ABC Wednesday: D is for Dominican Republic

Dick tans, but I burn!

© Richard Schear photo

In 2004, I accompanied my husband on his company trip to the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean nation which shares an island with Haiti. I have to admit I did go swimming with the dolphins, and it was a thrill. At the time, I had no idea what some nations (not necessarily the DR) did with dolphins who couldn't be trained. I would still say my contact with these amazing animals was one of the highlights of my life, but I no longer support the idea of captive dolphins.

© Kay Davies photos

Although Dick accompanied me to Ocean World, he did not swim with the dolphins. However, the company provided plenty of opportunities for him to amuse himself. This race (right) somehow involved balloons and running. The limbo (below) involved a bit too much bending backward!

An aging jock who taught grades 5 and 6 for many years, and who still referees high school football and basketball, Dick seldom turns down an opportunity for fun and games.

He visited the Dominican Republic on a company trip again with his daughter Monica, and is returning there this month, accompanied by his daughter Randi. If there are races again, my money is on the Alberta team of Dick and Randi.

Posted for the letter D
at Mrs. Nesbitt's
alphabetical meme
ABC Wednesday

© Photos by Richard Schear and Kay Davies, Dominican Republic, 2004

Around the world with mellow yellows

Southeastern Alberta, Canada

Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii

Galapagos Islands

Posted for

Mellow Yellow Monday

hosted by Drowsey Monkey.

Ocean Park, BC, Canada

Galapagos Islands

To see yellows from other places around the world, please click

HERE!

Dick in a sack race, Dominican Republic, 2004

Las Vegas, Nevada                                                                    Photos by Kay Davies and Richard Schear, copyright 2011.

Dominican Republic camera critters are kinda cute

I was delighted to swim with dolphins in the Dominican Republic in 2004. We've since found out how many dolphins are killed at places like this (not necessarily this one) if judged unsuitable for training, and we've decided not to participate in dolphin swims except in the open ocean when dolphins are there voluntarily. 

Rays are so cute when seen close up at Ocean World in the Dominican Republic.
No, I didn't swim with them.                                             Photos by Richard Schear

One of the keepers plays with the nurse sharks at Ocean World.
He did not invite any of the tourists to play with them, and none of us asked to try.

This cricket visited us in our room. Dick gently escorted him out.

Posted for Misty Dawn's Camera Critters meme. To see camera critters from around the world,

CLICK HERE

SWEET SUITE, the memories you gave to us, Thursday Theme Song

COSTA RICA - I remember howler monkeys woke me up

Photos by Richard Schear and Kay Davies

ARIZONA - I remember the spider that bit me

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Dick remembers the swim-up bar

Sweet suite, memories you gave to us
Sweet suite, the memories you gave to us

Take some big adventure trips
Add mosquito nets to this
One man, one wife
Some grief, some strife
Memories are made of this

Sweet suite, memories you gave to us
Sweet suite, the memories you gave to us

Lyrics parody by Kay Davies

SHANGHAI - Dick remembers the breakfast buffet wasn't as large as the one in the Beijing hotel of the same name

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MWN_duZfIs

Posted for Hootin Anni's musical meme
Thursday Theme Song
To find out what gave other people their musical memories,  please click
HERE

How LOW can you GO?????

Gran Ventana resort, Dominican Republic

Photos by Kay Davies

First you spread your limbo feet

Then you move to limbo beat
Limbo ankle, limbo knee,

Bend back like a limbo tree

    Dick be limbo, Dick be quick

    Dick go under limbo stick

All around the limbo clock

Hey, let's do the limbo rock!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgCHOrF5ryY

Posted for Thursday Theme Song. To hear other songs people have chosen, click HERE

G is for Getting Around the World

Okay, so many people have commented on the size of the Giant Tortoise, I thought I'd just add another picture to show you how right you are. Here is a tortoise and a tourist. The adult person is closer to the camera than the tortoise is, so you can imagine how big these reptiles really get. Thanks for all your comments! -- Kay

From the top down:

G is for Galapagos Giant Tortoise, one of the animals the Charles Darwin Research Center in the Galapagos Islands is trying to save from extinction, as we found when we went for a Galapagos cruise on the MV Letty with Ecoventura.

G is for Gran Ventana Beach Resort, where we stayed in the Dominican Republic. I laughed when I saw the swim-up bar: I'd never seen one before. My husband enjoyed it.

G is for Antoni Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect whose buildings attract the attention of all the tourists in Barcelona.

G is for ...no, not garden, but it's a good guess ...G is for grateful to be home: home with my green lawn swing; home where the green arch over the sidewalk is slowly being pulled out of the ground by the aggresive honeysuckle.

Go to ABC Wednesday to find more great pictures.

http://abcwednesdayround3.blogspot.com/

Photos by Kay Davies and Richard Schear