Las Terrenas

The vacation continues...well actually we are down to 2 days left, but it has been a great three weeks. Las Terrenas, formerly a small fishing village on the north coast of the Samana Peninsula, was our last stop on our road trip of the DR. This town is now the site of major construction every where you look; hotels, apartments, and shops are popping up everywhere. One thing that isn't tainted however, is the beach, Miles and miles of it.
Our four days there were spent searching out remote areas of beautiful coastline, swimming, snorkeling, and eating. Rather than persistent requests such as "What are we doing next?", or "Where are we going now?" our kids actually seemed to understand the idea of relaxation! I think our extended stay in this country is starting to change them. We are learning what it means to simply "chill". (If you can chill when it's 100 degrees!) Our daily routine involved heading down to the French bakery, (there is a strong French influence in this area), picking up some amazing fresh bread (which we cannot get in Jarabacoa), packing a picnic lunch and heading out to the beach. Back around 4, cool off in the swimming pool, and start to think about what to barbecue for supper. We would end the evening off with coffee on the deck, cool showers, and possibly another dip in the pool. The next days were essentially dip, rinse, and repeat.
Except we did go see the El Limon Waterfall. Wow, this is truly a beautiful waterfall. We managed to get there before any other tourists (after a year in the DR one of our primary goals whenever we go somewhere is to avoid other tourists!), and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings all by ourselves for a good half hour.

As we prepare to go back to work, we reflect on our three weeks together as a family. We know the following things:
1. We 'road trip' well together. Hours of hot, sweaty driving and we still love each other :)
2. It's a big world out there. (Ethan)
3. Highlights of the trip rarely involve the big money events, but random moments that were unplanned.
4. We know that it's great to chill out, rejuvenate and refresh.