Colonial Zone Saturday, Part 2

  Since the control of where pictures go is not up to me, but whoever controls blogspot, I became frustrated and decided to separate to a new post.  Our next adventure was a carriage ride.  The "powers that be" apparently like this picture and wanted it to be on top of the last post, but it didn't actually fit the story that way, so we'll see what they do with it this time.

We rolled along, seeing various sights.  I will try to include some and hope they allow me to put them in the order I choose.

The walking street in  the Zone--shops, restaurants, etc.

The gate at one end of the Conde, used to divide those who were "in" from those who were not.

Monument to the three Mirabel sisters, martyred in the effort to oust Trujillo, the dictator.

Ruins of a church/hospital built between 1503 and 1508, destroyed (by a hurricane, I think), rebuilt, again destroyed and left as a ruin.  Birds like the little holes in the wall for nests.  On the right on the wall is a dark oval which is a beehive!  You might want to click on this and enlarge it. It was supposed to be the first stone church/hospital (unclear when it was used as what) here.

                   

      We think this is called the Pantheon, memorial to some who have died and quite grand.  This soldier stands unmoving for two hours.  I couldn't do it for five minutes!  Discipline!
      We have previously toured the oldest cathedral in the Americas, also in the Colonial Zone and Diego Colon's (Columbus) large home.  They are on other posts.
       We finished our day with lunch at an outdoor cafe across the plaza from Diego's.  You can see his house in the back, as well as the sailing ship.

                   

   

                                         

Spanish Sailing Ship built in 1927

   A couple of weeks ago we had a Saturday to enjoy the colonial zone--which dates back to early 1500s during the first Spanish days here.  First, however, we toured a visiting Spanish sailing ship.  Parts of it were quite elegant--woodwork, etc.  One of the officers took us around and then we were able to see a few additional things.  Here are a few pictures:
   

     Scouts, check out these knots!  Important for sailors too!

Here we have an authentic Spanish omelet on an authentic Spanish ship!

It was breakfast for some of the crew and we peeked into the kitchen!

Next on the agenda--walking up and up and up the stairs to the colonial zone.

  Our friends, the Mortensons, were with us.  He was one of the first 10 missionaries into the Dominican Republic in 1978 and now they are back as a couple in the office.