I went to look out the window and there in the street was a young police man just laying there face down with all the money changer guys, the taxi guy, the parking guy, anther police man and a few people I did not recognize who ended up being the owners of the car the motorbike-riding helmet-less policeman crashed into.

The policeman was laying face down in the street. He was trying to get up it seemed. The guys there held his elbows and lifted him to his feet. He could not stand so they laid him back down face first. He didn’t seem to have any strength in his legs.

Police laying in the street

I was yelling in my head for noone to move the guy. It looked like he could have a back or neck injury. But here when there is a crash and someone is hurt they usually always just pick the person up and place them in the back of whatever vehicle is around and transport to the hospital.

This is what they did here. Four men, each holding an appendage, carried the guy, still face down to the waiting car. It was the car the motorbike riding policeman hit. The policeman was holding his head up but nothing else seemed to be moving.

Carrying the injured man to the waiting car

They put him in head first down on the back seat. Then they pushed and pulled to get him into the car. This entire time I was winching thinking about protecting his neck and back but they were only thinking about getting him into the car.

Pushing the injured man into the car

Then the drivers got into the car with people yelling out where the nearest hospital was. Someone should have gone with them to show them where the hospital was but noone did. The other police just stood there like he might have been a bit dazed holding his gun.
Where the red circle is is where I think the policeman on the bike hit the window head on. It is cracked.

Policeman loaded into the car with cracked side window and on way to hospital.

Then they picked up the bike with the other policeman looking on still a bit dazed and took it off the road. They were picking up pieces of it off the road. The policeman pushed it off to the station on the next street over.

Checking the bike

Then all the guys had to stand and discuss what happened. From what I picked up the policeman, again I saw NOT wearing a helmet, braked fast as he did not stop going through the intersection which is the normal thing here. He flew off the bike and went head first into the window of the car. The car was not going fast. The policeman riding in the back just went down with the bike and did not get hurt bad. The driving policeman ended up face first in the middle of the street. Things like this happen here often because noone stopps at street corners and people do not wear helmets.

I hope the man is OK. I feel so bad. There was no police taking a report. There was no ambulance. There was no back or neck board. I felt sick watching it all happen and still do not feel that great. I will try and find out how the young policeman is later today.

I was going to have this posted right after the accident but nooo… As I was uploading the pictures the electricity went out for the second time today so I ad to wait to post this breaking news for an hour after the fact when the electric came back on. I think they are working on fixing the stuff after the Hurricane Isaac past us by.

Thank goodness the big one did not happen. We were spared again here in Dominican Republic. We got some rain in Santo Domingo. We got some wind. Nothing out of the ordinary. It will still be bad for many people because of rain, wind, mud slides and the angry sea.

Yes, the sea is rough my friend here on the Malecon in the Colonial Zone area. I might walk down later a little closer to the Malecon to get some better pics all depends on how much I feel like fighting the wind.

Teli, my dog, did not really enjoy her morning outing. She was jumping at every little thing banging and there were lots of little things banging around.

I went to the roof and took some pics and a video. So here they are. Some pics are from yesterday and now today. You can see the difference in the sky and the angry sea.

Isaac from my roof 8-23-2012 at 11.45am

Isaac from my roof 8-23-2012 at 11.45am

Hurricane Isaac from my roof 8-24-2012 about 1PM

Hurricane Isaac from my roof 8-24-2012 about 1PM

Hurricane Isaac from my roof 8-24-2012 about 1PM

Aug. 25, 2012 We passed the night here in the Colonial Zone area with out many problems. The electricity was on and off, mostly off. The night was hot and sticky without a fan and could not open the windows. I’m hoping that maybe I sweated off a few pounds. Yea, right.

My poor baby Teli was not really pleased with the entire thing. Shes still afraid of lots of things and wind and rain are some of the many on the list. She pretty much was at my side at all times. That was fine with me.

Something exploded in Parque Colon, probably a transformer which happens often in this country. A tree branch went down on the road at the corner of Isabel la Catolica and Jose Gabriel Garcia but the neighbors cleared it off the road as soon as it happened. It is laying at the park entrance.

I had my computer covered with plastic and the front balcony area also covered with a tarp. I did not want anything getting to my dear old puter.

My computer is covered and safe

Here are a few pictures a taxi driver friend, Juan Carlos of JC Taxi Services, sent me this morning. He took these on the Malecon in Santo Domingo. I will try and get some more pictures throughout the day and post them here so keep checking back for updates.

The waves from Hurricane Isaac as seen from Hotel Jaragua, Santo Domingo

The waves from Hurricane Isaac on the Malecon is Santo Domingo

Many areas of the country have problems. Houses gone, people cannot return to their homes because of high water, trees down, roads damaged. I will keep you posted.

Aug. 26, 2012 Teli, the Dominican Dog, and I went out for a walk-about to see what we could see after waiting and waiting for the rain to stop we finally decided we would just get wet. I was checking out the window and one of the guys in the street had a new type of umbrella. He has a piece of foam stuck on the top..interesting..

The electricity was good early in the AM. I got to write yesterdays update but soon after the electric went out again. It went out about 10ish, not sure exactly. I got my trusty Kindle out and laid in bed with the flashlight and read with Teli at my side. I had to use the flashlight because I had to have all the windows closed because of the rain. Since the windows are the slat metal type not glass there was no light coming in at all.

By around 2:30PM I figured we might as well just go out. The rain was not going to stop and I was tired of laying and reading with no electric.

I got a cold shower (no hot water when the lights are out and no sun to make it warm either) and Teli and I were off. Here are some pictures we took. Remember here in Colonial Zone it is much different than other parts of Santo Domingo and the entire country. Here we do not have as much flooding and wind damage.

Teli is checking out her park. Some branches down and puddles that she has to walk around but all good so far.

Teli checking out her park, Parque Rosado

There is a part of the Parque Rosado where water does not drain into the dirt. There must be lots of coral below. So this pool appeared in Telis park.

Parque Rosado new swimming pool..lol

The stairs were covered with branches and puddles looking down toward the Malecon.

The stairs at the end of Calle las Damas.

This poor tree lost its hold on Mother Earth and went down. I hope it can be saved. I love this tree.

Tree down in Parque San Jose

Someone seemed to have lost their shoe in the Park San Jose. Poor lost shoe. It looks so lonely.

A lonely shoe in the park

The sea was not as rough as the day before. But thus lone 3-legged chair had a good view of the sea at the Parque San Jose and the Malecon at Calle 19 de Marzo.

Chair in Park San Jose watching the sea

These 2 pictures made me laugh. This man is all alone watching the waves in the Caribbean Sea deep in thought it seems. Until a group of ladies pass by. He must stop to contemplate on them also.

Man watching the sea

Man watching the ladies

The view up and down the Malecon which is the road that runs along the Caribbean Sea here in Santo Domingo.

The Malecon and Caribbean Sea in Santo Domingo

The Malecon, Santo Domingo

Calle Arz. Nouel being cleansed by the hard rains of Hurricane Isaac.

Calle Nouel in Colonial Zone drenched it the rain

Calle Nouel with Hurricane Isaac rains

When it rains hard you mush watch for water streaming out of peoples roof pipes. The water comes down hard and fast. I have been caught off guard many times and got soaked in a second not paying attention to this water.

Calle Sanchez and Nouel

Calle Arz. Portes at Isabel la Catolica always has a drainage problem. A little rain and it fills up fast. We who live in the area always know never to walk that section of street when it rains unless you want to get your little toes wet.

Calle Arz. Portes drainage problem

So this is my report for this day. Tomorrow is another and it is still raining off and on. There are roads and bridges collapsed in other parts of the country. People displaced and homes lost. Thank goodness this was not a strong storm.

These 2 pictures were taken in a small alleyway in Colonial Zone. I love the art.

It looks like these may be new police recruits. I am not really sure but the park was full on nice looking young men all in white shirts.

This tree is in front of the Church and Convent of Las Mercedes in Zona Coloniallove life. I love the poles lovingly holding up the branches that provide welcome shade for so many.

We had a bit of rain off and on. This is a neighborhood boy, Jimmy, waiting for the rain to stop so he and his friends could continue their game of ball in the Parque Rosado.

Teli, The Dominican Dog, posing with the gargoyle statues in front of the oldest cathedral in the Americas, Cathedral Santa Maria. These statues are lined up along side of the immense building. The thing that really struck me was that Teli has some Greyhound in her. In Spanish Greyhound is Galgo. It is very close sounding to Gargoyle, which is what i thought people were saying when Teli first came to live with me. I did not understand that they were talking the bread of dog not the nasty monster type creatures.

I tried to get her to sit on the pedestal there to pose but she would not do it. I will keep trying.

It was a great week! I wrote this and stuck it onto a picture takes in the central mountains of Dominican Republic.

Having a Birthday Party in the Colmado

Sitting and relaxing in the park.

The big boys playing in the water from the fire hydrant

The kids playing in the water.

Sitting relaxing in Parque Colon

Getting ice cream form the Bon Man.

Taking a little nap in the Colmado

Hanging out in the Colmado with friends and a cold drink.

Having a snack of Potato Chips with ketchup. What else could one want??!!LOL!

Everyone is taking cover wherever they are able.

The people taking a little tour ride on the ChooChoo Colonial are getting a little bit wet but they are still having a good time.
I heard laughter coming from inside the train.
Peace back at you my friend.

It has brought a reprieve from the heat.
I like the rain at times.
Now is one of those times.

The roads are filling with water. The pigeon is hanging out on the rooftop.

Politur abandons their motorbike and takes refuge in the Larimar Museum while the poor bike drowns.

The roads are wet. The large bus stops to wait out the downpour. The pigeon watches….

The motor bike passes, the humans are huddled under the porch of the Palacio de Borgellá hiding from the wetness. The pigeon is enjoying a free shower.

If you had a choice and you were not afraid of having to be “adult” or “grown-up” or “responsible” where would you rather be? Under the porch with the frightened hoards of humans or the pigeon on the rooftop enjoying the feeling of the water flowing down your back? I am with the bird!

Enjoy your day as Teli (The Dominican Dog) and I will be enjoying ours.

The above picture has the Caribbean Sea circled. It is the same color gray as the sky. It is difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. This is the view out my Colonial Zone balcony window to the right.

I love the sky with its evil looking clouds. I put some arrows to point out the points of interest. This is the view out my Zona Colonial balcony window to the left. I hope the pointers pointing the points make their point. Ok, I am being just plain silly but I hope I made my point. Anyhow, here is a little picture tour or my window view.
Red arrow – The oldest cathedral in the Americas, The Cathedral de Santa Maria.
Teal arrow – The Hard Rock Cafe sign.
Blue arrow – The Palacio de Borgellá.
Pink arrow – ChuChu Colons Coke-a-Cola train.
Purple arrow – A human watchman.
Yellow arrow – La Casa del Sacramento. The place where the Archbishop of the Dominican Republic hangs out.

This is the view out my balcony window straight ahead.

Sometimes in these processions of very expensive Jepetas (know as SUV’s elsewhere), Hummers down to the local guaguas and public cars with their painted roofs of yellow and green, all take part and join in the hoopla for their chosen party. Sometimes the politicians are even in the parades, waving from the sunroof opening in their painted Jepetas and Hummers. Every where they pass they cause havoc. Traffic jams, noise, people fighting sometimes, there has even been instances where the fights turn deadly.

These are from a few weeks ago, in Santa Barbara away form all the campaigning, and still there were giant traffic jams with the locals direction traffic and I even saw people getting out of their cars to direct the traffic because no one could move. My friends, Teli (my dog) and I just sat there watching, laughing and drinking a nice cold beer (the dog didn’t drink).

This jam lasted for about 2 hours. At one time no one could move as cars were all jammed together in all directions. They think if they just keep moving forward an opening will magically appear. I just couldn’t believe it when they got out of their own cars to direct the traffic as you can see in the one picture.

Twas the night before Christmas Eve in the Colonial Zone. I was snug in my bed with my dog Teli. Just dozing off there arose such a clatter. I didn’t want to get up to see what was the matter, but after the sirens and music came closer I had just to check. I went to the balcony, threw open the shutters and grabbed my camera. What to my wondering eyes did appear but a giant procession of lit up cars with lazer lights-a-flashing and speakers-a-pounding turning from Calle Padre Billini onto Isabel la Catolica. They were wahooing and yeahing all these political campaigning creatures. Not caring about the people trying to get some shuteye. There were jepetas and hummers with shiny bright lights. Then came music and sirens to no ones delight. These noise makers kept rounding the corner. I never thought it was going to end. The sirens were sirening and the car alarms alarming, the people in the vehicles just kept on careening. As they drove off into the night on up Isabel la Catolica on to disturb others in their beds. Distributing their mayhem. They left behind a ringing in the ears and a slight smile on the lips. But worst of all was the car alarms they left ringing. The owners must have been partying in some local bar oblivious that their cars were yelling into the night…for 2 hours!!! Gotta love this country even if you don’t always!

This is the video I took. My camera has not been taking the best videos lately. I think it is getting old and is dying slowly. Sometimes it works well and others it just is.

At least you will get the idea of that noisy night. You might want to check the speakers because it is a bit loud.

I got a dog, thus the Dog Blog. Her name is Inteliperra. Not inteligente, which means smart, I figured inteli – GENTE means smart person cause it says Gente which maens people. My dog is not a gente she is a perra so I called her Inteli – PERRA. Get it? For short she is just Teli.

She is smiling in this picture. Isn’t she cute?

She is the normal type of dog breed you see in the streets here in Dominican Republic. Wiry, thin, tan with the black face. They call them here Boca Negra (Black Mouth), Vida Latta (sort of lives out of a tin can which also means a mixed breed). She looks alot like a Belgin Malinois. But no matter what she is I fell in love with her after a few days of her living with me on November 3rd. Now she is my baby and she stole my heart.

She is a bit of a nervous dog. She knows how to walk on the leash and I have taught her lots of tricks. I know her other owner taught her stuff too. (She was found in a park when she was a puppy almost dead, was rescued and brought back to health and loved, then the family had to move to a smaller home and couldn’t keep her, this is how she came to live with me). She likes to hang out on the sofa when I am working and she always likes to be where I am.

I have been working with her but she is so nervous and frightened. When she gets in the fright mode she doesn’t hear anything. She just wants to get home. She is much better but she still needs lots of work and love. She doesn’t like open doors when we pass them in the street. Any sudden noise she goes crazy. The rustling of the palm trees she gets nervous. When we pass the school and she hears all the noise inside she gets nervous. She hates when there is a marching group in the street. She is afraid of the washing machine. She wont come to the living room when I have laundry hanging on the enclosed balcony. She doesn’t like waving flags. Sometimes I think she sees ghosts when she jumps at nothing. But I am working with her.

She needs to get calm so she can work her business being a tour guide here in Colonial Zone. She is working on being the mascot for the Zone. She already has her own park, Plaza Pellerano Castro, where if you want to meet her, she is usually walking around there in the evening. She has her own Colmado where she is the Mascot it is across from her park, Colmado Omar I. Common down and she will always accept 10 pesos of salami if you want to buy. Just remember, you have to ask me first before you give her a treat. She is not allowed to accept stuff from strangers unless I say its OK first.

You might also see her in her favorite place to go to the bathroom, in front of the Forteleza Ozama on Calle Las Damas. She gets to go to the bathroom in front of one of the oldest forts in the new world and on the oldest street. She also likes to walk in the church yard at the Cathedral, the oldest in the new world and the Plazoleta de los Curas because it is usually quiet there.

So if you want to keep up on the Dominican Dog, Teli. Please check her blog, The Dominican Dog blog. Also if you want to adopt your own dog please consider a shelter dog. They are such a blessing and they need so much love and will give it as well. There are many shelters here in Dominican Republic. If you want to adopt a dog here send me an email and I can direct you to many of the places here in Santo Domingo.

How can you resist this face?