Monte Cristi – end of the road on DR’s north coast

It has that end of the road feel. Monte Cristi, the last town on the north coast...last town before Haiti that is. There really isn’t much reason to come here unless you are on your way to Haiti, or, you are demented and are cycle touring through the DR and really have no choice but to stop for a night or two. Not so bad though, all things considered. We get to hide in our air-conditioned room and take a bit of time to recharge our batteries.


The trip to get here has been wonderfully doable, if not downright easy (I know, we’re cocky now). As mentioned previously, there was a bit of trepidation over the logistics of cycling through the DR. But our worries have been put to rest, and we can now say, at least for the north coast, that the cycle touring has been fantastic (with the exception of one short but heinous stretch of dirt road). In fact, we may have put in a “top-ten” cycling day a couple of days ago. Based on some insider intel (local who lived in NYC for 10 years and therefore spoke perfect English), we were told of a good route between a city called Puerto Plata and an off-the-radar beach town called Punta Rusia. I was a bit hesitant with his “it’s not on your map, it’s a new road”. Hmmmm. But, he was right. Fantastic day. 85 kms of winding road through rural DR. Good pavement, not too hilly, good scenery, and welcoming friendly people selling slushies and empanadas – all ending at another postcard beach that history has yet to discover. Finding a good little hotel, Hotel Tortuga, with clean basic rooms for 20 bucks/night, and dinner on the beach, was the cherry on top. So ya, two thumbs straight up for the DR!


The best part of cycle touring is always getting off the standard gorbie tour and seeing what life is like in the middle of nowhere. Statistically, the DR is a developing country with about 40% of the population living in what they call poverty. And, again statistically, there is the usual array of developing country woes like police and government corruption, income inequality, lack of basic services, child labour, etc etc. We definitely see the 40% along the way, along with the crumbling concrete and raw sewage oozing into the streets.




But you know, in comparison to many places we have been, the DR seems like a first-world oasis. People look good, happy, and healthy. From a gringo perspective, the DR has everything you need and want – at least for a couple of budget travellers like us. We continue to be impressed by the quality and value of budget accom, street food, grocery stores, access to internet, good pavement, and all the other “necessities” of budget travelling. In particular, the DR’s telecommunications and transportation networks – good internet and good roads – are among the most developed in Latin American. Along with a 90% literacy rate, things are looking good here in the DR. It shows. As I type this, we’re enjoying a wonderful breakfast on the patio of our $23/night hotel, complete with 50-cent cortados, rattan furniture, and a breezy ceiling fan...nice!


A highlight of the mission so far includes finding the best 30-dollar room suite we have ever encountered (Hotel Tropix, Sosua) – big, breezy, full kitchen, private patio, and a fabulous pool and garden area. Sitting poolside on our beach chairs sipping G&Ts, we definitely would have stayed longer if the general area was more appealing. Unfortunately, and interestingly, the town – Sosua – and beach area has become somewhat of a mini-Thailand in terms of a thriving sex-trade industry. We see it all the time everywhere here (similar to the Cuba scene): white-haired white guy (unfortunately Canada is well represented!) with a gold chain and shirt unbuttoned down to his belly button with a seemingly adolescent (legally supposed to be 18) local girl under his arm. Usually it’s low key, under-the-radar kind of stuff. But in Sosua, it’s big business, and no one is shy about it.  Like mosquitoes sensing dusk, evenings bring out the girls. Lining the street selling their booties, it’s a “pick me” situation as the silverhairs come out of their daytime roosts. From what we have read (and can see), it’s legal. But bar owners appear to be cracking down with newly posted “only accompanied women” signs at the door. Ah well, the poolside G&Ts were fantastic!


Well, tomorrow is game day. We’re taking one last day off here in Monte Cristi to enjoy the comforts of the DR before heading towards Haiti tomorrow. The border is a 35-km ride from here. We really don’t know what to expect. Getting beta off the internet is hard, as is any first-hand knowledge. Everyone we ask just shrugs and advises us against it. Dominicans have a hate-on for Haitians, and vice versa. A situation that is embedded in their turbulent history and has now devolved into what some in the international community are describing as systemic government-sponsored racism (not because they’re black...simply because they’re Haitian). But that’s a huge tangled story, that I won’t get into here.
So ya, onto Haiti. Travel advisory....what travel advisory? Can’t think about that. Hopefully, next blog post sooner than later. If not, don’t panic. Could just be a blip in our internet access (or something else...can’t think about that!). Adios! (or should we say, au revoir et a la prochaine?)