At the grotto in the greasy chair sits the Charlie with the lotion and the kinky hair

So my muse is still on holiday this week and no postcard has arrived yet from The Dominican Republic. I have to confess that my knowledge of The Dominican Republic is very weak. It was only when I looked it up that I discovered it shared the island of La Hispaniola with Haiti. I do recall that La Hispaniola was the name of the ship in Treasure Island. Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1492 although I imagine the existing inhabitants at that time already knew it was there. Santo Domingo became the site of the first permanent European settlement in The Americas, the country's capital and Spain's first capital in the New World

It has a population of around 10 million which is nearly twice that of Scotland. Santa Domingo itself has a population of just under 3 million which makes it about 5 times the size of Glasgow

The Dominican Republic has historically been under Spanish rule, French rule, been invaded by its neighbour Haiti several times and has received 'assistance' from the good old U.S. of A. just to make sure it did not become another Cuba. Lyndon B Johnson is quoted as having said "We don't propose to sit here in a rocking chair with our arms folded and let the Communists set up any government in the western hemisphere". Mr McCarthy would have been proud

Scenes from the movies The Godfather Part II and The Good Shepherd were filmed in Dominican Republic and depicted as Cuba and scenes from Apocalypse Now were also filmed there. Parts of Jurassic Park were also filmed here and they even have a Jurassic Park Hotel now (where you can search for your very own dinosaurs...good hunting!)

I really struggled on the famous people from The Dominican Republic, so I leave you this week with my Famous 5 Dominican Republicans

1. Mary Jo Fernandez.....female tennis player who reached (and lost) three Grand Slam Singles Tennis Finals but won two Grand Slam Doubles Titles and two Olympic Gold Medals (also at doubles)

2. Oscar de la Renta....world famous fashion designer (no, me neither)

3. Mariasela Alvarez...Miss World 1982 beating off stiff challenges from Finland, Switzerland and our own Delia Dolan (Miss UK)

4. Nelson de la Rosa....one time smallest man in the world (71cm tall) who appeared in the movie The Island of Dr. Moreau with Marlon Brando

5. Dania Ramirez....actress who has appeared in Heroes, The Sopranos and Entourage (she was an employee/girlfriend of Turtle)

Wow, that was tough. I hope my muse is back by next week