Punta Cana: Day 4

Today, I think we'd FINALLY had enough of the beach. So we decided to take a shopping excursion into "town". But, when we got to the excursion desk, we found out that there were no more shopping trips that we could even GO on. (The information made it sound like they left all day every couple of hours!)

So we decided to take a taxi. Frankly, this made me happy since the shopping was $35 PER PERSON and I knew a taxi wouldn't cost that much.

When we went to get a taxi I asked the hotel taxi man where we should go since everybody had been giving us different answers. He answered Higüey, (EEEEE-Guh-way the guh is like 'go' and is in the same syllable as way) but saying that that was the place all the OTHER tourist shops got their stuff and that it would be cheaper. Speaking Spanish is GREAT!

The best part: $90 for FOUR of us, round trip!

Our cab driver was named Leo. (Lay-oh) Leo didn't speak much English but he was from Higüey and knew just where to go for trinkets. I got some jewlery of the native stone larimar and some coffee beans for Les & Kathy.

We already knew that tomorrow we'd be going on a safari and there'd be kids who'd want candy so we had Leo stop by a candy store.

This store was probably only 10x15 but it was JAMMED full of candy. It smelled like surgar overload. Wow!

From there, we went to do some sightseeing since all the shopping was done. This is the Basicillica of the city. It's not very old but VERY impressive.

I expect Catholic cathedrals to be cold and dry. The stone whispers softly.

Except this was hot and damp and it didn't SOUND right.

Wooden sculptures behind the alter. There is an image of the Virgin all in gold that people make pilgramages to.


This lady had a mission to be here and she was very serious about it all. I know that I could have lined up a sure-fire county fair winning photo off of this, but I chose not to; this wasn't posed for her. She was on a pilgramage of her own with some very serious business to attend to.

I actually felt bad for even BEING there with my big hat and camera -- like I was cheapening her faith.


From there we went to the oldest church (Catholic of course!) in the Dominican Republic. It is over 400 years old. It even has the requisite pigeons out front!

Now THIS is more like what a cathedral should be like. Even if it's a lot smaller than anything in Spain or even San Xavier in Tucson.


I never saw a sign I didn't want a photo of!

This was in a courtyard outside.

Alvin. I knew he wasn't feeling well by this time.

Dad. Kim. Leo. Mom. Alvin.

We tipped Leo really well since he told me that of the $90 he only gets to take $17.50 home. He was a wife and four kids. I think we ended up tipping him $20 or $25. It was worth it.

This evening was actually the "farewell dinner" for group 1. But, because they couldn't get us home tomorrow, we have another full day. Like I mentioned, we'll be taking a "Safari". Cindy Chantrell recommended it to us.

I got to wear my AMAZING black and yellow dress that dad bought me in Las Vegas.


Larry & Doni Smith with Alvin and I.

Me and Mom and the Totem.