College Spring Break – Island Style
The Dad’s House Spring Fever contest has me thinking back to my best college spring break vacation. It actually started out as my worst.
I was doing grad school in New England, and everyone and their brother had booked their college spring break to Jamaica. By the time my girlfriend and I tried to secure our spring break trip, every flight to the island, and every hotel (in our budget) was totally booked.
No way were we spending our grad school spring break in the States. We weren’t much for the drunk partying mobs or flasher crowds. Plus, I had my heart set on the Caribbean being part of my east coast college experience. I figured I only get so many college spring breaks in my life. I had to make the most of it.
We knew we wanted sun and fun on a tropical island. At the time, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue featured bikini models in the Dominican Republic. The scenery was beautiful. It seemed like a can’t miss.
Our New England travel agent booked us into a hotel two blocks from the ocean in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Perfect!
Um… on paper.
Santo Domingo is a city. El Presidente occasionally drives by, escorted by machine-gun toting soldiers in Jeeps. As for the ocean – it was two blocks away. Waves crashing into rocks and breakers, but no beach.
We spent one night (crying) in our hotel before finding a travel agent on the island who could fix our vacation, pronto. She spoke no English, but between my girlfriend’s Italian and my high school level Spanish, we managed to explain that we wanted a vacacione a la playa.
Turns out we were on the wrong side of the island!
The Dominican travel agent put us on a bus that morning to Sosua on the north of the island. Talk about a college spring break being saved! We had white sand, warm weather, a beautiful hotel that reminded us of the TV show Fantasy Island, plenty of cheap rum, ginger beer, and lime, Vespa rides, bus rides into town with locals (some carrying roosters with shaved heads to the cock fights!). It was a great mix of romance and fun activities.
Okay, so it rained a bit every day (typical for a tropical island.) But the sun came out plenty. We got tan, and a little sunburned, for sure. Sosua gave us a great island-style vacation, and a memorable college spring break.
And in Sosua Beach, there was no El Presidente or any machine-gun toting soldiers.
Perfect.
Got Spring Fever? Blog about it! Then enter the Spring Fever contest. Contest closes Thursday April 2, 2009 Noon PST. Prizes for the best entries.
- Skinny Dipping at Club Med
- Micro Bikinis and Body Paint – Thanks Sports Illustrated!
- Flat Abs Workout
- Best Single Parent Family Vacations EVER
- UC Berkeley Campus Rocks!
- Bushwacker Cocktail Recipe
- Best Mai Tai Recipe
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Comment by Andrea
| March 30th, 2009
I’m glad the trip turned around, that could have gone either way. Nothing makes a memorable vacation like gun toting men in jeeps! (I do apologize, I did laugh at that.)
A tropical beach sure sounds good right now, maybe a mojito and some fruit… It’s at least sunny here and 45 degrees. Not quite the same but I’ll take it.
Andrea´s last blog post..Living the impossible dream?
Comment by new single mama
| March 30th, 2009
Ah, what would I do to be on a beach right now?
I was on vacation in February but it seems that one week is never enough in those places.
Glad you were able to make the best of it.
new single mama´s last blog post..Dating report
Comment by Marina
| March 30th, 2009
It sounds fantastic!
I will have 10 days off and have no idea of what to do with so much free time (10 days of no work it’s like an eternity… can’t wait!)
Maybe República Dominicana will have to wait but other few beautiful, fun and sexy places are calling me… Los Roques, Canaima, Margarita, Aruba. Hey, any suggestions?… Maybe I’ll go to your country, how’s the weather there? ;)
Comment by MindyMom
| March 30th, 2009
I don’t just want a vacation I NEED a vacation! Reading about tropical islands and beaches gives me the travel bug.
Glad that trip worked out well for you and hope I get to take one soon!
MindyMom´s last blog post..Spring, Storms & Growth
Comment by Elaine at Lipstickdaily
| March 30th, 2009
Aaah yes . . . one of our faves was the horse races on Nevis Island. Betting and everything . . . hand over your cash at the window . . . watch the horses run (yeah, some even started out backwards . . . oh well) . . . then collect your winnings. No computer, no electronics, didn’t appear to be any tallying of any sort. But it was fun!
Elaine at Lipstickdaily´s last blog post..Liar Bird
Comment by Andrea
| March 30th, 2009
dads – would love to see the article you referenced on my blog; Harpers. Was the title by chance The Last Book Party? I haven’t read it. Yet :)
Andrea´s last blog post..Living the impossible dream?
Comment by dadshouse
| March 30th, 2009
I would kill to be on a beach right now. Spring fever, sunshine, women in swimsuits, my kids playing in the ocean, me with a book… Love it!
Marina – wherever you go, take me with you! (Ha.) As for the weather here, it’s sunny, nice, a little windy, but it will only get nicer.
Comment by Mark
| March 30th, 2009
The beach and warm weather do sound great! Thanks for sharing your fun story.
Mark´s last blog post..Ridicule – An Expression of Fear
Comment by Bond Girl
| March 30th, 2009
sounds fantastic – carribean is on my list of places to go one day
Comment by notasoccermom
| March 30th, 2009
Sounds like a dram to me!
I have yet to leave the United states.
My ‘first’ spring break was spent home raising babies while friends of mine were attending college in the first few years after high school.
My ’second’ spring break came when I returned to school after 3 kids and a divorce. It was spent holed up in my bedroom while they watched a movie in the main room.
but I just know- I will have my spring break! On a beach, with rum, ginger beer, and lime. Yum! Cant wait!
MindyMom- i am with you! Snowed here again today.
notasoccermom´s last blog post..Pulling out the power suit again
Comment by krn
| March 30th, 2009
As someone who has ended up on the wrong side of many islands before (another reason to love the internet,that doesn’t happen anymore), I was glad to read that you found a quick and lovely alternate hotel. Aaaaaah, warm water and white sand beaches sound perfect right now! I suppose some turquoise or crystal blue water was also enjoyed in the Dominican Republic?
We had a dark and stormy spring break on the beach last week and there weren’t any drinks involved. On the up side, we did see a pod of whales, played in the indoor pool, had some delicious meals and curled up with some good books by the fire. Not Dominican Republic nice, but it was nice.
I can’t wait to read all of the contest submissions this weekend. :)
Comment by The Exception
| March 30th, 2009
It sounds as if it turned out wonderfully though, I have to admit, the first stop would have been quite interesting in its own way, no? There is something about danger and risk and living on the edge…
My entry is up though I fear it didn’t read the same today as it did when I wrote it… such is life. Perhaps I should have added visual stimulation.
The Exception´s last blog post..Uncovering Spring Fashion
Comment by dadshouse
| March 30th, 2009
Andrea – yes, “The Last Book Party” in Harpers is a very entertaining read. Gives wry insights into the publishing industry. Having been to a few writer’s conferences and computer industry conferences, I wasn’t too surprised by anything in the Harper’s article. Amused, but not surprised. Whether that’s an accurate depiction of behind-the-scenes publishing life…? Who knows. Humor is good.
Krn – the water was warm but gray where we stayed. I don’t remember a lot of turquoise. We did have waves, which was nice.
Comment by cyndi
| March 30th, 2009
Been there, done the carribean trip from hell. No fun. But what I wouldn’t give to be on an island somewhere right now… somewhere with a nanny to take care of the N-Man while I drink banana daquris at the pool bar and sleep it off on the beach. Slatherered in 50 SPF of course. We Scots cat be too careful.
cyndi´s last blog post..Ducky’s wife
Comment by T
| March 30th, 2009
Oh…. that sounds SO nice. The ex and I went to the DR once on vacation. We drank so much rum and smoked so many hand-rolled cigars. I was SICK after partaking in all of that. But the mahogany wood was amazing. I still have a few items we picked up from the island.
Also, my spring post is up now. Hope you’re having a great week!
T´s last blog post..Spring cleaning and coming undone
Comment by Andrea
| March 31st, 2009
Dads – I read the article. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. It had plenty of humor and sadly probably a lot of truth to the matter too. Being a fly on those walls would certainly have been interesting.
Andrea´s last blog post..Random Tuesday Thoughts
Comment by Vinomom
| March 31st, 2009
I was in the Dominican Republic in 2005. It was my first tropical vacation (work funded). While it was nice to get away I was horrified by the poverty there. We stayed at Secrets, which I believe is in Playa Del Carmen. On the bus trip there we stopped for a potty break (too many drunk men on the bus). We were mauled by poverty stricken children looking for handouts. It wasn’t safe to leave the hotel grounds. I would never go back there. Knowing that so many are suffering around me, I just couldn’t get past it. My trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico was much more enjoyable. I’m hoping Aruba will be even better.
Vinomom´s last blog post..I could be psychic
Comment by jeff
| April 14th, 2009
Most people when they use someone else’s photo either ask or give a credit.
You’ve taken one of my photos that I was good enough to share via creative commons and posted it as though you’ve taken it.
I see you’ve done the same with your other photographs
How is it that you go on these trips but don’t take your own photos to use?
Comment by dadshouse
| April 14th, 2009
The photo links back to the flickr page where it came from. The creative commons license there says anyone is free to copy and distribute, with attribution. My understanding is the link back acts as attribution. If I’m in error, I’m happy to fix. Though it seems a good thing having a hyperlink send people to your flickr stream where they can view more of your work. They’re great photos.
Comment by Jeff
| April 15th, 2009
You’re misunderstanding.
There is a difference between FREE and NO CHARGE.
Common courtesy as well as common sense would dictate that at the very least you credit the photographer.
Music composers work for example has value, in fact your blog has value yet I doubt you would find people using your text with out permission or appropriate credit. Why? Because it would not be the “right thing to do”
I just don’t understand why you would use our photos with out credit and make it look like you have taken the photos yourself.
I’ve read through parts of your blog.You are most defiantly not (in my opinion) a stupid person, nor do you appear to be some kind of a wing nut. In fact you appear quite the opposite. You strike me as being a thoughtful person which is perhaps why I’m so dismayed that you don’t use your own photographs to convey your own story.
I’ve been to your Flickr page and it is a dummy account that serves no purpose other than to lift other peoples work.
Perhaps try spending some time on the Flickr communities and you will see that many people take pride in their work and in fact many people block people with accounts like yours that offer no photographs and no profile information .
Many of us choose to offer our photographs out of good will,maybe we’re naive to think the best of people and think that they won’t try and pass of our work as their own.
I guess if I were to condense my thoughts it would be as follows:
Yes you are following the letter of the law but certainly not the spirit of the law.
Some people give to their communities and some people just TAKE from their communities. Your actions dictate others opinions of you.
Don’t get me wrong….you certainly seem like a nice enough person. I just don’t think that you put any thought into taking someone elses work and passing it off as your own….that IS your own text up on the blog isn’t it?
Regards
Jeff
Comment by dadshouse
| April 15th, 2009
Hi Jeff – I just took your photo off my blog, and removed the link to your flickr stream. I won’t post photos from you again, or direct anyone to your work, at your request.
When I was using your pic, I followed the flickr license you posted with the photo. I did not claim to have taken these photos. I did not realize there is a spirit that goes beyond the license. I use stock photos on other parts of my site. Yes, the writing here is mine, and it is copyright, all rights reserved. I’m a writer, not a photographer.
FYI, the flickr community guidelines say this: The Flickr service makes it possible to post content hosted on Flickr to outside web sites. However, pages on other web sites that display content hosted on flickr.com must provide a link from each photo or video back to its page on Flickr.. I did that, not only to follow the letter of the license, but to promote the flickr streams of photographers I enjoy.
I also do not use photos marked with a creative commons license that say “not for commercial use”. It sounds to me like the “spirit” you are talking about falls into that category. Perhaps you should mark your flickr stream that way. Take care.