The road to Santo Domingo, a city located in the middle of the island, crawls through the sprawling mountains. In these parts, life has a slower rhythm and the locals live from what they make with their own hands. And sell with their own words. For a dollar.
![There’s no street names in the villages. Dominican people paint their houses. The colour of a particular house is that house’s address.](http://jasonhunt.media/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1024x630-1024x630.jpg)
There’s no street names in the villages. Dominican people paint their houses. The colour of a particular house is that house’s address.
![I’m not sure what this gentleman was making, because he didn’t speak English and I don’t speak the mountain people language. It was coffee- or chocolate-based. Their mountains are covered with coffee and chocolate. It’s basically paradise.](http://jasonhunt.media/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/1024x580f-1024x580.jpg)
I’m not sure what this gentleman was making, because he didn’t speak English and I don’t speak the mountain people language. It was coffee- or chocolate-based. Their mountains are covered with coffee and chocolate. It’s basically paradise.
![One of the rules of photographing people. The longer you point your camera at somebody’s face, the bigger the probability they will start staring at you. Groundbreaking stuff.](http://jasonhunt.media/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/wait-1024x580.jpg)
One of the rules of photographing people. The longer you point your camera at somebody’s face, the bigger the probability they will start staring at you. Groundbreaking stuff.
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![Another mystery. This is not a banana tree. What is it, then? Some of you is bound to know this. Put your answer in the comment section. The rest of you – read that comment. It’s a great bit of trivia.](http://jasonhunt.media/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/banana1024x580-1024x580.jpg)
Another mystery. This is not a banana tree. What is it, then? Some of you is bound to know this. Put your answer in the comment section. The rest of you – read that comment. It’s a great bit of trivia.
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Santo Domingo
I really felt at home here. This place has 2 million inhabitants, a lot of ugly (though not disgustingly ugly) ads on the streets, one subway line and a huge church they can’t seem to finish building.
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Macao Beach
![I left Santo Domingo to visit the public beach. There’s no hotels, security guards and lady waitresses carrying trays of tropical drinks here.](http://jasonhunt.media/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/sand1024x509-1024x509.jpg)
I left Santo Domingo to visit the public beach. There’s no hotels, security guards and lady waitresses carrying trays of tropical drinks here.
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The cruise
My next blog post will be about my island-bound cruise. Remember my search for the perfect beach? Well, you’ll get one that came really, really close.