The drive along the coast was flavoured with stunning views of turquoise water and endless beaches, busy villages etc.

Arriving in Cabarete, we have had a great surprise, as our apartment is the closest to our kite beach as possible. The people are relaxed and friendly.

endless kite playground

Sienna is getting ready for her acrobatic session

Sienna is ready for acrobatics at high altitude

Point Break beach bar

Cabarete was much busier than Las Terrenas, but was offering everything to make us very happy:

• Perfect kiting spot right in front of our apartment
• Great instructors such as  Audrey’s team at https://www.facebook.com/cabaretekiteschool
• Yummy breakfasts, salads and smoothies at Vacabar, while watching the kite circus
• Great surfing at Playa Encuentro, the main surf spot of the North coast, only a 5 minute drive west of Cabarete.
• Healthy yummy options at freshfresh in Cabarete

Playa Encuentro

Robinson happy

Gerry happy

There is so much different, that I first had to see and digest. Where are we here?!?

After one week, I love many things about Las Terrenas:

• Kiting:
  There is a very cool and friendly kite crowd at Playa Portillo. The beach is beautiful, the water is mellow and from mid day onwards we have had every day great wind. Dimi from DR Kiting has great instructors like Chello and Popo, who kite with so much style and joy, that you become playful yourself. It is perfect for learning and Robinson is now part of the kiting world….

• Surfing:
  There are lovely waves on endless sandy beaches – in summer small, in winter impressive with a great surf school and board rental.

• Nature:
  the nature is stunning, healthy, at many corners untouched…
• 

• Food:
  There is such a great selection of fresh fruits , juices, coconuts, but also a delicious selection of French and Italian specialties. We loved our variety of smoothies every day. It is funny to see how natural it is to live healthy here. Only money allows to buy all the junk…
• Restaurants:
  There are amazing restaurants with phantastic cocktails and great dishes. Unfortunately, there is not too much fish in the ocean anymore. So fish may be imported, but meat is local and of great quality.

• Dancing:
  This is what you do, you dance. You wiggle your hips, you shake your bum, you dance as a couple, no matter where you are from. The girls in Las Terrenas are of all shapes and sizes, but have one thing in common: they love to show their curves and bodies and move them to the rhythm no matter what. .. It is about joy, not perfection. Bachata is fun. Although we have no clue how to dance it. But even before we can think, we are on the dancefloor with some local hot dancers…
  Places to go: Clandestine, La Bodega etc.

• Friendliness:
  The people look at you and say hello. They wanna sell something or dance with you. It is all open minded and easy to get in touch. Within a few days we feel like meeting familiar faces and getting big smiles at various places where we go…

• Easy:
  Everything is incredibly easy. Anything goes. And those who have fun together, have fun together.

• Mix:
  I guess what irritated me most were the middle-aged Italian men with beautiful young Caribbean girls.
  And the white women with beautiful strong young Caribbean men. Most are very respectful with each other and happy.

• The people:
  Of course, it helps to have all the wonderful contacts from Jana. Christina is one of the most amazing women I ever met.
  She looks fresh and energetic, she dances like a goddess, she rocks her business, she has visions and brings them to live, has 2 amazing grown-up kids, is warm-hearted and smart.
  She calls Las Terrenas her home and lives here since more than 20 years after some exciting years in Europe.   I can understand what she loves about Las Terrenas… And why this feels so much more than life to her.
  We were lucky to meet Jose Luis, who showed us so much beauty and untouched places, shared with us the music, dancing and local spirit.
• 

And by the way…rainy season is not a problem. Just some showers. That’s it.

We approach las Terrenas: little wooden shacks with palm leaf roofs. Bananas, passion fruits, mangos, coconuts. There is a wide range of delicious fresh fruits directly from the tree. Las Terrenas has a mix of locals and expats, mainly from Italy and France. They cruise around on their motorbikes and enjoy the relaxed unpretentious atmosphere.

The small road is crowded with motor cycles, packed with 2-3 adults, some babies or toddlers, chairs, massage benches, anything goes onto the motor cycle.

When looking for our house, by accident we end up directly at the best surf beach, Playa Bonita. Food is great, everything is quite and relaxed. Rainy season.

Our house is at the Playa Ballenas, named after the rocks out in the ocean, that look like a family of whales (Ballenas).
We love our new place, enjoying the pool, the relaxed atmosphere and the short walk to the beach.

We arrived in Santo Domingo in the afternoon. At the airport we were flashed by the Mexican type of people, massive traffic and humid heat. We went on the highway and dived into a different world: people walking next to the highway, motorbikes driving high speed in the other direction, trucks stopping with no reason, dirt everywhere…

I made a hotel reservation in Boca Chica as it is closed to the airport and at the ocean. Everything our eyes absorbed here, gave us a feeling of being in the wrong movie…

While searching for our hotel, we drove into a tiny street with a burnt down car, some kids playing in the dirt, some girls showing their curvy curves, dogs trying to find some food, shacks with some shady lights etc. And the best: it was with a view of the busy highway…

We switched to another hotel nearby and right opposite we found a stunning beautiful restaurant. El Neptuno – an entrance in SEAWASHED style with shell lamps and warm lights. Stunning food, friendly waiters, chilled atmosphere. Us happy again.

What happened ?

We spend our days and nights in bikini or not much more…surrounded by mellowness, the warm wind, the warm rain, the sun, the warm ocean, the mild air.
We eat healthy by nature. The fruits from the tree, the coconut with its water, the fresh fish (in some places), the eggs from the chicken around the corner. Healthy is the natural way as the local people eat. Until they have money and buy all the processed stuff like cereals, soft drinks, etc.

We started meditating every evening at sunset. Sometimes we have had a spot at the beach. Sometimes on a beautiful daybed. Sometimes in a hotel room. But the deep breathing was the same.

We started to have time. First it is a bit scary, but then creativity kicks in. It feels like we all look at the day differently. We play and laugh, we talk more and share more impressions, we do more together and enjoy the little things more.

We got infused by the joy of the locals. Some people said, the Caribbeans are unfriendly. Of course, there are grumpy faces as well. Not often. On the wave, in the street, wherever we are together, we get a warm welcome , often a big smile and some good spirit.

Why talk if you can sing?
I remember the day, when Robby and Sienna had almost 40 degree fever on
Barbados and we had to go to the doctors office. There was this old lady sitting with her old sick husband. She has had and ipad with some concert playing while she was singing away. And everybody thought it is just the way it is.
Everywhere people are singing. At the doctors office. In the bus. At the bar. At the beach. In a shop. Alone. Together. Why talk if you can sing? So we sing as well.

Why walk if you can dance?
And people are dancing. Real rhythm. Just infusing. I remember when we crossed the fish market, we saw these ladies in their white rubber boots cleaning the fish stall. Dancing. Some starting. More joining in. Well, in Las Terrenas the dancing got us. We go out to a bar and even we don’t even know how we write the local dance style we DANCE.

Time for love & listening
I felt even more in love allover again. We discover all the little things, that are us. We see how much we enjoy together. We live this spontaneous dive into life. We have time to spread happiness and see it coming alive. Feels like goosebumps.

I started a coaching cycle accompanying this trip. Every week I dive into a topic. And explore.

Las Terrenas is such a special spot. First we really needed some time to get to know the spot. But then we felt in love with it.

Today we leave for Cabarete. It feels already strange to say good-bye.
To Christina, who welcomed us full of friendship.
To our favourite Restaurant El Lugar with Bruno.
To the dancing nights out trying to dance Bachata, Meringue and Salsa.
To our wonderful guide Jose Louis.
To our favourite juice bar, where we have had fresh juice mixes.
To Dimi and his family, who were wonderful kite instructors
To Guillaume and his hotel acaya at Bonita Beach
To Carolinas Surf school.
And many more to mention…