by donation for the poor children of the area. It turned out to be the house of Trijillo, who was a very bad dictator. We learned about him in October when we had Mariposa Day. We looked around there and took pictures and then he took us past the big Catholic church with its carved wooden doors.
We went on into Old Santiago and walked through the streets there seeing older buildings of wood. He took us to a fort, which overlooked a big river. This was the fort they used to defend the city when Haitians tried to invade. I don’t know all that history, only what he told us. There was a museum there with many huge paintings. We went on from there to Christopher Columbus Park, where we saw some murals, metal sculptures of the 3 ships and a huge tree. After we looked in the big church there, we told him we needed to eat something and asked if he would join us, He took us to a corner and explained that there were restaurants to the right and for later the bus to Puerto Plata.
Then before we could ask again if he would join us, he said,” You liked my services that will be 24 dollars.” Imagine our shock. I had been walking along trying to decide what would be a fair donation, but in no way was prepared for that amount, nor could I afford it. AND that was for each of us. We told him that was too much and were digging in our wallets trying to recover from the shock. I gave him 500 and he said, just 200 more. I said I can’t do any more. She gave the same. He finally gave up and disappeared as quickly as he had come.
We continued to stand there for longer thinking of what we should have done and how we should have refused, etc., etc. It wasn’t till I was home writing in my journal that I thought about how licensed vendors, like on the beach, always wear a name badge. He did, however, give us a good tour.
Anyway, poorer but wiser we found a place for something to eat. This, at least was very reasonable. We had chicken and rice with a bottle of 7-Up for only 95 pesos($3.) After re-energizing we walked around some more and then headed back to the park where the group was still entertaining. It turned out to be an Evangelical group presenting the Gospel in song and mime and people circulating with tracts. The refreshing thing about the Dominican is that there was a huge very receptive crowd gathered. We sat and watched for a while and I bought a CD for 30 pesos. They were raising money selling things including used clothing. We thought it might be for Haiti but we didn’t see any signs so it could have just been for their own needs. I like the music and will learn what the words say. I put it in my computer and plan to give it to Judnel, who understands Spanish and loves to worship.
After we looked inside a theatre and used their ‘bano’ we watched a large group of performers having promo shots taken on the steps. Then we decided it was time to find our way back to the bus station. We flagged a taxi and with the help of his passenger, signing, writing some words, rhe bus schedule, etc. we managed to get across where we wanted to go. It must have been out of his circuit because the other passenger got out. We gave him the same as we’d paid on the way in, but by the look on his face it may not have been enough.
It was 5:10 when we went to buy our ticket for a bus we thought was leaving at 5:30 but only to be told departure was 6:40. We walked along the street and found a place to buy some Chinese food-chicken and broccoli…with plantain. We weren’t really hungry but knew we would need something by the time we got home so we took it ‘to go’. Finally we managed to put in the extra hour+ and we were on our way just as darkness fell. We got back to Sosua some time after 8, but there are no guaguas that late so we had to ask several taxis before we found one we could afford for 50 each, instead of the usual 20 in the daytime when they are competing with the guaguas, which cost 15.
I was home a little after 9, having to walk down from the main road. I looked at the few pictures I managed to get, as my camera keeps blacking out, and contemplated the great adventure. Mistakes and all, the whole day only cost me about $40. so was well worth it to get to see something new.
Little did I know at the time how appropriate was this picture of Pepe in front of a man with an axe. That's how I felt when he finished with us.
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