tinajita school project

The younger girls' club decided to rehab the tiny, two-room school in La Tinajita, which was completely falling apart. Shayla took on the project - the girls like to make plans more than they like to execute them - and coordinated an amazing cleaning, painting, planting, and rebuilding effort. These photos are from the cleaning day - my camera died during the "after" pictures. The school looks incredible now - clean, and organized.

These women seriously know how to clean.

Ana Julia, one of the stars of the older girls' club

Twins Jinet and Gina, also girls' club legends...

We're trying to get all the older girls girls prepared for and admitted to university. I've never seen a more motivated group of girls, especially these three, but they face unbelievable logistical and financial obstacles. Next week, we are going over test-taking strategies for the university entrance exam. My heart breaks for them: they want to be doctors, teachers, but they are up against so much...

Carrying water

Shayla and Rita moving furniture

[deconstructed] pineapple upside down cake

Probably shouldn't have substituted a huge, deep pot for a shallow cake pan so the cake had to fall 8 inches when I turned it over...

Definitely no harm done.

playa alicia

where you can find me every weekend.

el capital

I finally made it down to Santo Domingo, which is the oldest city in the New World. (Although it's not the first place Columbus landed here in 1492 - he first established a settlement on the North Coast, but it was quickly destroyed by the native Tainos). Columbus's brother Bartholomew actually established Santo Domingo, and the city became the home of a bunch of other Columbuses (including Christopher's son Diego) and the various Spanish royals who married them. Although this country has an old and complex history, a lot of the historic architecture has completely vanished. This in part thanks to constantly shifting occupation (France, Haiti, Spain, the US) which transformed the DR from a successful and rich colony to a country mired in poverty. Sir Francis Drake's sacking of the capital in the 1580s didn't really help either. Around the country, none of the old plantations remain, and the only real 16th century buildings left are the ones that have been restored in the zona colonial in Santo Domingo.

Wish I got a better photo of this guy - he had a great face.

The first cathedral in the new world - the architects kept quitting, so it is a complete hodgepodge of styles... (also, hi John!)

The statue of Columbus in the Parque Colon...

...which features a groveling Taino woman at his feet. It's a safe bet to say this is a pre-PC sculpture.

Opposite

The city was overrun by Japanese sailors

whose main activities seemed to be eating ice cream and clutching satchels.

Inside the Alcazár de Colon, Diego Columbus's residence.

Drink break

This is either an old monastery or hospital... or both? Can't remember

Photobombed by a pidgeon

Basketball game right outside 16th century ruins

At a (small and disappointing) flea market

Tomb of three of the DR's national heroes: Duarte, Sanchez, Mella