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Hispaniola

Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Caribbean (after Cuba) and it is shared by two countries, each with a distinct heritage. In the east is the Latin bustle of the Spanish-speaking Dominican republic. In the western third of the island is the press of Haiti, where the echoes of Africa are the strongest of any Caribbean country.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is the second largest country in the Caribbean, 48,600 square kilometers in area or about the same size as Scotland. It is cut by three main mountain ranges running west to east. In the middle is the massive Cordillera Central, where you will find the Caribbean's highest mountain, Pico Duarte (10,417 ft).

Merengue

Dancing is something of a way of life in the Dominican Republic. The national sound is the Merengue, a typically Latin beat, relentless, bustling and compulsive. Most popular Merengue is produced on modern instruments now, but you will certainly still see the traditional three-piece band of the perico ripiao, made up of a drum, an accordion and a güira (a cheese grater scratched with a metal stick or a soul comb)An annual Merengue Festival is held in Santo Domingo in July. It is one of the year's liveliest, a week's blowout of dancing, drinking and local food in the capital. If you cannot make that, there are endless discotheques, even in the smallest Dominican towns. After an evening's promenading around the townsquare the locals end up there. Friday, Saturday and particularly Sunday nights are very popular.

Amber

The Dominican Republic possesses one of the world's largest reserves of amber, a semi-precious gem. It is not a stone, but petrified sap from trees that grew on the island 50 million years ago. It has been known as a 'touchstone' in the past because of its static qualities. The word electricity derives from the Greek for amber, elektron. The featherweight gem varies from an almost transparent variety that has undergone the least chemical reaction, through the familiar yellow and amber to the deep red (the price increases with the depth of color). Value is increased further by wisps of blue smoke within it, gases that were caught as the sap formed in the old rainforests millions of years ago. Most exquisite (and most expensive of all), are pieces in which leaves and insects are caught.There are three main mining areas in the Dominican Republic, the largest being in the mountains just south of Puerto Plata on the north coast. The other two are in El Valle and close to Santo Domingo. Several museums exhibit amber, including Joyas Criollas at the Plaza Criolla in Santo Domingo and the Amber Museum in Puerto Plata. It is illegal to export unpolished amber from the Dominican Republic.

Larimar

Larimar, or Dominican Turquoise is unique to the Dominican Republic. It is a very hard, semi-precious stone, slightly lighter in color than the turquoise and it is mined in the southwestern corner of the country. You will find examples of jewelry made from Larimar in all the tourist shops and markets.

Jewels designed by Mrs. Amelingmeier
e-mail: agape@codetel.net.do

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