For those of you new to my thread, I last went down to the DR on 11-09-12
I enjoyed it so much I went back 2 weeks later
here is some of my musings on my adventure
The Great Dominican Adventure - Redux
(I hope all of you read that as REEEDoooooo! And some of you even said it out loud like that!)
Chapter 1 - Pedro
Every great story needs to begin with these words:
So I was sitting in the Fort Lauderdale airport when I was engaged in conversation by "Pedro". Pedro says he has a friend, who has a friend, that can get me exactly what I want.
Now naturally at this point you are nodding, saying, seems legit.
Well so did I!
Guesses as to what Pedro does? Anybody? Beuller? Anyone?
Rocket control for Nasa? No, Physics professor? No..
Surprisingly, Pedro is a gardener in Naples
But I'm hoping that he can "Get me exactly what I want"
Even though I never did say what it was I wanted
But we will see!
Anyway, I have the car, much easier drive in, however LOLA my GPS took me on a scenic drive through the hood rather than down the main drag. (Major roads are SO passe)
I'm just getting unpacked.
The hotel, (Hotel Napolitano in the Malecon just outside the Zona Colonial) which I like, is undergoing a major renovation
When it is done, they will have a fantastic lobby bar
Unfortunately, right now, the lobby is in a closet on floor 2...up the stairs... the slippery marble stairs...since the elevator no longer goes to floor 1 because it is....that's right, in the lobby.
So apparently I'm going to be humping it up and down marble stairs every time I come and go from my room
Good times
For my discomfort they gave me a free drink voucher
Unfortunately, at this time I can no longer recommend the Napolitano. Turns out the lack of elevator to the ground level and the slippery marble stairs are a significant issue, especially at like 3 am after you have had a few beers or when you are trying to lug bags of water or other stuff to your room.
Once they get the lobby fixed I'm sure it will be great, but until then, I would suggest another hotel.
You should call first and check the status if you are going anytime soon.
----------------------------
Chapter 2 - Bonao
While I was in the DR I decided to take a drive inland away from the coast.
So I drove to Bonao. The road to Bonao is a large well paved Autopista.
Easy drive through beautiful country.
The wonderful thing about driving in a foreign country is the stuff that is being sold on the side of the road
As I drove to Bonao I kept passing these little stands selling something in jars
I stopped and it was Cashews, apparently picked locally and roasted by hand
100dp for a pint jar ($2.50) Which I'm pretty sure is Gringo price, but I paid it anyway
They also sold jars of Dolche & Naranja (Honey? & Orange juice) and Dolche & Cashews
Further up the road closer to Bonao there were sellers hawking rugs
I stopped and looked at them and they were strips of cloth woven into a plastic backing
Beautiful, but not terribly practical I would not think. The guy quoted me 1,500 pesos ($37.50) and then came running after me when I said no thanks, not sure what you could have gotten them for actually but I'm sure not too much
In Bonao I went to a restaurant called the Plaza Merengue
Can't recommend this place enough
Little private Tiki Huts with dining tables and rocking chairs dot this beautifully lush courtyard
Each hut has free wifi so if you bring a tablet or a computer you can use google translate to speak to your guest if you don't speak Spanish like me.
The waiter was totally animated and as friendly as can be
I had the plate of the day which was garlic chicken and it was delicious. I think it cost about $4.00 - $6.00 US
Many beers and good times were had there, again, strongly suggest it
As for the rest of Bonao, it is in the mountains (Which we don't have in Florida) so it was a nice change
Not a lot to do there, but the locals are much more real than in Santo Domingo
-------------------------------------
Chapter 3 - Policia!
The 2 men with machine guns walked from under the shadow of the bridge and stood in the middle of the road waving traffic off to one side to stop. The only problem was...I was the only car on the road.
I was halfway back from Romana heading to the airport when they appeared. They were dressed in a military uniform and were both armed withmachine guns. I pulled over towards the side of the road and stopped. I rolled down my window but kept my foot on the brake and left the car in gear.
I was being stopped by, what would be considered "Dirty Cops" in American Standards, in Dominican Standards they are just "Cops".
One approaches my window, he is in a military uniform that looks more national military than local police. He is clean but not crisp, he clearly has been standing in the 85 degree heat for a long time and seems tired.
I begin in English without a hint of Spanish...
Hello! I am an American ABOGADO (Lawyer) from Florida on my way to the Airport.
Papers...he says
I reach in the glove box and get the car rental papers and hand them to him.
License...he says
I pull my money pouch out from under my shirt and extract my drivers license without showing any money and hand it to him. He hands back my rental documents without looking at them.
As I am fishing out my license he says in Spanish something to the effect of, you are being stopped as part of a safety inspection.
As I give him my license I say, Yes, I am an American going to the Airport. At the same time I put my hands together in the shape of an Airplane taking off and go...zoom
Now here is where a couple of things happen. Good for me, bad for him.
Good for me, He was dirty by American Standards for a cop, but by Dominican standards he was almost squeeky clean. He was not desperate, and he was not greedy and he was not stupid.
Bad for him was he happened to have picked me instead of that couple from Iowa that had never been shaken down by a cop in a foreign country before. Unfortunately for him, this was not my first rodeo and not the first time I have been shaken down by the cops for money.
He reads my license and looks at me. Abogado eh? (In Spanish) I'm studying to be an Abogado (Pointing to himself), only 3 more years (holding up 3 fingers) and I'll be an Abogado too.
In English, I say, God Bless you, yes, lots of study to be an Abogado, good luck
He points to the side of the road further over and says in Spanish, go ahead and pull over and get out of the car.
I say, NO...I'm going to the airport (Airplane hands..zooming noise) I have to go (point to my wrist like there is a watch there and go .. tick tock)
He again points to the side of the road and says something that I'm not sure what is is but includes the words, 300 pesos ($7.50)
I see he is pointing in the general direction of my GPS so I say, NO thank you, I have a GPS I don't need to buy one from you, I am from AMERICA, I need to get to the AIRPORT to leave (Airplane hands, zoom, zoom noise)
I wanted him to think I am in a hurry, resistant to playing along with him, have some idea about his actual authority, have no idea what he was saying and that the lack of language was going to be an issue in any discussion about a payoff.
He pauses, looks at his buddy, looks at me, hands me my license back, sticks his hand in the window for me to shake. I take his hand and shake it and he says, safe travels, I shake his hand, say thank you, let my foot off the brake and drive off.
I told this story to a friend of mine and he said...weren't you worried that you were going to be kidnapped? And I said, no it just did not feel like a kidnapping. There were no other people or cars, they were not trapping me in, it just felt like a shakedown.
Welcome to the Dominican Republic, enjoy your stay.
I enjoyed it so much I went back 2 weeks later
here is some of my musings on my adventure
The Great Dominican Adventure - Redux
(I hope all of you read that as REEEDoooooo! And some of you even said it out loud like that!)
Chapter 1 - Pedro
Every great story needs to begin with these words:
So I was sitting in the Fort Lauderdale airport when I was engaged in conversation by "Pedro". Pedro says he has a friend, who has a friend, that can get me exactly what I want.
Now naturally at this point you are nodding, saying, seems legit.
Well so did I!
Guesses as to what Pedro does? Anybody? Beuller? Anyone?
Rocket control for Nasa? No, Physics professor? No..
Surprisingly, Pedro is a gardener in Naples
But I'm hoping that he can "Get me exactly what I want"
Even though I never did say what it was I wanted
But we will see!
Anyway, I have the car, much easier drive in, however LOLA my GPS took me on a scenic drive through the hood rather than down the main drag. (Major roads are SO passe)
I'm just getting unpacked.
The hotel, (Hotel Napolitano in the Malecon just outside the Zona Colonial) which I like, is undergoing a major renovation
When it is done, they will have a fantastic lobby bar
Unfortunately, right now, the lobby is in a closet on floor 2...up the stairs... the slippery marble stairs...since the elevator no longer goes to floor 1 because it is....that's right, in the lobby.
So apparently I'm going to be humping it up and down marble stairs every time I come and go from my room
Good times
For my discomfort they gave me a free drink voucher
Unfortunately, at this time I can no longer recommend the Napolitano. Turns out the lack of elevator to the ground level and the slippery marble stairs are a significant issue, especially at like 3 am after you have had a few beers or when you are trying to lug bags of water or other stuff to your room.
Once they get the lobby fixed I'm sure it will be great, but until then, I would suggest another hotel.
You should call first and check the status if you are going anytime soon.
----------------------------
Chapter 2 - Bonao
While I was in the DR I decided to take a drive inland away from the coast.
So I drove to Bonao. The road to Bonao is a large well paved Autopista.
Easy drive through beautiful country.
The wonderful thing about driving in a foreign country is the stuff that is being sold on the side of the road
As I drove to Bonao I kept passing these little stands selling something in jars
I stopped and it was Cashews, apparently picked locally and roasted by hand
100dp for a pint jar ($2.50) Which I'm pretty sure is Gringo price, but I paid it anyway
They also sold jars of Dolche & Naranja (Honey? & Orange juice) and Dolche & Cashews
Further up the road closer to Bonao there were sellers hawking rugs
I stopped and looked at them and they were strips of cloth woven into a plastic backing
Beautiful, but not terribly practical I would not think. The guy quoted me 1,500 pesos ($37.50) and then came running after me when I said no thanks, not sure what you could have gotten them for actually but I'm sure not too much
In Bonao I went to a restaurant called the Plaza Merengue
Can't recommend this place enough
Little private Tiki Huts with dining tables and rocking chairs dot this beautifully lush courtyard
Each hut has free wifi so if you bring a tablet or a computer you can use google translate to speak to your guest if you don't speak Spanish like me.
The waiter was totally animated and as friendly as can be
I had the plate of the day which was garlic chicken and it was delicious. I think it cost about $4.00 - $6.00 US
Many beers and good times were had there, again, strongly suggest it
As for the rest of Bonao, it is in the mountains (Which we don't have in Florida) so it was a nice change
Not a lot to do there, but the locals are much more real than in Santo Domingo
-------------------------------------
Chapter 3 - Policia!
The 2 men with machine guns walked from under the shadow of the bridge and stood in the middle of the road waving traffic off to one side to stop. The only problem was...I was the only car on the road.
I was halfway back from Romana heading to the airport when they appeared. They were dressed in a military uniform and were both armed withmachine guns. I pulled over towards the side of the road and stopped. I rolled down my window but kept my foot on the brake and left the car in gear.
I was being stopped by, what would be considered "Dirty Cops" in American Standards, in Dominican Standards they are just "Cops".
One approaches my window, he is in a military uniform that looks more national military than local police. He is clean but not crisp, he clearly has been standing in the 85 degree heat for a long time and seems tired.
I begin in English without a hint of Spanish...
Hello! I am an American ABOGADO (Lawyer) from Florida on my way to the Airport.
Papers...he says
I reach in the glove box and get the car rental papers and hand them to him.
License...he says
I pull my money pouch out from under my shirt and extract my drivers license without showing any money and hand it to him. He hands back my rental documents without looking at them.
As I am fishing out my license he says in Spanish something to the effect of, you are being stopped as part of a safety inspection.
As I give him my license I say, Yes, I am an American going to the Airport. At the same time I put my hands together in the shape of an Airplane taking off and go...zoom
Now here is where a couple of things happen. Good for me, bad for him.
Good for me, He was dirty by American Standards for a cop, but by Dominican standards he was almost squeeky clean. He was not desperate, and he was not greedy and he was not stupid.
Bad for him was he happened to have picked me instead of that couple from Iowa that had never been shaken down by a cop in a foreign country before. Unfortunately for him, this was not my first rodeo and not the first time I have been shaken down by the cops for money.
He reads my license and looks at me. Abogado eh? (In Spanish) I'm studying to be an Abogado (Pointing to himself), only 3 more years (holding up 3 fingers) and I'll be an Abogado too.
In English, I say, God Bless you, yes, lots of study to be an Abogado, good luck
He points to the side of the road further over and says in Spanish, go ahead and pull over and get out of the car.
I say, NO...I'm going to the airport (Airplane hands..zooming noise) I have to go (point to my wrist like there is a watch there and go .. tick tock)
He again points to the side of the road and says something that I'm not sure what is is but includes the words, 300 pesos ($7.50)
I see he is pointing in the general direction of my GPS so I say, NO thank you, I have a GPS I don't need to buy one from you, I am from AMERICA, I need to get to the AIRPORT to leave (Airplane hands, zoom, zoom noise)
I wanted him to think I am in a hurry, resistant to playing along with him, have some idea about his actual authority, have no idea what he was saying and that the lack of language was going to be an issue in any discussion about a payoff.
He pauses, looks at his buddy, looks at me, hands me my license back, sticks his hand in the window for me to shake. I take his hand and shake it and he says, safe travels, I shake his hand, say thank you, let my foot off the brake and drive off.
I told this story to a friend of mine and he said...weren't you worried that you were going to be kidnapped? And I said, no it just did not feel like a kidnapping. There were no other people or cars, they were not trapping me in, it just felt like a shakedown.
Welcome to the Dominican Republic, enjoy your stay.
