Dominican Republic
Las Terrenas (Zona Urbana)

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    • Day 210

      Bye bye with a BANG

      April 7, 2023 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

      Las Terrenas

      Las Terrenas entpuppt sich wirklich als ein kleines Paradies. Alles ist ein bisschen ruhiger als in Cabarete, es gibt eine schöne Strandpromenade und superschöne feine Sandstrände mit unglaublich türkisem Wasser. Überall, sowohl an den Stränden als auch im Inland ranken Palmen. Noch nie haben wir so viele Palmen gesehen wie hier.
      Wir schauen auf Windguru und suchen direkt die nächste Kiteschule im Dorf auf, denn es sind perfekte Kite-Bedingungen vor Ort. Der Kiteshop-Leiter führt uns aber zu unserer Verwunderung nicht an den Strand in Las Terrenas, sondern wir hopsen beide hinten auf sein Motorrad und fahren zu dem 15 min abgelegenen Strand „El Portillo“. Dort sehen wir auch direkt die Kites in der Luft. Es ist ein traumhafter Ort zum Kiten (türkises Wasser und weißer Palmenstrand), allerdings gibt es hier sehr viel flaches gefährliches Riff. Den Drachen sollte man also gut unter Kontrolle haben. Wir haben Riesenspaß in der Session und kommen auch die nächsten Tage wieder her.
      Mit dem Roller erkunden wir auch einige Male die Umgebung von Las Terrenas, wie z. B. Playa Bonita und Playa Calolima sowie den sehr schönen Wasserfall El Limón, welcher aber leider voll von Touristen ist. Am besten gefällt uns aber tatsächlich der Strand, an dem wir auch kiten gehen: El Portillo.
      In unseren Tagen hier werden wir immer wieder gewarnt, dass bald die Semana Santa anfängt und hier die Hölle los ist. Wir denken uns nicht viel dabei, dann sind hier eben bald ein paar mehr Touristen… so what. Little did we know, denn hier herrscht ab Donnerstag absoluter Ausnahmezustand! Las Terrenas verwandelt sich von einem ruhigen Strandparadies in eine laute stinkende Partyhölle.
      Gefühlt tummeln sich hier für 4 Tage alle Einwohner der Dominikanischen Republik auf diesem kleinen Fleck Erde, fahren tagein tagaus laut ratternd und in schrillen bunten hauch-von-nichts Outfits mit ihren Motorrädern durch die komplett überquellenden Straßen und feiern laut die ganze Nacht durch zu immer gleich klingenden lateinamerikanischen Beats.
      Wir kommen kaum noch durch die Stadt, denn alles ist komplett überfüllt. Die Straßen können den Menschenmassen kaum standhalten und entsprechend rollen die Motorräder sogar am Strand entlang. Wir beobachten das Spektakel und ziehen uns in unserer Wohnung zurück, auch wenn sich nirgends die laute Musik und Auspuffgeräusche hier überhören lassen. Eigentlich haben wir uns unsere letzten Tage so hier nicht vorgestellt, aber eins steht fest: Wir verabschieden uns von unserer Weltreise mit einem lauten BANG.
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    • Day 16

      Bachata Night

      June 10, 2022 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

      A big part of the Dominican culture is dancing, especially Bachata and Salsa. That‘s why a couple of days ago I visited a Salsa/Bachata class in order to learn the basics. It was really fun, we were about the same amount of women as of men, so we could actually try out the steps and moves with partners. They were mostly between 40 and 60 year old retired, rich, french people livong in Las Terrenas, but it was cool anyways. The teachers were young dominicans and you could tell dancing is in their blood. So on Friday we had a double dive and we were 8 People, accordingly we had to fill up 16 tanks!!! We knew this would take forever, especially because with this immense heat, the compressor would need at least 5 breaks and maybe even a piña colada to cool down, so we decided to stay at the diving all together instead of one person staying there and doing it. We ate bananas, drank Santo Libre (Rum-Sprite), Lime-Tonics and played card games. In the evening we watched the sunset and I took a Motoconcho to get home. This dude was really crazy, he drove so fast that i had to hold myself onto him instead of only to the moto. He didnt even care about the speed boosters and bumps on the road, we basically just jumped over them. I was glad to still be alive when I arrived at the ayuntamiento next to our appartment and cooked dinner. Our dancing instructors had invited us to a bar-restaurant, where there would be dancing at night. We went and were amazed by what we saw. There were many locals, includind a youg dominican dancing teacher I had met at the beach once and I had already danced with, dancing bachata and salsa in the middle of the room with guests, people walking by, waiters and with each other. I was happy I could try out the new steps I learned and didnt feel too lost after all. We stayed for a long time and enjoyed the atmosphere & the delicious sangrías;)Read more

    • Day 1

      Meeting the others

      May 26, 2022 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

      After spanish class we were starving, so we ate an apple and some crackers and started reading our contract we still needed to sign. After we finished we went out and saw a very pretty sunset, the clouds were all pink and the houses stood in a golden light. We ate dinner at a mexican restaurant, where we met some of the other volunteers.
      That‘s where I got my message that I would have to work tomorrow..
      10 am in front of the diving center - I‘m excited!
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    • Day 1

      Arrival in Las Terrenas

      May 26, 2022 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

      Turns out the three german guys I had eaten breakfast with planned on going to Las Terrenas too, so they joined me on the busride. I was really happy to have them with me, I felt way more secure and we had very good talks. I was impressed by the scenery and by the landscaped we passed, from green fields, over mountains with an awesome view to jungles, rainforests and busy cities.
      When we arrived in las Terrenas, I got picked up by Rio, a guy from my project. At the volunteer apartments I was introduced to my Coordinator Camilla and my roomie, Theresa from Germany. We got along very well right from the beginning. We went to the beach and ate a smoothiebowl. Afterwards we went grocery shopping, but forgot to bring bags for the groceries so we had to put everything into „carton boxes“. We were already late for spanish class, therefore we had to run through the whole town with these boxes in our arms in order to get there in time. We were late, but it didnt matter:)
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    • Day 7

      Playa anclon

      March 14 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Playa anclon spiaggia di sabbia finissima e dorata, sofficissima.racchisa tra cocchi giganteschi e mangrovie. Meraviglioso bagno in un mare che ti ristorava dal caldo torrido. Ci siamo visti con i nostri amici milanesi e mentre Francesco si è fatto mettere apposto la schiena, si spera, da un osteopata, noi ci siamo dati ai bagordi facendo un aperitivo in un locale in spiaggia. La giornata si è conclusa con un massaggio che mi ha ridato la vita e una cena a casa .Read more

    • Day 10

      Las Galeras

      March 17 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

      Dopo aver fatto colazione ci spostiamo alla volta di Las Galeras. Attraversando un paesaggio folto di vegetazione e passando per piccoli villaggi che si snodano lungo la strada , arriviamo a Las Galeras. La struttura che ci accoglie si chiama Sol Azul, una meraviglia di colori e di verde ma soprattutto orchidee di tantissimi tipi e colori, anche mai viste, che crescevano direttamente sugli alberi, con radici pendule che arrivavano al terreno e radici aeree incredibili. Mi sentivo una bambina in un negozio di giocattoli a Natale. Posati i bagagli andiamo a pranzare in un ristorante al mare. Arrivati lì mi è sembrato che avessero aperto le porte del paradiso, sabbia bianca e morbida,mare turchese, una natura selvaggia che faceva da cornice, insomma una meraviglia della natura. Lì abbiamo conosciuto Miguel che ci ha servito un ottimo pranzo e ci ha preparato le sdraio all'ombra. Adesso toccava un bagno . Immergersi in quell'acqua azzurra sembrava di voluttuare e librarsi in aria. Meraviglia! Stabilito con Miguel l'itinerario del giorno dopo ,andare a vedere le balene,ci godiamo un tramonto stupendo sorseggiando una piña colada. Ceniamo in una baracca sulla strada dove abbiamo mangiato benissimo, torniamo in stanza e comincia l'avventura...entrati mi cadono gli occhi su una cosa scura in un angolo , era un grosso ragno peloso simile ad una tarantola: panico!!! Franco si prende di coraggio e comincia a colpire ripetutamente, questo scappa e si nasconde dietro la porta dei bagno dove finalmente, dopo scarpate varie ed eventuali viene ucciso. La prima cosa che abbiamo detto è stata:' e stanotti cu dormi?".Comunque ci siamo messi a letto vedremo come andrà la nottata forse ci toccherà fare i turni di guardia. Buona notte.Read more

    • Day 9

      I sing in the rain

      March 16 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

      Pioggia,pioggia e ancora pioggia! Tutto il giorno! Alle sei del mattino squilla il telefono di Franco:"Ciao Franco dormivi? posso prenotare un campo? dice la voce al telefono e Franco risponde:" si dormivo perché mi trovo ai Caraibi " e quello tranquillamente risponde:" ah vabbè sei ai Caraibi posso prenotare il campo? Secondo me non aveva capito niente. Comunque , ci alziamo e prepariamo il caffè, c'era sul tavolo della cucina un pacchetto di carta stagnola con dentro un po' di cocco ed io mi sono accorta che faceva rumore e si muoveva , non sapendo che cosa ci fosse dentro Franco prende due cucchiai e solleva il pacchetto esce una cucaracha. Dovevamo sconfiggere il nemico , ma come? Dico a Franco di afferrarla con un tovagliolo e lui mi risponde:"matu si pazza!" Avevamo solo un arma in mano... il cucchiaio! Franco comincia a dare colpi di cucchiaio come se non ci fosse un domani. Finalmente il nemico era sconfitto e potevamo goderci il nostro caffè. Comunque la giornata è iniziata all'insegna della pioggia, è piovuto tutto il giorno perciò siamo rimasti a casa , peccato ci siamo persi una bella giornata di mare. Recuperemo! Per la cena ci siamo visti con i nostri amici milandominicani e abbiamo passato l'ultima sera a Las Terrenas con loro, lasciandoci con la promessa di vederci non solo in Repubblica Dominicana. La pioggia non rovina la bellezza di questo posto ma lo rende più magico.Read more

    • Day 14

      17.08 - Las Terrenas No. 2

      August 17, 2022 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      Nach einem sehr kühlen und entspannten Schlaf in unserer „Suite“, ging es zu dem wohl berühmtesten Wasserfall des Landes. El Salto Limon. Und das mit vielen Verkehrsmitteln. Zuerst nahmen wir ein Guagua ca 15km in die Stadt El Limon. Dabei bleibt die Tür natürlich, um schneller ein und aussteigen zu können, offen. In der Stadt angekommen, nahmen wir ein Mototaxi für 50 pesos - 1€ zum Eingang des Nationalparks. Und ab hier ging es mit dem Caballero, mit dem Pferd ganz nah an den Wasserfall ran. Dabei ging es steil hoch und runter, durch das ein oder andere Flussbett und durch viel Schlamm!
      Am Ende hat sich das alles jedoch sehr gelohnt.
      Der Wasserfall ist über 50m hoch und stellt das Wahrzeichen der Halbinsel da. Umschlossen von einem grünen, tropischen Gürtel.
      Nach der Rückkehr in die Stadt El Limon, erholten wir und unsere Hintern uns in einem lokalen Bistro. Zu essen gab es ganz klassisch: Pollo con Arros. Also Hühnchen mit Reis. Dazu Bohnen und Salat.
      Auf der Pritsche einen umgebauten PickUps machten wir uns dann wieder auf, in Richtung Hotel. Kurz frischgemacht, liefen wir einmal die ganze Bucht entlang, um an einem nahen Riff Schnorcheln zu gehen. Ein paar Tauchgänge später ließen wir die Sonne bei einem Piña Colada am Strand untergehen. Morgen geht es ins Hostel einer alten Bekannten aus Santo Domingo. Es geht nach El Valle. Mitten ins nichts. Mitten in die Abgeschiedenheit.
      ¡Hasta mañana!
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    • Day 9

      Las Terrenas

      February 19 in Dominican Republic ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      Journée tranquille. L'attrait principal de las Terrenas ce sont les plages. Elles sont , en effet, très belles.
      La ville n'a rien d'attrayant , la rue principale disparaît littéralement derrière les boutiques , les échoppes d'art haïtien et les centres commerciaux.
      C'est cosmopolite, y a du monde, ça bouge.
      Nous pratiquons la farniente à l'hôtel et sur la plage.
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    • Day 14

      Las Terrenas

      January 12, 2023 in Dominican Republic ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

      Well at some days we don't even know what we could upload. Today was a very lazy day at the beach. Before we went to Playa Popy again, we had a look on the local "fish market". Instead bringing them to a real market the fishermen sold their catch of the directly on the beach. Between a bar, the local cemetery and the ocean front.Read more

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    Las Terrenas (Zona Urbana)

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