punta cana - part 2

One of our days in Punta Cana we did an excursion to learn about what really goes on in the Dominican Republic... since everyone doesn't lay out on the beach every day.

These open buses were our transportation. It rained a lot.

But really that's ok, because of all the days to rain we were still able to be out doing somthing rather than just watching spanish tv. No I did not understand anything in spanish other than numbers and yes I sometimes watched it anyway :)

Our first stop was a sugar cane plantation

Here I am trying some raw sugar cane

(all the while thinking how I could use it to make a cupcake!)

We also got to see how to roll cigars

and Kevin was happy to test if they were rolled correctly :)

Next we visited a local house

(this is not the house we visited, but a similar one that I took a picture of later in the day)

Everyone pretty much grows their own food and if they have any extras they sell it on the street for extra money. They grow coffee, cocoa, all types of fruits, their own sugar cane, cinnamon...

This is one of our tour guides cheesing for the camera

(he is holding a cocoa pod)

The cocoa beans then get roasted and ground, much like coffee.

Here's a really short video of the process, it was lots of fun to watch them in person!

Once they ground the cocoa it was mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon and then they let us taste test

it was yummy :)

I skipping all the pictures of fruit growing in their back yard... but there was lots of it and it was so yummy and fresh!

Next we ate lunch at an open-air restaraunt in the mountains.

It was a beautiful spot!

This pic is to try and show how bumpy the roads were... but I love bumpy roads!

I have always been the kid in the back of the car yelling "Daddy, go faster!!"

Or telling Kevin it's ok to be a little air-born on the hills back home. :)

Next stop was horesback riding - I was paired with a horse who was a free spirit, but insisted on being at the front of the group - we bonded instantly :)

Our last stop for the day was an absolutely beautiful local beach

 

Kevin tried boogie boarding and I just enjoyed the clear water

What a fun day exploring the local life in the DR!