I heard this story on NPR this morning.
There are legends in the Dominican Republic of a coffee so sweet that there is no need to put sugar in it. The town of Polo used to have an annual Feria de cafe, but ti was discontinued due to lack of funds. Danilo Medina, the current president, has removed the ability of municipanitoies to choose between having ferias and other things he deems more important, like building schools. The schools were previously in two four hour shifts per day, because the schools were too small for the number of students. Starting this year, there will be one seven hour shift per day, they say. The first half hour always has consisted of lining up in front of the school, saying a pledge to the flag and singing the national anthem. I think there is a prayer as well. Then they take roll.
Dominicans make their coffee differently: they mic=x the sugar and the water in an expresso pot and brew the coffee with sugar water. People on sugar islands have a tendency to put sugar on everything.
