Few questions :P

[alexw]

1. Ive been living here for about a year now. The best way to learn how to dance is too hang out at the neighborhood store, buy some presidentes, and someone will dance with you. Guaranteed. The people are friendly and warm and you will learn.

2. I love basketball and I play it here often for exercise. Dont listen to anyone who says dominicans dont play it. There is an outside court on the malecon near Calle José Gabriel García. Club Calero has days where there is open gym and you can get some good games in. Thats where I play. And there is an indoor court near calle conde en zona colonial my friends tell me about but i havent been there yet to cofirm. But basketball is everywhere. I played in a couple outside parks but i dont recall their names since im still learning the place.

3. Use uber. Its easy, cheap, and effective.

 

[sanpedrogringo]

I concur with Post #21, with the exception of Point #3.

 

[LTSteve]

First of all thank you for all the answers. I will stay in Piantini districto. Actually I really would like to spend all the days for Bachata lesson, basket, improve spanish etc... If I want to go to the beach I saw playa boca chica and I imagine that it should be really cheap to go there if I take a carro publico and maybe a guagua (assuming that no carro publico cover this route too). Maybe only 2-3 days I will go for a side trip to Pedernales and than to playa bahia de las aguilas. But actually my first concern is to find a valid male/female bachata teacher. One thing that maybe could sound stupid: if I do bachata and basket I will need to wash oftne my clothes. I can't hire a maid. Is it easy to find a cheap laundry service?

Playa Boca Chica is a great choice for a beach "experience." Buenos suarte, me amigo.

 

[Matthew_12]

@Salsafan great tip for sure I will not miss it .

@sanpedrogringo eso es lo que quiero! I think I need 10 message before I can send a pm to someone. anyway are you talking about "San Pedro De Macoris" because it is a little bit far away but if I can find a good basket I want to go in this court!

@ElVenao I'm interest about this teacher can you give me additional information?

 

[Matthew_12]

@LTSteve I just saw the nearest beach and I think it is enough if I want to relax few hours. Honestly I don't want to waste time on the other popular beach for tourist. As I wrote probably I will spend some days to reach Bahia de las Aguilas just to confirm if it is better than "cayo largo". I really would like to spend most of my time between bachata lessons, basket e go to dance bachata and salsa. that's all.

I'm also thinking to buy a "normal" bike there using the website corotos.com.do but I don't know if it is worhwhile.

 

[Meemselle]

Playa Boca Chica is a great choice for a beach "experience." Buenos suarte, me amigo.

Oh, it's an experience all right.....

I suggest staying on the Dominican side and avoiding the European scene past the breakwater. But that's just me.

 

[Matthew_12]

Oh, it's an experience all right.....

I suggest staying on the Dominican side and avoiding the European scene past the breakwater. But that's just me.

this is why I want avoid punta cana, playa bayahibe etc...

 

[AlterEgo]

this is why I want avoid punta cana, playa bayahibe etc...

If you want a true Dominican beach, take a guagua/bus west to Playa Najayo (loudish, music, dancing, lots of young single people), or continue on same bus to Playa Palenque ( quiet, no music, families and couples mostly). The buses leave from Parque Independencia, says PALENQUE on front.

 

[Salsafan]

Next tip: take a long weekend in Las terenas. You can dance super bachata there.

 

[Matthew_12]

@Matthew:
If you're truly interested in street BB, inbox me. Here in San Pedro there is a court, BUT, you better be able to play. It rivals "The Cage" back in NYC. Do your own homework on that. Inbox me if interested.

I sent you a pm. Please letme know something

 

[Mcinbrass]

I concur with Post #21, with the exception of Point #3.

UBER is the best what is your problem w UBER are you a taxi driver?

 

[alexw]

UBER is the best what is your problem w UBER are you a taxi driver?

Yeah its weird. He evens dislikes my posts when I mention Uber. But Uber is amazing. I even put my life on the line and used Ubermoto today. Great times and it was dirt cheap!

 

[Mcinbrass]

Yeah its weird. He evens dislikes my posts when I mention Uber. But Uber is amazing. I even put my life on the line and used Ubermoto today. Great times and it was dirt cheap!

UBERmoto what a concept!

 

[ElVenao]

sanpedrogringo is def a taxi driver or has ties with taxi syndicates... No way you can continuously crap on Uber in here.

One of my friends took an UberMoto @ "hora pico" yesterday from Bella Vista Mall to Churchill Av. @ Luis f Thomen... got there in 5 minutes and it was RD$31... tough to argue with that

 

[ExDR]

1, Bacahata, Basketball and busses. You might as well go to Washington Heights in NYC. Much better level of B'ball. DR not knowned for street basketball. Baseball is the sport of choice of the DR. You want to find street cred and local flavor go to Brooklyn. Do you speak playground Spanish? If not, you will be way in over your head.

This is not entirely true, the DR does play basketball at a high level they call Baloncesto superior. Sort of semi pro on the island. They compete for Latin region tourneys, so there is quite a bit of that in SDO. Just Google it and you should find something about it. As a matter of fact, Juan Luis Guerra (bachatero) was a very good semi pro player when younger.

 

[Hector L]

Uber is not much more expensive than a public car.  They have now statred UberMoto which has a basic price of 20 pesos. I have not tried it.  Uber is more reliable, safer and comfortable.

 

[Mcinbrass]

This is not entirely true, the DR does play basketball at a high level they call Baloncesto superior. Sort of semi pro on the island. They compete for Latin region tourneys, so there is quite a bit of that in SDO. Just Google it and you should find something about it. As a matter of fact, Juan Luis Guerra (bachatero) was a very good semi pro player when younger.

The games are played in San Carlos. That's Where Al Horford was discovered

 

[Expat13]

sanpedrogringo is def a taxi driver or has ties with taxi syndicates... No way you can continuously crap on Uber in here.

One of my friends took an UberMoto @ "hora pico" yesterday from Bella Vista Mall to Churchill Av. @ Luis f Thomen... got there in 5 minutes and it was RD$31... tough to argue with that

Remember, the reason they get there so much faster is because they rarely obey any rules of the road, which equals=dangerous!! Driving here is dangerous as it is due to lack of respect and overall poor drivers. Motos I believe have more fatalities per cap than any Country worldwide or close to it.

 

[ElVenao]

Remember, the reason they get there so much faster is because they rarely obey any rules of the road, which equals=dangerous!! Driving here is dangerous as it is due to lack of respect and overall poor drivers. Motos I believe have more fatalities per cap than any Country worldwide or close to it.

Are you talking about the ancient age written and passed rules of the road (which includes city speed limit of 35km/h which I'm sure you perfectly obey), or is it the practical rules, following Authority orders, traffic lights, signals, etc. I'm sure you can rate your driver, disincentivating the rule violations and unfortunately this country has not developed a concise and effective handbook of laws/rules for motorbikes. Confusion regarding yielding, allowed proximity, positioning in the lanes prompt motorbikes to be operated as they are now.

The majority of the reason that they get much faster is by avoiding traffic jams, and the primary way to avoid traffic jams is to skip around the cars and move towards the beginning of the traffic light intersection. This, unfortunately constitutes no violation of any written nor practical guideline in terms of motorbike placement within car lanes.

Even if these were violations, the authorities do not effectively take action to prevent them, they'd rather ignore them. Therefore the authorities have no will towards fixing hence becoming the reasom behind all of this.

 

[alexw]

I went to the gym today to play basketball in zona colonial. The name of the place there is called club san lazaro. Its literally two blocks up from calle conde.