December is also the holiday season. On Christmas and New Year's eve, whole roasted pigs join the regular offerings of sugar cane and coconut milk. The Zona Colonial, the oldest section of Santo Domingo, reminds me of the French Quarter in New Orleans. The scale of the buildings, huddled shoulder to shoulder, is the same. Both cities have an interesting blend of storefronts and homes.
Balconies line narrow streets.
Both, of course, were established under Spanish rule. Santo Domingo is older, founded in Columbus's day, and parts of the old city reflect that era. Fortified walls face the sea. Sixteenth century forts are now museums. Guns seem to be a continuing part of the Dominican culture, at least in the capitol.