Mercado Merenge

One cannot be in the DR without hearing and moving to merengue! The workshop that I taught was at the Mercado Modelo, where in and around, there are scads of Dominican trinkets- masks, drums, jewels galore- and all of the characters trying to sell them to you. The music is blasting, people stop what they are doing to spin and dance, and everyone is your friend as they lure you in to look at their wares. In and around the market are fruit stands and banana carts- bottles filled with the likes of mamajuana and other assorted homemade juices and drinks are swinging from the umbrellas and the smell of rice and beans and other Dominican goodies wafts through the air.