Day 3 – Culture Day and City Tour (No. 2)

The day started off with a 7 am wake-up call!  After a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and fruit from our fantastic cooks at our accommodation, we regrouped for a mental warm-up about our day.  We learned some of the history of the city, the indigenous people of the DR, and the long history of conflict in the area.  We were asked to think about the role of the arts in any culture and the role globalization has played in the DR.  We headed out on our “safari” bus for a walking tour of the city of Jarabacoa, including the fire station, the municipal offices, the Church of our Lady of Carmen, a few spots to possibly visit during free time, and the Legendary (and giant!) Saman Tree in the center of the city.  And then…ice cream!!!  (A welcome treat on a hot humid day from Helados Ivon, a beloved local family-owned shop.)

We boarded the bus again and enjoyed a ride up into the hills to Bohios Campo Anil for a look at the rural life in the Dominican Republic.  We were warmly welcomed by the owner and staff, who treated us to some great stories about the land, as well as some delicious cafe and hot chocolate made from locally-grown beans, along with some casabe,  We also learned how they made everything from scratch in the past.  All was delicious!  After a tour of the beautiful buildings and grounds (roosters were everywhere, along with gorgeous flowers), we were served a most delicious lunch and left feeling full of great food and the warmth of their hospitality.

We headed down the hills back to our hostel, where we enjoyed some free time including some games, some reading, and some took a dip in the pool…ahhhh.  That gave us energy for some dancing!  We learned the history of the merengue, bachata, and salsa dancing and music, and practiced all on the “dance floor.”  It was a blast.  After some more down time including a fierce game of Marco Polo in the pool, we ate dinner sitting with people we hadn’t sat with before, got to know each other a bit better, and headed off to the Nightly Meeting when the LDDs of today (Tony and Julie) passed the torch (ok, it was actually a straw hat) to Melissa and Melanie, who will guide us all through tomorrow.  All in all, a great day.