Island Time: Monday at the office

Sometimes we look at each other and smile, knowing that we are soooo far away from our desk job, and we love it! Yesterday was a great example of that.

We were out in Las Terrenas, scoping out some beachfront lots for a client. On our previous trip out there, we met an eccentric American with a Harvard, Oxford and Sorbonne education, who lives on the top of a hill, in a round house with the most amazing 360 degree views of ocean, palm tree groves, and rolling lush tropical hills. A somewhat preppy guy, he walks around in a straw hat and strikes you as a modern day Thoreau, living in his own “woods” up on this hill when he is not traveling for the US state department as a translator. Together with some partners, this guy owns several large chunks of land. We had made an appointment with him yesterday to see some of the lots.

When we got to his house, he mentioned that two Danes were coming along with us to see the lots. They turned out to be two filmmakers, Frederick and Asgard, who were writing a script for a movie based in Haiti. Asgard’s father turns out to be a very well known Danish filmmaker, Jorgen Leth, whom we also met later in the day – another eccentric looking guy with wild hair and modern European glasses. Anyway, we set off with our American friend in a rented 4WD with his driver at the wheel and the Danes each on ATV quads, following us. Within 5 minutes, it started to rain. Now apparently it had rained there for the past week, so everything was very muddy - a big problem when you are driving up into the hills on steep dirt roads. Halfway towards the lot, the car got stuck in the side of the road in an attempt to get up a muddy steep hill. In the pouring rain, we tried to give the wheels some traction by pushing palm tree leaves and coconuts under the wheels, but that didn’t help.

Here’s what happened after this:

We left the car behind with the driver who was instructed to go and get help.
We all pile on the ATVs and resume trip into the hills towards lot.
We go a ways down the road and over a few more hills where it was decided to leave the ATVs for fear of them getting stuck in the mud as well.
By now, we have ruined our clothing as the red clayish mud was all over us.
We reach the lot on foot (still in the pouring rain) and walk around. WAY TOO FAR OUT for our clients, but interesting to see nonetheless.
The American and the Danes decide to see a bit more of the lot. S and I have had enough and start to trek back to the car in our flip flops – up and over the muddy terrain when at times, it starts to pour.
S and I reach the still-stuck-in-the-ditch car after a 40 minute walk, occasionally standing under huge fern leaves to shield ourselves from the rain. No one is to be found, of course.
We wait and forty minutes later the two Danes arrive, one walking and the other riding two ATVs.
Frederick had flipped his ATV going down a muddy hill and had badly dislocated his thumb. :-( He looked very green and like he was going to pass out!
The Danes take off on one ATV to the hospital (tiny clinic) and leave the other ATV behind with us.
We wait for the American who comes down the hill another 15 minutes later – soaked and very muddy (has fallen multiple times going up and down the hills).
We inform the American about the accident who is obviously quite alarmed and now completely distraught over how this day has gone. He is afterall trying to sell this lot. He's got a rental car stuck in the ditch, a Dane with a broken thumb, and 2 realtor women (us)completely soaked and covered in mud and not interested in lot. So obviously it was a pretty disastrous outing. In fact later, he was calling the lot, "the disaster lot."
We all continue walking down the hill, leaving both the car and ATV behind, which will be dealt with by the American's helper.
We come to the Dominican caretaker’s house at the bottom of the hill. Seeing us covered in mud, the caretaker and his wife quickly pull out a bucket of water and start scrubbing our feet and sandals with a hard brush. We are both embarrassed and amazed but also very grateful to be receiving this "dominican pedicure" at such an opportune time. (We give them some pesos for their kindness.)
We continue walking down the road and eventually catch a ride back to the American's house, getting completely ripped off with the fare but not caring as we are so tired.
We take the American out to a well-deserved lunch at the place where the Danes are staying so that we can check up on Frederick. This is when we meet Asgard’s famous film director father. Frederick’s thumb has been set and all is well – the Danes look very clean while we look like total disasters, especially the American. We have an amazing nicoise salad by the beach at Playa Bonita.
After then dropping off the American, we head back to our hotel room, where the shower is a welcome sight!
The end of a very adventurous day!