Novelista

  A look up the beach Approaching Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles shared by the nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, by air, we get our first glance at the lush green mountains that give way to lush flatlands.  Farmland backs into cities.  We lose sight of the ocean as the plane descends. The Punta Cana International Airport promises us a magical tropical stay.  As we walk under its palm frond roof to stand in line at customs, air conditioning is relatively non-existent.  The baggage carousel is mostly open-air as the walls don’t reach the roof.  I, however, am more concerned with my bag not taking the ride yet.  Once it finally showed, we rolled our bags to the shuttle that would take us to our resort. From the airport to the resort, our shuttle drove past beautiful new construction and crumbling shacks.  Tropical trees turned into shopping centers.  Gates to private communities and sprawling resorts sat next to abject poverty on garbage lined str