Today's private trip is with our tour guide Gisela. She speaks several languages and is very very nice.
She shows us something of Santo Domingo for a few hours. The colonial city of Santo Domingo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.
So let´s walk around...
Monumento Ruinas de San Francisco
Continue through the...
C. Emiliano Tejera Street
Plaza de la Hispanidad
The Palace of Diego Columbus.
Alcázar de Don Diego Colón
Panteón de la Patria
A little Snack...
And finally nature - the 3 Eyes National Park. A staircase leads down to La Nevera (The Fridge).
Parque Nacional Los tres ojos
Unbelievable that such a quiet place is here in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. A world of its own.
With a raft over the La Nevera, we went to...
Los Zaramagullones
Was then a place of refuge for the Taíno and was also used for their rituals.
Black-crowned night heron
Later at the Beach...
Costa Caribe Hotel
So yes, that night I decided to look for insects in the surrounding jungle, especially scorpions of course. Since there are almost no venomous snakes or anything else here, I ventured into the jungle alone at night. So I went with a backpack, UV lamp in long pants and shirt and mosquito hood. I certainly didn't look serious, but it protects against the mosquitoes.
Mourning Gecko
I came across the street at the hotel, because there I saw a lot of jungle on Google Maps. There was a small porter's cottage that I passed and thought...ok, I'd better let him know that I'm on the way here...so I went to the door and said hello out loud...the porter started and looked to me. He must have been sleeping...I said I'm looking here etc...the porter - yes yes yes.
Here's the path I took...
I walked up the road to the 2nd search point and found the first scorpions along the way so I continued inside.
After 10 minutes a car and one motorcycle stopped on the street. Ok, i thought now comes the Machete-Man´s and want all my money...but after some seconds i saw Army and Police officers...6 guys. One of this guys come to me in the jungle with a gun targeted on me.
I was bit schocked and I shouted - I´m german, dont shoot -. I dropped my UV-Lamp and held up my hands and shouted again - I´m german, dont shoot -. He said nothing and went on...he came slowly to me, closer and closer still pointing the gun at me until he stood in front of me.
He lighted on the floor and saw my UV-Lamp...i think he thought it was a gun or something else. I slowly showed him what i did...he looked to the glowing scorpions, laughed and went back. I laughed too and continued to search with a big shock...
I must have called attention to myself while walking down the street. But here the found scorpions...
Bark scorpion
And another little guy in the same area.
Scorpion
After 3 hours I was back at the hotel and still very excited but in a good mood. Something always happens when you look for scorpions. That's how it is!
8th Day: Backflight
There was still some time this morning and I took photos on the way to yesterday's habitat.
Coconuts / Bananaquit
And I've been trying to photograph the bird all week, but it was always gone quickly.
Hispaniolan Woodpecker
And the jungle from yesterday...
Habitat
Later at the Airport...I've always wanted to eat at Wendy's Burger. It was tasty.
Fasten Seatbelt...
Yes, we had a great vacation, even if one day it was very noisy in the hotel in other rooms because we were celebrating there. For the next holiday we would definitely improve our spanish and take it more individually...then rent a car and, as always, explore everything on our own. We just didn't see enough and it was a bit limited, but we met nice people again and the tours were great.
