[02.01.2016 Saturday]
For a second time we reach the island of Hispaniola and then the Dominican Republic. This time we do not dock in the capital, but in La Romana, which is the second major transfer point after Jamaica. This means that we are in port from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and more than 60% of the guests leave the ship today. Almost 1200 passengers leave the ship after 15 days and new ones join us.
Since Harry and I have not booked an excursion here, we eat breakfast in peace, get off the board at 9:30 and sit down in the first cafe with Wi-Fi that we find. Here we send and receive all New Year’s greetings and use the Internet to get up to date again and look for caches. Unfortunately, there are none here, and so we go for 15 USD by cab into the city.
La Romana has no beautiful old town or other highlights, the interesting offers are in the surrounding area such as the beach, a stalactite cave and an artists’ village outside. We take a few photos and let a local “Eddy” talk us into it, he wants to be our private chauffeur and drive us wherever we want to go. We refuse several times and then negotiate a price and dare it. The windshield of the cab has a huge crack, but that is normal here. First we drive to a souvinier store, then to the bank and to the supermarket to buy some coke, water, chips and cookies. Eddy always comes along, probably to see that we don’t run away eitherJ
Now we want to go to the artists’ village “Altos de Chavón”, built in Mediterranean style. One drives through a huge park Casa de Campo with passport control at the entrance and huge golf course, apparently place 35 of the best golf courses worldwide.
We have to pay five euros entrance fee, get a nice view of the river, the park and the village are nicely laid out and it is very empty. We stroll around a little, here you can spend good time! There is a little hidden a small colosseum available and we shoot many photos. Eddy brings us back to the ship, here we buy rum in the Dutty Free Shop.
Back on board we eat cake and relax.
I discover a rum workshop that takes place on 07.01. and since I am very interested in the topic we sign up. In addition, today in the Sushi Restaurant “Sushi Satt” is offered, we reserve a table for 19 o’clock. By the passenger change it is nice empty at the excursion desk. We are advised what tours still take place and book a biking tour for the Grand Cayman Islands. Thus, the day today is certainly our most expensive in terms of spending and the board balance almost exhausted:-)
The sushi at 7 pm with champagne, appetizer and dessert and as much sushi as you want is excellent.
At 21 o’clock we take part forced again in the sea rescue exercise and then try the newly acquired rum;-) It was a very nice dayJ