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Re-visiting ... Playa Grande in Rio San Juan.

Staying at Occidental Playa Grande in Rio San Juan.
Approching the airport of Puerto Plata........

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In 1493 Christopher Columbus came upon this natural harbor
and named it Puerto Plata the Silver Port
due to the platinum-colored reflections
coming off the mist- covered mountains at dawn.
.
After our arrival at Playa Grande
we were greeted by "NANNY" Xenia y "Don Johnson" ,
Xenia did not show us at first her beautiful eyes,
but then you can see yourself..........

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after this encounter we dropped to internet-cave, where
Nestor and Ramon were on the net admiring our site.

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and then in the evening........
El Presidente J.C. Mendoza invited us to Calypso,
.
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to feast on "canard a l'orange" served on the Silver Plate
with excellent Bordeaux.
.



Next day,
we had to get to our "tienda"
to earn some "dineros" ( para beber ),

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we used our private golf cart to get down there,

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we were close to the playa,

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Now we could see the "Playa Grande"

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we started descending to the beach ...


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At the beach we met Diosa Playacita building sand castles,
Carmen playing with the lifeguard ... jejeje
.

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We met Rexi babe and his mentor "Sleepasio".
"Sleepasio" offered to guard our towels ...
we agreed and he was happy guarding them
a bit sleeping...., a bit dreaming,
.
to the beach, to the beach ...

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the Playa was ........ Grande .....
and the waves ... they were also ... Grande ...

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Grande, Grande ....

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we looked at the waves ... and felt the power ...

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to celebrate our encounter with Playa Grande
we went to Calipso ...


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diner at Calipso ...

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culinary lesson, preparing sancocho ... jejeje
.

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washing it down with cabernet
.


On leaving day we went to say Hasta luego to Grande

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last look at " Grande "......
.

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but in our memory we will see her always as Grande Grande.
.
however sad news

on July 26,2011 we received the note from "Golfer" from DR1.


Hotel is closed. Looks like a ghost town. Really sad.
Your pictures also pre-date the most picturesque golf course in the Caribbean,
Playa Grande Golf Course, the jewel of the resort.
The property has changed hands many times since you were there
due to its native beauty
but has never had a successful development plan due primarily to poor access.
No one with money wants to take Mr. Toads wild ride through Gasper Hernandez
and the like every time they visit.
The nearby towns of Rio San Juan and Cabrerra have also suffered
from lack of tourism to the area.
That will change someday with the construction of a North Coast highway
and this beautiful area will enjoy a resurgence.
.
Thanks Golfer.


Below on the rotator you can still admire Playa Grande.





. click below and you can see ... Our first encounter with Playa Grande

. . . .

On the left Windows Media Player on auto, on the right QuickTime Player on manual.