Home away from Home

When I visited Santo Domingo in 2010 I found that is not so different from New York City.  Santo Domingo is the capital of Dominican Republic and is a famous tourist destination.  Many people travel there just to indulge on the scenery or explore all the ends of this provocative city.

It was a hot and sunny day as I walked the avenue on the Caribbean island.  I noticed many familiar things that I also see going on in New York City.  Residents gather outside el colmado like New Yorkers do outside the bodega.  They stop by to chat or even just to refresh with a cold Presidente beer.  The clamorous music is playing in the background and conversations between people are going well. 

If I wanted to get away from the loud environment I could travel to The Columbus Lighthouse museum.  In The Columbus Lighthouse museum you can look at the artifacts from throughout the Americas (Lacey).  Just like in the city of New York, you can escape to many different types of museums.  New York City museums range from children base to different types of ethnicity.

A lot of different things go on in the streets of this Caribbean island.  Many street vendors make a living in Santo Domingo by selling their goods to sightseers.  You see old oxidized trucks parked on the side of the streets with a blanket-like overhead above the fresh picked fruits and vegetables.   Open crippled tables reside on the side walk with different hand crafted souvenirs displayed on it.  And the vendors are all so neighborly and familiar.  Walking down Canal Street in Manhattan is not so different.  It is packed with street vendors selling accessories like purses and fake Rolex watches. 

Although I was far away from home, Santo Domingo was able to make me feel at home.

 

Work Cited

Lacey, Marc.“36 Hours in Santo Domingo”.New York Times.The New York Times Company.6 Nov 2008.Web.20 Mar 2014.