Day #3-Thursday, July 24, 2003
I awake this morning @ 7 AM, because I am not sure what time I am being picked up for my catamaran cruise. A quick shower and apply 30 SPF all over. I know I will spend most of the day in the sun. I pack a few things in my backpack, underwater camera, sunscreen, towel, extra t shirt, hat, sunglasses, snorkel and a few bucks and pesos.
I run by the buffet, a glass of juice, croissant, and a couple of small banana bread muffins. (I lived on these for breakfast, they were delicious.) I stroll by the pool, empty at this hour, 8 AM. The sun is high and I notice a photography shoot at one end of the pool. I take a couple of snapshots myself and head to the lobby. There I run into Dave, the dive instructor and inquire what time I am being picked up. He says about 8:20 AM. While I am waiting I talk to one of the bellboys, Hector. We discuss going out this evening and I agree to talk more about it when I return in the afternoon. I am pacing because it is now 8:25AM and Dave decides to drop me off. As he goes for his keys, my shuttle arrives and I am off. We stop at a couple more hotels to pick up other tour guests and get dropped off @ The Flamenco in Playa Dorado.
It?s a short walk to the beach around some construction. The beach is beautiful and being raked by a Ford tractor. The beach is quite large; our tour leader tells us to get on Freestyle II and to make sure we rinse our shoes off. (No sand on the boat) We wade thru the crotch high water and climb the steps up to the deck. The catamaran is pretty big and we have about 50 passengers today. The music is jamming and we get some final instructions from our captain, John. He introduces the crew and we shove off. Its 9:15 AM and we?re cruising thru the Caribbean, not a cloud in the sky and a wonderful breeze. John says the trade winds won?t kick up till about 11 AM, can just about set your watch by it. I check my watch, 9:45 AM, time for a Presidente. A little hair of the dog and this morning will be much better. You all know how late I was up! I got the camera clicking and meeting the other passengers. Hooked up with some younger English chaps who were also drinking beers. Them being English and me coming from an Irish and Scottish background we got along great. The captain warns about seasickness and introduces the bucket. Anyone who feels it coming on, grab an empty bucket and sit down on an edge and do your thing. About 5 people on the way out took this option. I always made sure I was upwind from this action.
We?re cruising along with the sun already being hot. The Captain, John tells us about the water fights we will encounter today with the other catamaran, Freestyle I. He lowers a bucket on a rope into the sea and brings it up and dumps into a 40 gallon garbage container. He invites all who want to participate and tells us to get ready. As we pull alongside Freestyle I, we unleash a fury of buckets of water on the enemies. Water is flying everywhere and really catches you off guard when you?re laughing and take one in the face. The first battle is over and we are all cracking up. The John tells us to huddle in; he says the other side of the boat is all dry. He says when he gives the signal we are to soak everyone on the opposite side of the boat. Water starts flying, girls start screaming, bikinis getting drenched and even a few got surprised when they had theirs untied, laying down getting sun. I wish I would have had the camera ready at that Kodak moment. Oh well! Now, everyone is wet, what to do? Get another beer. The crew was awesome; they acted as waiters in between sailing and making changes to the sails.
John tells us we are coming up on Sosua beach where we will do our first snorkel session. There is a nice reef offshore and we will feed the fishes. The crew passes out the snorkel equipment, I only need fins. The guys were good, just looked at you feet and handed you fins. Fit perfect. We anchor offshore and they lower the stairs. I do not hesitate; I?m one of the first in the water. We are told to wait for the guide and he will lead us to the reef. The snorkeling was great, plenty of fish and lots to see. After 45 minutes of swimming around, it was time for lunch. The crew set up a mini buffet, which consisted of cole slaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, cold cuts, hard boiled eggs, and fresh fruit. This hit the spot after all the exercise.
After lunch, I decided to grease down again with the 30 SPF and ask one of the females near me if she wouldn?t mind putting it on my back. First I asked her husbands? permission. She obliged. We set sail again and this time had the trade winds kicking. We cruised by this secluded beach, which happened to be part of the Julio Iglesias estate. The house we saw was the guest house and servant quarters. His was up higher on the bluff which could not be seen from our vantage point.
We now arrived at our second snorkel spot, again we we?re in the water swimming around. This water and reef seemed to be a little deeper. Again back on the boat, the crew started some games and competitions where prizes were awarded. Bottles of Dominican rum. We had two more water fights; we drained the water from the coolers and used it to really surprise our enemies. On the way back home the two captains raced, while the crew put a little show on for us which was very funny. I can tell you from experience, with the hot sun, this water took your breath away.
The ride home was very relaxing, the bar was open all day(did I tell you it was included, lunch, two snorkeling sessions, open bar(beer, rum drinks or soft drinks) great catamaran trip for $69 US. 9am - 4PM) Well worth the money, even if you do not drink. Now we?re back at the beach but offshore. We have to take a small dingy in because the beach now is crowded with swimmers. Bar still open, a tip jar was passed around for the crew and they offered t shirts for sale to anyone who wanted one. Prices were $10-$12 US. I purchased one. I forgot to mention I was the only American passenger on the boat. Two crew members and the Captain were also American. Now back on the beach and a short walk back to the bus.
I am back at the Coral Marien and look around for Hector. I find him and agree to meet him @ 10 PM. I stroll along the pool chit-chatting with the guest I already know and a few new ones. I run into my chocolate chica. We converse, she inquires what am I doing this evening. I mention I am going out with one of the other guys to show me around. If she would have been more aggressive I could have been talked into changing plans. She seems disturbed that I am going without her. She asks where I am going and I say I think a disco. She mumbles something about a strip bar and I laugh. I say goodbye and decide I should probably rest a little before dinner.
I go to room for a short nap and call for 8 PM wake up call.
Its 8 PM, I?m up and shower and dressed. I head off for dinner at the buffet around 9 PM. I have an hour before I am meeting Hector. Dinner was very enjoyable, as I am leaving I run into my chica friend again who is cordial but a little distant. I go to the lobby and await my ride. He arrives with a taxi friend of his, we go to the Playa Dorado mall to try and change dollars for pesos. POINTER The western union there has the best rate 35-1, but closes @ 10PM. We leave and go to a market in Puerto Plata and I get 34-1. Then we go to a Fugo (Outdoor bar/caf?). We meet Hectors? neighbor there. It was prearranged because I had asked hector where to go to meet the local chicas. She is 26 yrs old cute, but I am a little nervous. I am out of my element and still trying to get the feel. We order beer for the girls and rum and cokes for us. The waiter comes with a Presidente grande and a bottle of Pepsi, ice and a 375 ml of Brugal anejo rum. After I get one drink under my belt I feel more relaxed. At this time the taxi driver returns with another chica for me. Hector and myself go to the taxi to check her out. She gets out and I am caught off guard. I know she probably is some sort of working girl and not really my type, but she is invited to stay. Now, I am sitting at the table with two chicas and neither one speaks much English, and Hectors? neighbors? grandmother sitting between them. I am thinking I got two girls and I am not sure I want either. Did I tell you I am very picky? I decide to hit the men?s, room for a little escape. I take a few minutes to look around and then return to the table. Listening to the Karaoke at this bar wasn?t good until a good singer begins to serenade us. Hector spins around and says that?s my girl I was telling you about. She comes over to the table to say hi and meet everyone. I can tell there is tension between her and Hector. I give a sign to Hector that the chica the taxi driver brought for me is not for me. He takes her back to the taxi. I am now checking out the chica two tables over who appears to be with her mother. In different circumstances I would have gone over to talk to them. At this time hector suggests we go to a disco, I say great, maybe I can get a chance to get to know his neighbor Carla better. I keep an eye on the time because I have another early ex excursion in the AM.
A short taxi ride later we pull up to our destination. I almost sh** my pants when I saw the name EL BOHEN DISCO. I have read about this place. Many of you probably know what this place is. It is a Disco/strip bar/brothel all in one and we have two women with us. Now this wasn?t really the evening I had in mind or a good place to try to get to know Carla. The place is dimly lit with neon lights and long and narrow flowing away from the bar right inside the front door. We are escorted to a table by a waiter who is dressed in something similar to the flight crew on American Airlines. We order the same drinks as the last bar and I head to the john to laugh really hard. I return to the table and check the place out. Carla really doesn?t have a chance now because there are about 50-60 sexy clad women around the club. I am sipping my drink and taking all this in. Hector dances a few dances with the ladies while I watch. My mind is on other things and I haven?t learned the meringue or bachata yet? Hector returns and I invite him to the bar to do a shot. While we are ordering shots, he points out a chica sitting there with her back to us. He says she is wearing nothing, only to catch the mosquitoes. She was HOT, very beautiful. I tried to play it cool an uninterested but Hector would not let me get away with that. She introduces herself as Karina and I offer to but her a shot also. Now, here we are at the bar, two women back at the table and I feel like Hector is Karinas? agent. He is negotiating a price to take her with us and get a cabana for me. I tell him I am not interested because of the early morning I will be having. She wants $100 US for all night. I refuse and reply ?muy caro?. I am not interested. She then offers to go downstairs para dos horas, ochenta dollars. Again, I reply ?muy caro?. I order another round of shots for us and content to just socialize and party. Hector feels he needs to get me laid. Now the liquor is working on me and Karina in gyrating her sexy body against mine. Well, I knew it was getting late and I made an offer or $50 for two hours. She said ok and you can figure out the rest. It was not what I was looking for but I had comdoms in my back pocket just in case and I am on vacation. I come back after about an hour and ten minutes because there was no AC in her room. I grab Hector and tell him its bedtime for me. Tomorrow is another day! Back to the hotel we go where they drop me off. I give the cab drive $35 which I thought was a little expensive but he waited all night with us. Still a little high. Take advantage of the gringo, I didn?t care I let him. I will elaborate more on Taxis later.
I head to the beach bar before bed, A slice of pepperoni pizza, a cheeseburger and one more presidente. This is becoming a ritual, off to bed @ 3:30 am
Hope I didn?t bore you! It gets better!
SG
I awake this morning @ 7 AM, because I am not sure what time I am being picked up for my catamaran cruise. A quick shower and apply 30 SPF all over. I know I will spend most of the day in the sun. I pack a few things in my backpack, underwater camera, sunscreen, towel, extra t shirt, hat, sunglasses, snorkel and a few bucks and pesos.
I run by the buffet, a glass of juice, croissant, and a couple of small banana bread muffins. (I lived on these for breakfast, they were delicious.) I stroll by the pool, empty at this hour, 8 AM. The sun is high and I notice a photography shoot at one end of the pool. I take a couple of snapshots myself and head to the lobby. There I run into Dave, the dive instructor and inquire what time I am being picked up. He says about 8:20 AM. While I am waiting I talk to one of the bellboys, Hector. We discuss going out this evening and I agree to talk more about it when I return in the afternoon. I am pacing because it is now 8:25AM and Dave decides to drop me off. As he goes for his keys, my shuttle arrives and I am off. We stop at a couple more hotels to pick up other tour guests and get dropped off @ The Flamenco in Playa Dorado.
It?s a short walk to the beach around some construction. The beach is beautiful and being raked by a Ford tractor. The beach is quite large; our tour leader tells us to get on Freestyle II and to make sure we rinse our shoes off. (No sand on the boat) We wade thru the crotch high water and climb the steps up to the deck. The catamaran is pretty big and we have about 50 passengers today. The music is jamming and we get some final instructions from our captain, John. He introduces the crew and we shove off. Its 9:15 AM and we?re cruising thru the Caribbean, not a cloud in the sky and a wonderful breeze. John says the trade winds won?t kick up till about 11 AM, can just about set your watch by it. I check my watch, 9:45 AM, time for a Presidente. A little hair of the dog and this morning will be much better. You all know how late I was up! I got the camera clicking and meeting the other passengers. Hooked up with some younger English chaps who were also drinking beers. Them being English and me coming from an Irish and Scottish background we got along great. The captain warns about seasickness and introduces the bucket. Anyone who feels it coming on, grab an empty bucket and sit down on an edge and do your thing. About 5 people on the way out took this option. I always made sure I was upwind from this action.
We?re cruising along with the sun already being hot. The Captain, John tells us about the water fights we will encounter today with the other catamaran, Freestyle I. He lowers a bucket on a rope into the sea and brings it up and dumps into a 40 gallon garbage container. He invites all who want to participate and tells us to get ready. As we pull alongside Freestyle I, we unleash a fury of buckets of water on the enemies. Water is flying everywhere and really catches you off guard when you?re laughing and take one in the face. The first battle is over and we are all cracking up. The John tells us to huddle in; he says the other side of the boat is all dry. He says when he gives the signal we are to soak everyone on the opposite side of the boat. Water starts flying, girls start screaming, bikinis getting drenched and even a few got surprised when they had theirs untied, laying down getting sun. I wish I would have had the camera ready at that Kodak moment. Oh well! Now, everyone is wet, what to do? Get another beer. The crew was awesome; they acted as waiters in between sailing and making changes to the sails.
John tells us we are coming up on Sosua beach where we will do our first snorkel session. There is a nice reef offshore and we will feed the fishes. The crew passes out the snorkel equipment, I only need fins. The guys were good, just looked at you feet and handed you fins. Fit perfect. We anchor offshore and they lower the stairs. I do not hesitate; I?m one of the first in the water. We are told to wait for the guide and he will lead us to the reef. The snorkeling was great, plenty of fish and lots to see. After 45 minutes of swimming around, it was time for lunch. The crew set up a mini buffet, which consisted of cole slaw, macaroni salad, potato salad, cold cuts, hard boiled eggs, and fresh fruit. This hit the spot after all the exercise.
After lunch, I decided to grease down again with the 30 SPF and ask one of the females near me if she wouldn?t mind putting it on my back. First I asked her husbands? permission. She obliged. We set sail again and this time had the trade winds kicking. We cruised by this secluded beach, which happened to be part of the Julio Iglesias estate. The house we saw was the guest house and servant quarters. His was up higher on the bluff which could not be seen from our vantage point.
We now arrived at our second snorkel spot, again we we?re in the water swimming around. This water and reef seemed to be a little deeper. Again back on the boat, the crew started some games and competitions where prizes were awarded. Bottles of Dominican rum. We had two more water fights; we drained the water from the coolers and used it to really surprise our enemies. On the way back home the two captains raced, while the crew put a little show on for us which was very funny. I can tell you from experience, with the hot sun, this water took your breath away.
The ride home was very relaxing, the bar was open all day(did I tell you it was included, lunch, two snorkeling sessions, open bar(beer, rum drinks or soft drinks) great catamaran trip for $69 US. 9am - 4PM) Well worth the money, even if you do not drink. Now we?re back at the beach but offshore. We have to take a small dingy in because the beach now is crowded with swimmers. Bar still open, a tip jar was passed around for the crew and they offered t shirts for sale to anyone who wanted one. Prices were $10-$12 US. I purchased one. I forgot to mention I was the only American passenger on the boat. Two crew members and the Captain were also American. Now back on the beach and a short walk back to the bus.
I am back at the Coral Marien and look around for Hector. I find him and agree to meet him @ 10 PM. I stroll along the pool chit-chatting with the guest I already know and a few new ones. I run into my chocolate chica. We converse, she inquires what am I doing this evening. I mention I am going out with one of the other guys to show me around. If she would have been more aggressive I could have been talked into changing plans. She seems disturbed that I am going without her. She asks where I am going and I say I think a disco. She mumbles something about a strip bar and I laugh. I say goodbye and decide I should probably rest a little before dinner.
I go to room for a short nap and call for 8 PM wake up call.
Its 8 PM, I?m up and shower and dressed. I head off for dinner at the buffet around 9 PM. I have an hour before I am meeting Hector. Dinner was very enjoyable, as I am leaving I run into my chica friend again who is cordial but a little distant. I go to the lobby and await my ride. He arrives with a taxi friend of his, we go to the Playa Dorado mall to try and change dollars for pesos. POINTER The western union there has the best rate 35-1, but closes @ 10PM. We leave and go to a market in Puerto Plata and I get 34-1. Then we go to a Fugo (Outdoor bar/caf?). We meet Hectors? neighbor there. It was prearranged because I had asked hector where to go to meet the local chicas. She is 26 yrs old cute, but I am a little nervous. I am out of my element and still trying to get the feel. We order beer for the girls and rum and cokes for us. The waiter comes with a Presidente grande and a bottle of Pepsi, ice and a 375 ml of Brugal anejo rum. After I get one drink under my belt I feel more relaxed. At this time the taxi driver returns with another chica for me. Hector and myself go to the taxi to check her out. She gets out and I am caught off guard. I know she probably is some sort of working girl and not really my type, but she is invited to stay. Now, I am sitting at the table with two chicas and neither one speaks much English, and Hectors? neighbors? grandmother sitting between them. I am thinking I got two girls and I am not sure I want either. Did I tell you I am very picky? I decide to hit the men?s, room for a little escape. I take a few minutes to look around and then return to the table. Listening to the Karaoke at this bar wasn?t good until a good singer begins to serenade us. Hector spins around and says that?s my girl I was telling you about. She comes over to the table to say hi and meet everyone. I can tell there is tension between her and Hector. I give a sign to Hector that the chica the taxi driver brought for me is not for me. He takes her back to the taxi. I am now checking out the chica two tables over who appears to be with her mother. In different circumstances I would have gone over to talk to them. At this time hector suggests we go to a disco, I say great, maybe I can get a chance to get to know his neighbor Carla better. I keep an eye on the time because I have another early ex excursion in the AM.
A short taxi ride later we pull up to our destination. I almost sh** my pants when I saw the name EL BOHEN DISCO. I have read about this place. Many of you probably know what this place is. It is a Disco/strip bar/brothel all in one and we have two women with us. Now this wasn?t really the evening I had in mind or a good place to try to get to know Carla. The place is dimly lit with neon lights and long and narrow flowing away from the bar right inside the front door. We are escorted to a table by a waiter who is dressed in something similar to the flight crew on American Airlines. We order the same drinks as the last bar and I head to the john to laugh really hard. I return to the table and check the place out. Carla really doesn?t have a chance now because there are about 50-60 sexy clad women around the club. I am sipping my drink and taking all this in. Hector dances a few dances with the ladies while I watch. My mind is on other things and I haven?t learned the meringue or bachata yet? Hector returns and I invite him to the bar to do a shot. While we are ordering shots, he points out a chica sitting there with her back to us. He says she is wearing nothing, only to catch the mosquitoes. She was HOT, very beautiful. I tried to play it cool an uninterested but Hector would not let me get away with that. She introduces herself as Karina and I offer to but her a shot also. Now, here we are at the bar, two women back at the table and I feel like Hector is Karinas? agent. He is negotiating a price to take her with us and get a cabana for me. I tell him I am not interested because of the early morning I will be having. She wants $100 US for all night. I refuse and reply ?muy caro?. I am not interested. She then offers to go downstairs para dos horas, ochenta dollars. Again, I reply ?muy caro?. I order another round of shots for us and content to just socialize and party. Hector feels he needs to get me laid. Now the liquor is working on me and Karina in gyrating her sexy body against mine. Well, I knew it was getting late and I made an offer or $50 for two hours. She said ok and you can figure out the rest. It was not what I was looking for but I had comdoms in my back pocket just in case and I am on vacation. I come back after about an hour and ten minutes because there was no AC in her room. I grab Hector and tell him its bedtime for me. Tomorrow is another day! Back to the hotel we go where they drop me off. I give the cab drive $35 which I thought was a little expensive but he waited all night with us. Still a little high. Take advantage of the gringo, I didn?t care I let him. I will elaborate more on Taxis later.
I head to the beach bar before bed, A slice of pepperoni pizza, a cheeseburger and one more presidente. This is becoming a ritual, off to bed @ 3:30 am
Hope I didn?t bore you! It gets better!
SG