Occupying two thirds of an Island shared with Haiti, the Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba). The Tainos peoples inhabited what is now the Dominican Republic since the 7th century. Christopher Columbus landed on it in 1492, and it became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World.

Our purpose was to spend a week just lounging on the wonderful beaches and enjoying the weather that this Island has to offer. But travel is never void of discovery and opportunity.

The history of this country is the result of an unlikely mixture of influences. Nowhere else do you find a blending of European, African, and native Taino Indian cultures. The food has both a familiar Latin American feel, but also has a strong influence from its heritage that fives the meals a unique twist. Latino dishes of rice, beans, meat and seafood are common but are Taino dishes containing yucca, plantains, and potatoes.

In addition to their rich culinary skills, the Island is filled with many different types of bright and colorful artwork. Jewelry made out of amber, bone, horn and coconut husk can be found wherever the Taino are found. But there are also artists that liberally use clay, porcelain, hemp and guano to make both decorative and religious figurines.

Although we spent much of our time at our resort, we did venture out to the jungle to visit schools and the homes of peoples who do not get to enjoy the comforts of my country but are non the less happy and grateful for what they have. Their trees and gardens were filled with fruit and vegetables, some of which I had not before experienced. As the roads to these places are little more than walking paths, rutted and worn, I suspect that these peoples do not get to any town or city often – or at all.