Visitors!

And then the other weekend I had the privilege of welcoming 2 guests from the US of A- one of my roommates from last year Anne and a friend Katherine. I can't even describe to you how incredibly excited I was to see two beautiful smiling familiar faces! They hit a few snags making their way to my apartment, but all negativity and frustration quickly faded after a short squealing fest! I was so excited to be able to show some visitors around the city. I knew our time together was super short, so the hardest part was giving them a taste of life here in only a few days.

We had massages; we had sushi; we had drinks; they explored Santo Domingo; we went to a resort; we saw a show; we danced the night away...
But the best part about it all was just that I got to share it with people I care about. It was so nice to feel at ease with people I have such intimacy with. We got to reminiscing and it made me really miss the States and think longingly of my life back there. I'm happy here, but I wish I could bring all of you down here with me!
And while I'm wishing, I'd wish for a Target to come down here as well...
(Though word on the street is that one is coming! And the latest biggest thing is the two-story Papa Johns that just opened in the capital-lines around the block jam packed the "restaurant" opening day!)

One of the coolest things we saw was Tres Ojos, underground lagoons filled with the bluest and clearest water you've ever seen!
It's located a little outside the city, but that's part of what's so nice because it's so peaceful and removed from all the noise and pollution found everywhere.
From up above it looks like a big sunken hole in the ground, with long green vines trailing 50ft down over the side to the mini-jungle below. Off to the side is an entrance of steep steps which allow you to access the 3 caves. Over thousands of millions of years water has carved into the rocks, making countless nooks and crannies for bats and "Dominican tarzans"-men who hide amongst the rocks and spend their days diving into the waters below (now a liability that will cost you per day).

There's also a bonus cave that you can get to by rickety boat, which makes for a nice scary ride in pitch black darkness. The captain pulls on a rope to bring the boat across, and when you dock 3 minutes later you can barely see your hands in front of you. A little path takes you to this huge lake surrounded by high high walls, unreachable by any other means. The walls are covered by white flowered vines, and the stillness of it all is almost eerie. It's so big, and yet so untouched by human hands. Truly splendid

The rest of the trip was spent enjoying each others' company. I'm so lucky that I have great friends willing to incur the expense of coming to visit me on a tropical island! ;) I can't wait to show more of you some of the amazing things the DR has to offer (not so subtle plug to come on down...)!