Did you know that when.............

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue he didn't land on Plymouth rock???

(PLEASE KNOW I AM JOKING)

Well I did!

What I didn't question was where he actually did land.  I guess in my "blonde" mind I assumed it was somewhere near Central America but I never really buckled down any facts. 

Isn't it funny that you can live your whole life not knowing that 

in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue 

and 

landed 

in 

THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC!

HMM!

NOW I KNOW,  AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE.

- GI Joe said that

The Dominican Republic is rich in history and we saw the house of Christopher Columbus, 

We saw where he was buried,

 (in the video it explains that Christopher Columbus was buried here)

until,

he upgraded and was moved here.

Quite the tomb if you ask me??

I took a moment to pose and have two of my friends that never read this blog laugh at me because I indeed brought the "fanny pack"!  (You two know who you are).

While visiting the Christopher Columbus monument "tomb" we saw our 4th or 5th group of young boys playing baseball.  Sidenote....Baseball is the Dominican way of life, they even have schools set up to teach baseball.  Every where we went all the kids had a mitt, a ball and a bat.  Kids we saw playing early in the day were playing late when we came back through.  So many players on the major teams in the US are from the Dominican  (I think the San Francisco Giants have 4 in their starting lineup.)  

well,

I sent Rand to ask the kids in Spanish why they were not in school and why they were just playing ball and this was his response..

(trust a man to get the facts!)

Domingo Columbus was also an important figure that seemed to be overshadowed by his big brother Christopher.  We toured his brothers home and a quick funny....Domingo Columbus (the brother) was quite the man and had wives in the double digits.  One in particular he decided not to be with anymore because she refused to take a bath and he thought she was stinky.  Of all the history that was told this is the story I choose to share.  (seriously???)

we also visited the 1st church of the Americas and...........

 a structure in the town square that housed the tombs of dignitaries and military heroes.  

   (lots and lots of tombs)

There were 5 people in this tomb - kinda of weird if you ask me!  

Don't I look interested?

 On the way into the capital city of the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) I was intrigued with the fields and fields of sugar cane being harvested.  Haiti borders the Dominican Republic and metal shacks housing Haitian Immigrant workers line the fields of sugar cane.  On the way home we actually sat by a group of school kids who had come to build homes and schools for the Haitian people living in the Dominican Republic.  The native Dominican tour guide was very quick to make it clear that most Dominicans do not work in the fields.  Something I found interesting was that these rows and rows of shacks also line the roads to some of the nicest homes in the Dominican owned by Shakira and icons like Michael Jackson,  Sting, Carlos Santana,  Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, and Julio Iglesias. 

As we drove through the different towns and villages I just kept thinking how much I want to travel with my kids so that they may experience the world and realize how fortunate they are to live in America.  

For being a tourist destination, so much of the country was very 3rd world.  Many of the towns we drove through had no indoor plumbing or electricity in any of the homes.  

All Sugar Cane was shucked and cut by hand and loaded into wagons being drawn by oxen.

(Can you imagine?)

This picture was taken through the bus window traveling fast but you get the idea.

Just another funny,

We are so in the house building mode that everywhere I looked I picked out house items.  

Don't you love this for outdoor lighting??

While in the city of Santo Domingo I ate rice and beans and my little hubby ate the most American thing he could find, a hot dog.  

*I actually think he was more authentic than me because I am not sure that hot dog was not literally a "hot dog"!  Uck!

Last but not least insight of the day....

Toured a cigar factory.  

Did you know,

that cigars are hand rolled?

Well neither did I.

Hate to admit it but these cancer sticks were fascinating to learn about.  Such a process and so labor intensive no wonder they cost a fortune.  Good thing I am not a smoker.....

Goodbye Dominican Republic it's been real nice getting to know you!