Recent content by m65swede

Yup, will be in Boca Chica on Tuesday (16th). This trip promises to be special because 2 of my children will be making their first visit to the DR along with their spouses and kids. We're gonna do a few days in Boca Chica, then a couple of days in San Juan de la Maguana, then a few days in San...

A local newspaper here in Illinois printed this trip report last Sunday by AP reporter Jim Krane. A copy can be found on the internet at: This website. Sounds as if the reporter failed to research his topic properly; should have posted some questions here on DR1 before attempting his solo...

I finally got everything together for my DR trip; will arrive in Boca Chica this Thursday. I plan to spend a couple of days there, then on to San Francisco de Macor?s for a few days to visit my wife's family. San Juan de la Maguana via Constanza will be next on the list. Am going to attempt...

It is with heavy heart that I announce the death of my Dominicana, Alicia; my wife of 36 years. She passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last week. She always enjoyed looking over my shoulder when I read DR1 posts and especially enjoyed those written in Cibae?o and other dialects by authors...

Gas prices have been all over the map this year here in the US; mostly ranging between $1.20 and $1.50 per gallon for regular. I thought the ongoing conflict in Venezuela would cause prices to increase; wholesale crude oil prices certainly have. But our local gasoline prices have remained...

Just found out a couple of days ago that my nephew, a MP in the US Army has been transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He's guarding the Taliban prisoners. He says living conditions there are the worst of any of the "vacations" the Army has provided him. Said that even his previous...

It was on this very date way back in 1966 that yours truly was married to wife Alicia in San Francisco de Macor?s. 36 years ago. Wow, time surely does fly. :) Too bad we have to endure this sweltering central Illinois heat rather than a refreshing Caribbean breeze. I guess we'll celebrate...

I found the following quote about 3 years ago on a Dominican website where it was used in someone's signature line. I liked it and cut & pasted it into a wordpad file; promptly forgetting where I found it! Here it is: "Es tan poco lo que sabemos y tanto lo que presumimos y tan lentamente...

O&C's recent thread titled "Some curiousities about the DR economy " has made me wonder what interest rates are in the DR at the present time. He mentioned mortgage interest rates as high as 22%. For example, what is the typical interest rate on a passbook savings account? CD's? Let's refer...

I've returned to cold, rainy Illinois after 11 days in the DR. It had been more than 20 years since my last visit, so this trip was long overdue. I rented a car and logged more than 1,200 Km driving, plus several hundred more Km as a passenger in a friend's SUV. We spent 3 nights in Boca...

We're beginning to get excited about returning to the DR after a long absence. Plan to arrive the week of April 8 for a 10 day stay. Most of time in San Francisco de Macoris, a couple of days in San Juan de la Maguana, plus day trips to Santiago and Samana. How long does it take to clear...

Howdy, folks. I'm planning a trip to the DR in April after an absence of more than 20 years. Am trying to locate my former employer and friend in San Juan de la Maguana. I've tried the phone books, etc. with no success. If any of you live in San Juan or have intimate knowledge of the area...

I'm planning a trip to the DR in April after a 20+ year absence. Its amazing how fast the time has flown! We plan to go to SFM, Samana, Santiago, and San Juan de la Maguana to visit old friends and wife's relatives. I plan to rent a car. Do the car rental agencies at SDQ offer good quality...