From multi-colour to 6 shades of grey....

So here we are....back in Switzerland after 2 absolutely amazing weeks in the Dominican Republic....and all though all I see through the window from our apartment right now is 6 shades of grey, it doesn't feel so bad to be back home....besides the temperature difference. It's FREEEEEEZING here!

It is amazing how relaxed I could manage to get in 2 weeks, considering how stressed and under pressure I felt before leaving, when having been at the perfect holiday spot: Las Terrenas! Such an incredibly beautiful place with a truly calming atmosphere. 
So what have we been up to during this holiday? Explaining in words is one thing, but thought I'd instead make it a visual update and hence, I have put together a little video with the highlights.

If you have issues viewing this clip, please try this link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMFaGQfRUU0

It is without sound, so no reason why it shouldn't work ;)

In word summary, you could say we have been:
- getting our PADI certified Open Water Divers certificates after taking theoretical and practical lessons at the Profundo Blue Dive Center (the instructor, Paolo, is great and so much fun!! ...and he has a great skipper as well, Nardo. Try it out if you go and want to get certified or just go for some dives!)
- continuing to dive (9 dives in total) and we saw Lionfish (PLENTY!), Barracudas, Queen Angelfish (a real diva ;)), Bermuda cubes, Scorpionfish, a big Parrot fish, a Crab and many many others... I also got a Medusa sting which was less pleasant.
- on a Whale safari (where we were lucky enough to see a humpback whale mama and her little 3 week old  baby!), guided by Kim Beddall. A fantastic experience!
- getting pampered at the SPA hotel we stayed at (especially me! 2 massages, hammam, pedicure and manicure).
- snorkeling a lot!
- horseback riding through genuine Dominican surroundings and terrain to the El Limon waterfall
- swimming A LOT!
- walking on all the beautiful beaches (miles and miles and miles of beaches and almost no people!)
- eating, eating and eating some more......and did I mention eating?!
- exploring the amazing range of yummy rum drinks. Pina Coladas to die for!
- trying and buying locally made cigars
-  reading (I read 3 books: "The winner stands alone" by Paulo Coelho, "Jag vill inte do, jag vill bara inte leva" by Ann Heberlein and "100 sätt att leva klimatsmart & 100 sätt att leva ekologiskt" by Helena Jansson and Mattias Henrikson)
- sunbathing, carefully....always with 30 spf.
- having had sooooo much fun and plenty of relaxing!


This is my 4:th time in the Dominican Republic (you could say it's a little bit of a favourite holiday destination ;)), and every time I go there, I'm so easily and quickly reminded of why: People are so happy and friendly, the music keeps you constantly smiling, so does the weather and the food! ....and the beaches and nature is nothing less than amazing. If you can go - GO!!! 


I would also sincerely recommend the resort we were at, Alisei Hotel! Great service, perfect location, nice rooms, an amazing little SPA with excellent staff, a perfect sized pool, great food and drinks....and the breakfast was amazing!!! I had cinnamon, sugar and butter pancakes almost every morning (ridiculously addictive and as you probably have already figured out, I think calorie counting is useless and takes the joy out of life ;p).


That's all for now..... Have a great start of the week! Hope to see you here again soon.
xox

A post(blog)card from Las Terrenas

Hola!!
As you may know, if you are following this blog, we are right now in Samana, Dominican Republic, enjoying 2 long weeks of holidays.


Our main objective of this trip was to take our diving certificates and hence, we have been diving every day so far on this trip. Yesterday, we passed the exam and are now both PADI Certified Open Water Divers. What an amazing world that has now opened up for us, completely ours to explore, but owned by amazing underwater beings and plants!! Taking the PADI OWD is for sure, one of the best decisions I ever made.....


Today is the first day we take a break from diving. Instead, we plan to visit the El Limon waterfall, to which you have to ride the last distance by horseback. Tomorrow, back to diving again and we then plan to dive down to a shipwreck that has been lost at the bottom of the sea. In this area, there have also been several sightings of humpback whales and as we are now in full season for their yearly visit to the Samana area, we are surely keeping our fingers crossed ;))


xox



PS. As my laptop is unfortunately broken, it is very unlikely I will blog again until I'm back in Switzerland.....next time, hopefully with a photo update ;)

I have a dream!

....a dream filled with visions of the turqoise ocean and the silent sounds of palm-trees swaying in the breeze!

I want to feel the rythms of Merengue and let my heart dance to it while my body is free to join in at any moment!

I miss the divine smell and taste of fresh coconut!

I wanna feel the heat on my skin! That special feeling of waking up, dizzy and overheated after falling asleep for an hour in what was the shade - but then turned into complete sunlight while you were unknowingly napping!

I wanna swim out to a nearby coral-reef and snorkel among colourful fishes and occasionally make an attempt at diving down to pick up an empty seashell from the bottom of the ocean.

I want to sip on drinks in pastel colours, with umbrellas hanging over the edge of my glass, while laughing from the very core of my heart!

I miss the feeling of crunching white sand between my red, painted toe-nails and watching it wear off little by little day by day by the grainy sand....

I think about the feeling of sliding down, level after level, in natural waterslides in the mountain, body and mind filled with fear, joy and adventure, and finally ending up in a blue lagoon with a big splash and a waterfall shower!

I want to have breakfast on the beach-terrace while enjoying the sportive challenge of capturing a tropical humming bird with my camera!

I want to shop for tacky souvenieres and figure out which one to give to who! I wanna hit the postcard stand, close my eyes while spinning it around and get the one my finger is pointing on, no matter who it's for.... I wanna buy the stamps and then feel the last minute stress of realising you have written them all but forgotten to post them (just before the bus leaves for the airport)!

I want to take a dip in the hotel pool, after a full day of swimming in the ocean, building sand-castles and sunbathing, to wash the traces of sea-salt away and cool down my skin to the level where clothes can again accompany my body...

I want to watch the sun set far away on the horizon and then laugh and dance around in a tropical rainstorm knowing that the sun is only hiding out for a few hours....

I want to walk home on the beach under the stars, with the reflection of those same stars in the water beeing the only guiding light. I want to do this after a long evening of dinner, wine and conversations about life, love and what-not and then fall asleep, exhausted, in a comfy hotel bed.

Oh I need to see you again, tropical paradise island!!! I have missed you...

xox
Linda - lost in the land of Dominican Republic dreams while in reality, enjoying my Friday evening in Switzerland ;))