Safari Jeep Tour

I wrote this on a trip to the Dominican Republic a couple of years ago. We had just finished climbing up and jumping off waterfalls and were on a safari Jeep tour. We were told that most of the people we saw lived in poverty, and yet they were so happy; living amongst intense greenery and with the ocean on their front steps; waterfalls a short hike away. And I couldn't help but wonder if the definitions of rich and poor as we understand them aren't just a little misleading?

Oh and they're a very interesting people race-wise. It's  a country of mixed race people - 73% multi racial according to Wiki due to the mix between the the original inhabitants of the island and the Spanish who ruled for over three centuries. They have the most amazing colour, like burnished caramel! A lot of the younger guys had blonde curly hair (think Justin Timberlake in his N'Sync days) and really nice strong bodies too, not that I noticed :D

I see you every day
in all your different colours
White and brown. And black.
You come from more states in America than I know
And from England and France and Spain
All so different
yet all of you have money

You look in wonder while our craftspeople create art
which you will pay hand over fist for
You smoke our cigars
Drink our rum
Smell our coffee
Lay under our sun
Swim in our ocean

You believe you have the best of both worlds
Real life with your successful jobs;
where you spend your day sitting at a cramped desk
And here where you get to experience, if only for a few days
How the exotic others live

As I sit on the porch of my very basic home
Where I don't have electricity
Instead I have the ocean in my back yard
And dense green thicket as my garden

As I dance at a beach bar
A beautiful lady writhing in front of me
Cuba Libre in my hand

As I paddle out to sea, sit on my board
Waiting to catch a wave
The sun beating on my back
My sinewy but deceptively strong body
Burned the perfect shade of caramelised brown sugar

As my friends and I go out to the waterfalls
Where we climb unlike you not using ropes and our hands
But leaping from rock to rock
with an agility you only see on your TV screens

I know you will find it hard to believe
But I would never trade places with you