https://www.worldatlas.com/na/do/18/where-is-puerto-plata.html – Map of Dominican Republic and Puerto Plata
As a ten year old, one summer my family and I took our second vacation to the Dominican Republic to visit the city of Puerto Plata. Puerto Plata is located on the northern tip of the country, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Staying at a tropical resort, we enjoyed all the activities you expect to come with it: great beach, pool to lounge at, exciting excursions, restaurants with a bounty of options, and great hospitality not only from the resort staff, bit also from the local people when leaving the resort. This vacation is memorable for me because of all the great food I ate, and one excursion in particular that let me see a lot of beauty in the country.
In the Dominican Republic, fish is a commonplace on the table being that it is an island country, especially in Puerto Plata where the town borders the ocean. Chicken, however, is also very popular in Dominican dishes as it is easy to cook and therefore can be combined in many different ways to create a meal. One of my favorite dishes was “pollo guisado”, a chicken based dished served with vegetables and a savory sauce to cover, normally around lunch time. Another one of my favorites was tostones, which is twice fried plantain served as a side dish, or an appetizer.
My favorite part of the vacation was the excursion we took. Early one morning, we took a tour of the countryside and eventually up into the mountains. Along the countryside, there was an interesting juxtaposition of the rich and the poor. The closer you were to the city, the bigger and nicer the properties were. As we got further from the city though, you started to see real poverty. People living in hut-like structures lined the roads, knowing that tourists would be coming through the area. They tried to sell anything they could to our group while on our horses, ranging from flowers for a dollar to waters and other snacks. Once we got to the top of the mountain, the sadness you feel from witnessing that is replaced by awe as you can see the city for miles. To top the journey off, the horses take you back down the steep mountain at an exhilarating pace, making you feel as if you might fall to your death and giving you the thrill of a lifetime.
Photo by “lhvcresorts”