Sandless in the Caribbean #

via Chicago Tribune - A tourist takes a break from the tourist norms — Josh Noel, the Chicago Tribune's travel writer recounts four days in the historic heart of the Dominican capital.

Much of Santo Domingo's urban and historical richness lives in the Zona Colonial, which is many things at once: It is a living-history UNESCO World Heritage site, a heavily touristed tapestry of parks, shops, restaurants and street merchants, and it is a neighborhood that people call home. Wander its side streets, and Santo Domingo becomes a world of open doors and windows into the lives of the people there: women cooking, children playing. But with ample hotels, restaurants and historical sites, it is well equipped for tourism without managing to ever feel too touristy.

On my third day in town — days I spent walking, eating, visiting museums and lounging in parks...