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La Romana's wondrous cave

"Welcome to the Dominican Republic and La Romana! The mill opposite your cruise ship inspired our city's name. We first exported sugar to Rome or Roma... so our city became La Romana," grins tour bus guide Miguel.

"Welcome to the Dominican Republic and La Romana! The mill opposite your cruise ship inspired our city's name. We first exported sugar to Rome or Roma... so our city became La Romana," grins tour bus guide Miguel.

"See those pleasant homes? Romana Company provides these to many of its 18,000 workers. This mill and cattle ranches once supported our city. La Romana has now blossomed into a resort area. And many, like you, go to explore our Cave of Wonders."

Beyond the bustling city, emerald green trees, brush and fields of grass cover a rolling countryside. Within half an hour we stand in the interpretation centre of Cueva de las Marvillas - Cave of Wonders.

The path descends downward to a small, inconspicuous cave entrance. Miguel says, "A group of boy scouts discovered this cave in 1926. They were amazed! You will soon be too!" Inside, indirect lighting enhances soaring stalactites and plunging stalagmites. Everyone gasps at its unexpectedly airy immensity and dream-like beauty.

"Over thousands of years rainwater seeped slowly downward, creating acids carving out this 800-metre long limestone cave," our guide says. "Look closely at its

formations." She points out rock shapes resembling a grey bear, white lion and giant ochre hummingbird, among other animals. It's easy to visualize those early natives sitting around campfires that bathed the walls in otherworldly shadows.

Hearing faint high-pitched squeaks and whisper of fluttering wings, we see small bats from dimly lit areas near us. Several land upside down above, clinging with others

in one of the many small cavities dotting the ceiling.

The last section of the publicly accessible 200 meters encloses over 500 petroglyphs from the early Taino settlement. Using animal blood and charcoal, Tainos likely used their artwork to converse with the underworld spirits. These explain aspects of their culture, including their belief in reincarnation. Two stick figures represent the deaths of a chieftain and his

favourite wife. They're shown decapitated with wispy spirits released to flow into new bodies.

Emerging from the 25-metre depths by an elevator, we proceed to the iguana sanctuary.

Once considered chicken of the trees and hunted near extinction, the iguana is now protected.

On our return, dark clouds cover the blue skies and pour new life into the already lush countryside. These torrential rains change La Romana's city streets into rivers.

As the tropical rains subside, our bus stops at Central Park's open-air market. We browse among stalls of ceramics, local crafts, hand-rolled cigars, woodcarvings and vibrant paintings of Caribbean life.

Life-size statues of baseball idols line park sidewalks. Some are posed pitching and batting, others are catching and sliding into base. Many represent gifted Dominicans like Felipe Alou, Sammy Sosa and Juan Marichal. Several had played for La Romana's Bulls.

Aboard our Carnival Freedom ship, we sip tea and chat about those honoured baseball players. Were these famed Dominican athletes merely mill workers' sons? Or could they be reincarnated Taino warriors?

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