My mother hates me. Well, not 100% but I know she hates me a bit. I travel to all these places, and she asks, did I see this, did I go there, and I always say no. The last straw was after my 10th or so visit to Florence Italy, but me actually never going into Florence to see the city. She actually got a bit mad at me. So I told her, ok next time I will go to see the city. I did and I posted what I believe to be my best Facebook post ever. Here it is.
Well, this time, I am in the Caribbean for the first time, the Dominican Republic to be exact, an island with a rich and extraordinary history, including that murderous pillager Christopher Columbus and his cronies, invasion by Haiti, a few dictators, independence back in 1844, and now, it seems at least a somewhat functioning democracy, albeit with the same problems as everywhere else. Rich are getting richer, poor are just as poor or worse. Anyway, it’s a cool place, it reminds me of Mozambique in southern Africa, with a mix of Venezuela thrown in. And as is my style, screw the high end tourist hot spots, I kick back with the locals.
One thing that I have noticed here, which I believe to be key to a society’s success, is the fact that there isn’t a clear and defined separation between people and class. I’m sure there is to some point but so far I haven’t seen it. Here the rich and poor rub elbows in their daily lives, and I think that matters. When you deal with people from all walks of life you realise that hey, these guys are just like me, they just look different/don’t have money/have money. This is why the biggest bigots and racists are the ones who have never been anywhere and never experienced anything but the local shit they do every day. It’s harder to hate what you are familiar with.
Here’s some pictures dedicated to my mother.
My host, Ricardo Vilorio, car salesman, and restaurant owner.
Interior design DR style
I might as well have gone to Sweden……
OK I’m not in Sweden, I take that back.
nice wiring job dude. That looks like my 10th scale.
Culture, street signs
Parks, this one is the gay one, no seriously
A 500 year old church mother, see I am here.
Here is one more, are you happy?
I like street art
This is good too, I mean it’s lying in the street.
Christopher Columbus old pad.
Everything in this picture looks like shit. Yes it does. Just various viscosities. But believe it or not, it was all really, really good!
Finally, a special message for my friends in Germany, Manual and Dominic! I miss you sorry for not making Rhein Main Warm Up :-p
THEQuagraine 