The beach, Brugal and donuts

July 26, 2007




Sosua


produce from the vegetable truck


Hans taking a break from moto-ing.


Chris and Hans enjoying the afternoon.


One of the more reputable establishments in Sosua.


Here in Luperon, life is moving along at a measured pace. Last week we drove on our moto to Sosua which is 25 km east of Puerto Plata. It was a long moto ride, about an hour and a half, but the beach was worth the drive. The water, which here in Luperon is tepid and muddy, was clear, aqua and refreshingly cool. The beach is a picturesque half-moon bay with a terrific view of the mountains. We’ll probably stop here with Whisper on our way east in November.

On Saturday, we had a visit from a fellow Clarkie, Chris, who is currently living just east of Puerto Plata and conducting research for his master’s degree in International Development. We hadn’t met Chris before so we got to know one another over several cold beers, softball and hamburgers. On Sunday morning, he helped us with Dinghy Donuts which proved to be a big success at the Swap Meet. The word is getting around the harbor that Dinghy Donuts are not to be missed!

Yesterday, we rented a van and a driver with 6 other cruisers for a day-trip to Puerto Plata. We could have made the trip on moto, but we wanted to get supplies for Dinghy Donuts, and it costs almost as much for 8 people to rent a van for the day as it does for 8 people to take public transportation. We started the day off at the Amber Museum where we learned about how amber is extracted and saw many examples of amber found in the mountains of the DR. Most impressive was a chunk of amber with a lizard petrified inside. The next stop was Fort San Felipe at the entrance to Puerto Plata Harbor. The fort was built by the Spanish in the early 1500s and reminded us of a similar fort in St. Augustine, Florida. After lunch we took a tour of the Brugal Rum bottling factory. Brugal is the third largest rum producer in the world and the factory was clean and efficient, but very loud. Unlimited free samples of rum margaritas were provided before and after the tour, much to our delight. We staggered back to the van and then onwards to the grocery store.

This morning Dinghy Donuts made another appearance in the harbor and we had our most successful morning yet! Please direct franchising inquiries to the appropriate regional franchise manager in your area.