OK...are you ready for my report?

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
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I'm going to start by saying that having been a regular member of DR1 since January, I'm afraid it's taken some of the fun out of going to an AI in DR...I could not, for the life of me, flirt with anyone I met like I used to do!!! With all the talk about "chopos" and "sankies"...boy, I thought I was going to have the worst time of my life!!!:mad:

My first "complaint" was with my travel agent, I HATE THESE PEOPLE...never going to use them again!!! The charter plane left an hour 1/2 late...Sat. 8/24 at 3:30 p.m. By the time we got to our room it was 8:00 p.m..One whole day lost!!!

The hotel is incredibly beautiful...like I said before...lots of marble, beautiful gardens, birds of all kinds, etc.

The first Dominican I met in the hotel, checking in, "Ysidro", was a total nut...never met anyone so unfriendly before!

We finally took a shower and changed to go to dinner (Mexican restaurant, good food and friendly service by Stevinson) and then the show...that was another dissapointment...3 guys on the animation team...not one of them remotely handsome...where are my beautiful Dominicans? :disappoin

On to the "Fun Pub"...boy, oh boy...who booked this vacation for me? First of all...NOBODY IN THE CLUB...counted 10 people at most...all young Europeans...Techno music...(thanks to Alex, the 1/2 Puerto Rican, 1/2 Domincan D.J....really cute, but conceited as no one I've ever met...as a matter of fact, never found out which half was Dominican!!!LOL);)

NO Merengue or Bachata at all...left the club after 15 minutes and went to sleep, even though it was only 1:30 a.m....Hoping for a better day on Sunday...:sleep:

Ok...let's give this another try...went to the spa, excercised for 45 minutes, changed and went to breakfast, which was pretty good...there are a total of 11 restaurants...3 for breakfast alone!

While my son went "discovering"...(he's never been in DR before!) I went to book the two excursions we wanted to take...Isla Saona/Altos de Chav?n and the 4x4's at the beach, plus made reservations for three of the "a la carte" restaurants...Capri (seafood) Steak House and Japanese...

$386 for three people for the trips...my brother was with us...

Spent almost two hours with the tour operator...the one that on Wednesday proposed to me!!! I could not get the guy to let me go to the pool, even though I pleaded with him...it was partly my fault, I admit...I had a few questions about the area that the guy was answering for me...and apparently not giving me the runaround like I thought he would...:rolleyes:

I finally get away from the guy...reach the beautiful pool, oil up and wait for my son to return...He's got a grin from ear to ear...The kid is enjoying himself...GOOD!!!

Spent the rest of the day either at the beach or back at the pool, until dinner time...

We decide to go to the International Restaurant for dinner...excellent...even pretty good sushi! My son Sebastian wanted to see the show at the Caribe side of the hotel, while I decided for the one at the Tropical side...by the time we both got to our destinations...the show was over...this hotel is huge!!!

So I head to the club to give it another try...again...very few people there...but they're finally playing merengue...as soon as I walk in...this hand reaches out and pulls me onto the dance floor...Ok...so things are starting to turn around, finally!!!:)

While I'm dancing with "Winston", the friendly animation team member, I see my son walk into the club...oh, no...he's not going to like merengue...he soooo American!

Guess I was wrong...he became instant friends with my dancing partner, and with the cute D.J... Only thing is that they both thought he was my HUSBAND!!! I guess he looked to them much older...and I must have looked MUCH younger...boy, I'm beginning to enjoy myself!!!

Alex, (the D.J.) starts to flirt with me...(I swear I didn't do anything to promote this!)...so I ask him if he can dance...and he says YES!!!... We held on really tight for Christian Castro's "Azul"...I LOVE THAT SONG!!!:cheeky:

He promises the next night we'll dance more...he's not working on Monday! (Of course, he never even shows up!)

So, now we know the people on the animation team at the Tropical side...so we spend the whole day Monday there...In the afternoon we meet one of the girls...Sabina...form Italy...she teaches my son to dance Merengue...which again, to my surprise...he learns really fast...enjoys it and surprises the heck out of the Dominicans...my white boy can move!!! I guess he takes after his mother after all!!!

Ok...so more of the same that night, except we get pulled onto the stage for the magic show...but we love it!

On Tuesday we're supposed to go to the 4x4 trip...but they changed the time to the afternoon...and I didn't like that...so I cancell the trip...out $80!!! (They only return 50%!)

That night we ate at the Capri...seafood...delicious...and the coffee and dessert where the best I've had in a long time!

On Wednesday we get up at 5:30 a.m...went to breakfast and then on to Altos de Chav?n...the trip by bus was pretty good thanks to our friendly tour guide, Sandro...

I had never seen the amphitheatre...it's out of this world...I would love to see a concert there, under the stars...even more if I could introduce the performer...my new dream!!!:classic:

From there, to Bayahibe...for our catamaran trip to Saona...this is an adventure in itself...

Guess this is a good place to take a break...INTERMISSION...be back in a while...don't go away...it gets better by the minute!!!


 

Jane J.

ditz
Jan 3, 2002
1,263
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I totally want to hear the rest, Chica Mazola... This sounds like a fun vacation....
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
4
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here's the rest of the story...

...the reason for the font color is obvious...it's exactly how I'm feeling...

Ok...I forgot something about Tuesday night...very funny... before we get to the excursion...

After the exquisite dinner at Capri, of course we went to the show, this time by the beach, at the small marble amphitheater...with a Western theme...very funny! and from there to the "Fun Pub"...Let's see if tonight I get lucky;)...and Alex decides to play some more merengue and bachata...What were you guys thinking?

My brother and my son decide to try out their newly learned moves on the dance floor...Stephen with a German girl, Sebastian with "Marianne" from Paris...They're happy, and I can go flirt with Alex!...:bandit:

He apologizes for not showing up the night before, (I think his mother was sick or something, lol) and asks me if I want to go to Mang? after 2:00 a.m., where we can dance the night away.

Here' s the funny part... are you ready?...He says that he doesn't get paid until Thursday, that he's very sorry, but if I wouldn't mind giving him the money so that it doesn't look like he's a "sankie"...his actual words...coming in with me to the club and having me pay for everything...I tell him that it doesn't bother me, and that I don't drink anyway, so...since you don't pay admission at the club, how much do you think we'll need? He says that what he drinks (scotch on the rocks) costs like RD$90...hmmm...good thing I've been reading about this on DR1...Ok...so I give him US$20 and we're on our way...

His friend Tito gets invited to come with us, we take a taxi, US$10 each way, and head over to the club...I knew I wasnt' going to like the music there either...they play the same thing as the clubs in South Beach, which I hate...but what the heck...I'm on vacation...

When we get to the club, Alex takes off and leaves me there with Tito while he goes to get a drink...must be the distillery was closed 'cause I wait for at least 15 or 20 minutes and he's nowhere in sight...all of a sudden I see him hugging a girl by the bar...but I'm cool with that!

He shows up with two drinks...no scotch on the rocks...just plain seven-up and something else I don't know what it is...he tells me to try it...I'll like it! and heads to the dance floor...by himself!!!:mad:

I head over to the side, sit down and start looking around for a replacement...sure enough, this very tall, good looking Dominican waits three seconds and sits next to me...unfortunately, I can't lie and tell him I'm waiting for someone...so he leaves...Alex is no longer on the dance floor...now another girl is kissing him right behind me...He comes over and tells me that she's married to a good friend of his...Hmmm, what a friendly girl...So I let him know I don't appreciate being left alone, and that I don't like the music...since he knows the D.J., could he please ask him to play something I like? At that point, the "friend's wife" shows up...stands right in between him and me...and says in a very authoritative voice..."LET'S GO, ALEX"..."COME WITH ME"...To which he answers in a very mousy voice..."I don't want to go"...:nervous:

She leaves...and I do the same...I go outside and ask for a taxi...While I'm waiting, Tito comes out and sees my upset expression and apologizes for Alex...He comes out and tells me he's sorry, that's HIS WIFE...he didn't know she was going to be there...etc, etc, etc...But he still wants to go somewhere else with me...I tell him to KMA...and leave!
:dead:

I guess you learn something new everyday...this had never happened to me before in DR!!!:classic:

Ok...in a while...the rest of the vacation...this is getting long, isn't it? Let me know if it's very boring...
 

Meredith

LiVe ThE LiFe YoU iMaGiNeD
Jan 24, 2002
509
0
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Love the stories, Musicqueen, keep singing........... he, hee......
and don't forget to mention Aventura.... Something Special.... Let me find out.....
I am such a geek
 

Theresa

Vettehead from Buckhead
Jan 16, 2002
491
0
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MQ.. I bet you wouldn't have noticed those things before you came to DR1. See how good you are now. I love hearing your stories (and girls, she's got some good ones with happy endings too.) So..... continue I like reading the end of the book first, did you find a boy toy or what chica? ;)
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
4
0
Now, Theresa and Tony C...I'm very disspapointed in you guys...
How can you ask me that? What do you mean: did I find a boy toy? Did I get any?

I am very offended by those questions...ARE YOU GUYS DOUBTING MY ABILITIES? LOL!!!
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
4
0
I promise to make it short and sweet!

...where did I leave off? Oh, yes...Wednesday...8/28...we get to Bayahibe for the catamaran/speed boat ride to Saona...I'm wearing my bathing suit under white shorts, blue t-shirt, sandals and my beautiful "Dominican" bandana.

We get on a small boat that brings us to the catamaran...I had never even seen one of these beauties before...but I'm all for adventure...so here we go...

There are at least ten pair of hands helping me get on board...YES!!! this is going to be fun!!! Have a little trouble with the sandals, so I take them off...and hop on!

No sooner do I sit down, to the sweet rhythm of merengue (finally!) that I see this tall, dark and handsome Dominican checking me out...he goes...Oh, bueno...pero si baila!...and proceeds to ask me to dance...As always...the first one on the dance floor!...I try to hold on to "Edwin" with one hand, while the other one is occupied by some Rum and Coke, and I don't even drink! Did I mention that already? :confused:

Next, I see my son and brother dancing with Gloria and Diana...also drinking...but my son is still underage...at least by US standards...does anybody care? Apparently not!:rolleyes:

After a while I decide to go down to the mesh part...(what's that thing called, anyway?) to sunbathe...and Edwin tags along...

He tells me how he's married to a Canadian girl, they have a baby...but he's no longer in love...yadda, yadda, yadda....Did I read this before also on DR1?

The trip is absolutely out of this world, at least for me...worth every penny! When we get to the island, there's a big Dominican buffet waiting...with more drinks...all included!

After lunch, I have to lay down on a lounge chair to rest from the trip, the lunch, the dancing and...the drinking!!! While I sunbathe, Edwin keeps telling me his life story...and tries to find out somethings about me...He also informs me there are a couple of Cuban girls checking him out, and he goes to say hello...

A "salesman" comes over with a bottle of pure coconut oil for my tan...(US$5)...best investment I've ever made...You should see me today! Love my tan!

It's time now to go to the "natural pool" where we snorkel, (first time in my life also, but I do it with a life jacket, since I'm terrified of deep waters!)...The views are breathtaking...the fish, the coral...I LOVE THIS LITTLE ISLAND!!!

We play some games in the water, where the prize is of course...more rum and coke! And finally it's time to get back!

We take the speedboat back to shore, and Edwin is waiting for me there...complaining that I came in another boat...when he's the one that abandoned me for the Cuban girls!!! He still asks for my number, he wants to go from Higuey to Punta Cana to pick me up at the hotel to take me dancing...Has anybody seen him?:cool:

That night we have dinner and go to the club, where there is again...NO ONE in sight...no dancing for me tonight...unless I dance with my son...Alex tries to hide under the turntables...and I ignore him!

Something else I have to inject here...all this time, at the beach or at the pool, there has been this cute "animation" team guy...turns out he's the "sub-gerente"...his name is "Mosky" (not his real name, you think?)...who flirts with me...but I try to act demure because I like Alex the D.J....

On Thursday, we hang out at the pool all day...we're all exhausted by the trip and the drinking the day before...I try to do water-aerobics...but miss the class, and when I go looking for someone to tell me when's the next one, I find...Mosky...He complains that I haven't paid attention to him all week, and why did I dance only with Winston...etc, etc...I tell him that I'm leaving the next morning...so if he wants, we can go dancing that night...

He agrees...sort of...We make plans to go to dinner together...and this part I LOVE and you'll get a kick out of...

He takes me IN HIS CAR, a pretty new Toyota Corolla, to Captain Cook's. We walk in hand in hand, he shows me around the place, asks what I want to eat, orders and we sit down to talk.

We had a wonderful conversation, he tells me all about himself, his Argentinian girlfriend of six months, how he tries to be faithful, his work, his hopes and dreams...never mentions that he wants to leave the island or anything of the sort...He tells me he likes the way I carry myself, how he also thought my son was my husband, that I look much younger than my age (love that part!) and that he feels we can be good friends. In the meantime I tell him of my plans to move there, and he says if there's anything he can do to help me...he'll do it!

It's getting late and we have to go back...unfortunately! He asks for the check...and PAYS...and on top of that, he buys me a bottle of MamaJuana that I'd mention I wanted...How's that for a first?:alien:

AGE: 22!!!

But something has to give, right? On the way back, he tries to pull onto the Villas B?varo CABA?AS, where...hadn't it been for the info I found here on DR1, I would have never known what they were...I started laughing histerically...thinking about what all you guys would say if anyone had seen me pull in to one of these places!!! He, of course, didn't understand why I was laughing so hard...and it was hard for me to explain...But I said I was flattered, and thanks but no thanks!

Believe me, it took all I could muster to say no, the kid was definetly worth a try...maybe next time!

Being my last night there, I wanted to try one more time to have fun dancing at the club...but of course, there was no one around again...why would it be any different, right?

Except my knight in shining armour shows up, and we dance to a couple of merengues and bachatas...but he needs to go, 'cause the Argentinian is waiting for him at home...Talk about being faithful!! Of all times!!! Why do these things happen to me? :devious:

After a while, he hands me a couple of "Animation Team" caps and a t-shirt he knows I like, kisses me twice on each cheek, and leaves without saying a word 'cause he doesn't like goodbyes. :cry:

Alex sees me dancing and decides it's time for him to leave the club, and his assistant takes over..."Fido" (Jos? Manuel) knows all about what happened to me at the other club, and he asks if I want to go dancing somewhere else...Of course!!! The plan? EL PALACIO DE LA SALSA...(Anybody know the place?)

But first, he needs to go get some money...(this is great, I've never had this happen to me before either!) He takes me in his "motora" to the ATM and then to the employees "lounge" where he knows that Alex is with his "wife"...he tells me to play along, and I love the idea...Of couse, you should have heard the whistles when I show up with this guy, the "guests" are not suppossed to be there! We get down from the bike, buy a beer and are on our way! Meanwhile, Alex is fuming!!! Good! :laugh:

I finally get the dancing out of my system, with some good merengue and excellent bachata...on the last night!!! I have to go to this place first thing next time!!!

By around 5:00 a.m. I get back to my room, the bags are not packed, and they are picking us up at 7:30 a.m.

The plane leaves at 10:10 a.m....ANOTHER DAY LOST!!!

Did I mention I HATE MY TRAVEL AGENT?

But all in all, we all had a wonderful time...again I met some of the nicest people on this earth...and everything that seemed to go wrong, I chalk it up to adventures and experiences...

One more thing, though...and I read this on another forum...I hope that no ones takes offense with what I'm about to write...

Why are United States citizens so SPOILED???:mad:

The people that vacationed with us complained about everything, the food, the surroundings, the music...PEOPLE...THIS IS NOT YOUR COUNTRY...YOU ARE HERE VISITING...ABSORB THE CULTURE AND LEARN THAT NOT EVERYONE GETS EVERYTHING HANDED TO THEM ON A SILVER PLATTER!!!

I sincerely hope that more Americans don't learn about the DR, for the mere fact that I don't want this place spoiled!!!

My son summarized it best when he told me...as I was commenting on how happy people seemed to be with the little they had..."Of course, Mom, they're happy...they live in PARADISE!"

Y color?n, colorado...este cuento se ha acabado!

Now, I'm going back to planning my next escapade to HEAVEN!!!

Thank you all for your attention! Now, wake up!!!;)

Edited for Meredith: I forgot to mention that as soon as I checked into the hotel, the idiot Ysidro mentioned that "Aventura" was performing at "Are?to" on Thursday night...So, I made plans accordingly...only to find out on Tuesday night, when we got into the taxi with Alex and Tito, that they had just finished playing...it was TUESDAY not THURSDAY!!! So, I missed them...would have loved to have seen them perform there, especially 'cause Are?to is my favorite place! The driver said that the guys only played a few of their songs, maybe 45 minutes, and they were charging RD$200...I felt really sorry for the people that paid...and I know a lot went to see them...But these cute kids from the US are really big over there now..."Obsesi?n" gets playing time every other song...my son and brother were even singing on the way back..."..son las cinco 'e la ma?ana, yo no he dormido nada..." to me, being that was the time I got back to the hotel! lol...
 
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mkohn

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
1,151
4
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It sounds like you had a marvelous time. I could almost visualize from your description.
an American missin' the DR and all her charm.
mk
 

debs

New member
Jun 10, 2002
256
0
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Loved reading your story MQ!!

Sounds like you had an amazing time. I was in Puerto Plata last week and had the best time yet! I'm going to post my report soon.

I agree with you about the Americans. Whenever I read resort reviews, I always skip over their submissions because I know it will be full of complaints and criticisms. I even met a couple from NY last week that I had to stop mid conversation to ask them if we were really staying at the same place. Incredible.

Glad to hear you had such a good time! I'm already planning my next one too ;)
 
Sounds like you had a maaveloous time La Reign dela musica, but what was it you drank, I thought you were a non drinker.
Seriously I am glad you had a great trip. I am booked for Jan 25/03 at the Fiesta Palace, I know it is an AI but I wont spend all my time on the resort.

Wud still watches you online, you beautiful dj
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
4
0
Wud...I had everything from rum and coke, white wine, Martini & Rossi Bianco with a lemon twist over ice (my favorite!) to the famous "Dominican Viagra" MamaJuana!!! Although not everything at the same time...I am a non-drinker...but over there, I don't have to drive, and I only have maybe two drinks each night, at the most! I like to have a clear head when I'm flirting!!!
Thanks for your kind words, I hope you have a wonderful time there!!! Since you're going in Jan/03...we might run into each other over there...I'll let you know more in a few weeks!!!
 

Meredith

LiVe ThE LiFe YoU iMaGiNeD
Jan 24, 2002
509
0
0
Musicqueen, you have the best trip reports ever! And the funniest! I'm glad you had such an awesome time!! If you like to party, you gotta stray from the resorts and hang with the locals, it's the best! Oh and Aventura was playing in San Pedro de Macoris on August 24th, the day that I left, so I couldn't go see them, but some friends of mine did and that show was way cheaper at only RD $50, not bad! I was seriously going to stay an extra day just to see them, because I have a little "Obsession", but way to expensive to change flights!! Next time!
Glad your son, had a great time too! Hope he goes back again with you :)
 

mobrouser

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
2,339
98
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mq, out of curiousity, why is it the travel agent's fault that the flight times were lousy?

mob
 

Musicqueen

Miami Nice!
Jan 31, 2002
2,252
4
0
Mob...because they operate the charter flight...and they have two departing times...7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m....and she simply refused to change my times, when I know very well that she could have if she really wanted to...She owns the whole operation scheme!!!

Another reason was that, by leaving so late from Miami, and having to leave PUJ so early, we really only enjoyed 5 out of 7 days!

As much as I love DR...you know I could have made good use of at least another day and a half!!!

Thanks for asking!
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Excellent post MQ, I laughed , not snorted, really laughed out loud!1

Great storyteller..

HB muah!
 

Pib

Goddess
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
20
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www.dominicancooking.com
It was like a Mexican novela, I was holding my breath all the time waiting for the next chapter. I was hoping for a happy ending and that at the end she would be swept off her feet and walk toward the sunset to a new life of debauchery and adventure. Next time...