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Aquiferman - John Miller

After a long career as a professional hydrogeologist (groundwater geologist) my wife Mary (former recycling coordinator) and I are retired. Much work and personal life has involved travel: Panama, Mexico, Central America, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Argentina, much of Europe and Alaska and Canada (these last two being our favorites).

I spent 1962-64 in the Dominican Republic as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Since then much of my life has been devoted to groundwater supplies and groundwater contamination and protection studies in North America, South America and Central America. Eight years of my life were spent in the Spanish-speaking world as a geologist. Fluent in Spanish, with a smattering of French and German. Presently residing in Florida. Graduate of St. Louis University and University of Missouri.

To acknowledge my buddy sitting with me on the bench: that's my favorite cat (belonged to my daughter Jana) ... he has gone off to catnip heaven. Crowley loved guys!

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Joined on: September 11th 2006
Last Login: August 15th 2008

Blog Entries: 7
Photos: 45

TB Code: [blogger=23174]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by Aquiferman, order by Date newest first.

By Aquiferman
February 11th 2007

Birding and President Fernández and Restaurante Vesuvio

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

Bird Watching Group
Lead by Kate Wallace of Tody Tours, we wend our way along the river trail.

It’s early in the AM as we head down to the Hotel Meliá to meet Kate Wallace for a birding trip to the Jardín Botanico. Kate, a former volunteer, runs Tody Tours (http://www.todytours.com), specializing in trips within the Dominican Republic. While she ordinarily charges $20 per person, she did this for free. All we had to do was chip in for the cost of transportation in a mini-van. Thanks a bunch, Kate!!! We had a three-hour hike in the park, observing quite a few new birds and some old friends (birds) that we commonly see in Florida. Among the birds seen [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
February 10th 2007

Tres Ojos Workshops and Nightclub

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

Five Well Drillers
Miller, Braxton, LaGra, Duff and Mcmullen form the original group of Dominican Republic 4 (well drillers) who worked there from 1962-64.

After a quick breakfast at the Villar Hermanos pastry shop, we loaded up in the hotel’s mini-van and our driver, Rigoberto, took us out to Los Tres Ojos Park a bit east of Santo Domingo and across the Río Ozama. For those who do not recognize the name of this river, it has served twice as an invasion point to the island of Hispaniola. The first time was when the Spaniards came up the river to settle the “New World” and found Santo Domingo where the present Old Town is located. The second time came when in 1965, under the reign [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
February 9th 2007

Pastries Birding Eating Dancing

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

Duff at the Pastry Shop
Ray Duff having a hard time selecting from all the goodies in the pastry shop

We discovered a nice pastry shop just a block west of the Hotel Duque, and that is where the Duffs, Braxtons and Millers headed early the next morning. The café con leche was superb. Then we loaded ourselves into a mini-van at the hotel and headed to the northwestern part of Santo Domingo (Altos de Galá area) to the Jardín Botanica Nacional. This garden (7.7 sq miles) has a 4-kilometer (2.4 miles) asphalt-paved walking trail. It is well maintained and patrolled by helpful park rangers who are there to assist visitors and to prevent plant theft. Throughout the park are extremely [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
February 8th 2007

The Reunion Starts

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

Andy Hernandez
Andy (Andres) Hernandez -- First Peace Corps Director in the Dominican Republic -- now 94 years old

It's early in the morning in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (DR). Mary is already peeking out our balcony window to see what the birds are that she hears ... so many different calls from the many almond trees and pines near the hotel. What a night of bad sleeping on the mattress that sucks you to the center of the Earth, compounded by my cough (that's the last I'll mention of it, as it usually lasts a couple of weeks). Lowell Braxton, his wife Jean, Mary and I gave each other big "abrazos" as we met in the morning for a [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
February 7th 2007

Almost Didn't Make It

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

It's really laughable after the fact, but Mary and I almost didn't make it to the Dominican Republic Peace Corps 45th Anniversary Reunion. I misread the airline schedule and we showed up at the Tampa Airport just as the plane was in final loading stages. HOWEVER, lo' and behold ... there was a later flight and a later connection. But, we arrived five hours later than planned (it was 12 hours total), completely exhausted. Fortunately I was able to send an email to the Hotel Duque de Wellington (approx $62/night compared to the official reunion Hotel Meliá at $120 [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
February 4th 2007

Getting Ready to Go

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic » Santo Domingo

Peace Corps Well Drillers
Late 1962 -- Well Drillers Group -- Peace Corps -- in training in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. (not all of the guys are shown -- the geologists were in the field)

What excitement and a bit of trepidation. After all, I who remain so young looking will probably not even recognize the old coots that show up for the 45th Anniversary Reunion of the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. However, it looks like Duff, Braxton, McMullen and I will be there. Perhaps LaGra will show up. Had hoped for more, but 4-5 out of the remaining 23 (20 located) is not too bad. The accompanying photo is of a portion of our Well Drillers Group (Dominican Republic IV) that served there from '62-'64. We should have a good time and will [View Full Entry]

By Aquiferman
September 11th 2006

45th Anniversary Peace Corps Reunion Dominican Republic

Central America Caribbean » Dominican Republic

John Miller 1963
Corn Crop at Punal, Dominican Republic

In February 2007 the 45th anniversary reunion of the US Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic (DR) will take place in Santo Domingo, DR. I was a volunteer from 1962-64 (Well Drillers). Previously I have sent emails and photos attached to tell folks about our travels. The TravelBlog seems to be much more effective. Earlier this year I worked with Google and other search tools to locate 20 of the surviving 23 guys originally in our group of 27 PCVs. Hopefully 5-8 of them will be at the reunion, some with wives or partners. Using TravelBlog I can tell the rest [View Full Entry]

TravelBlog » Aquiferman