Ubiquities

1. Emaciated, unspayed dogs, typically rummaging through garbage, or lying down on the sidewalk in a motionless sleep so that it appears they are dead.

2. Bancas -- a sort of local betting parlor. More on this later, in another post.

3. Street vendors. They sell everything from clothes and sandals to belts, earrings, and accesories. Also: cell phone cards, chargers, and covers. Food: some of it looks positively awful, although some things are actually better, or at least cheaper and more abundant on the streets -- fruit, for example, of which I buy only unpeeled items -- i.e. bananas, oranges, mangos, pineapples.

4. Haitian immigrants -- they are identified by their skin tone, which is much darker than the Dominicans, who are almost all of mixed race ancestry. They also speak Creole, which sounds a little bit like the French to which it is related.

5. Beggars. I was told NOT to give them money, as many work for crooks who give the beggars only a portion of their proceeds.

6. Shoe shine boys. This is very sad -- most never go to school, and try to eke out a living by charging $10RD per shine, something less than 30 cents. Evidently some of them sniff the shoe cleaning products for a high, as it eases the hunger pangs. Every time I walk on the streets during the day I am asked if I want my shoes shined. This happens even if I am wearing sneakers.

7. Traffic. Cars, taxis, buses, trucks compete for space on overcrowded and inadequate roads. This leads to --

8. Horns blaring. Used nearly as frequently as steering wheels, accelerator, and brakes. I can´t imagine why. No one seems to pay the least bit of attention to a horn honking, no matter how loud or insistent.

9. The love of God for each human being, and every creature under the sun. Good to know when I feel a bit overwhelmed.