Two weeks in the Dominican Republic at Viva Dominicus

After so much wandering, this year we finally get to see the Caribbean. Destination Dominican Republic...... guess where? But of course the Viva Dominicus Beach in Bayahibe. I've read so much on the internet that it feels like I've already been there. So far so good, enthusiasm sky-high; I email the friends I met last year on holiday and they too throw themselves with us into this adventure. Unfortunately the holidays don't match up perfectly, so with Paolo, Patty and Tommy we do 2 weeks, while with Filippo and Claudia only one! The departure day approaches and........ first BLOW! A disproportionate increase for fuel adjustment....... I don't much like this start, no! I get angry and make myself heard, but I only get a small discount. Finally we set off, me, my husband and my daughter.

Guess who I find at the airport? A colleague with his wife (who I later discover works at the same company) and his two little girls. I can't believe it; granted there are many of us at the company, but what a coincidence! The airline Blu Panorama isn't much........ and then there's no way to sleep. It may be a strategy to get us into Dominican rhythms, but it's not nice to have films and various noise going on for the whole flight. Luckily my daughter manages to sleep a bit. We arrive at La Romana....... extreme heat (how lovely!)...... it's 22.30. Disembark and off to the Viva. We're shattered; I can't wait to just go to bed! We reach the rooms around midnight and there's the first surprise: two beds described as "queen size", practically one and a half metres. A pity that I booked a triple...... I'll deal with it tomorrow, I'm too tired.

My daughter collapses on the bed and after about 2 hours we get the suitcases....... a really relaxing start! We collapse too..... In the morning we wake at dawn; this blasted time difference makes itself felt. At 6.00 our eyes are wide open, and so are my 'little mouse's', who usually sleeps a lot. We get ready and set off for breakfast. Of course the evening before they hadn't told us where the restaurant was..... too difficult! Anyway we find it and have a nice breakfast. I must say there is always a lot of choice and the fabulous smoothies, which are excellent, are never missing. We go to the beach and it isn't long before we dive into that splendid sea. In the morning my husband goes to the usual meeting held at the start of every holiday. Besides telling you 'how you can spend your money well with their excursions', they say nothing.

No logistical and/or organisational information... we'll see! Once the meeting is over I go to ask at the tour operator's desk whether they can give me an extra bed, and I'm amazed by the crowd of people in front of the desk! Everyone complaining......... it's off to a great start. After who knows how long, my turn comes and I ask for the much-desired bed, which they give me without a fuss. Finally we start having fun: a bit of music, cocktails, lots of sun and sea. In the morning before leaving the room we had turned on the air conditioning, so as to find a bit of coolness on our return, and surprise, we find a couple of penguins wandering around the room....... this air conditioning really works well! My daughter loses the use of an arm from having entered the room too quickly. Unfortunately the air conditioning is fixed, either on or off at a temperature of -20°C.

So it's either that or nothing. Then we caught on and discovered the tricks. Anyway the room is a bit old and run down, I expected something more. Even the cleaning isn't very thorough, but never mind, for this sea! The Bungalows are nicer but too small for 3. In the evening at the Terraza restaurant the food is good, although after 15 days you can't take any more of it, it's always the same things. The Grill restaurant is closed for renovation, but there are other restaurants available by reservation and with a small surcharge. We tried the Italian one, of course, and the one on the beach....... very chic! Quick as the wind we go to the baby dance....... what a disappointment...... last year we got too used to a Bravo Club. Giorgia and Tommy do a couple of dances, then we wait for the show, which I must say was SPECTACULAR.

Great, great and still great, they put on musicals that are really beautiful, even if after a week of musicals you begin to have had enough. After the show, of course, my daughter collapses and so it's off to bed like pensioners. Midnight and there's still a racket; one, two, three, four in the morning and you can't sleep. I reckon it isn't good for families........ it'll be a holiday with little rest. Unfortunately our room is near the pizzeria, open until 7.00 in the morning, and people coming out of the disco stop for a snack and there's a lot of noise...... so!? My friends staying in the bungalows aren't better off either; it's a thoroughfare and people don't have too many scruples. So if you have children, either bring heavy-duty EARPLUGS or go to the Palace, which is quieter. The first week passes peacefully, between acute gastroenteritis, shows, sea and sun.

We don't leave the resort much; they tell us it isn't very safe 'beyond the wall!'. How scary! Second week, uncle Filippo and aunt Claudia arrive....... who of course are friends, but my daughter calls them that. They're a lively bunch and start livening up the company. We decide to go on an excursion and go outside the resort to look for something alternative. We find Paolo, who offers us SAONA. Unfortunately on the day of departure the catamaran breaks down, so as not to make us miss the trip Paolo has us join a group from the Mariposa Tour agency. IT WAS OUR LUCK. Waiting for us is Beppe, from Bologna, who we then discover is the official photographer, extremely friendly and really good. We set off for Bayahibe, where we meet Marco, the owner of the agency. We board the launch and THERE BEGINS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DAYS of the holiday.

It's the right company, all lively and with a great desire to have fun. First stop the natural pools; we are the first, there's no one there yet........ what a fairy tale is this?! We throw ourselves straight into the water and find starfish we've never seen. I remembered the tiny ones that were around so very long ago in Italy (from which you can deduce my age), but these are enormous....... ooooh! A souvenir photo and then the rum baptism...... arriba, abajo, al centro, movimiento....... todo dentro. Of course Giorgia becomes the group's mascot as she's the youngest. We arrive at Saona, Canto della Playa......... a fairy tale, a paradise. We throw ourselves straight into the water...... no way!...... and we stay there for the whole duration of the trip.

Meanwhile THE CAPTAIN and his helpers prepare a barbecue of lobsters and chops (for those who don't love fish); it feels like being on L'ISOLA DEI FAMOSI. Meanwhile Beppe hops around the beach taking photos of everything and everyone, but making you laugh. Marco calls, it's lunchtime....... everything is eaten strictly without cutlery (there were some for the posh ones); my daughter is over the moon and I must say we too had fun going a bit wild again. Even the salad, which Marco had prepared with such love, is eaten without cutlery. A nice cuba libre and off into the water again. Time flies, it's 15.00 and it's time to go back....... we sing, we drink (now only coke, or we'd overdo it) and we reach the mangroves, then continue to the natural pools..... We are tired but happy and on the way back we strike up choruses like the Alpini........

arriving at Bayahibe people smile thinking we've overdone the rum, whereas we're just naturally high!!!!! Appointment for dinner at the Restaurant Bocayate..... to continue the fun. So a shower, a bit of relaxation and off to dinner at the Boca. Two young people from Latina, Luca and Sabina, who run the place, receive us. TO BE CONTINUED...QUELLI DELL'OTI