The Santiago Monument

What I love about the Dominican Republic is that it was the first of everything Western in the Americas. The first cathedrial, settlements, everything. Santiago [de los Treinta Caballeros] is even the first city named Santiago in the Americas. This monument was orgionally built by Trujillo in 1944 as a monument to himself (the president at the time). At the time it was the tallest building in the city, but I'm not so sure if that still holds true today. When he built it, it was named the "Monument of the Peace of Trujillo", but since he was assisned, it became the "Monument to the Heros of Restoration", celebrating the heros during the revolution, freeing the Dominican Republic from Spain. There are two monuments that I feel represent the Dominican Republic: this one and the arch in Santo Domingo. Each built by a president/dictator and each representing a different part of the country. I passed the arch on Boulevard 27 de Febrero every day and yet never managed to take a picture of it, but at least I got these of the Santiago monument.

Earth..? Kind of.

Down by the sea is this sculpture. It's quite large and in this beautiful square in which I don't think people ever visit. But you can see the monument for blocks as one of the main roads goes straight to it. However.. I think they ran out of money? Or didn't really care too much about the rest of the world? Because the Americas on the main side are perfect, to scale and everything. But then as you walk around, things start to get a bit lazy.

I mean.. I don't even know what this is on the back. Apparently South East Asia (I'm assuming that is) is the only thing that matters, not Russia or China, just that lower part, which I don't konw if you know or not.. but it looks like that.