Tour Itinerary Sample

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CULTURAL TOUR: ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAS

12-16 guests Arriving Punta Cana (PUJ) Departing Santiago de los Caballeros (STI) or Puerto Plata (POP) 12 days and 11 nights

Sample Itinerary (finalized, detailed itinerary available Dec. 2015)

Day 1 Arrival Punta Cana Airport (PUJ): Transfer to Altos de Chavon

Day 2 The People Who Greeted Columbus: an Introduction to Taino Culture

Visit the brilliantly curated Regional

Archeological Museum at Altos de Chavon,

with your hostess, Arlene Alvarez,

Museum Director and Curator. This museum

documents the important indigenous heritage of the

island of Quisqueya, the Taino name for the island of

Hispaniola which means Mother of all Lands. Ritual

and utilitarian objects show the evolution of indigenous

societies from the pre-agricultural era until the time of the Taino, the prevailing culture on the island at

the time of the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. Most importantly, the museum gives life to the

Taino culture, which is still connected with the language and traditions you will observe during your

travels in the Dominican Republic.

In the afternoon, we will visit the spectacular Cave

of Wonders to see the drawings left there

centuries ago by the early indigenous peoples.

Caves are important in Taino origin mythology.

Distinctive petroglyphs made by early Taino are

etched on rocks and in caves across the island.

Today we will explore some 200 meters on lighted

footpaths that wind through these caverns. Although

this cave has come under some criticism for the

design of the footpaths which undoubtedly altered

some geological formations, it was also awarded the

2003 Gold Prize in the International Landscape Biennial

Award.

Day 3 Impact of Spanish Colonization & Importation of African Slaves

When Columbus arrived on Quisqueya, it is estimated that there was an indigenous population of

more than a million inhabitants. Due to the cruel exploitation of the Tainos by the Spanish

conquerors and the introduction of European

diseases they brought with them, within 25 years

the Taino population was decimated and their

society was destroyed. Needing slaves to continue

the inhumane work -- first in the gold mines and

later in the sugar cane fields -- the Spanish

imported African captives.

Todays visit to the Royal Houses is a journey back

to the 16th century when these two adjoining

buildings housed the administrative offices of the

Spanish colonies in America and provided the first

official home for successive Viceroys. The museum

documents the history of the period from 1492 to 1821, complete with original old maps, artifacts and

coins from ancient shipwrecks and authentic articles

associated with slavery.

We will walk through the Royal Palace built in 1510

by Christopher Columbus son, Diego, while he

served as Viceroy to Hispaniola and the Indies. The

mansion was Diegos idea of a suitable family home

and as we explore it, we will experience remnants of

early colonial life on the banks of the Ozama River

and see the Caribbeans most important collection of

European late Medieval and Renaissance art,

including a notable tapestry collection.

Day 4 Cultural Fusion: Understanding the Dominican Culture

Historic Catholic Church records show that 42% of the Spanish men claimed marriage with Taino

women and African slaves paired with Taino survivors as well. Today the Dominican population can

trace a significant portion of their DNA back to their Taino ancestors and remnants of the Taino

culture still survive in the language, agricultural practices and crops as well as the warm nature of the

Dominicans themselves. While the African slaves brought no physical remnants of their former

culture, it remained alive in their memories and

emerged again as a vital cultural force clearly

expressed in music, dress and religion. Modern

Dominican culture is a rich fusion of Taino,

Spanish Colonial and African cultures.

Our visit to the Leon Cultural Center in the

second largest city in the republic, Santiago

de Los Caballeros, provides us with an

excellent portrayal of the evolution of the

Dominican culture as viewed from a uniquely

Dominican perspective. With a foundation of understanding of the evolution of this fusion, we are

ready to immerse ourselves in the actual daily life of Dominicans.

Day 5 Puerto Plata: Bride of the Atlantic

The natural harbor of Puerto Plata was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Columbus

drew up plans for the port which was later founded in 1496 as San Felipe de Puerto Plata. The

Spanish Crown saw the advantage of a port on the Atlantic and a city quickly developed around the

harbor. It is said that sailors could identify the port from far at sea by the afternoon veil of clouds

covering the mountain which rises high above the city. Thus, San Felipe de Puerto Plata became

known as the Bride of the Atlantic. Due to its distance from the eventual center of power in Santo

Domingo, Puerto Plata was a haven for buccaneers and pirates as well as foreigners from every

nation, the entry of whom Spain tried in vain to control.

This is the fascinating history which you will explore in San Felipe de Puerto Plata, a city whose coat

of arms was authorized by and includes the symbols of Ferdinand and Isabela; where bays are

named after famous pirates; where the only cable car in the Caribbean lifts you to breathtaking vistas

from the mountain top behind the city; where charming Victorian buildings are painted in candy

colors. Puerto Plata is a city that boasts a splendid boulevard and park along the Atlantic ocean,

where you can enjoy the beaches, take a long walk or relax at a Puerto Plata landmark beach bar

while listening to tropical music and enjoying a bit of the Verde the Dominican Republics favorite,

Presidente beer.

Day 6 Origin of the Americas: The Encounter Between Two Cultures at La Isabela

On his second voyage to Quisqueya, Columbus

returned to La Navidad (in what is now Haiti) to find

the small fort, constructed from the ruins of the

shipwrecked Santa Maria, destroyed and the 39

men left behind to guard it, dead. Columbus sailed

east along the Atlantic coast, hoping to put some

distance between the scene of the disaster and a

secure place where he could establish his first

permanent settlement. He intended to head for

Puerto Plata, having already taken note on his first

voyage of the ideal harbor, but was forced by

storms to take refuge in a small bay which seemed

to be an excellent location for his settlement, with

rivers for fresh water, fertile lands, stone to be quarried

for construction of buildings upon a bluff which could be

defended.

The history of the first European settlement in the

New World is a tragedy: beginning with hope,

optimism and energy and ending with sickness,

hurricanes, starvation and mutiny. Visiting this

abandoned site today, one can still feel the

presence of both the Spanish who tried to eke out

an existence at this first settlement and the Tainos

who met them. Their mute voices are part of the

great silence one experiences at the site where

today nothing but the wind from the sea sighs in

the trees.

La Isabela has a small museum where the history of

the first settlement is illustrated with maps and models of the buildings, including Columbus only

home in the new world. Taino and Spanish artifacts excavated on site are also exhibited.

Day 7 Cacao - The Secret of Happiness & The Origin of Merengue

Experience the tranquil life

in the mountain village of

Guananico, where families,

whose lush cacao

plantations have been

lovingly tended for

generations, reveal their

secret for happiness and

where the rhythm of rushing

rivers accompany the music

of merengue typica.

We begin by visiting the 3rd generation cacao plantation,

Hacienda Cufa, where each cacao tree is known as an

old friend and the family has maintained the traditional

way of planting, pruning, harvesting and turning cacao

beans into artisanal chocolate. Your delightful hosts are

ecologically-minded family members who will walk you

over their land, sharing all of

the lore regarding growing

and using cacao.

Try your hand at pounding

the cacao beans into

chocolate

accompanied by

songs sung to the

rhythm of the mortar

and pestle.

Hacienda Cufa is a

nature-lovers paradise

which abounds with

fascinating botanical

species, where the beauty,

tranquility and hospitality make you wish to stay forever.

The town of Guananico is a cradle of the famous Dominican music known as Merengue

Typica. The Pena family has for generations devoted itself to making the instruments and

playing the music, which had its origins in mountain villages like this. During our afternoon visit

to this family, you will learn about the history of the merengue typica, see how the instruments

are made and learn how these merengue accordions are different from any you have seen

before. Take this opportunity to see if you can keep the rhythm on the guira or the tambora.

And then, its time to DANCE!!!

Day 8 Magical Colors of Amber: Coffee, Amber & Sugar

From the mountains of the Septentrional down to the Amber Coast, todays journey takes us back in

time to visit a government coffee plantation in the lovely mountains of the Septentrional.

The finest coffee available in the Dominican Republic grows at this altitude, where old plantations of

Arabica still thrive.

The coffee farm we will visit was appropriated by the

ruthless dictator, Rafael Trujillo, during his 31 year grip on the

country. The plantations overgrown gardens and slightly eerie house still reverberate with the voices

of those who suffered there at the hands of El Jefe.

The three Mirabal Sisters are beloved Dominican heroines who defied the dictator and were possibly

held in this house on the night of their assassination. Nearby is a hauntingly beautiful memorial to

these brave women at the site where their car and bodies were found at the bottom of a steep incline

off a lonely road.

The Dominican Republics Septentrional mountain range is also rich in amber and famous for the only

blue amber in the world. We will visit a mine and learn about Dominican ambers ancient past and its

future from local miners, middlemen and artisans who work it.

Working our way down the scenic mountain highway, we will lunch in the lodge at Tubagua Eco-

Plantation, while enjoying a spectacular view of the entire Atlantic

coast spread out below us.

Trujillo also appropriated the entire sugar industry, including

the plantations and the mills. We will see the sugar cane

fields and the old mill in Villa Montellano on the Amber Coast,

so named for the pieces of amber which wash down from the

mountains in the rivers and are deposited along the beaches

in this area.

Day 9 Sosua & Cabarete: An Historical Refuge and World Class Beaches

It could be said that the only good thing about the Trujillo dictatorship was his 1938 offer of a refuge

for German and Austrian Jews who were fleeing from the Nazis. Beginning in 1940 some 800 Jewish

refugees received Dominican visas and settled on land given to them by Trujillo, formerly the site of a

United Fruit Company banana plantation. There they began to farm, organizing a cooperative dairy

and meat production with the resources provided them by the government. Famous for its cheeses,

Productos Sosua is still managed by the descendants of the original settlers. The Jewish Museum in

town will illuminate this unique history for us.

Driving east along the Atlantic Ocean, we reach the home of the World Cup Kite Surfing and Master

of the Ocean competitions at the bustling seaside village of Cabarete. Drawing avid surfers from all

over the world, the beach is lined with restaurants, shops and hotels and is a lovely place to relax and

watch the acrobatic kite surfers leap up into the air as we dine al fresco on the beach under the

palms.

Day 10 Dominican Dream: Altamira - Green Diamond

Dominican boys dream of becoming a baseball player in major leagues of the USA. Succeeding is

like winning the lottery -- an escape from the poverty so prevalent in the Dominican Republic.

Altamira is the home of Bartolo Colon, a beloved local son, who has lived that dream as a major

league pitcher. Learn why Bartolo is a hero in the eyes of his hometown and a true inspiration for

boys still pitching balls on the playing fields of every Dominican town.

Altamira is not only known as the Green Diamond because of baseball, but also because it is an

ecological treasure with verdant mountains and rushing rivers. We visit one small, traditional

community on the banks of the Bajabonico River, where we are invited for a delicious Dominican

lunch in a most picturesque and traditional rural home, followed by the unforgettable African-inspired

music of Guayumbo, complete with unforgettable, tree-trunk drums called Atabales.

.

Day 11 Manatees & a Puerto Plata Tradition - Bombones de Melao

Fall in love with the gentle creatures once known as sea cows indeed, these pacific vegetarians

graze on marine grasses which grow on the bottom of the lagoon, Estero Hondo. Once an important

source of food and bone for the Taino people, this group of some 40 manatees is now protected by

the Dominican government in a large ocean sanctuary. The lagoon of Estero Hondo is included in the

sanctuary and is a tranquil place of true tropical beauty. We will learn about the abundant marine life

and birds, the different kinds of mangroves and with luck, see the manatees in their native setting.

Weather permitting, we will go back in time, fording a river, to

visit the site of a 100 year old family business, Bombones de

Melao.

The artisanal

process begins with

pressing the

sugarcane, collecting its

juice and then boiling it

down into syrup in an

enormous cauldron over an

open fire. The syrup, called

melao, is then baked into

delicious little breads in a

huge wood-fired oven.

Satisfied with the relatively small distribution of their

bombones, this family has chosen to continue their production in the labor-intensive, time-honored

manner of three generations and the resulting sweet breads are a famous tradition, unique to Puerto

Plata. Be sure to take some home to enjoy with your morning coffee!

Day 12 Departure from Santiago de los Caballeros (STI) or Puerto Plata (POP)