Souvenirs made in the DR

Souvenirs are tangible memories of a vacation or holiday that one carries back to one's home country. They may be practical or whimsical, but most of all, they should capture the essence of the country you have visited. If you are running around on the last day in town trying to purchase some local gifts for friends and family--gifts that will reflect the culture of your new home. This section should make your shopping a bit easier.

Souvenirs from the Dominican Republic include a number of items that reflect the sights and tastes of this country such as paintings and carvings, ceramics, clay dolls, jewelry of amber or larimar, coffee and cigars. Note that the colorful paintings that are sold as Dominican art on city streets are actually variations of famous Haitian paintings using house paint. 

Where to Buy 
Souvenirs may be purchased in the many shopping centers of Santo Domingo, at supermarkets, at hotels, or at special artisan marketplaces. 

Following is a list of some places to buy Dominican souvenirs: 

Mercado Modelo, on Av. Mella, near the Parque Independencia is a bustling marketplace that carries a large selection of crafts and paintings (not to mention postcards, fruit, meat and vegetables, freshly ground coffee, and almost anything else). Prices may be marked up to allow for tour guide commissions and bargaining. If you have not come with a guide, you are welcome to bargain for a discount.

Plaza Criolla, on 27 de Febrero, just west of Máximo Gómez, offers a more tranquil environment to find hand-painted T-shirts, jewelry, and craft items. It is more expensive than the Mercado Modelo. 

The colonial city is chock-full of small gift shops selling a variety of wonderful Dominican memorabilia. Ambasa, on the corner of Hostos and Restauración, sells jewelry made of amber and larimar, as well as other items. On the second floor is Santo Domingo's Amber Museum, where the origins of this semi-precious stone is well documented and attractively presented.

The Casa Verde gift shop and larimar factory at Isabel la Católica No. 152, Tel. 686-8331, some 100 meters from the Cathedral, is one of the better gift shops in the city. 

Tu Espacio is an interesting shop on Cervantes Street in Gazcue with room after room of antiques and arts and crafts-a good place to browse. 

The gift shop in the Museo del Hombre Dominicano, in the Plaza de la Cultura, on Pedro Henríquez Ureña, near Máximo Gómez,has objects of anthropological interest, original ceramic works, and Taino reproductions. 

Von at Calle Emilio Aparicio, perpendicular to Multicentro La Sirena, in the Julieta neighborhood, has wonderful rocking chairs in multiple colors. They are pre-packed for easy traveling.


Favorite Souvenirs 
The great thing about a country which possesses such a diversified culture as the Dominican Republic is that there is something to interest just about anyone. 

One favorite souvenir is the faceless ceramic dolls which are made from red clay. Their outfits are painted in traditional designs. The dolls depict Dominican country life with some dolls balancing baskets or pots on their heads, some milling coffee, and some holding bouquets. 

Other favorite ceramic items include mugs, plates, vases, and containers, most of which are hand-painted. 

A ceramic piece very much in vogue is a music box crafted in the shape of a typical Dominican house. The music played is a classical or contemporary merengue. Makey manufactures this fine collection that features variations of the countryside houses from specific regions and plays the music of the D.R.'s most outstanding musicians and composers. Enjoy the lively music of Juan Luis Guerra or the classical style of Luis Alberti in a lovely craft item. 

Dominican-crafted leather goods are also popular items. They are well-made, and fashioned in current styles and designs. They are available in the larger shopping centers.

Another option in the jewelry area are the original medallions found on the Concepcion, a Spanish treasure ship which sank in 1641. The coins are mounted on gold and silver and sold as fine jewelry either with a chain or as a brooch. These can be purchased at Joyeria Michelle with stores at Torre Alessandra on Abraham Lincoln, Tel. 542-6509, the Hotel Jaragua. The owner, Norma de Vargas is probably the country’s foremost expert on diamonds. The jewelry store sells coins salvaged from the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion that have been set in gold with an emerald or sapphire cabouchon encrusted in the center, to be worn on a gold chain, or attached to a string of pearls. The designs come from their own workshops and thus vary from the others generally available. 

Other souvenirs or "treasures" of the D.R. that you may consider taking back with you are the Dominican coffee, rum, music, prepared food items and cigars. These items can be purchased in any large Dominican supermarkets, such as the Nacional, Pola, Bravo, La Cadena, Carrefour supermarkets.

A true pride and joy of the Dominican people is their richly-flavored coffee. Most Dominicans love their coffee black in a demitasse cup with lots of sugar. Some prefer it in a full-sized cup with two parts boiled milk. 

The Cafe Santo Domingo or Cafe Santiago coffee can be purchased in small four-cup size bags for individual coffee preparation. Café Santo Domingo is available in a tin can for export. Choose the can if you will not be consuming the coffee within a month's time or travelling with it.s

Almost everyone appreciates a good bottle of rum, and in the Dominican Republic, you have abut 36 variations of this gold-colored drink. There are six distilleries which produce hundreds of gallons a day. The main brands have top of the line rums with tastes that remind you of fine brandy. These are Brugal (Siglo de Oro), Barceló (Imperial) and Bermúdez (Aniversario). Brugal also produces a delicious rum cake.

CD and cassette stores abound in Santo Domingo at the malls or shopping centers. Take back the music of this land to remind you of the good times whether you prefer lively upbeat merengue, slower bachata or sexy salsa. The beat is your choice. 

To take back the tastes of the Dominican Republic, you can purchase local products such as tropical canned juices, and Bon jams or marmalades sold at any supermarket. There are also sweets and candies known as "dulces." These are similar to fudge but flavored with pineapple, mango or guava, and can be found at specialty shops or supermarkets.

Cigar lovers worldwide know that the Dominican Republic has replaced Cuba as a prime exporter of cigars. Tobacco is the D.R.'s oldest crop. It was already being cultivated by the Tainos when Columbus arrived, and it has long been a stable agricultural export. The U.S. is the D.R.'s number one importer of cigars, but they are also sold to Europe in large quantities. Equal in quality to the famed Cuban cigars, the three main Dominican brands which can be found at supermarkets are: Aurora, Habanera and Cerdan. 

Cigars can be bought here by the box in supermarkets and individually in small local shops. The Cigar Club at 27 de Febrero almost corner Tiradentes is the place to go if you want to purchase the best cigars from connoisseur sellers. Note that you may be able to find better prices back home, as most cigars are produced for export. 

So, the next time a friend asks you to recommend a souvenir, or if you need to stock up on some fast gifts to take home, just head to your local supermarket. Chances are you will find the perfect items right on the shelves!