DR never ceases to amaze me.

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
Every time I see a new price hike in gasoline and in food items, I feel the country will come to a stand still, yet I am always proven wrong. Ex: the gasoline prices are record high yet I see the traffic jams getting worse by the day? It seems there are more cars in the street now than there were before when the gasoline prices were a lot cheaper.
Car prices have more than doubled yet I see more and more newer SUV in Santiago everyday.
Bars like Francifol cafe, tribecca and baja club are full as always (on the weekends) yet the drinks cost more than double as before. A cheap( locally bottled) bottle of water cost 50 pesos in francifol cafe, yet the bar was over crowded on Saturday night. You couldn't even go to the bathroom, it was that full.
The only difference I see is that more single guys are going out now than couples or groups of single girls. The guys simply drink beers or cuba libres and avoid taking out girls who ask for expensive drinks. Remember, guys pay for everything when they go out on a date with girls (even with a group of girls).
I was suffering when I charged less for my services and when I got fed up with this economy and actually raised my fees (3 times as high) to find a reason to leave this place, I experienced a massive influx of patients and now I make quite a bit more than before. I never thought people would pay me so much in such bad times in economy, yet they pay be up front without cries and refer more people to me. I, even, took off my radio advertisement and I see more people now than before. Amazing isn't it?
This is a country, which defies logic and even physical laws at times. I am simply amazed at what I see here daily.
Anyone else wants to add anything to the list above?
AZB
 

Oche

Member
Jan 6, 2004
336
4
18
47
I know exactly what you mean AZB, Santo Domingo is even worse than Santiago, it really is amazing how while things are supposed to be "rock bottom", it would really appear that every day there are even more people out there spending more, and more money of their suffocated salaries on expensive places, it makes you wonder if there is any economic crisis or what?. I'm no communist but in a way all that spending really insults lower classes (they do spend it all in booze as well). I just keep praying that in the following months, when the new government comes in, we do see a whole new ball game.

I dropped whiskey and have been back to rum for like 7 months, can't complaint i must admit. Drink up me hearties, arrghhh!!!
 

rafael

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
1,633
28
48
61
www.dr-tourist.tv
One possible explanation is the amount of remittances from the US. If you have been getting say 200 bucks per month from a relative in nueva york, you are now getting close to 10,000 pesos rather than 4,000 of maybe 2 years ago.

The price hikes never seem to keep up with peso falling so their dollars go farther just us the dollars of us ex pats do.

I have seen significant price increases in SD restaurants etc. Champions now lists prices in dollars. Up until theis trip 12 hot wings were like $175 pesos or so. Now they are $4.25, which still aint bad. Well the wings are bad, but the price aint!

The brazilian place Costelao is now up to 900 pesos, and was 700 pesos at navidad and about 500 pesos 6 months ago.



Oche said:
I know exactly what you mean AZB, Santo Domingo is even worse than Santiago, it really is amazing how while things are supposed to be "rock bottom", it would really appear that every day there are even more people out there spending more, and more money of their suffocated salaries on expensive places, it makes you wonder if there is any economic crisis or what?. I'm no communist but in a way all that spending really insults lower classes (they do spend it all in booze as well). I just keep praying that in the following months, when the new government comes in, we do see a whole new ball game.

I dropped whiskey and have been back to rum for like 7 months, can't complaint i must admit. Drink up me hearties, arrghhh!!!
 

KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
6
38
Couldn't agree with you more

The other day I was talking to a newcomer from Colombia and he was telling me that it was impossible that the economy recuperate so quickly because of the external dept, established laws, etc. and I told him not to worry. What I've learned in this country during the last 7 years is that all laws and rules are bendable (or breakable). People are going to find a way to make it work and although things might not go back to what they were 4 years ago, they'll get better. The poor will suffer and the rich will get richer but life will go on and things will recuperate.

People used to complain when they'd go to the supermarket and would have to spend 500 pesos food. They've been complaining even more in the last year but if you look closely, you'll see that they haven't changed their routine all that much. The poor, poor people are suffering more, I won't deny that, but middle and lower middle class people just are avoiding spending on unecessary things to keep living more or less the same way. I don't know if that makes sense but that's what I've been seeing. Give this country 1 or 2 years and you'll see people living almost the same way as before. I guarantee it.
 

miguel

I didn't last long...
Jul 2, 2003
5,261
2
0
113
Here I am, no pics from you but still happy!!!

AZB said:
Every time I see a new price hike in gasoline and in food items, I feel the country will come to a stand still, yet I am always proven wrong. Ex: the gasoline prices are record high yet I see the traffic jams getting worse by the day? It seems there are more cars in the street now than there were before when the gasoline prices were a lot cheaper.
Car prices have more than doubled yet I see more and more newer SUV in Santiago everyday.
Bars like Francifol cafe, tribecca and baja club are full as always (on the weekends) yet the drinks cost more than double as before. A cheap( locally bottled) bottle of water cost 50 pesos in francifol cafe, yet the bar was over crowded on Saturday night. You couldn't even go to the bathroom, it was that full.
The only difference I see is that more single guys are going out now than couples or groups of single girls. The guys simply drink beers or cuba libres and avoid taking out girls who ask for expensive drinks. Remember, guys pay for everything when they go out on a date with girls (even with a group of girls).
I was suffering when I charged less for my services and when I got fed up with this economy and actually raised my fees (3 times as high) to find a reason to leave this place, I experienced a massive influx of patients and now I make quite a bit more than before. I never thought people would pay me so much in such bad times in economy, yet they pay be up front without cries and refer more people to me. I, even, took off my radio advertisement and I see more people now than before. Amazing isn't it?
This is a country, which defies logic and even physical laws at times. I am simply amazed at what I see here daily.
Anyone else wants to add anything to the list above?
AZB
My Pakistani companero, all you mentioned above is so darn true. I have known since childhood that most dominican would pay for anything as long as they need it. They can strike every single day of the week and if they get their ways for a week, they would be happy. I have seen "huelgas" last a few day and have something changed and in a few days, the same problem will arise again. I tell all my friends that whomever wants to become a millonaire, within a few years, there are some type of businesses in the DR, that if one uses their heads, would not fail: 1- a whorehouse(we know how much some dominican like to do "the nasty" or the "goody"), 2- anything that has to do with selling alcoholic beverages, 3- a cabana or a "3 or 4" hours motels. The prices can go thru the roof and they will ALWAYS find money for the above. The price for a presidente can go as high as 200 pesos and ALL will complain about it but those same people would be going to the colmados to buy their 200 pesos presidentes. Doing the mentioned things are a norm over there so it does not matter how much they get paid or how high the price is, they will do it. Maybe money for a soda or something for the household, but money for a presidente, a puta(o) or a quickie in a run-down motel, of course!!. The gasoline can go thru the roof and some will still find a way to drive their cars because, in case you do not know, a car in the DR, to most, is more of a luxury than a necesity. You know " I rather be SEEN driving my car than having people think that I don't have the money to buy the gasoline".
 
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AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
If you make your money in pesos, then the prices seem ridiculously high. Many dark little corner disco/cafes are charging as much as 65-70 pesos / small presidente beer, 70 pesos for a cuba libre (brugal, full of ice) ex: Pop's cafe, behind supermercado nacional in santiago. I mean, their prices are as high as in tribecca bar/caf? yet they are still in business. The best deal in town is still Ahi-bar cafe/restaurant. Small presidente is still 42 pesos (taxes included). The place is wide open-air in a corner street intersection and walking distance from monumento. The food is Ok and the crowd is decent, security men are everywhere. You can always walk in and find many friends sitting talking, laughing. You will find people as poor as from barrio to people as rich as politicans sitting next to each other. The place has something for almost everyone. If you are a visiting tourist, then it’s a great place to start the evening and meet lovely girls in groups.

Recently the colmadons are becoming very popular among the young and single folks. They sit around all day on sunday and listen to blasting music and drink cheap rums and beer. The drive-by parking lot type bars are also becoming too famous among young crowd ex: Dyki loco (spelling). This is a place which used to cater young poor javito wanna bees, now I see young people from all walks of life gathering there on weekends and making noise and drinking on the streets. There are also many businesses, which take on a different look in the evening. Ex: there is a "quick lube" place, which changes oil and washes cars in the daytime but becomes an outdoor bar during the evenings. It’s quite a catchy design, which attracts young folks all nights of the week. They also serve sandwiches and quipe / burritos/ tacos in a small cafeteria located inside the establishment. The food –mart gas stations are also becoming very popular for boom-box cars, loaded with teenagers. They stand around all night long listening to music and buying cheap beers right from the station store; ex: tiger mart.
Then you have the same barrio folks who do nothing but drink beer / rum all day in front of their houses. With prices that high, how the hell do they afford to drink all day and still be able to eat and feed their families? I make quite a bit as compared to dominican salaries but I still can't afford to eat fancy food regularly and can't seem to afford a better car (because of ridiculous price hikes); yet I see people who make a lot less money as I do and they keep changing to better cars every 2 years or so? How the hell do they do it all?
AZB
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
I had also observed this. In the cafes, bars and restaurants catering for the wealthier sectors there seems to have been no reduction in traffic.

If you are talking about lower-income sectors the answer has to be that they live on credit or remittances and have different priorities. Being seen to be cutting down, economising, or being modest is not a virtue in some circles, it seems.

If their income is in dollars and they are wealthy enough to afford luxury cars, they must have so much money that the economic situation makes little or no difference to their spending habits.

Chiri
 

Jersey Devil

Bronze
Jul 5, 2002
686
0
16
Keep it on the DownLow!

miguel said:
My Pakistani companero, all you mentioned above is so darn true. I have known since childhood that most dominican would pay for anything as long as they need it. They can strike every single day of the week and if they get their ways for a week, they would be happy. I have seen "huelgas" last a few day and have something changed and in a few days, the same problem will arise again. I tell all my friends that whomever wants to become a millonaire, within a few years, there are some type of businesses in the DR, that if one uses their heads, would not fail: 1- a whorehouse(we know how much some dominican like to do "the nasty" or the "goody"), 2- anything that has to do with selling alcoholic beverages, 3- a cabana or a "3 or 4" hours motels. The prices can go thru the roof and they will ALWAYS find money for the above. The price for a presidente can go as high as 200 pesos and ALL will complain about it but those same people would be going to the colmados to buy their 200 pesos presidentes. Doing the mentioned things are a norm over there so it does not matter how much they get paid or how high the price is, they will do it. Maybe money for a soda or something for the household, but money for a presidente, a puta(o) or a quickie in a run-down motel, of course!!. The gasoline can go thru the roof and some will still find a way to drive their cars because, in case you do not know, a car in the DR, to most, is more of a luxury than a necesity. You know " I rather be SEEN driving my car than having people think that I don't have the money to buy the gasoline".

I was just discussing this subject on Friday night with a couple of Domincans who own bars in the Central New Jersey area. One wants
to open a Car Wash in his "querida tierra". The other has a multi-pronged
attack including housing, and a whorehouse somewhere on Las Americas.
Maybe we'll be partners? LOL
So true,

JD
 
T

TiberiusMineola

Guest
Adolescent Instant Gratification ? ? ?

I've lived in this country for 8 years; I have a middle class American background. At times I look at most Dominicnas, their entional & intellectual characteristics & think of youg, male American children, perhaps 14 - 17 years of age. Their taste in music, clothes, entertainment, mental endeavors, food, beer, life styles, etc. all seem [to me at least] very similar to an early American MALE adolescent. 1 of the characcteristics of this state of early MALE life is the need for instant gratification; or, the inability to postpose gratification for a perceived greater future good; for example, saving some $ today so that you can buy a motor in 6 months, rather than borrowing the $ [@ 4% per month!] or going to a pawn shop. Most Americans "mature", ie grow out of this mind set, at age 18 - 25 - 30. Dominicans seemingly never do. For wxamle: how many Dominicnas have a savings account? Regardless of the balance? 5%? 10% 15%. Less? Why? I realize that I'm over generalizing. But, as you look around you, don't my observations apply to at least 90% of Dominicans, & explain a great deal @ how they live & survive - with enthusiasm & pleasure. Manana? Why worry @ it? Que viva La Republica!! Food for thought?