Santo Domingo, often referred to as La Capital, is a cultural and social collage with different unique and old customs. Here the voice of life is the strongest. The life hits as the dominoes spank the table. I learned to play this game and got quite good at it as I did not really understand the “counting” side of things so, they could not read my game and often got frustrated, it is really good fun and a great way to share a cultural moment with the Dominicans, who are really nice people! From what I could gather, they are proud of their Spanish colonial history and beautiful landscapes, the city is a mix of things discovered and undiscovered. This tropical city is perfect for having your vacations, learning about cultures, and tourism.
Close the city centre, about 9km is the Zona Colonial, it has one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas, a former European fortress, and you’ll be blinded by the history and the beauty it holds. It has colonial buildings, famous clubs, vibrant cultural sites, and elegant restaurants. Santo Domingo has managed to reflect the contradiction of the Dominican experience, which is easy to fall in love with as it is a medium size city. Sea talks and the people on resorts enjoy a convenient and friendly business, a centre of politics and media made for people coming from around the world.
The above drone shot I took is of the Columbus family house. As you can see from the photo, it used to be a lot bigger, however it was blown up by an English pirate called Francis Drake in 1586 after Christopher Columbus died. So, the local government years later decided to rebuild it as it attracts a lot of history and also tourists. Nice place to visit, it still houses some of the old furniture from the 15th century. The price to get in is a few dollars, nothing much to be honest. Worth the visit to gain extra knowledge. They offer it in a few different languages, so if you do not speak Spanish, no worries!
In Santo Domingo, the temperature rarely falls below 25º C and rarely becomes uncomfortable. What do you think you can expect? Reliable sunshine and abundant beaches? Well, this could be an ideal trip for relaxation. The best part is that If you choose Santo Domingo, you’ll be just a few miles from idyllic Caribbean seaside resorts like Boca Chica. Rent a car for a stroll along the coast, enjoy all the beaches, jump into the original corals, or dine at the beach restaurant. However, since the island is relatively small, I would and will again in December 2020, travel the length and breadth of it again as it is stunning!
Check out the above photo. Here you can go for a stroll along the promenade literally for kilometres on end and here it is always nice to take a photo with #MaleconSD. I would recommend always taking a hot and lots of suncream and it literally burns, there is amble security, usually police every few hundred metres in the shade so, nothing to worry about. Of course, always be cautious!
We went on this as it gives you a real idea of what Santo Domingo looks like, very safe and secure and super cheap. As far as I remember there are 3 different lines and you can do a return trip for the same price. The cable cars were designed to provide transports for the poorer areas and to unite them, so basically the distances and time are reduced. Go on it, the colours of the houses, the music you hear from below and the vews are stunning too! A real culture shock in some cases. The opposite of what you would see in Punta Cana and richer neighbourhoods in Santo Domingo.
Santo Domingo has a bit for everybody. I personally enjoyed walking from the Zona Colonial to the city centre where all the big malls, cinemas, big brand stores, amazing restaurants to cater for all tastes are. So, check out the city centre, it is quite modern and impressive. I personally liked it. There is, however lots of traffic and peak times, they do not necessarily obey traffic laws, so look left and right twice before crossing the roads or better at the traffic lights. A guy on a motorbike nearly pinched my mobile phone as it was in my hand, luckily I had a good grip on it and he sped off, so be careful with these things, passports, chunks of cash, just take the necessary things with you and leave the rest in your accommodation. Santo Domingo has a biggest population so, compared to the rest of the island which is quite chilled out, Santo Domingo is a lot noisier and well, best prevent things from happening, but in general, it is a really great place to visit with lots on the menu to see!
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