Would We Go Back?
Most definitely. Of course, since our return, the Dominican Republic has been in the news because eight Americans have died there during the last year. So far, five autopsies have come back that it was natural causes, not poisoning. Other autopsies are pending. The tourism minister points out that 3.2 million Americans visit DR every year, so that’s not a statistically significant number of deaths. And finally, I’d point out that the New York Post, which “broke” this story, is not a bastion of credible journalism.
We met warm, friendly people in both countries who were incredibly grateful that we were visiting. Customer service was fantastic where ever we went, and we had great food, good drinks, and a lot fun.
Bugs
Tropical places have bugs, and many of those bugs bite. For the most part, sprays with eucalyptus and lemon oil suffice. However, some sort of gnat or other hardly visible bug, along with some mosquitos, in Dominican Republic got to us and chewed us up pretty badly. We purchased a hydrocortisone lotion at a local pharmacy (medicines other than Tylenol aren’t available in the grocery store) that worked well to stop the itch.
We also left a box of cereal on top of the refrigerator at our casita in Placencia, Belize, and had a horrible infestation of ants. From then on, we just kept all of our food in the refrigerator. It was a lesson for us to keep food items well sealed in our future explorations.
Water
Is it safe to drink the water? For the places we visited, the answer is yes. Still, we learned many years ago, even traveling in the U.S., different water can upset some tummy systems (especially in our son, Collin, who we learned to give only bottled water when we travelled). As a result, we carry around a couple of Life Straw bottles. These have filters for removing bacteria, parasites, and other ickies from the water. In addition, every Life Straw purchase goes toward getting clean water to those who need it. https://www.lifestraw.com We recommend them because they work, it keeps you from worrying, and the company does good work around the globe.
Wine
We found the excellent wine selection in the Dominican Republic surprising. Wines from Spain and Chile dominated the store shelves, and a wide range of prices and types were available. Las Terrenas, full of Italian and French expats, also has a wide variety of wines available. Outside of the cities, though, it’s rum and Presidente, the Dominican beer that is the #1 selling beer in the Caribbean and way, way better than Belikin, the official beer of Belize.
We also came across a little wine tasting room in San Ignacio, Belize, called Wine Smith, run by the family of a man (named Smith) who left Belize for construction jobs in California and got into wine making. We did buy a bottle of his Zinfandel, and it was pretty good. The family story of the “immigrant made good” and the nieces and nephews working at his hometown shop made it excellent.
When we are in the Caribbean, though, we tend toward rum drinks like mojitos (Heather) and Cuba Libres (Bob). Rum is cheap, and there are so many kinds. We did stop by the Rum Museum in Santo Domingo during our tour, saw how rum was distilled, and got a taste of some really good aged rum. There is so much more to explore!
Santo Domingo Grocery 
Wine Smith Tasting Room 
Info about Wine Smith
Watching Birds
Amazing. Enough said.
Food
Do you prefer rice and beans or beans and rice? I love them both – and got to eat all I wanted in both countries. Chicken is also plentiful and inexpensive. Bob had good beef and pork in both countries, as well. And fish? It’s fresh and abundant and tasty.
When we travel, as much as possible we like to have breakfast and lunch (and even a few dinners) in our hotel/B&B/whatever-we-staying-in that has at least a fridge if not a small kitchen. That means going to the grocery store, and that can provide interesting experiences. The store we found in Santo Domingo was like any American grocery—well stocked and a large selection (except for fruits and veggies) with a full-service bakery and meat market. In Belize, most of the stores were more like overgrown convenience stores. Packaged food is expensive. Rice, beans, and chicken are not.
Local eating and drinking
If you visit Ambergris Caye, you must go to Lola’s Bar. (Full disclosure, it’s owned by the brother of a friend from Los Alamos). We visited several times, partially to catch the NBA Finals but mostly to get to meet some of the local folks. We had a different experience each time and absolutely loved it. We also loved places like the Secret Deli and Dixie’s Smoothies (the fresh strawberry-mango smoothly during mango season is a must). The establishments were tiny. Dixie’s, is in fact, just a door in the wall, if not a hole in the wall. But the service and food were excellent.
One of the great things about traveling to places like DR and Belize is the lack of chains and the authentic people you get to meet while eating excellent food.
Talking with locals
Speaking of meeting people, since we are looking at potentially moving permanently to these places we are exploring, visiting with locals is essential to our research. In Belize, especially, it is remarkable how open people were and willing to talk about the good and the bad. Often folks would strike up conversations with us, and they ranged from trekking through the jungle as part of the army to being a homeless child on the streets. Take opportunities to introduce yourself to people in restaurants or bars, church, the beach, or other locales. You never know when you will make a new friend.
One Final Note on Diving
How many times have you seen a documentary with divers doing a backward roll off the boat? I’ve always thought that looked super cool. It is! It was one of many aspects of the diving on this trip that I just loved. Me and Jacques Cousteau!
As I type, the house is about a week away from going on the market. New adventures await!