Una Aventura Maravillosa

Our final day in the Dominican Republic sent us back to Punta Plata for a snorkeling excursion. Once again I regretted not bringing my waterproof phone pouch as I was not able to get underwater photos. The underwater photos you see here are courtesy of Connie Short. We took a boat to La Isla Bonita, which is a protected reef off shore of Punta Plata. Nothing is allowed on the sand of the island, so we left our shoes on the bus and had to put our towels in one of the provided shelters on the island. And of course, you’re not allowed to touch the coral. I’ve snorkeled several times before but never on a coral reef so this was a new experience. It was incredible. After our thirty minutes was up we stayed and relaxed on the beach for a couple of hours. Our boat ride back to shore took us through some mangroves, which were fascinating. Mangroves are necessary to protect the species diversity of the area.

Bladimir being a really good sport and allowing the kids to bury him in the sand. 

From Punta Plata we returned to Santiago and the Hotel Platino. We had a different room this time- under street level actually, so there wasn’t as much noise as our prior stay there. For dinner that night we went to a plaza that had at least a dozen food trucks and everyone was allowed to go to whichever one they chose.

Then it was on to Bon for celebratory ice cream before our final group goodbye at the Hotel. As the trip ended I found myself grateful for several things: for getting to experience a new country in an authentic way, as opposed to the typical tourist manner. I am grateful for the people I traveled with- Connie Short, my former colleague who loves collecting new experiences, and one inquisitive, adventurous student, Layla, who’s pure joy at doing so many new things gave me a new perspective. I’m grateful for the connections I made and the people I met, including a pair of adorable middle school girls, Abbie and Aanya. And I am especially grateful for our guide and driver who kept us safe and who listened to our concerns. And I am grateful that I was able to put my fledgling Spanish skills to the test in an authentic environment. Until the next adventure, Adiós!