Cabarete - Nightlife Part One.

March 09
Ah, the heat. Glorious after five months of Canadian winter. I can feel my skin drinking in the humidity. Really, my hands are smoother after only a few hours, it's delicious.

Cabarete.

Arrival was a little overwhelming. I always feel like such a big, dumb, target -kind of like a deer in the headlights. Over the years I've learned to walk around like I know what I'm doing when arriving in a strange place. However, I'm sure that all the locals take one look at me and think "Look at her - she's walking around like she wants me to think she knows what she is doing. Stupid foreigner."

So I put my hair up (which at this point is turning into an afro - a negative byproduct of the aformentioned humidity), put some lipstick on, check the stubble on my white legs (still within acceptable limits) and head out to explore the night.

You can see the main area of the Cabarete beach - just follow the lights and you'll arrive. There is a very lively and engaging group of restaurants and bars side-by-side on the main beach. Each has its own unique theme inside that spills out onto the beach. Think clean, chic, white couches and table cloths in the sushi place, and nextdoor at the Irish pub "Jose Oshay's" chunky, sturdy stand-up-to-any-shennanigans hardware. Visually, it is quite something as each bar has decorated its space with theme-appropriate stuff. Elegant paper lanterns, delicate Christmas lights, colourful silks all adorn the palm trees and blow gently in the breeze, table candles lure visitors to come sit with their twinkles.

The whole strip is about a kilometre long, with thirty or so establishments, and is very eclectic. You can have almost any dining and/or drinking experience you want. Interspersed between the eating places are shops, usually supplying goods and services that take advantage of Cabarete's main adventure tourist draw - the wind. Think windsurfing and kitesurfing. Again, lots of yummy eye candy around. Both sports are physically demanding and the people in the area are serious about their athletic pursuits. Lean, tanned, flexible, strong... did someone turn up the heat in here? Ahem.

Then there's the dancing. The Dominicans love to dance and play music. Loud music.

More next blog.