Tag Archives: caribbean

Sirens

Sirens

(Sirenia in Latin means mermaid)

The Sirens have been around since man started exploring the world by sea. Mermaids have enchanted and accompanied many a sailor on their journeys throughout the Caribbean.

Interpretation of Siren or Mermaid by Artist-Illustrator Ray Wu
Interpretation of Siren or Mermaid by Artist-Illustrator Ray Wu

The Sirens have been around since man started exploring the world by sea. Ancient maps have drawings of sea serpents and mermaids. Cristóbal (Christopher) Columbus men saw Sirens in their many journeys throughout the Caribbean.

In recent times a mermaid is portrayed as being beautiful but in this time they were said to be ugly. Columbus wrote in one of his journals “[A crewman] saw three mermaids, who rose very high from the sea, but they are not so beautiful as they are painted, though to some extent they have a human appearance about the face.”

Sirens are said to lead seamen astray with their singing and womanly shapes. This was done by enchanting the mortal if they stopped to listen to the song. If a man listens to the song of a siren they will never return to their family again.

It has been said that entire ship crews were enchanted. This is why many ships were lost at sea forever. Ships run ashore and sometimes entire crews are said to have been suffocated by these mythical creatures of the sea. Just spotting a siren is very bad luck.

Manatees

It is thought that these sirens or mermaids were really Manatees. The tails of mermaids in the drawings closely resemble the manatees. Maybe the long hair is attributed to the way manatees rise from the water and have seaweed dangling from their large bodies. They could look like they are trying to embrace a man as they embrace their young in the same way a woman might embrace a man. Yet, for a man to see a woman in a 2000 pound manatee is way out there for sure. Could it be that being at sea too long he wanted a woman so bad that he was hallucinating? Men long ago did like a more voluptuous woman, but for them to think a manatee was a woman is pushing it a bit.

So, if you are a man at sea and yearning for a woman beware when one rises out of the sea and starts singing to you. Don’t fall prey. Get to a doctor and fast to be treated for hallucinations. Because if you succumb you may never return to life as you know it….

Did you know….

*Sirenomelia or mermaid syndrome is a rare birth defect where one is born with their legs joined together.
*It is said the American Indian tribe Penobscot is descended from a mermaid.
*The Selkies of Scottish and Irish legend are more seal and mated with man.

Colonial Zone and Dominican Republic

The Guide To The Colonial Zone And The Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic, located on the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola, is a country rich in culture. The friendly people and the diverse land make it a unique and fun place to visit. Come and visit the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There are so many places to see and things to do.

Panorama view of Santo Domingo. The Caribbean Sea, Rio Ozama and the Colonial Zone as seem from the Faro at Punta Torrecilla.
Panorama view of Santo Domingo. The Caribbean Sea, Rio Ozama and the Colonial Zone as seem from the Faro at Punta Torrecilla.

The island has lush green valleys, tropical rain forests, dry desert environments. There are sleepy villages, bustling cities, sprawling farmlands and the highest mountain in all the Caribbean, Pico Duarte. The music,
Merengue (amazon link) is the national music & Bachata, the happy people and their love for baseball. All these things and more add to the vibrant culture you can experience when visiting.

Important Information & New Pages

*It is Hurricane season. Are you prepared? Hurricane Information and Resources.
*It is time for CARNIVAL! Learn about the traditions and the characters of Dominican Republic Carnival.
*About the Antiguo Palacio Arzobispal, the Colegio Dominicano de la Salle, Bullfighting and more.
*Updated the picture albums. Old and Historical Pictures of Dominican Republic. and Pictures of the Palacio Nacional.
*Live web cams in Dominican Republic
*The history of Juan Pablo Duarte
* Parque Colón and the controversial Columbus Statue.
* The history of Parque Independencia and The Altar de la Patria
*Museo de las Reales Atarazanas (MAR) / Museum of Royal Shipyards
*General Rafael Trujillo
*Information about The Northern Walls and Forts of Colonial Santo Domingo that are mostly lost to the world.
*Take a Road Trip – Dominican Republic Provinces and Road Trips
*The “Homeless Jesus” sculpture
*Dominican Republic Superstitions – Marriage, Death, Water, Home
*History – The Story of the Hermanas Mirabal

Discover Dominican Republic and The Colonial Zone

The Dominican Republic is an island with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. Since we are an island we have hundreds of beaches that you can visit. You can relax on a quiet rocky beach or maybe you want to swim on a white or black sand beach. You might want to do surfing, diving, windsurfing or sailing. You can dance the night away in the sand or a bustling discotec. Maybe you just want some peace and quiet you can find that also. You can also choose to visit one of our many sweet, clear and cool water rivers or visit the largest salt-water lake in the Caribbean. We have it all.

The country has all types of travel and vacation options.

You can visit a 5-star all-inclusive resort or travel very economically and rest your head in a small Dominican owned hotel or hostel. Visit our large, bustling cities or a sleepy country village. You must make sure to visit the oldest city in the Americas, Colonial Zone (also known as Ciudad Colonial (History of Colonial Zone in a nutshell), Zona Colonial or as the locals call it, La Zona), for a fantastic cultural experience. Visit over 300 cultural and historical places. Walk the streets. See and live the history.

Experience all of the wonderful things this island, nestled in the crystal blue Caribbean Sea, has to offer for yourself.

You will take with you many wonderful and happy memories of your adventures and of the friendly Dominican people.

Once you visit you will want to return to visit us again and again.

A Night In Dominican Republic – Tropical Music – Various Artists – ITunes