Que Lo Que 2024

Tour group or Yasiri's entire extended family? We take a stroll through Uncle Rey's farm (El Campo, Hato Mayor del Rey) 

The grand terminus of an absolute whirlwind of globetrotting this year lands me in the Dominican Republic to herald the imminent union of two dear friends. A plan actually hatched pre-COVID to visit Yasiri's family is finally come to fruition. A rare trip of no climbing and "relaxing" in proper Dominican style... let's just call it a de-load week.

Strategically setting the bar low, Yasiri, Nick and Alana take me straight from the airport to the worst beach in the country (Boca Chico, Dominican Republic)

Dominican flavour on our waltz around town (Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo)

Every country loves cannons and castles (Altar de la Patria, Zona Colonial)

Mashed yuca and churrasco one of the few good meals I had here (Maraca, Zona Colonial) 

Ceviche and the leche de tigre marinade ain't really that Dominican but Nick shoots it anyway (Maraca, Zona Colonial)

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We head over to Yasiri's hometown of Hato Mayor Del Rey. Walking down the street with my pitiful command of Dominican Spanish it gets harder and harder to tell whether every guy was catcalling her or actually just part of her extended family saying hello.

Eager to redeem DR's beach cred, I'm brought somewhere reminiscent of my very first blog post on this website (Playa Caribe, Guayacanes)

Deya and Sandra casually process an entire f'n cerdo in the garage (Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic)  

Just a buncha banditos drivin' a boogie-boogie (Tours Point, Punta Cana)

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Today's the big day at el campo of Uncle Rey to enjoy a bona fide Dominican cookout. I sit around being a buffet for the mosquitoes before our own food rolls out. The entire clan hikes up the mountain like a force of nature and through a combination of falling, rolling, and crying we get down the other side. Deciding we've been through enough, Rey calls for vehicles to pick us up. The cavalry! An old SUV and one pickup truck arrives. Surely, the thirty of us aren't all fitting into that? I look over to Deya. "My family is crazy," she shrugs.

Rib-shaking bachata and merengue blast out the speakers as I definitely don't make conversation with Yasiri's fam (El Campo, Hato Mayor del Rey)

Ayyy mami now we're talkin' (El Campo, Hato Mayor Del Rey)

Rey tricks Nick into some manual labour harvesting yucas (El Campo, Hato Mayor Del Rey)

The caballero demonstrating his burro handling while a very stereotypical Dominican crowd watches (El Campo, Hato Mayor Del Rey)

I think we might be a few seatbelts short (El Campo, Hato Mayor Del Rey)

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The three of us sleep soundly through the coming of the new year. Having had enough chaos, we drive north closer to indigenous Taíno lands. I can't appreciate enough how much Deya is chauffeuring us this trip despite New Year's hangovers and rebellious bowels. What an absolute legend of a mom.

I was about due for my regular reminder of how meh I feel about kayaking (Parque Nacional Los Haitises, Sabana de la Mar)

A Little blue heron all awkward like I caught it out of water as it catches me off land (Parque Nacional Los Haitises, Sabana de la Mar)

Sneakin' in that requisite dog tax (Altos de Caño Hondo, Sabana de la Mar) 

A suspicious Muscovy duck isn't used to seeing Chinese people here (Altos de Caño Hondo, Sabana de la Mar)

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We tear out at five in the morning to catch a ferry over to El Limón. With typical reliable Dominican punctuality we finally board the 7 o'clock ferry at 7:45 AM. Today we spend chasing waterfalls.

Storm clouds deter not the fisherman his daily catch (Sabana de la Mar, Dominican Republic)

Nick somehow gets shanghai'd into more manual labour. Part of the crew, part of the ship (Samaná Bay, Dominican Republic) 

Dominican vibes waiting for the bus (Parada la Manzana, Santa Barbara de Samaná)

Dying for a healthy meal I finally scarf down the only vegetables in this country (Altos de Caño Hondo, Sabana de la Mar)

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It's our last day as we drive back to Santo Domingo. Despite the poor diet I still take stock of all the interesting things I ate: cerezas dominicanas, hagua, mabi... Nick and Yasiri take me to their favourite beach and I tick off a few last items on my travel list. It's time to go home.

The birth of an alien insect or my first time seeing a chinola flower? (El Campo, Hato Mayor Del Rey)

Plagued with a mild cold, stress hives, and mosquito bites I am a sad beach boy (Playa Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic)

Finally getting that pica pollo and an ice cold Presidente checked off. The one true pair (Soulimar, Playa Juan Dolio)

If you count the number of people vs. the number of desserts you will see we have the exact right amount (El Mesón de la Cava, Santo Domingo)

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We wake up at three to head to the airport. I mentally prepare myself to head straight into the office. Another dream and another year comes to a close as we return to New York to officialize Nick and Yasiri's marriage. Thanks for a good trip, DR. Although I can't say that I'd be back very soon, the time spent here was a worthwhile and eye-opening experience I will carry with me forever.

Clouds part to make way for a bright start to a new day and a new year (Sabana de la Mar, Dominican Republic)