Trip Report-Day # 4 includes photo link

GreyGhost

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Jun 4, 2003
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:bunny: :cool:

Day #4-Friday, July 25, 2003

I awake @ 8:00 AM and have more time this morning because I am being picked up at 9:00 AM for my Dominican Safari Tour. I shower quickly and get dressed and pack my backpack with everything I may need. Cameras, towel, diving gloves for the falls, money for shopping, extra t-shirt and aqua shoes for the falls. I head to the buffet for breakfast. A light one, although I have time, I am a little tired from the night before. It?s 8:55 AM and I head for the front entrance. I see a truck with passengers already on it. I ask if this is the jeep safari, everyone acknowledges me yes. The guide jumps on board and we take off. Just as we past the other vehicles, I notice in my peripheral vision ?Dominican Safari? on the side of a truck. I start yelling STOP---ALTO; the guide asks me what is wrong? I ask what trip is this and show him my receipt. He says OMG! I didn?t see you get on; you belong on the other truck. I hop off and head for my truck, I am the early bird.

We finally get going and stop at several resorts to pick up other guests. It turns out this tour is mostly Americans except for one couple from Poland. Now, our guide starts his speech about what we are to expect. His name was the ?Professor?. We head off up to the mountains. Our first stop seems to be nothing; the professor says here we will taste the termites. I laugh and say yeah right! The driver hops out and goes over to a tree and starts scraping the tree. He soon comes to the back of the truck with his hand full of tiny termites. He starts to eat them. I say no way! Leave me out! One woman was daring enough to try to eat them. One tiny insect. Me, I am not taking any chances! Maybe if I had a Presidente to wash it down with, I may have been more daring.

The truck starts rolling again; we are heading into the hills and now on a dirt road driving by many small houses along the road. Many children are coming out at the sound of the truck and yelling menta, menta. This means candy. They want candy from the tour groups. Damn, I forgot to pack my candy for the children. The professor says not to worry because we will stop in a small town a little later on where we can shop and buy candy.

We now arrive at the botanical gardens, Sh**, I am thinking I live in Florida, I have this SH** in my yard. But, I do not show my boredom because I can respect the other guests. They are from all over. The couple from Poland was really impressed. I was happy and I also was thankful to the lord that I am living in a paradise myself. Nothing like I grew up in, but that had its? own charm and I do miss part of it! I did find interesting things about this garden. I found a shy puppy who didn?t like strangers and I also found a kitchen where Dominican women were preparing a typical Dominican lunch for another group coming thru. It was a peaceful serene setting. I am happy!

We now head off again and shortly come to a small village. We climb out at a small shop. There are many things we can buy here, Cheap! I open a refrigerator which says President on it. The beers are warm inside, I am disappointed. I ask if they have President ?muy frio cerveza?? The son brings out a Presidente Grande which is ice cold, frost was on the outside! I am happy again! Now, the professor tells us about the coffee we can buy along with the brugal rum. I bought some Santa Domingo coffee and rum. I paid 95 pesos for a bottle of brugal Anejo and 110 pesos for a bottle of Brugal Extra Viejo. I think it was a good deal. I pay and go outside to take video of the area. A lot of small street shops and markets, very charming village. I thought this could be central shopping location for a lot of the mountain people. Near the truck, a child came and asked me if I wanted to buy some peanut brittle or coconut brittle? 10 pesos for one or 1 dollar for two. I gave him a dollar and took two. When I was sitting there hearing sell to the other guests, I caught on! I said hey, 10 pesos each? I gave you a buck, which is at least 30 pesos! He smiled and said yea right and gave me another peanut brittle! I had to laugh!


We were off again, and passing more home in the hills on the way to the waterfalls. Our guide, the professor says after the falls, we will go to lunch. We stop as we turn off the road and pick up a waterfall guide which is essential for climbing the falls. We pick up one guide; our group is only 8 people. We dive down the path where a few more children chase the truck on bikes asking for more candy. We finally arrive at our destination. The place where we will hike through the jungle. The guide suggests anyone who needs aqua shoes to rent them here. We strip down to our suits and only bring what we need to the falls. It is not a short hike probably about 30-40 minutes as you wind up and across a few streams. We are here at last, where there are many people. Our guide gets us together. I give my video camera to the one girl who does not want to climb up. There are 27 waterfalls here at Jabacoa. Today on our tour we will only climb to #7. You can get a guide and go to the top. But, I am satisfied only going to #7 because of the time and the late night last night. The water is cold at first but you get used to it. (Look for the video link, I hope to load it) The guide is very good as he helps our group climb up the falls. First we climb to the top, #7. Then it is slide or jump the way down. Look for the photos and you will get a better description than I can describe. We have a good time down thru the falls, we reach the last two, it?s big jump time or slide down or climb down. I opt to jump, you only live once. I?ll try almost anything, and if I like I?ll do it again. Two jumps later and some good photos we are in the bottom pool. I wade out and thank Gloria for taking the video. I take our guide, Alberto over to the refreshment hut and order cerveza for everyone. We now have the hike back which passes through a souvenir hut which sells just about anything. Here is the good part. You don?t have to have the money; you can negotiate with the seller and pay at the bottom. I pick out some mamajuana, which just needs the honey and rum. We get back to the truck and I ask the Professor if it is good mamajuana and worth $5. He says yes and it is a good price. I pay the kid and tip our guide $10. This is optional, but you do need him to keep you safe on the falls. I weigh 215lbs and I know he had to be strong to help me up. I also assisted him when I could with the other guests.

Now, we take off and head back through the mountains. We stop at a private place where a guard opens the gate. Rancho Buena Vista, the place where we have lunch. The view was awesome and the food authentic. Delicious!! I gave the waitress and her son some candy and packs of planters peanuts I had stashed. I also tipped her. I was the only one. After a very comfortable and relaxing lunch we were on our way again. Heading back home, we had one last stop. The final souvenir shop. We are taught about real amber and fake. Real amber will float in salt water and the rest will just sit at the bottom. I buy some petrified wood carvings, turn down the cigars and get my first sample of mamajuana. The jewelry was beautiful, the artifacts were also. I get back to the truck and one of the younger boys in our group had a snake on him. Then they put a tarantula on me. I was not interested, and asked them to remove it. It was about the size of my fist and they told me it was only a baby. I don?t want to meet mama!

We get back in the truck and ride out of this small neighborhood tossing the last of our candy for the locals. Back on the main road and heading home. We drop everyone off and I am the last. During our ride home we asked the Professor where a good place in town was to dance. He said the Orion was good.

I am now back at the Coral Marien and I tip the guide and the driver. My friend hector is not around so I head by the pool. I mingle and socialize a bit and decide to rest a bit. I go to the room and grab a cigar and a beer and go the hammock right outside my room on the beach. I read a book for about 45 minutes and just chill. I then go to my room for an hour siesta. .

At 8 pm I awake and shower for dinner, tonight I have reservations at the Mexican restaurant. I dine alone this evening and enjoy the ambience very much. Maria is my waitress and very charming. I remember her from the buffet and the show. She is married so I am not interested in spending too much time with her. I have to respect that sacrament. I take a few photos and go off to the show. Again the show is great and I hang around until it is time to go to the disco. At the disco I ask Francis, (the chocolate friend leader) where is a good place to go and dance. I ask about Orion, but he suggests the ?Crazy Moon? next door in the Playa Dorado complex. Now I am confused and ready to leave. I ask the bell man for a taxi. While waiting I notice one of the chocolate friend ladies speaking to a guy out front. I excuse myself and ask her opinion of discos. She asks what I want. American music or Dominican music? I reply I want to dance to your music and meet local chicas! She tells me I should go to El Barrique in POP, but she can?t go because she has to work early in the morning. I wasn?t inviting her anyway! Off I go in a cab after asking how much? Important, but the hotel has a special arranged rate that is way too high! What you going to do!!

We arrive and I ask the cab to wait, many people out front and loads of motoconchos. I peek inside and tell the cabbie ok and I pay him. I go inside and there is a bar right inside the door. The bar is pretty well lit, but when I tell you the place was dark, I mean dark. All the waiters carried flashlights to show you where to go. I though about borrowing and walking around saying gringo here who wants to learn to dance? After walking around once in the dark I settle in at the bar where I meet a guy who claims to be a Policia. Whatever?? I say hi and we begin to talk. After the first beer I order some brugal Anejo and ask him to join me. I go to rest room and while returning I run into Terry from our trip today. She was with a couple of men and enjoying the dancing. I go back to the bar and guess who is sitting there. The chocolate chica from the hotel who could not make it. Her name is Grace and she is with her boyfriend. I say hi and buy a Presidente grande for them. Next thing I know she is dragging me on the dance floor, I make sure I have the boyfriends? permission. No problema! Grace teaches me the meringue, great!! Then she teaches me the bachata. Great!! She and I dance a lot together and her boyfriend does not want to dance. I keep buying the drinks and I am getting dance lessons, cheap and very enjoyable lessons! Grace was awesome! Long story short it got late and they had to leave. Me, I was on party mode and made a new friend with my policia Tigre. He was funny! We did meet a few chicas at this bar but nothing promising. I asked him where we could go for some action.

We leave and pull up at ?El Bohen?, not again but it is closing. It is now 5 AM. A taxi pulls up and a sexy chica gets out and I yell ?hey momie, come here?! She came right over with no argument and was all over me like white on rice. I looked at El polcia and said any bars open? We walked around the corner to this dive and went in. A real dive with a tiny dance floor. He finds a chica inside and now we have a table for four. We spend about an hour dancing and drinking and I am ready to take my chica for some horizontal dancing. Then it seems a switch turns on in my chica and she gets really wild. I know I could be in big trouble with this one. Time to bail, I pay the check and tell the ladies I have to go. My new friend and I walk outside and only see motoconchos. He says if we want a taxi we have to walk to the main road. We start walking and about half way there we find a taxi to take me home to the Coral Marien. Another good night with maybe a date on Saturday with Grace. It is now daylight and close to 7 am as I walk to my room. Time to rest no excursions in the morning, tomorrow I will chill and hang out!


;) :cool: :bunny: :tired:


Photo link for day # 4

http://www.worldisround.com/articles/20422/index.html
 

Doreen

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Jan 29, 2002
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Great Post & Pics

Sounds like a busy and fun day.
I think I will do that waterfall-thing next time I am down there.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
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Reading your posts make me SO tired from remembering the days I used to tour guide!! I NEVER did all that at the age of 53 DID I??? Keep the next one less tiring for me will you please, I need the rest!!! - Grahame.
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
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What a trip!!!

Although you seem a little uptight about the whole thing...next time try to relax more...I think you planned everything way too much...

Do you remember Grace's boyfriend's name by any chance?

I met them all when I was there in May...all nice people...had a blast...I'm also from SoFla and went alone to the Coral Marien...

Thanks and please finish the report...!!!
 

FireGuy

Rest in peace Amigo!
Aug 21, 2002
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Whoaaa Sliver/Silver/Grey - Ghost,

Where did that unprovoked attack come from!! Musicqueen made an observation and a suggestion and then asked a couple of civil questions.

Wham - Thread Closed (BTW Mods and Owners only - I think, can do this; see I can still post.)

As a relative newbie (2.5 months, 37 posts under two names) you should get to know people before slamming them. He!! I am approaching my first anniversary and over a hundred posts and there are some people (like our sweet Musicqueen) who I would never dream of slamming in public. If I ever had a problem with a post from her (and I never have) I would PM or e-mail her not post like you did.

And in case it may matter to you, Musicqueen is definately one or our Queen Bees. (Not meant to exclude Anna, MommC, etc., etc.,).

Gregg

P.S. - Greetings from Atlantic Canada.

P.P.S. - Your trip reports are well written and very enjoyable to read, please continue we are all waiting for Day #5.
 
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Barry

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Jun 28, 2003
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SilverGhost - I am also looking forward to Trip Report #5. AS far as the posts in the thread - I wouldn't worry about it - Your trip and your report. Keep on Posting !!!
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
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Thanks...FireGuy

for coming to my rescue...

Ghost...I really didn't mean anything bad with my comments...
but you just proved me right...too uptight!!!

I do want to hear about the rest of the trip, though...

So keep on writing...
 

Hel

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Aug 4, 2003
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Well that sounds fantastic, all apart from the bit where they put a tarantula on you! I would like to go on this trip but now i am worried that they might approach me with a giant spider too! I will try and not let this put me off tho. I would quite positively go mental at the sight of one tho! Argh!:confused:
 

Art Covey

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Jan 2, 2002
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Great Trip Report

Have never visited the falls, BUT after reading your report and seeing the pictures, it's on the list for the next visit to DR.
Waiting for #5
Art