Day 10

          Today was our last day in the Dominican Republic. We went to Macao beach, which was a 45-minute bus ride from the Foundation. When we pulled up to the beach the landscape was incredible! Palm trees lined the shore and in the distance there was a massive cliff that jutted out over the ocean, it was like nothing I had ever seen before. There were people horseback riding on the beach and venders selling shells, bracelets and small trinkets on the sand. With our bargaining skills each of us were able to buy a little something to bring back to the states. I bought a hat woven out of palm frons, two Punta Cana Bracelets, and last but not least my favorite purchase of the day, a coconut. A man riding a 12-year-old donkey named Marisol, sold it to me. After 80 pesos and a sip of the sweetest coconut water I have ever tasted in my life, I stepped up on a piece of wood, with my coconut of course, and hurled myself onto Marisol, the donkey. Her owner took me on a short walk down the beach. Although my donkey ride was short lived, I’m glad I got to show Marisol some love and ride a donkey (on the beach) for the first time in my life! We spent a lot of time in the ocean; the water couldn’t have been more perfect! After 3 well-spent hours at the beach we got on the bus and headed to the market where we did some more bartering. 

           After our beach excursion, we went on a tour of the Ecological Foundation with Ben; the man behind the magic of this place. Before we went on the tour, he hooked us up with some honeycomb straight from their local honey production. We then stopped at the bee production boxes. In just this past year alone they produced over 2,000 gallons of honey. Ben explained their efficient recycling center that has saved them over $112,000 in the first year. In addition to seeing honeybees, we also saw an aerated compost system that they hope to implement in the future. To finish up the tour, we stopped at the “farmers market” fruit/vegetable farm full of everything from chives to platanos (plantanes). The Punta Cana Ecological Foundation is designed to serve as a prime example in environmental sustainability for others in the DR to follow. The Dominican Republic is ecologically one of the most diverse countries in the world and after that tour it became apparent to us that Groupo Punta Cana is extremely invested in more parts of this culture than any other hotel business on this island. There will always be a special place in my heart for this little island that has been my home for the past 10 days and I have so much hope for it’s future!

Kelly Conheeney