Don’t know what it is with these Caribbean islands… they have some really great Indian restaurants. Remember the one in Turks and Caicos and the other one in Nevis?

We were lucky to see this bridge floating on pontoons actually swing open (like a door swings open) to let boats go thru! It was something of a sight. Interestingly enough, this was toll bridge early part of previous century. There was one way to avoid paying toll… if you walked without your shoes!! (I am not kidding!)

Threw the suitcases in the room and immediately hit the beach bar for some island drinks! Check out the water color!

We swung back into the waters and then banked left to cross into the island from the south side. We will make it to the airport which is on the north. Just as we crossed into the island, I could see this great beach (near the center of the picture). There seems to be vast expanse of cerulean waters. the approach seems to be dirt road. I am going to scan the south coast on Google maps and see if I can spot that particular place and go there.

It would be an Aqaba kind of moment. While on a trip to India, I had shown Sharmila the town of Aqaba and its beaches as we flew south of Israel and Jordan. Months later, we actually went there and checked out the sky from where we would have looked down to the spot we were standing!

First time I had heard the name was during some mixology classes. This island is famous for a orange liqueur they make. It is made from a special kind of orange found in the island. The more common version you will see in bars is the blue colored one – but that is not the original one. They add some color to get that sky blue color.

Remember I said we will be in the deep trenches of the Caribbean Sea after leaving the Dominical Republic? But you can see those seemingly large islands in the middle of the sea. Those are no islands. They are humongous masses of algae (sargassum – commonly known as seaweed) that originate from Sargasso Sea (only sea that is completely surrounded by water) and come westwards.

They mess up the beaches in Florida, Bahamas and Mexico. While in the sea, it is not that dangerous, but once on the shore, they are fairly toxic to human beings. Plus you cannot enjoy the beach or get into the water.

Sargussum.
I hate ’em!

This is the west side of DR – not very touristy. Now we will get into the part of the Caribbean Sea that has deep trenches. Not likely to see any landmass till we reach our destination.

The lake nearer to us (Lake Azuei) is in Haiti. The lake next to it and further away from us (Lake Enriquillo) is in Dominican Republic. And the international boundary runs thru the narrow strip between them.

You can see an island (Isla Cabritos) in the center of the picture. That would be an island in a lake in an island in a sea!