Now we get to the good stuff. Jamao al Norte, a little town in the north of the country that most Dominicans have never heard of. The community has established an amazing ecotour organization there. The young male founders explored the countryside, scoped out routes and eventually got funding from the Inter-American Development Bank. The tours are invigorating and beatiful; I went on three, and they each cost about $30 per!!!
I arranged a taxi from Santiago (or rather, Jamao Ecotours did) to meet the group directly at the site for my first excursion, before even going to Jamao proper. The group was me, another tourist from Colombia, and two guides. One of the bosses was also there to see us off.
Here’s the excursion!
While waiting for the rest the group, I decided to take my driver out to a fancy schmancy breakfast. 
Yuca, eggs, spaghetti, onions and fried cheese. Breakfast of champions. (Not bad, really.) 
Relief is at hand. 
The view from the breakfast place. 
OK let’s start hiking! 
Quite a lot of wading through water. It was great, we were in the mountains sort of but it was not cold. 
The rocks were slick unfortuately … my hiking shoes were not great for slick rock walking, I was a bit slippy slidy. 
Doing something. 
The other tourist. 
After the hike was over, we all sat down 
And had a delicious Dominican meal.
And – best of all – were the jumps. Here are a few vides of that happening.
After that, we were into Jamao proper, which lets you know when you’re there.
The next day I didn’t have any excursions going on, so I talk a walk. I strolled a few clicks to small, nearby town called Las Filipinas, and then walked down to try to find a bar called the saloon.
Walking down that road to town 
looking at the views. 
That’s a good one! 
It was fun to see horses being used practically all over the place. 
And asses. 
This lady invited me to have some rice with her. I accepted and played catch with the kid with some balled up socks. He loved it. 
At this point I decided I had walked far enough in this direction. 
This guy pulled up on a moto and sold me a tasty biscotti ice cream! 
OK let’s find that bar. 
Looking around… 
Well I never found it. 
But someone gave me a ride on a moto to this place and I bought he and I a beer. 
I also continued to explore where I was staying – which was amazing! An estate run by a German family about 7 kilometers from town (I would order a $4 motorcycle taxi to get around.) The place was beautiful, and the food very delicious.
Off the main road to the estate. 
Through some nasty mud. 
Getting there. 
And we found it. 
Here’s my room. 
Little sitting area outside the room. 
Little paths and walkways to explore. 
Chickens and guinea fowl. 
Views from the estate. 
These parakeets came to feed every day. 
Breakfast. 
Fish. 
Dinner (every night different!)
The following day was a leisurely kayak tour; I took the motorcycle taxi out to the kayak site.
My final day I went on a mostly relaxing hike.
Though there was a nice jump at the end. I went off this one three times; below are two of them.