Day Six -- Return to Luperon

Mike Green and I jumped in a GuaGua and headed to Luperon this morning. A layer of clouds kept the day cool and the thick green tropical foliage provided a feast for the eyes. Eight or nine people crammed in a Toyota Corolla does not seem like much fun, but GuaGua rides are a constant adventure. With five or six lanes of traffic occupying a two-lane road, the overall feeling is close to watching a car chase scene in a James Bond film. On one segment of the trip, a lady simply handed her one-year old daughter to Mike. She was tired, so she handed her child away to a perfect stranger. With no child safety seats, no seatbelts, and seemingly no traffic laws, it is a welcome relief from America. We arrived in Luperon mid-morning and immediately ordered breakfast at Sybille's Upper Deck Cafe. Sybille is an expat German living in the Dominican Republic for the last six years who definitely does not want to return to Germany. Mike enjoyed her views on life in the DR. Then we walked to the top of a hill for a good view of the harbor. Returning to town, we stopped by Captain Steve's Place, where most new Gringos hang out as they learn about the DR. Captain Steve's renegade reputation fuels endless speculation. Then, a quick stroll down the government dock. Next, a stop for water at Shaggy's Bar and Restaurant. Shaggy is another colorful character who will never return to polite society. Incredibly, he actually seems sane next to his mother. The last stop in Luperon was to the George Washington Institute for Languages, where I said hello to the town's English teacher, Santiago Aybar. After 32 years of teaching English, he could still use a little help, so we sat for an hour in one of his classes, providing conversational assistance to his students. On the way back to Sosua, we stopped in Imbert for dinner, eating the Dominican standard meal of chicken and rice. Then we returned to Sosua for an early evening. Mike is handling the sensory and cultural overload quite well. Several months ago, I would have been overwhelmed immersing myself so fast in such a foreign culture. Mike, my hat is off to you and I am sure you will enjoy an exciting, budget-priced, very satisfying retirement in this tropical land.