carnival in Santo Domingo....

jrzyguy

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ok...i FINALY booked my flight yesterday....am flying in on the 24th of february till the 4th of march. Of course this will be carnival in S.D. My question is...is carnival worth doing? I have tried to do some reseach on the web....and i dont really see too much to entice my butt off the beach.

SO if anyone has any stories (good or bad) or photos...please let me know. I think i would rather just go on a regular week....but my best friend is going down for that weekend....so i am going with him.
 

Quisqueyana32

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Carnaval de La Vega...

jrzyguy said:
well..damn...i am starting to NOT get excited :-(

I'm from Santiago and the best carnaval celebrations hapen in La Vega so get your bottom there. ;)

Good luck.
 

jrzyguy

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what makes them the best???? i am for real...i am really not into big crowds...i just happen to be traveling at this time
 

Spirit7

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If you're not into crowds....

...don't go to the only two carnival events worthwhile; La Vega where you may have to share 20 square blocks with half a million souls any Sunday in February or the carnival parade in Santo Domingo with the same conditions.
 

Quisqueyana32

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jrzyguy said:
what makes them the best???? i am for real...i am really not into big crowds...i just happen to be traveling at this time

If your not into crowds, then don;t go to La Vega because i'ts like being in the middle of Times Square in New Years Eve!!!!

Santiago is a nice more laid back town.... for u.
 

stewart

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Carnival

Like everybody aleady said, go to either La Vega or Santiago.
Is it worth doing? It is fun. I always like the music and the costumes. Other than that, it is like a 4th of July parade to me.
I think you will be glad for the experience. But it won't change your life.
 

jrzyguy

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stewart said:
Like everybody aleady said, go to either La Vega or Santiago.
Is it worth doing? It is fun. I always like the music and the costumes. Other than that, it is like a 4th of July parade to me.
I think you will be glad for the experience. But it won't change your life.

I Think i will end up at the S.D. carnival....my friend is only traveling with me until that monday...so it doesnt make much sence to travel north for just one day.

I am just not sure if i want to do it or not it certainly doesnt look at wild as rio or trinidad. IT looks very family oriented....I am sure my friend and i will venture in for at least the day...possibly the night....and i am sure we we find some "alternative" fun.
 

jrzyguy

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another question

do we HAVE to be in costume to avoid being hit by pig intestine baloons???? What is the least i can possible wear to avoid this? I am sure i can buy a good (albiet non dominincan) mask here in the city

Heh..i was hoping to be more of an observer rather than a participant :) but if a simple mask can spare me being pulmeted....then i will relent and don a mask :bandit:
 

juancarlos

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I think that if you really want to be in a carnival that is truly worth the name, you should fly to Rio de Janeiro. I have never really heard anything special about carnival in Sto. Domingo. I am sure there are people here who have witnessed it or participated in it. Not only in Sto. Domingo but in other Dominican cities. Maybe they could tell the rest of us what these carnivals constist of, what music they play, the kind of costumes they wear, if there is violence, the avenues where it takes place and who participates in it. I know that in Brazil whole neighborhoods and organizations prepare for it. I have never read or heard anything about carnival in DR.
 

jrzyguy

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i know i know

juancarlos said:
I think that if you really want to be in a carnival that is truly worth the name, you should fly to Rio de Janeiro. I have never really heard anything special about carnival in Sto. Domingo. I am sure there are people here who have witnessed it or participated in it. Not only in Sto. Domingo but in other Dominican cities. Maybe they could tell the rest of us what these carnivals constist of, what music they play, the kind of costumes they wear, if there is violence, the avenues where it takes place and who participates in it. I know that in Brazil whole neighborhoods and organizations prepare for it. I have never read or heard anything about carnival in DR.

i REALLY dont want to go that weekend....but i have been suckered in by my best friend who is traveling that time.

I prefer to travel to places on non "event" times....that way i can have a true experience. FRom what photos I have found on line it (carnival in SD) doesnt look like anything special or spectacular.

I might try to talk my friend into going the week before (a holiday weekend here...and thus less one vacation day)
 

juancarlos

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jrzyguy said:
i REALLY dont want to go that weekend....but i have been suckered in by my best friend who is traveling that time.

I prefer to travel to places on non "event" times....that way i can have a true experience. FRom what photos I have found on line it (carnival in SD) doesnt look like anything special or spectacular.

I might try to talk my friend into going the week before (a holiday weekend here...and thus less one vacation day)

It also seems to me that hotel rates would go up during carnival time.
 

jrzyguy

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juancarlos said:
It also seems to me that hotel rates would go up during carnival time.


naw...i am at costalunga for 40 bucks a night...candil was sold out tho. I dunno...if i can find someone else to travel with i just must pay the 100 extra bucks and travel a week or two sooner.

ARRGGG!!!!!!!!!....i just cant find anyone to go with!!!!! i am very picky who i travel with...they gotta be discrete..they gotta speak enough spanish to get by on their own...and they have to have an adventurous spirit.
 

RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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I wasn't very impressed with the carnival/Independence Day celebration in SD. It's mainly a parade on the Malecon. Colorful costumes and some strange guys carrying whips to chase away evil spirits, or something, but its not even close to the Mummers Parade in Philly. I haven't ventured north to Vega, but I'm told that the festivities there are much better. I'm planning to be in the DR for Independence Day too, but I'll be spending it on the beach at Las Terrenas. :bunny:
 

rafael

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I am trying like heck to get to the DR for at least part of february. La Vega has the best carnaval, and I'd love to see the whipping stuff in Monte Christi, but it is too darn far. . . .

When is the big parade in santo domingo this year? That would probably be worthwhile if I am in town. I have heard that bonao has adecent carnaval and Ihave been thinking about checking that out as well.

For carnaval la vega. . . http://www.dr-tourist.tv/pages/videopages/carnaval.html

It's an old clip, but will give you an idea of what carnaval is like.
 

jrzyguy

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i havent meant to sound negative in my posts....i dunno....i just like experiencing every day life rather than a spectical. i will do it if my friend insists.

HE thinks all the local guys will come out for the festivities.....I think all we will meet are over priced sankies.

I think i am right....anyone care to comment?
 

RonS

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jrzyguy said:
i havent meant to sound negative in my posts....i dunno....i just like experiencing every day life rather than a spectical. i will do it if my friend insists.

HE thinks all the local guys will come out for the festivities.....I think all we will meet are over priced sankies.

I think i am right....anyone care to comment?

My observation was that everybody in SD comes out for the Independence Day celebration, and that includes a significant number of the sankie/sankette population; hell, its a great time for them to strut thier stuff. ;) The real action will be in the clubs after the parade. I've gone to a number of the gay clubs when I visited SD during the celebration, and I found a nice mix of people in the clubs, both straight and gay, male and female, sankie/sankette. It's a lot of fun, complete with dancing, drag shows, etc. If you're going to be in SD or BC on Independence Day, you should not miss the parties. Now, as for the parade, like I said before, I'm not impressed.
 

rafael

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Aren't there two parades? The one on 27th of february is basically a parade of the military and is BORING. They have another parade where there are representatives of different cities and towns parading in costumes typical to their town or city.

The secon one while not a life changing event would be infinitely more entertaining than the parade of every jeep, motorcycle and vehicle the DR military owns!
 

jrzyguy

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rafael said:
Aren't there two parades? The one on 27th of february is basically a parade of the military and is BORING. They have another parade where there are representatives of different cities and towns parading in costumes typical to their town or city.

The secon one while not a life changing event would be infinitely more entertaining than the parade of every jeep, motorcycle and vehicle the DR military owns!


thanks for the tip rafael...I am not a big fan of military parades. I am not looking for life changing event (i would then go to rio)...but something fun in the city would be nice as a change to the beach.

my travel buddy is more into the carnival thing than i am. But if i know him...he will totaly chill when we get there.

If we DO attend....i am sure he is gonna want to hit the clubs at night. I am wondering the best way to get back to b.c. say around 2 or 3 AM. I am sure we can arrange travel arrangments thru my hotel....but that always sounds expensive...I just dont know if i should trust any ole taxi to take us from the capital to BC that late at night. Perhaps we should try to rent a room in the city?????

Details details....i am not really so uptight....i am just trying to get some things arranged well in advance. As it is i lucked out with alternate hotel arrangements as candil was sold out for that weekend. Costalunga worked out just fine and it is just across the street. I stayed there on my first visit...and mario and his wife a great people.

if anyone else is going to be around that week Feb 24 - Mar 3...please let me know.