Puerto Plata

  

 

We took a taxi to Puerto Plata yesterday, the second oldest town in the New World. This region, with the largest source of clear amber, is known as the Amber Coast. Many pieces contain interesting examples of prehistoric plant and insect life. Moviegoers may recognize the area as the setting for Jurassic Park.

 

   

 Puerto Plata, became the main trading center for the fleet of Corsairs and privateers who harassed the Spanish for two centuries. For trading with the enemies, the city was burned to the ground. Unlike Santo Domingo, the first oldest city, wooden Puerto Plata has few monuments of architecture that survived the fire and rot.  Its heritage resides in its fabulous people, not its buildings.  The people on the north coast of the DR, the Nortenos, or Northerners , rank among the most hospitable in the world. In genes and tradition they benefit from their peaceful ancestors, who would rather commit suicide than to fight the Spanish.

We took a quick tour through  the city, seeing the downtown area, full of small shops and one of the oldest forts in the Caribbean. This is the closest large grocery store, almost like a Walmart, so we wanted to compare prices. We will probably be returning many times, while here.