Cousins in Town

Because we live outside of the U.S. we don't get many visits from family so it is always special when we do. This week my mother's cousin (so therefore my cousin)and her friend, Pat, are visiting our adopted nation and spending a couple days of their trip with us.
Jessie was an officer in the military, but she's so sweet it's hard to imagine her giving orders.
The two of them and sisters, Julie and Sharon made plans to vacation here on the island and took time out of their schedule to come into the capital to have lunch with us. It's always fun to introduce friends to some of our favorite places here, and this was no exception. Their taxi driver brought them directly to Adrian Tropical, a nice restaurant situated right on the ocean front. We had a wonderful time getting to know the friends and catching up with the cousins. Then, of course, since no tourist trip to Santo Domingo is complete without a trip to the souvenir market, we all headed out to Mercado Modelo where everything you could possibly want to take home is sold. From coffee to machetes, from paintings to tarantulas, you can buy it! Of course not everyone thought shopping was a must-do. Some just watched the others shop!