At breakfast, on my Santo Domingo hotel�s lovely fourth floor terrace, the butter melted. By melted I don�t mean softened and was easy to spread, I mean melted into a slick yellow puddle. It was 9:30am.
Needless to say, it�s hot here.

The hotel terrace.

Ahhh�the Dominican Republic in August. It is pure steam and sunlight.
My first day in the city was slightly curtailed by the oppressiveness of the all encompassing heat. There is little relief�no air conditioned stores to step into and no breeze for the best part of the day. I quietly thank goodness that I packed a small folding hand fan, al la a Spanish flamenco dancer. Hey, it does it the job. That, and frequent showers.

Santo Domingo street…

I realize that my plan of action on Day 1 was a bit off. I should have been up and out very early to take advantage of the coolest part of the day and then take an afternoon siesta from around noon till two. Instead I puttered around, took a leisurely breakfast and only started sightseeing around 11. By then, even the thick stone walls and shaded terraces of the Casa Colon (Columbus� son�s house) could not stave off the encroaching heat.

The Casa Colon

A terrace I could live on -The Casa Colon

I felt better to notice that los Dominicanos were sweating too, mopping their brows with handkerchiefs and congregating in the shade. I opened my third water bottle of the morning (the whole situation exacerbated by the fact that the tap water here is not for drinking) and trudged onto the Casas Reales or Royal Houses.

A reproduction of the Nina

Built in the 16th century the houses contain household items from the colonial period, displays on Columbus and other explorers (and conquistadors) of the Americas, along with an antique weapon collection. All the rooms have been restored, with beamed ceilings and arched windows intact, and many lead out onto lovely courtyards planted with a density of foliage only possible in tropical climates.

The Casas Reales courtyard

From here I wandered, as I am apt to do. I stuck to the shady side of the streets and paused in small plazas and parks along the way, stopping in stores (which all give you the hard sell on amber and larimar jewelry) and heading towards the waterfront in hopes of a breeze.

The very first Cathedral in the ‘New World’

I soon came across El Conde, a pedestrian street lined with terrace cafes and cute stores, mercifully shaded by all sorts of trees. I followed El Conde to Parque Colon, yet another tribute to Columbus, where I fulfilled an ever present travel goal: to buy local music.
I bought some CDs of bachata music from a mobile vendor, one of many, who carried a stack of CDs and let me listen on headphones before purchasing from him. Bachata is great music, with the rhythm and feel of the island. I can�t help but picture palm trees when I hear it. And since I�m lacking a better description at the moment, if you�re interested, just ask and I�ll play some for you.
After stopping in the Museum of Amber, which is really just a store with a small display upstairs, it was time for a break. There was finally a breeze as I took a seat at the most crowded caf� on the square, ordered a Presidente (local beer) and arroz con pollo and sat back to people watch.
I passed the rest of the afternoon wandering, hopping in and out of stores and stopping for another beer in a cool little bar with blaring music and no patrons before heading back to my hotel. Back in the air-conditioned lobby (my room is �air-conditioned� too, but just barely) I took a seat at the bar and practiced my Spanish by striking up a conversation with a few of the people that work in the hotel. The bartender in particular, who spoke slowly and adjusted his vocabulary to my level, was friendly and we were soon trading Spanish tips for English ones. I was later proud to realize I had spent nearly three hours speaking Spanish, covering a vast array of topics.

A Monestary

My plan for day two is to hit the bricks early and relax in my room during the hottest part of the day. I�ll be meeting up with a local girl from couchsurfing.com in the evening for drinks�and possibly dancing. Till next time�

The view from my hotel balcony in the Colonial District