Nostalgia about the Dominican.

Messing with my new laptop and browsing through photos I have on the internet, it made me very nostalgic for the Dominican Republic where we had such a fabulous time even though I got fairly sick whilst there. The scenery in particular was spectacular and mostly the food was great. My biggest complaint were the toilet facilities outside the resort. They did leave a lot to be desired. I remember the best place for such facilities was in Puerta Plata and they didn't have any doors!!! Unfortunately if I went back there I would probably be confined to the resort as I am no longer able to do the traipsing around that we did last time. One thing we did see which we found interesting was the area which was used in the movie Jurassic Park when some of the smaller dinosaurs were running across the landscape. If you enlarge the pictures I am sure you will remember the scene. I certainly did when I saw the area. Another thing I remember with pleasure is one day we went on a trip and we were the only ones there, long story, we ended up on the Rio San Juan beach which turned out to be just 10 minutes or so from the resort by taxi. We had lunch there, there was an elderly couple who ran a kitchen and bar on the beach, not very impressive, but they produced a wonderful meal of red snapper for Matt and Langoste for me which as I recall cost us peanuts even for the island which wasn't that expensive anyway. Their Piña Coladas weren't too shabby either. Rum is so very cheap on the island and like any islands in that part of the world, its the mixes which become expensive. Once upon a time, flank steak was a very inexpensive meat to buy, but these days it has gained in both popularity and price. Nevertheless, it still makes a good meal. Garlic-Chile Flank Steak From EatingWell: June/July 2005 Serve this great-tasting, tender steak as part of a taco party or with a mixed green salad and sliced avocados. 8 servings Ingredients * 2 cloves garlic, minced * 1/4 cup white vinegar * 2 tablespoons canola oil * 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper, (see Ingredient note) * 1 teaspoon dried oregano * 1 teaspoon ground cumin * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1-1 1/4 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat Preparation 1. Whisk garlic, vinegar, oil, ground chile, oregano, cumin and salt in a small bowl. Place steak in a shallow baking dish and pour marinade over it, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning once, or overnight. 2. Preheat grill to high heat. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the steak until desired doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the steak very thinly across the grain. Serve warm or chilled. Tips & Notes * Make Ahead Tip: Marinate steak in the refrigerator for up to 1 day and/or refrigerate cooked steak for up to 1 day. Slice just before serving. * To oil a grill: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray. * Ingredient note: Ancho chile peppers, one of the most popular dried chiles used in Mexico, are dried poblano peppers. They have a mild, sweet, spicy flavor. Ground ancho chile pepper can be found in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets, or substitute ground chili powder with a pinch of cayenne. Have a great day.