#santo-domingo

#santo-domingo

Eliades Ochoa's aura is so powerful that under the generous rays of sunlight streaming through the large window on this March morning, he evokes a Western film.

The Bandera Cimarrona, a flag conceived at the first edition of the International Summit of Afro-descendants in Puerto Rico in 2022, stands as a symbol of the resistance, the pursuit of freedom, and the strength of Afro-descendants on the island and throughout the Americas.

Venezuelan cuisine is a vibrant melting pot of its cultural influences, where Indigenous roots, African heritage, and Spanish flavors come together to create rich, satisfying dishes packed with character. Venezuela's food scene shares many similarities with those from other Latin American countries, but focuses more on building layers of sweet, savory, and tangy depth rather than turning up the heat with bold spices.

As a collection of over 7,000 islands spanning 13 sovereign island nations and more than a dozen dependent territories, there's always a new cove or cay to uncover. Recent years have seen the Caribbean's popularity boom among British holidaymakers, too, with areas including the British Virgin Islands and Jamaica reporting record visitor numbers in 2025.

When retirement approaches, many start to wonder where they want to spend their golden years. Some might be most comfortable in the familiar surroundings of their hometowns, but others envision themselves in an idyllic location-one that offers beaches, sunshine, palm trees, and a laid-back vibe. Whether the goal is to reduce expenses and live comfortably on a fixed income or to spend retirement in luxury among beautiful scenery, some tropical spots are perfect for seniors.

A few blocks from Revolution Square, in a former shantytown in Havana, Dr. Omitsa Valdes holds her consultations. It's a dusty, dilapidated place where she tells patients they must bring their own syringe and medication from home. But if a general checkup is needed, including urine and blood tests, Dr. Valdes is even more direct: If you can get it done yourself, I'll write the order.

Puerto Rico's boutique hotels are the island's best storytellers. Small, locally owned properties can shape a trip in ways chains cannot. In Old San Juan, they occupy vibrant streets where pastel-colored facades meet cobblestones, letting guests wander from museums and galleries to independent shops without ever leaving the neighborhood.

Santa Teresa on Costa Rica's Pacific coast is a favorite among surfers and traveling professionals because of its long beaches and relaxed atmosphere. The town offers several coworking spaces and cafés with reliable internet, which makes remote work easier. The area is accessible via Tambor Airport with onward road and ferry connections to larger cities. Accommodation prices range from budget hostels to luxury villas. The local community is international, and the abundance of healthy restaurants and yoga studios contributes to a comfortable and productive stay.

When your plane descends into Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, it will likely fly low over the colorful buildings of Santurce, a sprawling district famous for its creative residents and Afro-Caribbean influences. Neglected for decades, Santurce is rapidly reclaiming its title as one of San Juan's most exciting quarters - a transformation that has earned it the nickname "The Brooklyn of Puerto Rico." And if you're looking for Afro-Caribbean cuisine, you're coming to the right place.

The artists José Parlá and Claudia Hilda, his wife, live in a former fire station in Fort Greene surrounded by memories of Cuba, which Parlá's family fled in 1970 and where Hilda lived until recently. "There's a lot of magical realism here, a big mix of Cuban traditions and religion," says Parlá, pointing to an icon of la Caridad del Cobre, the island's patron saint, in the kitchen. "We cannot move her!"

Historic center renewal has become a recurring strategy in Central American cities seeking to reassert the symbolic, economic, and functional relevance of their traditional cores. These processes often combine physical rehabilitation, institutional investment, and stricter control over public space. San Salvador offers a recent and instructive case, which allows for understanding of how interventions in inherited civic spaces balance infrastructure improvement with heritage conservation and social regulation.

The artists José Parlá and Claudia Hilda, his wife, live in a former fire station in Fort Greene surrounded by memories of Cuba, which Parlá's ­family fled in 1970 and where ­Hilda lived until recently. "There's a lot of magical realism here, a big mix of Cuban traditions and religion," says Parlá, pointing to an icon of la Caridad del Cobre, the island's patron saint, in the kitchen. "We cannot move her!"

Otherworldly forms greet you at the entrance to the exhibition, transporting you into a kaleidoscopic, dream-like space. A voice speaks in the background as projected images dance across the forms, animating the space. "It's been really beautiful to see her work come alive, become a landscape ... where you can traverse and kind of get lost," curator Fabiola R. Delgado says of Lisu Vega's "The Uncertain Future of Absence (El Futuro Incierto de la Ausencia)" (2025).

Located on the Samaná Peninsula, Las Terrenas first caught the attention of Christopher Columbus as he sailed past it's tropical shores in 1492. Hundreds of years later, French and Italian expats settled in the town, turning the once-rustic fishing village with little infrastructure into a popular destination for Europeans seeking Caribbean scenery without resort dominance along the coastline, according to International Living.

Michelle Paulin dances while instructing youth at the Dulce Tricolor Venezolano dance group at the Ariel Dance Studio in Campbell on Jan. 25, 2026. Dulce Tricolor, a Bay Area Venezuelan dance group founded in 2019, teaches children traditional folk dances while preserving culture, building community and offering a sense of home amid Venezuela's ongoing political and economic crisis. (Josie Lepe for KQED)

Positive update from the Caribbean-I was online and on the phone for HOURS all day yesterday but finally got flights so we will be heading home sooner than Friday," Han wrote in an Instagram post, adding in the video, "We all recognize and realize fully that there are far worse places to be stuck. We're lucky just to be able to have been here in the first place.

Close enough to island-hop to nearby St. Lucia and Dominica but worlds away in terms of language and customs, Martinique offers a distinctive Caribbean experience. The French overseas territory is greatly influenced by its European counterpart; residents speak French, the euro is the official currency, and outdoor bistros in the capital city of Fort-de-France mimic those of Paris. Many residents speak Creole, too-a nod to the island's rich West African heritage, which is on full display during the annual Carnival season.