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Welcome to the Dominican Republic
On the 13th, I left Puerto Rico for the Dominican Republic and, with that, left behind any semblance of American Culture. In the Dominican Republic, I quickly realized that, though two territories may be close in proximity, they can be drastically different. Our flight from San Juan to Santo Domingo lasted only one hour, but landing on Dominican territory reinforced the fact that I was no longer in my home country. Our introduction to the Dominican Republic was hectic and a bit terrifying–nothing like the rest of our stay in…
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Bioluminescent Bay in Fajardo
The Laguna Grande in Puerto Rico is famous for being one of the only bioluminescent bays in the world. A bioluminescent bay is a body of water that contains millions of dinoflagellates that glow when they are agitated. There are only five known places worldwide where the same type of dinoflagellates live, and three of them are in Puerto Rico. The other two are in Jamaica and the Bahamas. Of the five similar bays, only three remain intact. Due to pollution, industrialization and the destruction of their natural habitat, dinoflagellates…
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Culebra: Flamenco Beach and Playa Tamarindo
Beloved the world over for its powdery white sand beaches and low-key pace of life, the island a paradise retreat and one of the Caribbean’s best kept secrets. Its most notable beach—Playa Flamenco—is often regarded as one of the best in the world. And still, it remains largely unadulterated by development and mass tourism. In a region where unfettered development and over-tourism run ripe, Culebra is a rare and shining exception. There are no big hotels, no golf courses, no rowdy cruise ship ports, and no generic fast food chains.…
