Travel Day

Our adventure began at an ungodly hour, with the alarm blaring at 3:00 AM for a 6:00 AM departure from DFW. Fortunately, our early-rising neighbor, Steve, kindly offered to drive us to the airport—a lifesaver at that hour!

After a smooth first leg, our connecting flight out of Miami was delayed, and we finally touched down in Santo Domingo at 3:17 PM. No matter—our taxi driver, Miguel, greeted us in the waiting area with a big grin and a reassuring “No problemo!” Soon, we were settled into his comfortable, air-conditioned, WiFi-equipped Toyota van for the two-hour journey across the island to Las Terrenas.

The changing landscape kept us captivated—lush palm forests gave way to arid plains, then to vibrant green rice fields and sprawling cow pastures. Along the way, we quickly realized we were in a very different world. The Dominican Republic, for all its beauty, remains a developing country. Many locals travel by foot or on moto scooters, and the homes and farms we passed were often simple structures with corrugated metal roofs.

Las Terrenas itself felt like stepping back in time—reminiscent of the small towns we had seen 50 years ago in Mexico, Central, and South America. As we approached the more developed beachfront area, we spotted the first other foreigner since leaving the airport.

Our first glimpse of Hotel Alisei didn’t quite match the polished images from the website, and initial impressions were mixed. It’s certainly no five-star resort, but check-in was friendly and efficient. Our third-floor apartment was spacious, with a large balcony, kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms—though the air conditioning was minimal and the decor could use an update. Still, everything was clean and functional. What have we gotten ourselves into?

After freshening up, we made our way downstairs for a much-needed Caipirinha and a delicious fresh fish dinner on the covered porch of the restaurant. Exhausted from the long journey, I slipped under the covers early, eager to see what this little slice of paradise has in store for us tomorrow.

Stay tuned! 🌴✨Lue lisää