I'm back and felt like I never left.
My new neighbors are nice too. I live in a large apartment where all the 5 rooms are rented out. There is an Italian man, a really nice human. There is a Dominican man. I think he is an artist but I can never understand when he talks. But we say hi and he is also nice. The other room is rented to tourists so the people in this room change often.
The older woman living there is a true Dominican woman. She has taken up the job of housemother. She never leaves the place except to go to the market in the morning. People come and visit her and they sit in her room and chat and watch TV. There is a woman that comes every morning to have coffee with her. Her door is always open so she can see who is coming and going.
When I first hooked up my wash machine (more on my Dominican wash machine) on the patio she came out to instruct me on how to wash. She washes Dominican style. she doesn't trust the washer to really wash the clothes. She does one wash with the machine then she puts the stuff in a wash tub and hand scrubs it. I can't understand this unless the clothes are really dirty and they need a little spot cleaning, but this is how it is done by most Dominicans I have observed. She was telling me how to wash. She even took some of my stuff out and tried to scrub them. Even my panties! When I told her it was OK I could do it, she sort of put her hands up in the air and walked away. Like she was saying "OK, but you are doing it all wrong."
After a few times of her watching me wash she finally said, like she was shocked, "you can wash good". This has always been my goal in life, to wash my clothes well and get approval from the neighbor. LOL!
In the morning as soon as I open the door she yells for me to give her my little coffee pot "Janette, dime su greco". (I don't have gas for my stove yet, so she makes me coffee in the morning). First thing in the morning I hear her yelling for this. Her voice is a bit high and squeeky and, sorry to say, not that pleasant to hear first thing in the morning. But, it is nice of her to make the coffee (more on Dominican coffee and what is a greco) for me so I can deal with this.
She knows when everyone comes and goes and usually asks where we are going and for how long. She is for sure the mother of us all who live there.
The other day I decided to just stay in and watch movies. She came knocking on my door to see if I was sick or something. It was nice she cared but it does take some getting used to.
All in all, my neighbors are very nice. I really couldn't ask for better ones.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
11/4 Sunday Walkabout
On Sundays I always liked to walk around where ever my big feet would take me. I loved walking with my dog Sniffy. Now Sniffy is gone my walk abouts are a bit different. No one to talk to as when I walked Sniffy I had to tell her directions since she had no eyes.
So my first walkabout without Sniffy was a bit sad at first. I took my camera in case I saw something picture worthy. I ended up going to Calle las Damas checking the prices of the different monuments to add the info to my web site.
I ran into some people I knew and talked a while. Then I headed to Casa del Reales. The entire time I lived here in the past I never went into a museum so I decided to do a little research. I started talking to one of the guides in the place. We sat together in the window of the museum and talked. We got some chicharones (Fried pork skins. One can usually purchase these in the streets carried on the shoulders of street vendors. Topped with a special vinegar sauce or límon these are very greasy, not that good for you. But they are sooo tasty that once you have tried them you won't be able to resist making the guy stop to sell you a little bit) and had a soda.
Some people from Peru wanted him to be their guide and he invited me along to listen. He really knew his stuff. He went into detail of the history of the country with dates included. I was really impressed as it is hard for me to remember the year I was born (just joking). So we worked out a deal for when I get a tourist that wants alot of history info I can pay him to help me take them around.
After the tour we were talking again and a friend, Buddy (Buddy has let me use many of his pictures on my web site), passed by. He was out on a picture taking walk. So we joined forces and I showed him some of my favorite picture taking spots.
We ended up at the Ruinas del Montasterio de San Francisco. I love that spot especially at night with the lights shining on it. I was looking in the gate and the watchman came around. I told him I had a web site of the Zone and Buddy was my photographer and he let us in to take some pictures.
Then of course we had to stop at the Colmado there for a beer after the hard work of picture taking. lol.
We walked to the other side of the Ruins and enjoyed some more conversation with some locals then walked on.
There were these people eating outside their door and as we passed I said hello, as I always do. They invited us in for lasagna and a few beers. We had a great dinner and met some really nice people. They may be my normal Sunday stop from now on.
We fed ourselves, talked a bit. Buddy took some pictures of the family and will give them these pictures at a later date. Then we walked on. Stopped in another Colmado for a beer then we went our separate ways to our own homes.
It was a great day.
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
So my first walkabout without Sniffy was a bit sad at first. I took my camera in case I saw something picture worthy. I ended up going to Calle las Damas checking the prices of the different monuments to add the info to my web site.
I ran into some people I knew and talked a while. Then I headed to Casa del Reales. The entire time I lived here in the past I never went into a museum so I decided to do a little research. I started talking to one of the guides in the place. We sat together in the window of the museum and talked. We got some chicharones (Fried pork skins. One can usually purchase these in the streets carried on the shoulders of street vendors. Topped with a special vinegar sauce or límon these are very greasy, not that good for you. But they are sooo tasty that once you have tried them you won't be able to resist making the guy stop to sell you a little bit) and had a soda.
Some people from Peru wanted him to be their guide and he invited me along to listen. He really knew his stuff. He went into detail of the history of the country with dates included. I was really impressed as it is hard for me to remember the year I was born (just joking). So we worked out a deal for when I get a tourist that wants alot of history info I can pay him to help me take them around.
After the tour we were talking again and a friend, Buddy (Buddy has let me use many of his pictures on my web site), passed by. He was out on a picture taking walk. So we joined forces and I showed him some of my favorite picture taking spots.
We ended up at the Ruinas del Montasterio de San Francisco. I love that spot especially at night with the lights shining on it. I was looking in the gate and the watchman came around. I told him I had a web site of the Zone and Buddy was my photographer and he let us in to take some pictures.
Then of course we had to stop at the Colmado there for a beer after the hard work of picture taking. lol.
We walked to the other side of the Ruins and enjoyed some more conversation with some locals then walked on.
There were these people eating outside their door and as we passed I said hello, as I always do. They invited us in for lasagna and a few beers. We had a great dinner and met some really nice people. They may be my normal Sunday stop from now on.
We fed ourselves, talked a bit. Buddy took some pictures of the family and will give them these pictures at a later date. Then we walked on. Stopped in another Colmado for a beer then we went our separate ways to our own homes.
It was a great day.
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Tormenta Noel
This last week has been so sad here. The Tormenta Noel hit us without any warning. It was raining hard Sunday and then in the evening the wind started. It was whisteling through the streets and things were crashing and banging all night. We had no idea there was a storm passing by. The lights were out so there was no television and I didn't have a battery powered radio (I wouldn't have understood much anyhow as my Spanish is bad). The following morning it was still raining hard and there was noone in the street as usual. I didn't plan on going out that day and hadn't gone out on Sunday either as I was trying to rest to get rid of this Gripe (flu) thats been hanging on.
Finally the power came on and I turned on the TV. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. A tropical storm hit and wasn't moving fast. Places were flooding fast with the people having no warning. The rivers were overflowing and houses were covered. The rain was still coming down. The power went out again. It was out in the entire country.
The next day the rain was still here. The power was out in almost all the country. Here in Colonial Zone we did get power but it kept going out. Things were not bad here. But the rest of the country, outside of the city. People living in the campos and along the rivers had lost all they had which is not much. Big houses and small all wiped away. Bridges and roads gone. Crops whipped out. Lives lost.
Just watching the images on the television made me cry for these people. I had to go to a Colmado and wath as the power was out and I don't have back up power. People were just watching the images in horror.
A friend of mine, living in a small barrio in Santo Domingo had been without electric for 4 days.
I spoke to a shoe shine boy. He siad that the water rose over his house in less than 2 hours and his families home was covered. They had no time to remove their things. All they have is gone.
Here in Colonial Zone life was going on as almost normal. I, in a way, felt guilty that I was in a dry bed. Was able to drink a cold beer and have hot food and these people were struggling for their lives.
Heres some pictures I found to share from some different newspapers.
Associated Press
http://www.elnacional.com.do/article.aspx?id=30543#
Dominican Today
According to Dominican Today "the number of fatalities are now 73 and rising. 43 people are missing, 64,960 were evacuated, 22,758 of which were taken to shelters.
Police spokesman Ramon Rodriguez said 526,000 people have been rescued and 16,024 houses were damaged by the floods, 686 of those completely destroyed. He said 62 communities are still unreachable by land as 35 bridges and highways were affected."
They also have a list of organizations to help the flood victims
This is just devastating for this country. The people, crops, farm animals and now the aftermath heath issues. The dams are bing watch closely. Clean water is hard to find. Food prices will rise because of all the crops and farm lands affected.
This problem started with the rains and it will be a long, long time before it is resolved.
Finally the power came on and I turned on the TV. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. A tropical storm hit and wasn't moving fast. Places were flooding fast with the people having no warning. The rivers were overflowing and houses were covered. The rain was still coming down. The power went out again. It was out in the entire country.
The next day the rain was still here. The power was out in almost all the country. Here in Colonial Zone we did get power but it kept going out. Things were not bad here. But the rest of the country, outside of the city. People living in the campos and along the rivers had lost all they had which is not much. Big houses and small all wiped away. Bridges and roads gone. Crops whipped out. Lives lost.
Just watching the images on the television made me cry for these people. I had to go to a Colmado and wath as the power was out and I don't have back up power. People were just watching the images in horror.
A friend of mine, living in a small barrio in Santo Domingo had been without electric for 4 days.
I spoke to a shoe shine boy. He siad that the water rose over his house in less than 2 hours and his families home was covered. They had no time to remove their things. All they have is gone.
Here in Colonial Zone life was going on as almost normal. I, in a way, felt guilty that I was in a dry bed. Was able to drink a cold beer and have hot food and these people were struggling for their lives.
Heres some pictures I found to share from some different newspapers.
Associated Press
http://www.elnacional.com.do/article.aspx?id=30543#
Dominican Today
According to Dominican Today "the number of fatalities are now 73 and rising. 43 people are missing, 64,960 were evacuated, 22,758 of which were taken to shelters.Police spokesman Ramon Rodriguez said 526,000 people have been rescued and 16,024 houses were damaged by the floods, 686 of those completely destroyed. He said 62 communities are still unreachable by land as 35 bridges and highways were affected."
They also have a list of organizations to help the flood victims
This is just devastating for this country. The people, crops, farm animals and now the aftermath heath issues. The dams are bing watch closely. Clean water is hard to find. Food prices will rise because of all the crops and farm lands affected.
This problem started with the rains and it will be a long, long time before it is resolved.
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