The DR Gringas Life

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Metro Trip to Villa Mella

Well, I finally decided it was time to take the new Dominican subway called the Metro.

I took a walk from Colonial Zone to Ave. Lincoln and from there decided to go and get some chicharones (yes, I like chicharones) in the place that is known for making them, Villa Mella. I thought that maybe Xiomara and Jana would want to go so I gave them a call. It ended up that Jana and I went on this trip together. So I took my daughter (not really mine but she calls me mom).

The Metro was really nice and clean. I was impressed. It was really strange taking public transportation in Dominican Republic where there was no music being played, people were fairly quiet. It was very organized and all went smoothly.

After about 20 minutes we were in Villa Mella, the chicharone capital of DR and looking for a place to get some of that good, greasy and scrumptious pig skin and meat. We walked down a dirt road and stopped in the first colmado. Me for my beloved Presidente beer and Jana got a juice and some gum (she was so excited to find gum for 1 peso). The people sitting outside were very friendly and got us chairs and talked to us a bit. Very nice people. I even had to impress them with my mastery of dancing bachata (seems that people here are always surprised that I can dance bachata half way decent). We asked where was the best place close to get some chicherones and they directed us to a small, nice little restaurant called Tipico Villa Mella. The place is located on Ramon Matias Mella #77 and their phone is 809-568-1131 incase your ever in the area I highly recommend this place.

We placed our order or chicherones (both the hard and soft kind) and some batada (for info on these foods and more) and played with the cat until our food arrived. The food was great and so fresh, for sure different than buying it from the guys in Colonial Zone. The restaurant was playing some old music and the people were all friendly. They even gave us a taste of some foods that I never heard of. Jana has lived here most of her 10 years and she never heard of these either. I even did a search in Google and could not find these foods or what they were made of. But we had some chola and bobote (if anyone knows what the recipe is please let me know). One of these foods is yucca with coconut and the other, who knows. But it was all good. Even better with all the food, a beer and juice the bill was only $250 pesos. What a deal.

We decided to do a walk about but not too far from the Metro entrance so we would not get lost. We fed some pigeons. Talked to some people in different colmados. Then went back to the train as it was just starting to get dark.

We were a little more talkative for the ride back. We were playing with Janas little toy horses and laughing. One guy told us we should be a little more quiet as the police in the train was watching us. Could we be removed from the train for talking and laughing in a normal voice? Well, we weren't removed and got back to the first station. From there we walked back to Colonial Zone. It was a far walk, maybe an hour or so and we were so tired when we got back home. We had some stories to tell Xiomara when we got back all dirty and sweaty with happy content tummies.

Labels: chicharones, colmado, food, metro, train, villa mella, walk

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

11/4 Sunday Walkabout

On Sundays I always liked to walk around where ever my big feet would take me. I loved walking with my dog Sniffy. Now Sniffy is gone my walk abouts are a bit different. No one to talk to as when I walked Sniffy I had to tell her directions since she had no eyes.
So my first walkabout without Sniffy was a bit sad at first. I took my camera in case I saw something picture worthy. I ended up going to Calle las Damas checking the prices of the different monuments to add the info to my web site.
I ran into some people I knew and talked a while. Then I headed to Casa del Reales. The entire time I lived here in the past I never went into a museum so I decided to do a little research. I started talking to one of the guides in the place. We sat together in the window of the museum and talked. We got some chicharones (Fried pork skins. One can usually purchase these in the streets carried on the shoulders of street vendors. Topped with a special vinegar sauce or límon these are very greasy, not that good for you. But they are sooo tasty that once you have tried them you won't be able to resist making the guy stop to sell you a little bit) and had a soda.
Some people from Peru wanted him to be their guide and he invited me along to listen. He really knew his stuff. He went into detail of the history of the country with dates included. I was really impressed as it is hard for me to remember the year I was born (just joking). So we worked out a deal for when I get a tourist that wants alot of history info I can pay him to help me take them around.
After the tour we were talking again and a friend, Buddy (Buddy has let me use many of his pictures on my web site), passed by. He was out on a picture taking walk. So we joined forces and I showed him some of my favorite picture taking spots.
We ended up at the Ruinas del Montasterio de San Francisco. I love that spot especially at night with the lights shining on it. I was looking in the gate and the watchman came around. I told him I had a web site of the Zone and Buddy was my photographer and he let us in to take some pictures.
Then of course we had to stop at the Colmado there for a beer after the hard work of picture taking. lol.
We walked to the other side of the Ruins and enjoyed some more conversation with some locals then walked on.
There were these people eating outside their door and as we passed I said hello, as I always do. They invited us in for lasagna and a few beers. We had a great dinner and met some really nice people. They may be my normal Sunday stop from now on.
We fed ourselves, talked a bit. Buddy took some pictures of the family and will give them these pictures at a later date. Then we walked on. Stopped in another Colmado for a beer then we went our separate ways to our own homes.
It was a great day.
Here are a few of the pictures I took.