Caribbean

Hello everyone I have just returned with my wife from Bayahibe; we were staying in a bungalow at the Viva Dominicus Beach village, a bit on the old side but all in all functional. We had a little trouble with the air conditioning, but it was fixed straight away by the staff; for me the sunbeds and beach towels are too worn and should be changed; you eat well and there is more than enough of everything, and drinking likewise; our good fortune was doing the excursions with Manuela and Marco of Mariposa tours, located outside the village next to the Hotel Bocayate restaurant run by Luca and Sabina; you eat well and the place is fabulous, they make you feel at home but you are in the Caribbean, wonderful people; in any case from the village you can go out freely, no one eats you, in fact zero crime, there is a security guard going around day and night; you can go dancing at the Eden or go to

the Star Club or the Dominicus casino; the excursions, for those who want them, I recommend doing outside with Mariposa tours, fabulous; we did 2 to Saona and 1 safari on the Chavon river. I'll tell it as it was, it really deserves it.

Meeting at 8.30 outside the Viva, by taxi we go to Bayahibe with Marco and Beppe, a Bolognese photographer of an exaggerated friendliness, too much, he loads up everything needed to drink and eat, then with the launch we set off, first stop natural pools, everyone in the water to toast with Cuba libre and already here it gets you going, we immediately became a group (we were really a fine launch), there are giant starfish and a sea that is truly a natural pool; without haste we then set off again for Saona but in the CANTO DE LA PLAYA it is truly a paradise with crystal-clear sea and white sand, you have the impression of being in another world, we were alone, about twenty people on a postcard beach with huge palms.

Straight into the water, ecstatic; after about 1 hour at sea, an aperitif pressed by Marco and Beppe, and around 12.30 you eat as promised: lobsters (as much as you want), very good pork, all cooked on the grill with a side of grilled potatoes and a salad dressed by Marco really well, we are in the most beautiful place in the world, I feel as if I am living a dream but it is reality, all spartan, sitting on towels eating lobster with our hands on paper plates. After lunch some had a nap under a palm... some a walk towards the point... some a swim in a warm, transparent sea... my thought was to be able to stop time, to slow down the hours, but in the CANTO DE LA PLAYA the hours passed, and towards mid-afternoon we set off again towards the fishermen's village, refreshed, to visit the Mangrove park (surreal, a vegetation of plants in the sea).

Between sips of fresh rum and various songs we set off again for the last swim at the natural pools, a last toast of Cuba libre in the sea, and then the launch towards the return to Bayahibe, but not before leaving something for the Captain and the cooks, wonderful people of great hospitality. With the taxis waiting for us, back towards Mariposa, with Marco and Beppe we said goodbye, we were really a fine group. An unforgettable day, I recommend it, I will always carry it in my heart with me. The 2nd Saona turned out identical to the first, we were 2 launches, about 40 people, a spectacle.

Then came the day of the Safari and the Chavon river, we were about 15, meeting at Mariposa at 8.20. We set off with the characteristic local open truck, always nicely loaded with fresh drinks and rum, towards the destination: sugar cane plantations with workers at work; the sugar cane eaten raw and cleaned becomes a little yellow stick and is also said to whiten the teeth, so they say, while we set off again towards the interior, we pass a bazaar on the road, Beppe stocks up on rice, bread and powdered milk, you can bring sweets, jams, jerseys etc...

we were well supplied, we go to a poor village, we got off, the children surrounded us but then, once composed, we gave them the things, evocative, touching, barefoot but all beautiful and smiling; we then set off towards the city of Higuey, towards the local market, a surreal market for us, years behind, many years; once the tour was over we go to eat at the INDIOS, one in the middle of the forest, an evocative place in contact with nature, all cooked on the grill, they don't have gas, rice, beans, a seafood salad, potatoes and river prawns, very good. INDIOS, a tall man with a white shirt and a chef's hat, an olive face with Indian features, of an extreme cordiality and friendliness, including his 75-year-old father who was with us, with the children, composed, we were a family; I spent 2 fantastic hours among them, I have no words.

After tasting the Mama Juana, a liqueur made by the Indian with local herbs, we set off for the famous Chavon river, where some films were shot; on the huge Raft we were alone, to the rhythm of merengue, bachata and vitamina R, we stopped to swim, and with the liana to do some dives; all this is reality, not a dream, magnificent; time passed, the day was ending, we reached the terminus, the truck was waiting for us and we set off again towards Bayahibe.

These unforgettable days of my holiday I would wish for everyone. Bye, Filippo