Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RUM’S THE WORD
David Raven samples the local tipple and enjoys the sunny charm of the Dominican Republic
Hauling a clunky suitcase over cobbled stones with nearfrostbitten fingers was a low point. But within hours I’d swapped the murky -2C British streets for the sunbaked 30C Caribbean. Whether it’s the weather, culture or rum, locals in the Dominican Republic have an underlying satisfaction with life that’s as infectious as a cold on UK public transport. As a short drive through the bright streets of Punta Canta will demonstrate, families have a contented, warm glow that you rarely see on the 9-5 rat race. When our Thomson Dreamliner jet touched down we fist-bumped and highfived, so our spirits had already started to lift before the driver of our air-conditioned minibus started playing Caribbean beats. Houses are decorated in bright colours to represent the owners’ goals in life, white being freedom, yellow is money, blue is peace and pink is love. Families greet you, as most sit outside enjoying the simple life in the sunshine with rum and reggae. And bizarrely enough you’ll pass plenty of roadside car washes but they’re not what you expect. Each one has a built-in late-night bar and disco where families meet to swap gossip and dance the night away. Even workers don’t stress about their daily chores – including staff at the Thomson Sensatori resort, where we stayed. On entering, you’re welcomed with ice-chilled towels and an even colder glass of bubbly before being given a guided tour around the premises and escorted to your room in a speedy golf buggy. The bright and spacious double rooms include a king-sized bed and a flat-screen HD TV. And if you pay to upgrade, you’ll be welcomed by a huge bath big enough for two and a swim-up balcony. The Sensatori sits on the edge of Uvero Alto beach, where the butter-soft sand is dotted with four-poster daybeds. The grounds and facilities, including four pools, are shared with the neighbouring Nickelodeon Hotel, although some areas are exclusively for Sensatori guests. On the first night we had dinner at Verdello – a Sicilian kitchen offering all of the classic Italian foods with a twist. I opted for the scrumptious Sicilian arancinis followed by pollo all’arancia – a chicken dish with garlic, rosemary, mint and sauteed onions served with nutmeg and orange juice. Our first full day started at 9am with a Jungle Rally excursion led by our charismatic and incredibly entertaining guide Eddie. The Dominican Republic is largely
Each car wash has a disco where families meet to gossip
made up of mountains and rainforests, but whatever the terrain there’s plenty of wildlife, from dozing donkeys to giant lizards. And from the luxury of our airconditioned 4x4, which included a rum-packed minibar, we made our way up the mountains with a visit to a local school to see how the next generation of islanders learn. Locals who live in the highlands earn their living from growing coffee beans. After filling up on more rum, we sampled some traditional cuisine with a rice and chicken dish followed by a snooze in hammocks on the banks of a tranquil pond. Our evening meal was spent at the BRGRS.PH gourmet burger house. I opted for the extra hot Dominican – rum-glazed beef with warm cabbage salad, jalapeno peppers and a homemade jabanero dressing with a side of fried mozarella pockets. Despite the eye-watering spices, it was one of the best burgers I’ve ever tasted and was washed down with a satisfying Chilean merlot – a welcome break from the local rum. On day three we opted for the Caribbean Cruise excursion, which included a leisurely snorkel punctuated with more rum. We headed for the glowing white sands of peaceful Saona Island surrounded by palm trees with a clear turquoise sea. For lunch there was more rum but this time accompanied by lobster, fresh fish and Dominican-style chicken before we boarded the catamaran for our trip home, with a bit more rum and Caribbean tunes for good measure. That night we chilled out at the hotel’s Chinese restaurant Wok Wok, tucking into traditional dishes including chicken fried rice. And with yet more rum inside us we headed to the on-site nightclub for a boogie. Next morning our sore heads were quickly cured with a fantastic massage and treatment at the Vassa spa. I had a full body massage and almost fell asleep within minutes. That night we dined at adults-only Kitchen 23 and it was clear we had saved the best until last. To call this eight-course treat a meal would be doing it an incredible disservice. The Mexican-born chef treated us to what was described as “culinary art” as each course had its own unique story and classy presentation. Our last night was spent toasting our trip with, you’ve guessed it, rum-based cocktails, leaving me feeling delicate for the nine-hour flight back home. After landing, I headed home through the rain – but something felt different. I’d brought back a glow of laid-back satisfaction that lasted for days afterwards. I’m still unsure if it was the rum – or if I’d simply caught the infectious happiness from a few days in the glorious Dominican sun. If you’re ever lucky enough to visit and find out, do let me know.
We had lobster and then some more rum