Arrival at the airport in Santiago, Republica Dominicana. It was 4am when we got in and if not for some friends (Juan-Luis and sister Angie) we made on the plane, we would have overpayed for our taxi. The whole family was at the airport to pick them up and they waited with us for 30 minutes until a taxi driver friend of theirs showed up to take us to Sosua.

Juan-Luis' youngest brother. I brought a small Mets' hat down with us and so I gave it to him as thanks to his family.

The next morning, Lou and I awoke to perfect skies and seas at the Hotel Felix Koch in Sosua.

The Hotel Koch is right on the water , overlooking a beautiful beach. We got the best room in the place, for $30 a night. Top floor, big patio, in the building next to the water.

Lou lays out.

Buddha and the Beach

Past our patio lay the best beach in Sosua. It only formed a few years ago, after some unusual weather or currents or something. Before then, there was only a rocky cliff behind the Hotel. Unfortunately, since then, the hotel hasn't built a beach access, so you have to walk 5 minutes around the block and sneak through another hotel to get down there. No big deal, the security guard was very helpful.

Our modest room. Simple, but sufficiently comfortable. Hopefully the hotel will perform some rennovations in the coming years to stay competive.

Ms. Gisella Koch Engstrom, the daughter of Mr. Felix Koch, 89, who built the hotel. Mr. Koch is one of a boatload of Jews who were saved from the Holocaust by the DR when the rest of the world (including the USA) didn't want them. Gisella really helped us feel at home.

Sosua. PJ's on the right is where we spent our first meal while we got our bearings.

Caribe Tours schedule from Sosua to Santiago