The Dominican Republic is the most visited country in the Caribbean. Every year millions of tourists come here, but most of them rarely leave the territory of hotels, enjoying the delights of rest “all inclusive”. And behind the fences of the hotels there is a life, there is an edge where there are not only white beaches and coconut palms, but also high mountains, bubbling waterfalls, coral reefs, picturesque deserts, colonial cities and tiny villages where surprisingly friendly smiling people live.

Having set out on the trail of Columbus, Bigpicca waved a long journey through the wonderful island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic is an amazing paradise on Earth, where it’s so easy to leave your heart forever. I want to tell everything about her that we learned during the ten days of traveling through the whole republic. These facts – first-hand, because our trip was supervised by real experts in the Dominican Republic from the local Ministry of Tourism, and we can show it through the prism of Pentax photographic equipment from the company Ricoh Imaging.

1. For all travelers and numerous tourists Dominican Republic – it is primarily luxurious beaches with snow-white sand. From the north the island is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, from the south – by the Caribbean Sea, and the total length of the Dominican beaches is more than a thousand kilometers. By the way, though on most advertising photos sand is mostly white, in fact the shades of beaches on the island are very diverse.

2. Flag of the Dominican Republic – red-white-blue with the Bible in the middle. Red color symbolizes the struggle, blue – freedom, white – the strength of the people.

3. Dominicans, like all the inhabitants of the Caribbean, are very contemplative people. Those who are not used to such a relaxed lifestyle can call it idleness or banal laziness. But it seems to me personally that this is not laziness, but a very valuable ability to live here and now, when you begin to truly appreciate the simple joys of life, living the present moment deeply and acutely. But there are also costs of this contemplation – like the Dominican “punctuality”, which influences the local service … Arrived in the Dominican Republic – be patient. If you are promised something “in five minutes,” be prepared to wait half an hour or an hour. Local “man’yana” (“tomorrow”) means that you will have to train your patience much more thoroughly. Well, the Dominican “the day after tomorrow” means “never”.

4. After the imposition of the embargo on Cuba, the Dominican Republic intercepted the palm tree in the production of cigars, and today the cigar factories and manufactories in the Dominican Republic are probably larger than the breweries in Germany. In each village there is a cigar store, and people who turn these cigars. This is done exclusively by hand. During the day, an employee can wring up to three hundred cigars.

5. Mama-huana is the property of local folk medicine, tincture on a mixture of dry stems and leaves of seven local plants, which is said to be a powerful aphrodisiac. The bottle is filled with alcohol (this can be any, even the cheapest wine and rum), add honey and insist for three weeks, after which the Dominican “Viagra” is ready for consumption. But you need to use it moderately – just one glass. But when the contents of the bottle is over, it can be filled again and again with alcohol.

6. The local currency is the Dominican peso. At the time of writing, the peso to dollar exchange rate was approximately 43.5 to one. Therefore, small coins and banknotes in one peso as in the photo is no longer in progress. In tourist regions, you can easily pay off dollars, but it’s more profitable to pay in local currency. All prices in stores are marked with the sign of $ – this is how the Dominican peso is designated – as an American dollar, but with one dash.

7. In the Dominican Republic, an unusually tasty chicken which forms the basis of the ration along with rice and beans. La Bandera Dominican Republic (Dominican flag) – this is the simple food of ordinary Dominicans. La bandera includes rice (white color), stewed beans and meat (red color) and vegetable salad (probably blue). This simple meal is consumed every day, that is, these dishes are also constant here, like the daily raising of the flag.

8. Even living very modestly, a Dominican woman goes to the hairdresser at least once a week to make a haircut, a manicure and a pedicure. Because of the local climate and genetic characteristics, hair and nails grow here especially fast. Most of the inhabitants of the island have curly hair, so the straightening of the hair has been a local trend for many years now. Most cosmetic products for hair, sold in local stores, are designed just to straighten hair. We must admit – straight hair mulattos are very go.

9. Hair curlers are often used to straighten hair. At the same time for Dominican women there is nothing shameful to appear in this form on the street. Wearing a special net on top of the curlers, they are completely unconcerned, go out into people, drive around in transport, etc. Unfortunately, there was no street “curler-onion” among my photos, so I will illustrate this fact with a picture taken in a small village “beauty salon”. This institution near Kharabakoa was a modest shed by the side of the road.

10. According to the Dominican Republic, there are wheeled school buses from the States here and there. This is somewhat reminiscent of the abundance of a variety of transport with German inscriptions on Ukrainian roads: the fact that the USA or Germany is already unconditioned, in countries simpler – good cars.

11. In hotels all-Inclusive on the territory necessarily go birds – flamingos, swans, herons, peacocks, ducks and even ordinary chickens. The simpler the hotel, the less flamingos and more chickens

12. Dominican cats do not understand either the Russian “kis-kis” or the American-British “kiri-kiri”. If you want to address the local moustached-striped, use the callsign “mis-mis-mis.” And the most popular cat’s name on the island is Mauricio (like our Vaska).

13. In the shops for tourists everywhere there are funny pictures in the style of the Haitian naive. All of them are unusually poisonous-bright, somewhat monotonous, but still there is a certain charm in them.

14. Most of the Dominican military is involved in protecting the borders with Haiti. At the same time, the border is very conditionally equipped. So, for example, looks like a border crossing point near to Himani in the province of Independence, where we visited during our trip. The gate, according to the representative of the Ministry of Tourism, opens twice a week, but judging by human traffic, this is not entirely true.

15. On both sides of the gate is a large market, on which Dominicans and Haitians trade in bulk. The Haitians sell mostly humanitarian aid, which they are brought from all over the world, to save them, the poor. Well, they are saved as they can.

16. The concept of “rainy season” in the Dominican Republic does not generally exist. In the Dominican Republic, the umbrella is mainly intended for protection against the sun, because the rains predominantly go at night or an hour and a half in the afternoon. Rain from May to September goes, of course, more than at any other time of the year. But to compare these rains with Indian monsoons or Thai tropical downpours is not worth it.

17. Horses are often used as vehicles. In the depths of the island you can meet local russians, simply grazing without any supervision at the roadside. Dominican horsies are short and rather unpretentious. There are many hounds and mules.

18. Dominican Republic – the country is rather dirty: with garbage processing things are not very important here, and all the roadsides, beaches and other places are densely packed with bottles, plastic, packages. For example, this photo was taken on the picturesque and completely deserted beach of Playa Saladia in the non-tourist region of Barahona.

19. Dominicans are great lovers of the lottery. Even in the most distant, God-forgotten places away from civilization, there will necessarily be a banca (Spanish – “lottery”) and, perhaps, not one. In small villages it’s flimsy sheds, in cities – institutions are more imposing, like what’s on the photo. And local people are always ready to take their hard earned money there to pay their “tax on a dream.”

20. At the road you can often meet people who idly stand or sit in large or small groups, observe what is happening around, communicate. Watching pictures of life and communicating with others – is on the list of favorite Dominicans, along with songs and dances.

21. In the Caribbean Sea, there are two states with very similar names – Dominica and the Dominican Republic. But the origin and meaning of these names are completely different. Dominica received the name from the Italian word “Sunday”, because on this day the island was discovered by the expedition of Christopher Columbus. But the Dominican Republic has become so called from the name of its capital Santo Domingo, received in honor of St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Dominicans.

22. In the Dominican provinces, as well as in India, the windows are not glass. Glasses replace lattices or wooden shutters. And such openwork rocking chairs, as in this photo, taken near Lake Enriquillo, met on the terraces of houses throughout the country. Excellent furniture for contemplative people.

23. If you are white, then by default you will be mistaken for an American, because there are really many tourists from the USA on the island.

24. “Military – an honorable profession” – this inscription says on a hill near one of the Dominican military bases. Service in the army in the Dominican Republic is voluntary and very popular, because for many young people from poor families this is one of the few ways to make a career and provide for yourself and your family.

25. Dominican Republic is an ideal country for photography. There is not only beautiful nature, many colonial sights, but also beautiful types on the streets. Islanders love to be photographed and at the same time very photogenic and artistic. With great pleasure, we are ready to get into the picture, while representing the corporate gesture of the “quiz”. This photo I made in the Banya, a mango region in which up to 120 varieties of this wonderful fruit are grown. We got off the bus to buy mangoes. Catching up our group with “Pentax” at the ready, I heard joyful shouts from the bus: “Hey, darling! Take a picture of us! “After making a shot, she ran on, and then she ran:” And me? Take a picture of me too … “

26. One of the tips to tourists who are going on vacation in the Dominican Republic – do not drink water from the tap. Those who want to be safe, it is worth using bottled water, even while brushing your teeth. In the Dominican Republic – high humidity, which, of course, is very good for the skin, but it is unusual for Europeans, especially in the summer.

27. Do not underestimate the Dominican sun – because of the high humidity and geographic belt, it is easier to burn here. Therefore, it is best to use a sunscreen with a protective factor of at least 50 SPF and at the same time try to update the layer of the cream as often as possible.

28. “No Estacione” – do not park. In the colonial city of Santo Domingo, these signs can be seen everywhere. And under them parked a number of various transport, including horse-drawn. In many cars, the side parts are covered with numerous scratches, because to get through the narrow streets of the first city in America without scratching the parked cars is possible only for the driver of the millimeter.

29. In different parts of the country you can find original sculptures of metal like this bull, which stands in the Old City of Santo Domingo and has already become a kind of visiting card of the colonial city. The author of the sculptures is the famous Jose Manuel Ignacio Morales in the Dominican Republic. In his workshop El Arcistico in the province of La Romano, the sculptor, together with his students – difficult teenagers, creates a wide variety of metal products.

30. By the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America in Santo Domingo, a memorial Columbus Lighthouse was constructed, an impressive cross-shaped building dedicated to the discoverer of America. Construction of this building cost $ 50 million. Here is the urn with the ashes of Columbus, namely with his heart.

31. Near the Columbus Lighthouse there is a very unusual sight of Santo Domingo. This is Papamobile, a gift from Paul John II, who once called the Dominican Republic “the most Catholic country in the world”. The Pontiff visited the country many times, and decided to give his transport to the Dominicans during his visit in honor of the Columbus memorial.

32. The northern coast of the Dominican Republic is called the Amber Coast, which in Spanish sounds like Puerto Plata. It is here that the world’s largest deposits of amber are located, so a popular Dominican souvenir is amber jewelry. Of course, Russian tourists are hard to surprise with amber, but in the Dominican Republic it is special. Firstly, amber is often found here with plants, insects and small animals inside, and secondly, Dominican amber is of a variety of shades: black, green, red and even blue.

33. The Dominican Republic is the only place in the world for obtaining the larimar. This blue semi-precious stone is also called “Dominican turquoise”. Experts believe that this is a mineral called “pectolite”, only an unusual color. For the first time the larimar was discovered by jeweler Miguel Mendes in 1974. He called an unusual stone in honor of his daughter Larissa and in honor of the sea (mar – in the Spanish sea). In the photo – untreated larimar in the grinder shop in Barahona.

34. Christopher Columbus, in 1492, discovered the island, on which the Dominican Republic is located, considered this land the most beautiful of all, where the human foot has walked. He called the island of Hispaniola. However, it is customary for us to call this land “the island of Haiti”. In fact, the Republic of Haiti occupies only one third of the island and is separated from the Dominican Republic by mountains.

35. In addition to sugar and tobacco, coffee is an important export product of the Dominican Republic. Here it is grown for three hundred years already. Dominican coffee is appreciated all over the world for its fragrance and strength and is rightfully considered one of the national symbols and objects of pride.

36. The life of ordinary Dominicans is closely related to the calmados, small benches, which are abundant even in the smallest settlements. The owners of these shops are trying to offer the widest range of consumers – there will be products and medicines, and even nails – in general, anything that could interest the target audience. Many kalmados specialize in small purchases: anything you can buy individually, as well as organized delivery to the house, that is, the store can not even walk – everything you need will bring. For many local “life was a success” – it is to have a two-story house: on the second floor there is a family, and on the first floor – a profitable store where you can hang your own proud portrait.

37. Although the Dominican Republic is one of the largest tobacco importers, Dominicans rarely smoke, but quite often drink (mainly rum and beer), but they know the measure: it is almost impossible to meet a drunkard in an arc of a local on the street. Sitting down behind the wheel – this is also often practiced, but despite this and specifically chaotic traffic on the road, accidents here do not happen often.

38. Dominicans like to eat deliciously. There are three types of business that will always be afloat in the Dominican Republic: car repairs, hair salons for ever-preening Dominican women and everything related to “eating”. At the same time, local products are natural and very tasty.

39. There are no social benefits in the Dominican Republic, such as pensions, maternity capitals and other benefits and subsidies. Upon retirement, a so-called “liquidation” is paid at a time, that is, those deductions that were made during the years of official employment, and after that the old can count only on their numerous relatives or on their own strength.

40. In addition to other transport, there are air taxis in the Dominican Republic, which can be ordered from small local private airlines. This is not cheap, but you can fly across the country in a couple of hours.

41. Dominicans are a very child-loving nation. Families here are mostly large children, children often start early, because abortion is legally forbidden, and marriages are officially allowed from the age of 15 for girls and from 16 for boys.

42. In the Dominican Republic, there is practically no tradition of drinking tea – everyone drinks coffee. At the same time, local coffee is strong enough, and it is usually not drunk from cups, but from small disposable cups of 20 milliliters. This portion of vivacity costs 5 pesos.

43. A local natural landmark is the unique salt lake of Lago Enriquillo, located near the border with Haiti. The earthquake of 2010 that equalized Haiti to the ground was almost not felt in the Dominican Republic, but after it the level of Lake Enriquillo rose strongly, flooding nearby lands. Now you can swim among the flooded palm trees and mango trees, watching the local fauna.

44. Lago Enriquillo is the only salt lake in the world in which crocodiles are found. Their population is several hundred, although it is not so easy to find them among thickets. We were lucky, an experienced guide took us to a small island on the lake where the crocodile females lay their eggs, so we were lucky enough to see not only adults, but even kids.

45. Another local landmark is the red-eyed iguana, which lives only on the island of Cabrithos (Kozlin Island), surrounded by the salt waters of Lake Enriquillo.

46. ​​Due to the increase in the water table, Lake Enriquillo almost doubled, so some of the local population had to be resettled by the government. This is how one of the abandoned villages looks like. It was razed to the ground, probably to ensure that the abandoned buildings were not occupied by illegal Haitians, of whom there are many, because the border is very close.

47. Neighboring Haiti is a country of incredible poverty, transcendent corruption and traditional clanism. While most Haitians continue to live on the ruins that left the 2010 earthquake behind them, Haitian “cones” come to the prosperous Dominican Republic to rest, stopping at the best hotels.

See also – Earthquake in Haiti

48. A motorcycle is one of the main modes of transport on the island. Moved on it not only threesome (including small children), but also the four-six. Many people ignore helmets.

49. Do not connect the Dominican Republic with the cult of voodoo. Of course, any of your whims will fulfill your money here: resourceful guides organize individual meetings with exemplary Haitian voodoo shamans. But the Dominicans are zealous Catholics: more than 96% of the country’s population profess Catholicism.

50. The Dominican Republic has its own Russian diaspora, the majority of which live in the resort town of Bavaro. Some come here for a few months, someone gets a residence permit or Dominican citizenship, the benefit of doing so is not so difficult, as well as buying a property or registering a business.

51. Like many poor countries with well-developed tourism infrastructure, the Dominican Republic is a country of sex tourism, including women’s. Local young people of pleasant appearance hunt foreign tourists, though not so much for them, as for their purse. Such gigolo in the DR are called sanki-punks. This word, most likely, came from the English phrase “hanky panky” ie. “Shura-mura”, and became popular and common after the comedy Sanky-Panky was released in 2007. The film tells about a young Dominican who came to Bávaro in search of a rich “gringo” that would take it for maintenance or would endow it with a “green card”.

52. The Taino Indians, the very same people who lived on the island, when Columbus discovered it, and who gave the island its name (Haiti in their language means “highland land”), left behind a rich heritage, part of which are numerous Indian gods. In modern Dominican Republic you can see clay ethnic figures everywhere, like this one, dedicated to the moon goddess, the daughter of the Dawn.

53. Dominicans are a very musical nation. It’s absolutely normal if a person here sings or dances at work, even if it’s a salesman or a bank employee. Music plays an important role in the life of the Dominicans. They always generated something fresh and melodic due to the synthesis of different cultures and nationalities that melted in the Dominican pot. Today in the world of electronic music appeared “El Dembow Dominicano” – a rhythmic mix-dance electronic dance that “rocks”.

54. Dominicans gave the world famous “social dances” – merengue and bachatu (and the same style of music). Evening dances are a favorite pastime. Merengue is performed with the help of three instruments: tamping (a small drum), guira (metal percussion thing on the photo) and an accordion.

55. In many hotels all-inclusive of the territory so extensive that it runs its own transport, like a car, so that vacationers do not strain themselves with unnecessary pedestrian crossings.

56. One of the picturesque attractions of the island is Los Altos de Chavon, a town of artists stylized under the European Middle Ages, which was built in the 70s as potential scenery for films. Today there is a school of design, galleries, museums, many shops, cafes and the like.

57. In the village of artists, Altos de Chavon has its own “Greek” amphitheater for 5 thousand seats, where concerts of world-class stars regularly take place. The amphitheater was built in 1982 with funds from Frank Sinatra.

58. In 1979, the Church of St. Stanislaus was opened in Los Altos de Chavon, where later Michael Jackson and Lisa Maria Presley got married. And today in the town of artists in particular and on the island in general, many weddings are held – many couples from around the world prefer to marry in the Dominican Republic.

59. Haiti runs a lot of illegal immigrants. The main task of the military of the Dominican Republic is to restrain this frenzied pressure, and about 90% of the army are engaged precisely in guarding the border. In the border areas, military checkpoints are constantly encountered, the cars are regularly stopped for checks. Photographing military and military facilities here is prohibited. Thanks to Pentax for this frame.

60. In the Dominican Republic, there are many national parks that show the diversity of local nature: from mountains with pine forests to untouched white sandy beaches. Reserves – one way to make money for the country, because tourists enter their territory for tourists.

61. The inhabitants of the island are characterized by racial diversity. Most of the inhabitants of the Dominican Republic are mulattoes, whose ancestors were indigenous Indians, Conquistadors Spaniards and African slaves. In some regions, Caucasian offspring of Canarias are living, in agricultural mountain areas – children and grandchildren who came to raise local agriculture in the 60s of the Japanese, Spanish and Lebanese.

62. In addition to business related to food and beauty, there is another type of entrepreneurship that will always thrive on the island – car repair shops.

63. Dominicans are very fond of women, and how open people are willing to express their feelings. It is perfectly normal to call a woman “mi vida” (my life) or “amor”, and this does not carry a greasy overtones. Dominicans are generous with compliments and will always find that it is nice to say to the girl, even if she is not the first beauty in the village. Still appreciated are magnificent forms and expressive priests. And Dominican women, accustomed to male attention and constant dithyrambs, are more calm and confident than average Slavs, and know their worth well.

64. Numerous immigrants from Haiti work extensively in agriculture, construction sites, and commerce. Escape to the rich compared to his Francophone neighbor Dominican – a real happiness, because many Haitians live on the brink of hunger. Officially, in the Dominican Republic with its population of 9.5 million people, about 3 million people from Haiti live. But it’s official, but as it really is, it’s not known. Unlike the relaxed Dominicans, Haitians are not as big fans of taking pictures – many prefer to turn their backs on the lens or even close their faces.

65. The Haitian women, unlike the Dominican women, still carry the luggage on their heads, as is customary in African women.

66. Dominican Republic is not only beautiful beaches with azure waves and hot desert regions, overgrown with cacti. It is also pine overgrown mountains and picturesque valleys with a cool climate. The most important granary of the country is the valley of Constanta, located at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level. The local lands are extraordinarily fertile, but the mountain slopes can only be worked by hand – the technique on such steep mountains will not pass.

67. Local agriculture provides all the needs of the island and forms the bulk of exports. In the 60s, the Dominican dictator Trujillio brought specialists from Europe and Japan to raise the country’s agrarian sector. Many of them, as well as their children and grandchildren, still live on the island.

68. The chaotic interweaving of electrical wires is common for the old city in Santo Domingo. During the trip