Wet Night, Sunny Morn

Last night we went out to meet the Tamil/Dominican couple we first got to know on my last visit. The power went out yesterday about noon and as of 7:00 it still had not returned. So we had to get ready in the dark, using the flashlight from my cell phone to find clothes. When …

The Waterbed

Photo above: motorist navigating flooding streets in Santo Domingo. It has been raining since I have arrived in Santo Domingo, from the plane’s descent with the rain thundering down, streaking the windows, drenching the runway crew, to the writing of this post, the rain has been engaged in an ongoing assault of different degrees of …

Flying Above A Storm

After five hours of killing time in San Juan Airport, a feat which was harder than expected, it was finally time to board the flight to Santo Domingo. The contrast was immediate as soon as I stepped on to the plane — whereas the flight from Jacksonville to San Juan was basically geared to American …

Beer & Avocados — Reflections on Santo Domingo

I have been away from the Dominican Republic for so long, eight months, that, in coming back I can experience it more as an outsider while still retaining my inside perspective. Heat The first thing I feel is the heat which is so intense, enveloping and relentless that one has no choice but to wilt. …

Jazz Under the Haitian Sun

I traveled to Haiti three times with my father — first in 1976 for 6 weeks and twice more in 1978 and 1980 for 3 months. The first trip I was overcome, starstruck, by this different land with dark faces and lots of white, smiling teeth; grabbing hands and hungry bellies. It was all so …