On Safari in Puerto Plata’s Scenic Outback--A close-up view of the authentic Dominican experience.
Half the fun of travel is seeing cool stuff. The other half is meeting people. And if those people are principally pool bar staff, carry on. But if the picture in your mind of an interesting vacation day includes a visit to the people who live the way Dominicans do, changing little from generation to generation—climb aboard the Outback Adventures truck!
The Outback outfit offers a variety of tours including Puerto Plata city sightseeing and zoom-zooming through the Puerto Plata back-country behind the wheels of ATV buggies.
Through the Amstar rep at the resort, we chose the Outback Safari, where an amazingly-informed guide shoehorns a virtual almanac of history, customs and culture into a few-hours’ expedition off the beaten path into the Dominican countryside. A view from the other side of the mountain!
Outback Adventures is run by this guy, Roger, who spends a percentage of profits on community projects along the Safari route.
Like a basketball court and bathrooms for an elementary school.
Eddy was our guide (he calls himself Eddie Murphy), funny with an encyclopedic knowledge of the country and the people along the Safari route. We brought packages of pencils as a donation to the school, and Eddy directed us to hold some in reserve for some poor children who lived up the road. They excitedly ran from their house to the truck to collect them.
The expedition stops at the rural home of Mr. Babo, a farmer, and his wife Stella.
Stella has beans on the stove.
They grow their own bananas, coconuts, coffee and cocoa beans.
Everybody knows Christopher Columbus gave Puerto Plata its name. But when you are upcountry, you may find Dominicans have some names for the “discoverer” of the New World. There used to be gold in all these streams. Now there’s not. Thanks, Columbus!
The Safari truck has plenty of ice for its always-open bar. And a sound system that will familiarize you with the national music: merengue!
You will also stop by stands of Mahogany, elected the National Tree in 2011 by a legislative vote of 146 to 11. Which begs the question: what beef with mahogany did those 11 have?
Dominicans are unfailingly warm and generous. On a rural road I asked a man on a mule if I could take his photo. He dismounted and insisted I climb aboard for my own picture.
New profile picture!
The expedition stops for lunch at its own eating, drinking and local crafts complex.
Great home-made salads, fried chicken, rice and beans!
The chief chicken cooker is Carmen. Today is her birthday. Feliz cumpleaños, Carmen! Eddie Murphy leads the cheers.
Speaking of chickens, cockfighting is called the DR’s second-favorite sport after baseball, unapologetically embraced with enthusiasm by Dominicans. Nearly every village has fighting arena called a gallera (we pass near one on the tour), and the sport is legal and regulated. It is considered a symbol of the nation’s warrior spirit. 1,500 registered galleras employ thousands of people.
Outback offers other tours, including a visit to the windsports capitol of the north coast, Cabarete.
When the breeze is fresh, one can see a fleet of kitesurfers and windsurfers skillfully avoiding collisions in the crowded sea.
The beach is lined with inviting tropical restaurants and bars, and with tables and chairs for vegging out to the point of absolute inertia. Chillax!