Saturday - 2.18.23

Today started out bright and early with a nice hearty breakfast in the hotel. Everyone seemed rejuvenated after our long travel day yesterday. 

Once we left the hotel for our walking tour of the zona colonial, we immediately began to see the rich history of Santo Domingo. We started at the Church of Dominicus, where the name “Dominican” was born. This church housed the people who believed in maintaining humanitarian values and protecting the Tainos who were native to the island before the arrival of Columbus. 

After the church, we continued walking through the colonial zone, stopping at various parks and learning about the monuments there. We were all amazed with the beauty of the buildings and the architecture. We made our way to the Catedrál de Santa Maria and did a guided audio tour inside. The cathedral was impressive both in its size and beauty.

After the cathedral, we made our way to parque Colón (Columbus Park) where we encountered a merengue conjunto (band) and were given an explanation of the instruments and importance of the music. Of course once they started playing, dancing ensued. 

After el parque colón, we went to el panteón Nacional (national moseleum) where we learned the history of many important Dominicans. They also have the changing of the guards and an eternal flame there, similar to in Arlington National Cemetery. 

To conclude our walking tour, we went to the Alcázar (palace) of Diego Colón (Columbus), the son of Christopher Columbus. It was very interesting to see how he and his family lived. All of the students were asking great questions and enjoyed the tour of the palace. 

After the palace, we were all pretty tired from all of the walking and sightseeing. We were also ready for a big lunch. We made our way to el Restaurante Imperial and enjoyed lunch together. We made sure to leave some room for the chocolate that we would be making during our visit to the Kahkow experience.