Saturday, January 21, 2012

B is for Bachata, Brugal and Barahona

My A-Z continues with B, and three of my favourite Dominican things.  Bailando Bachata, Bibiendo Brugal and Barahona! (Dancing bachata, drinking Brugal and Barahona)


Bachata is a Dominican dance, which is danced everywhere; in the streets, shops, clubs, homes. It originated in the DR and is basically three steps with a hip motion and a hip tap on the 4th beat. You should not move your upper body much as the movement of the hips is the soul of the dance, which is probably why I am not very good at it. My bottom is not big enough or round enough, and however much I try, I can't move it the way that Dominican women can. You can see bachata being danced in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvxaxe2FFOU.

My second B is for Brugal - rum. The company was started in 1988 by Andrés Brugal Montaner who came from Spain to the DR via Cuba. He started the famous rum company in Puerto Plata in the north of the country.  The actual process is a closely guarded secret, but basically the sugar cane is cut and then turned into molasses in the factory in San Pedro de Macoris.  Yeast is then added,  the sugar turns into alcohol and is then transported to Puerto Plata, where it is placed into barrels to age. The Carta Dorada rum ages for 1-2 years, Añejo for 2-5 years and Extra Viejo for 5-8 years. My personal favourite is Añejo. The rum can be drunk neat, or with ice, and several people drink it with coca cola (a cuba libre) or with sprite (a santa
libre). It is said that if you drink a lot of Brugal you will either want to make mad passionate love, or you will start an argument! 

View of the Barahona coastline
My third B is Barahona, which is a town in the south west of the country.  It is the last major town on the southern route to Haiti. What makes Barahona so special is not the town, but its geography. The mountains literally descend into the ocean and you can sit on the beach but bathe in cool fresh river water that pours down from the mountains. The drive along the coast from Barahona to the Haitian border is said to be the most spectacular drive in the whole of the Caribbean. 


A piece of larimar
Barahona is famous for its agriculture: plantains, coffee, cocoa and sugar.  It is also home to the only larimar mine in the world.  Larimar is the beautiful blue volcanic stone found only in the DR. The province has the largest salt lake in the Caribbean, Enriquillo, which is 45 metres below sea level. Few tourists venture to Barahona but it really is a natural unspoiled paradise. It is my favourite 'B'.

9 comments:

  1. Sounds great. I'd love to visit Barahona beach, you make it sound wonderful.

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  2. There are several beaches just outside of Barahona where the rivers run into the sea and they are all lovely. Most have little shacks on them where they will cook you fresh fish from the river which you wash down with freezing cold Dominican Presidente beer. Bliss!

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  3. I love the Bachata. I am a good dancer and nice to know my "Curvey" bottom will be an asset. :)
    The view of the Barahona coastline looks stunning.
    I've just tried to reblog this post on the A-Z (Sorry been away and I'm way behind) but it never worked.
    I will try again tomorrow...off to bed now as been up now for nearly 24 hrs! Nice to be back home though :)

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  4. Glad to know you made it home piglet. I love the bachata too but my bottom appears to have gone south to Barahona, and bottoms are vital for the dance!

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  5. All "bits" tend to go south when you get to our age LOL :)

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  6. Hi my name is geordano. I just happen to run into your amazing blog. I am from Banica, Elias piña but often visit barahona when in the country. Beautiful pic from Casa San rafael.

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    1. Hi Geordano. Glad you like the blog. I would love to visit Elias Pina one day as I have never been there.

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  7. I will recommend to go to Banica, Pedro Santana. People are friendly and there is always something to do. Please make sure to take a trip to el cerro de Banica. Which is an old volcanoe cave that is use to worship San Francis of Assisi. Oh how I miss my land :) www.banica.net check it out please

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    1. Looked at the web site. It looks lovely so next time I have a holiday I will definitely go and check it out. Thank you for telling me about it.

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