Nelson arrived on the Jet Blue flight from JFK with Nicole Maxwell and her son at 4 AM. As always the flight was right on time and the airport was packed. The night flight is a good way of maximizing one’s time in the D.R. You just have to decide that sleep is not a priority.
After a quick breakfast at an all night Supermarket we decided to crash at Nelson’s dad’s house for a couple of hours. There is nothing quite as inviting as a flat bed after a night flight. Despite the best intentions to hit the road immediately one is often overtaken by an incredible craving for sleep after all the emotion of the trip.
Normally, we would head directly to the beach, which would often involve various stops for food, supplies and various libations, but this trip proved to be the exception. Our plan was to visit Daisy and William and see the land they had bought near Puerto del Mulo, not far from Moncion. For those of you who are not familiar with the Dominican Republic, Moncion is south of La Ensenada and up in the mountains. It is a place of farmers, spacious vistas and cool fresh air.
By the time we had loaded the Nissan pickup truck with all the people and bags we were a little cramped and looked a little like a family of immigrants crossing a border. The drive took about two hours. Needless to say we were all a little windblown by the time we got to the property.
The trip was well worth the trouble in many ways. Not only is this an especially enchanting part of the country, but William and Daisy had prepared a roast pig for the occasion. They had also planned a little outing after lunch. Never mind the fact that our scheduled arrival time was noon and we didn’t get there till 1:30. After all, we were on vacation and operating on Dominican time.
Daisy and William were most proud of the property they had bought from his uncle. The hilly lot provided a spectacular perch for the proposed house and a nice protected valley for crops. William had already planted almost the entire plot with plantains. It was easy to see why they were so excited to show the place off. The view of the surrounding hills and mountains were truly breathtaking. It is hard to imagine a more bucolic setting.
The lunch was plentiful and delicious. The pig was perfectly cooked and amazingly succulent. The meat was accompanied by traditional Dominican rice and beans and William’s trademark choyote and carrot salad. The food was so good we had to force ourselves to stop eating. Even with all the hungry mouths to feed there was plenty left over.
After a modicum of clean up and a quick change of clothes we were off to a nearby river for an afternoon of riparian entertainment. It is hard to describe the short drive. You are passing through fields when all of a sudden the road drops into a valley and you are ensconced by tall trees lining what is clearly a major river. Next thing you know you are at the water’s edge and a couple of locals are washing their trucks in the river. The effect is quite powerful, and a little like passing through the looking glass into a secret other world.
The setting could not have been more perfect. The river bed was not too deep and quite sandy. The current was gentle and the water refreshingly cool. There were various places to sit and admire the tranquil setting. Immediately the kids spilled into the water and started frolicking with abandon. You could not imagine a more perfect way and place to enjoy a summer afternoon.
The experience was further enhanced when Nelson and his nephew, Noel, and Noel’s friend Oscar (pictured above) discovered a huge Mango tree in a nearby field. Before long we were being offered some of the most scrumptious and perfectly ripe mangos imaginable. In Dominican style we tore off the husk with our teeth and gorged ourselves on the sweet pulp. Many people claim not to like mangos, but what they usually don’t like is the hard fruit that is sold in many American supermarkets. These freshly picked specimens bore no resemblance to what most Americans think of. There was not a member of our party who did not eat at least six.
Eventually the sun started to settle toward the horizon and it was time to head back to La Ensenada. As the truck climbed back up out of the river valley we were all reflecting with a similar sense of quiet satisfaction at the knowledge that we had just shared a unique and memorable experience and the stuff of which the magic of this island is made.
