Page 2: Puerto Plata  and Sosua

The town of Puerto Plata is the center of a low-key resort area on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic.  Beautiful resorts are scattered along this coast facing the Atlantic Ocean.  Much of this coastline is still undeveloped.  

Puerto Plata is home to Brugal rum and you can take a tour of their bottling factory, then enjoy samples in an open-air tasting room.  (For more about rum, see the bottom of this page.)

After you have sampled your fill of rum,  visit the old Spanish fort, Fuerte San Filipe, in the foreground of the photo, below.  You will hear some fairly gory tales by the local tour guide.  And some of his stories may actually be true!

The harbor at Puerto Plata is where locals claim that Christopher Columbus first landed.  Santo Domingo, on the other side of the island, also makes a claim to Christopher Columbus, including his burial site.

Santo Domingo's claim is challenged by Spain which asserts that it has Columbus's remains buried in a cathedral in the Spanish city of Valladolid.  Oh, that Columbus--what a popular guy, even after all these centuries!

For people more interested in outdoor activities, there is a zipline just outside of Puerto Plata.  It is a thrilling ride.

Visitors can also play with the dolphins at the Ocean World theme park to the west of Puerto Plata or take an afternoon catamaran tour of the coastline.

Sosua, a village to the east of Puerto Plata, has a beachfront market, primarily for visitors.  It's a colorful place to pick up a sarong or souvenir.  If you turn the opposite direction from this photo you will see contemporary low-rise condos about a half-mile away.

On your way to Sosua you will pass miles of sugar cane fields and may even see the cut cane being hauled by ox carts.  They still use massive wooden ox carts to carry the cane from the field to the rum factory!

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