What "was not" is so close by...

It is a strange, and even embarrassing, thing to say that after only two and a half months in a city three-million people large, that a particular vision of a home does not exist... and then an hour later, to find it. This is the most embarrassing, and actually exciting, part. The house I describe as my expectation in my previous post, was outside my window.

I know, I know, how could I possibly not know it was right there all the time? Well, I have walked every street (almost) in every direction (almost) from the front of the Residencia Buen Pastor. I wanted to learn the area, and what was where - restaurants, grocery stores, Internet Cafe's, etc, etc. I did this every afternoon for a week, sweating like crazy! (And thereby learning why most Dominicans don't walk much.)

I saved the quiet, residential side street for last, because it was obvious there was not food in that direction. But after a week of long exploratory walks followed by five flights of stairs to get to my room, followed by shower number two of the day - the stairs got harder and harder, instead of easier. And, well, finding no good restaurants (I later found one) and no grocery stores (though I tried twice) within walking distance, I quit walking about randomly.

So let's get back to my declaring what could not be found in the entire city of Santo Domingo, though I only know two small areas: the Colonial City (Zona Colonial) and University City (Sector UASD). And, let's get back to looking out my "window" (more in another post why that is in quotes).

Look just beyond all the dangerously hijacked electricity lines...



Let's review my non-existent rental house: "trees full of purple blossoms drooping down to shade me as I read a book on my patio," then take a closer look at the trees on the left of this property...

Not sure about the color of those flowers?

Don't think there is enough greenery? Let's look at another home on this street...

But that's behind a big gate, you say? How can I be "waving to friendly neighbors, some of whom drop by for a chat, and offer me a freshly squeezed jugo natural of orange juice, or pineapple juice"? Let's try another house, on the street, outside my "window".

Alright, so you think I am a fool. "It certainly does exist!" you exclaim. Well, not quite. These are most certainly not rental properties, and even if they were, they would be a few thousand instead of a few hundred dollars to rent. But we can still dream, right? Right.

Enough evidence of my foolishness. Now, I still owe you pictures of the Jardín Botánico Nacionál, yet...not tonight.

Heather J. Kirk, Photographer, Author, Graphic Designer
Find her art at: Fine Art America.com and Search Heather Kirk
and HeatherJKirk.com