Las Palmas staff suggested we start our day at Saltos de Damajagua, a natural "water park." After hiking about half an hour uphill, we went through a series of jumps, slides and swims through several "charcos," or ponds, connected by water-filled canyons. What fun! Because we were in the water all the time, I don´t have photos of that adventure, but you can check out this YouTube video of another group to get an idea of what it was like. It took me three tries to get my courage up for that first jump, but I did it! Most of my students, on the other hand, didn´t even hesitate as they leapt off the platform to the water below.
After a buffet at the Saltos de Damajagua restaurant, we headed to Puerto Plata on the Atlantic coast. We found a calm place to swim and students spent much of the time playing keep away with a ball in the water. We had some side adventures with Dominican medical care while we were at the beach. One Sus Manos student had been nipped by a campus dog on Sunday night and the local ER was out of the anti-rabies treatment that we felt was needed as a precaution. We found a clinic that could provide the vaccine near the beach and were on our way. Pizza on the way home completed the day.
Tuesday we packed and cleaned the house and hung out with our Las Palmas friends. Because the younger children had not been able to go to the beach day, we wanted to do something special for them. We bought way too much ice cream and had a play day with all the younger children.
We got lots of visitors that evening, so it was a good thing we packed early. Our neighbors at Casa 4 brought gifts for my two students who had been part of their family for the Olympics, children brought handwritten notes and several teens also came by to say their goodbyes. After a long day, some of my students still had energy to play basketball with the older kids before I called everyone to come home to get ready for an early morning. Before the evening ended, the Las Palmas directors came to our house to present certificates of appreciation for our visit and service.
Wednesday morning seven 14-year-old students (who did not make the age cut-off to go to the beach) joined us for our educational trip to Santo Domingo. We spent a few hours in the colonial district, souvenir shopping, seeing very old buildings (including Christopher Columbus´ last home), touring the first cathedral in the New World (after our shorts-wearing girls were outfitted with wrap-around skirts), and visiting a museum highlighting that early period in the island´s history. For those of you who are not up on history, Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, explored many islands and created the first Spanish settlement of Santo Domingo, in what is now the Dominican Republic. During his four voyages to America, Columbus went from island to island, only setting foot on the continent when he made it to present-day Panama during his final voyage in 1502.
The Las Palmas teens accompanied us to the airport, where we ate together in the food court before saying our final goodbyes. We had a wonderful time getting to know our Dominican family and we know we will miss them!