DU in the DR
By Charlotte Myers & Parker Litts
Page Title
Fortaleza Ozama
Night Life
Merengue with the locals
On Sunday nights, the colonial zone is alive. Just down the street from Hotel Mercure, where we stay, is a square where the party goes on among the ruins. People, young and old alike, gather from around five o'clock to around ten o'clock for what is like a giant block party.
Plastic chairs and tables line the steep street leading down to the ruins where the band stands to play. In order to insure a seat, you would need to arrive early because the crowd grows strong as the evening goes on.
The nearby bars are open for business, and their waiters come around with snacks and beverages. Meanwhile, the dance floor is coming alive. Merengue is the popular dance here, as well as Salsa, but do not worry if you do not know how- the locals will be glad to teach you!
"We had a great taste of the Dominican culture, and what they do for fun. With live music and what seemed to be the whole town, the street turned into one big block party. It was great to observe how the people genuinly enjoy music and dancing. They taught us the merengue. Everyone was so friendly and eager to teach us. It was a great, fun time to see how everyone comes together and enjoys themselves."
-Charlotte
Club 77
Nightlife is popular for adults, young and old. Not far from the ruins is a popular club called Club 77 where live bands play. The band members take turns playing and joining the club-goers on the dance floor. Merengue is the most popular dance here too.
The walls at Club 77 are unique because they are decorated by the visitors of the club. The people who come in sign their name on the walls in marker, creating a one-of-a-kind wallpaper. This year’s Drexel group signed the wall with our name, “DU El Equipo”.
It is very easy to make friends with the band members and the local Dominican people. They are a friendly, outgoing crowd. Most of the people we met were interested in where we were from and were happy to teach us Merengue. It is great to interact with local people to practice Spanish and get a better sense for their culture. However, it is still important to stay in groups and not give out personal information!...watch out for Tigeres!