Reggaeton it a favorite genre of music among many Dominicans, especially the youth. Whether you are just here for a visit or you are here for a while, like bachata or Merengue you are bound to here Reggaeton while you are in the country.

Like Bachata or Merengue, Reggaeton is not only a Genre of music, but it also comes with its own style of dance. Unlike bachata or Merengue, it is not a native to the Dominican Republic, but it has become very popular in the country.

What’s Reggaeton?

What is Reggaeton?  Well some might say, well you separate the word and you got Reggae and ton. That must mean it has got some Bob Marley in it. While it Reggaeton does have some similarities to Reggae, it is definitely not the same, laid-back, island music Bob played. In fact it is not usually even the same language. (more…)

If you are looking for a national genre of music for the Dominican Republic, you would probably find Merengue at the top of the list. Merengue not to be confused with meringue the sweet fluffy beat egg mixture that goes on top of a lemon meringue pie, is not only one of the most popular genres in the Dominican Republic, but like most Hispanic music is a popular type of dance as well.

Merengue is divided into 3 general categories Perico Repiao, Merengue de Orquesta and Merengue de Guitarra.

Perico Repiao

Perico Repiao, definitely has a more distinct sound than the other two and would have to be the most authentic, least touched by modern influences. Perico Pepiao is characterized by a fast 2/4 beat that is definitely much faster than the rhythm of the other two and can tire out even the most experienced dancers.

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Nestled among the lush mountains along the Northeast coast of the Dominican Republic, Samana Bay proffers the quietest untouched beaches and most radiant turquoise waters in the Caribbean. But, that’s not all the bay has to offer. Wildlife protection organizations estimate that approximately 3,000 Humpback Whales that migrate every year, 80 percent of which travel between 2000 to 4,000 miles to Samana Bay to court and give birth, making it one of the best places in the world for whale watching.

Despite the fact that I have lived here for more than a decade, had repeatedly heard about the whales, and had even recommended that people who came to visit go see them, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I went myself. When I did, it was well worth the trip. Instead of going with one of the travel companies that arrange trips, a friend that lives in Samana took myself, and the small group I had gone with, down to the docks where he used to work and we made arrangements for them to take us out for a few hours. It was amazing. About 20 minutes out the boat captain slowed the boat and we were surrounded by three large males, each of which proceeded to take turns, breaching the water, spouting, tail slapping, and showing off in other ways for whatever single lady whale was in the vicinity. When the wind died down a little, we could even hear them singing their hauntingly melancholy mating song.
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In most cases the Dominican Republic celebrity watch finds the stars visiting the DR beaches or checking out the DR nightlife. In this case though we find a star doing humanitarian relief. Angelina Jolie, goodwill envoy for the United Nations, was in Haiti Tuesday the 8th 2011 visiting Haitian Children in Port-au-Prince. This visit followed a visit on the 7th to the Dario Contreras trauma hospital in Santo Domingo treating another group of Haitian children.

As part of her visit to the Dominican Republic Mrs. Jolie met with the Dominican Republic’s President Leonel Fernandez.
On August 27 of 2001 Mrs, Jolie was named the UN Goodwill Ambassador and has since visited various locations like Kosova, Nambia, Kenya, Thailand, Colombia and Ecuador.

Angelina Jolie and her also famous husband Brad Pit founded the Jolie/Pit Foundation in 2006. Their foundation donated $1 million to Doctors Without Borders to help in relief efforts after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

The Dominican Republic is increasingly becoming the vacation destination of choice for many Hollywood stars. Known for its beautiful white sand beaches and year around good weather, the DR is taking it’s place as one of the Caribbean “Hot Spots”.

One of the latest celebrity sightings is “Dancing with the Stars” Cheryl Burke. Mrs Burke was recently seen on the Punta Cana beaches and allowed the paparazzi a photo shoot. You can follow this link for some of the pictures. (more…)