Dominican Republic, family vacations in the Caribbean

Hi everyone! Since my friend Mario hasn't yet decided what should be his vacations spot for this year here goes a second proposal :)

This time I've thought not only in you and the spouse but also in the little ones. Tell me, how about spending a few days in a Dominican Republic beach with the family? This Caribbean island landscapes are simply magnificent, the beaches idyllic, the weather very good for most of the year and the water... Superb and warm!


For the children let me tell you that most of the Hotels and Resorts in the island have Kids Clubs with trained personal attending and tons of activities for the smaller ones. Also good news is the fact that several European cities have regular flights to Santo Domingo (the capital) and to Punta Cana (the most known beach area) so it's usually not that hard to find package deals for cheap family holidays specially intended for parents who wish to take their kids on vacations.


If I haven't convinced you yet let me present you two spots: on the photos above, the fabulous "Playa La Vacama" beach, bellow, the "Saona Island". Accessible mainly by jeep "Playa La Vacama" is hence very well preserved and therefore it's one of the island's more natural beaches. As to Saona Island, what can I say... Those white sands accompanied by that unbelievable blue ocean, heaven on earth, a dream come true...


On a final note, a guided tour to the capital Santo Domingo may also be a cool thing to do (not so sure with kids, I guess it would depend on the kids). Above all, make sure to rest and enjoy the beaches, the sun and the sea.

As usual Dominican Republic photos courtesy of Open Galleries.

Giovanni Savino: Misterios

"Oral Tradition is the most valuable of our possessions and if we don't lose it, no one can take it away from us." And so says Giovanni Savino.

Giovanni Savino never got formal photographic training, but practiced photography since a child, and started to work in film and television as a teenager. He worked alongside Dan Rather, Morley Safer, Ed Bradley and many others, and this career led him to witness and record unique historical events such as the fall of the Berlin wall, the conflict in the Balkans, the war in the Persian Gulf, etc.

A few years ago, he was able concentrate more on still photography and complete several portraiture and editorial projects, such as the one I recommend you watch...Misterios, which is on his website.

I was taken by many of Giovanni's still photography in Misterios, which is a peek in the complex and mysterious world of Vudu in New York, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Many of his still photographs of Vudu are dark and brooding, are of rich red and blurs...the reds of animal sacrifice and the blurs of ritual motion. It was these that I thought were the most compelling. I think you will agree with me.

Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

For the past few days it has been very cold and raining here in Portugal so, in a desperate effort to send away this terrible weather, I decided to make an intermission in the Barcelona series and publish a beach photo!

Photo happily taken somewhere in the Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! After all, what more do one need? At least for me, a sunny day, a beautiful beach, the company of those I love and sea until eyes can reach, does it for sure...

Saona Island, Dominican Republic

Another thing you sure don't want to miss when in vacations on Dominican Republic is a trip to the Saona Island (from Punta Cana about a two or three hour ride depending on the program).
Apart the shack they use as restaurant for the tourists (by the way, nice lobster they make in there) the place is almost uninhabited. The sand is a beautiful mixture of cream and rose (from the coral reefs I think) and the waters... Very warm, crystal clear and filled with colored fish.
In one word, marvelous! Rest assure that the place is really worthy and that your gonna love it.

Catalonia Bavaro Resort & Casino, Playa Bavaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

As promised here goes my review of the Catalonia Bavaro Resort & Casino hotel. Located in Playa Bavaro and just a few miles away from Punta Cana, this hotel it's an excellent choice for a few days well spent in the Dominican Republic.
Besides the very good quality of the rooms, food and service, they deserve two special references. The first, for the effort made on preserving the original art and culture of the island - for instance in the main lobby (photo above) one can admire many Taíno sculptures (the Taíno were the original inhabitants of the island).
My second reference goes for the exceptionaly well cared gardens which give the place a very peacefully and natural environment - simply marvelous! You can see them in detail in the photos above and bellow. As a matter of fact humans aren't the only ones to appreciate them - the hotel grounds are filled with animal life, several kinds of herons (photo bellow), little lizards and many other kinds of birds...
A final note to the art fair they organized every week where, besides paintings and sculptures, one can also buy many other local products and craftsmanship. In one sentence: loved my stay there!

Beach Photos, Dominican Republic

Following the last post I just can't help myself from publishing a couple of photos taken in the amazing Dominican Republic beaches...
Above and bellow, two views from the beach of Playa Bavaro, taken in the hotel Catalonia Bavaro Resort & Casino.
I'm hoping to have some time this weekend so, if I can make it, I'll publish in my next post a full review on this hotel.

Jeep Safari, Dominican Republic (part II)

First of all, sorry for the delay in the posting of this second half of the Safari. I've just returned from Brazil (photos coming soon of course...), but for now back to the Safari trip where, after visiting the coffee plantation, you start the descend from the mountains passing through several villages like the one bellow.
A few kilometers later the main objective of the excursion: this beautiful virgin beach! Although with an unbelievably soft white sand (mainly resulting from the coral reefs erosion) my vote must go for the transparent blue waters that are also super warm (this beach is in the side of the island bathed by the Caribbean Sea) - fantastic spot!
After a delicious lunch (manly with typical dishes and a bunch of coco-water's) and an enormous number of dives you start the return to the hotel. In the way back you'll pass through a vast rice plantation area with many royal palm trees which transforms those simple fields in an absolutely fabulous view.
One final note for this last area: it has been used as scenery on several war films (Platoon included)...

Jeep Safari, Dominican Republic

When in Dominican Republic I would advise those of you who are fan of nature to take a Jeep Safari. Starting from Punta Cana they take you for a very pleasant drive that last for about a day. In this post I'll show you the pictures of the first half of the Safari...
From Punta Cana you drive to the interior of the island, direction, the sugar plantation fields. There, they normally make a stop and explain you everything about how the thing works, from the sugar growing process to the rum manufacturing.
Since sugar it's a culture that grows all year you can see it in all it's stagings (the photo above is from an area recently cropped which they then use as pasture). Continuing the Safari, you drive from the sugar fields to the mountains in order to visit one of the many coffee plantations.
The way to the mountains is a little bumpy but besides that it's all fun (with some luck you may even get to drive your Jeep thought some little rivers). As to the scenery it changes radically - the vegetation becomes very dense and the climate very humid - in one word, spectacular. About lunch time, you should reach your destination, in the photo to the right, the coffee plantation where you make a second stop...

PS: Continues in the next post...

Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro, Dominican Republic

Five stars hotel, five starts food, five stars accommodations and above all, the spectacular beach (refer to my previous Playa Bavaro post here), for which I would gladly give them, not five, but six or seven stars...
For those of you who appreciate some time in the pool they are well cared and clean and the one in the photo bellow is just one of many...
The only negative side one can point is that it can be a little crowded around the Easter holidays fact that may cause some small delays in the service. Besides that, everything else is absolutely great...

Link to the hotel official site with online reservations through here

Playa Bavaro, Dominican Republic

Without doubts one of the most beautiful beach in the caribeans with it's white sand sorrounded by coconut and palm trees...
Clear and warm waters, excellent for a good swim or a snorkeling expedition a little further into the coral reef.

House of Columbus, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

As I was saying in my last post Santo Domingo it's indeed a beautiful place with a lot to see...
This first picture is an image of the House of Columbus witch is now transformed into a museum and it's really worthy to take a look at.
This second photo is of one of the major churches in the city. Not quite sure of the name but it's very close to the House of Columbus, near a little market.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The city is the capital of the country and it's also a place you don't want to miss.
Fantastic city with lots of historical places to visit. Starting with the house of Columbus, many churches and of course the spanish fortress. Also filled with very friendly people in these funny gift-shops (see photo) from whom you can buy the traditional recuerdos (kind of spanish for gifts).

Samana Natural Pools, Dominican Republic

When in the Dominican Republic this place is a must go! Although usually a little crowded don't miss the chance...
It's an excellent spot to go for a dive even for those who can´t swim (it's only about three feet deep for miles and miles). Here you can do some snorkeling, watch some colored fish and with luck some sea stars...

Miami Herald: Latin American Hip Hop

Image Copyright © Noelle Theard-All Rights Reserved
The Miami Herald just produced a brilliant multimedia feature on the hip-hop culture in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The feature is part of a larger many-layered and equally brilliant feature titled A Rising Voice: Afro-Latin Americans which examines social and racial tensions in Nicaragua, Cuba, Honduras (just listen to the beat of the Garifuna music!), Dominican Republic and Brazil.

The Latin American Hip Hop feature is a Soundslides production, with the photographs of Noelle Theard, a Miami-based photojournalist, whose talented lenswork and great sense of color/movement allows us to enter the hip hop world in these Latin American countries. The able narration is by Alvaro Cuello who describes for us how hip-hop creates a cultural bond above race and social class.

A highly recommended multimedia feature, here's Miami Herald's Latin American Hip Hop.

Noelle Theard's website is here

Jon Anderson: El Camino de los Negros

Batey Smoker - Image Copyright © Jon Anderson
A superb photographer and photojournalist, a talented writer, a blogger of incisive intellect, a captivating storyteller, a graphic artist, a website designer and a multimedia artist, Jon divides his time between Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and New York City. He was recently awarded a fellowship by the Alicia Foundation to pursue his ongoing project documenting the plight and exploitation of braceros (gatherers and cutters) in the sugarcane plantations of the Dominican Republic.

He studied journalism at Columbia University, and initially joined the famed Black Star photo agency.

To showcase Jon's many talents, I chose his multimedia documentary El Camino de los Negros, which deals with religious rituals and some of the endangered traditions of the Dominican Republic. We all heard of santeria and voodoo practiced in parts of the Caribbean, but this is somewhat different.

Jon's enormous talents are in clear evidence here; the composition of his black and white photography, the intelligent juxtaposition of ritualistic music and songs with narration, the judicious use of the Ken Burns effect, combined with his narrative make this powerful documentary a mandatory stop for all of us who are entering the world of multimedia photography.

Jon's El Camino de los Negros

Jon's website "Dark Horse Images"

Jon's Blog: The Spark of Accident