I'm Back!

in the DR that is........
As I suspected we came back to NO electricity, NO phone, NO internet!!
Sigh........
After 13 yrs you'd think I'd stop expecting something different for a change!!
Anyhoo.....the power is on. However the phone is a NO GO even tho' the main reason we "lost" it (it was disconected) was because we did what the persons (yes we eventually ended up having spoken to many) at Codetel told us to do. So in essense they created the problem that lead to the phone being disconnected and now the only way we can get a new line and new number is to find a Dominican citizen who has a phone in their home who is willing to guarantee us! Easier said than done in Juan Dolio. Everyone who has a phone and would be "acceptable" by Codetel is a "resident" with their residencia but not a citizen. Everyone who is a citizen has only a cell phone (having long since been cut off by Codetel!).
Hey HB wanna make a trip to JD (then to SP) to "sponsor" us??? OOpps....are you a citizen? or just a "resident"?
Sheesh...see what I mean???

The good news is I'm using the computer at Hotel Flor di Loto's Internet Cafe so I'll be around sometimes and I've set up an email account through Hotmail (for some reason I can't access my home account via webmail from here -my ISP provider in Canada is looking into it!) So if anyone needs to get in touch with me I'm DR1_MommC@hotmail.com......
Also Mara's mom's birthday is Jan 19th so they are having a "Fiesta Indiana" on either the 18th (Sat.) or the 19th. Email Mara at hfdiloto@codetel.net.do for more info. Starts around 7:30-8 Pm.

It's basically a get-together

where the restaurant prepares an East Indin dinner (no menu-buffet style). Then there is some kind of entertainment - sometimes belly dancers, or a band or just a bunch of the regulars hamming it up (depends on the occassion).
Then music for dancing is played.
Cost is usually RD$150. which includes the dinner (it's always good!) two drinks (cervesa or rum ) and the entertainment is included!
Generally just an occassion to gather and have some fun after a good dinner. Gives us a chance to see our friends and horse around a bit!!
If you're interested send Mara an email at hfdiloto@codetel.net.do for details of the exact date and time and also to RSVP (she needs to know how many to prepare food for as some of the dishes take several hours to prepare!!)

The saga continues!!

It has certainly been an interesting month since we've been back!
I've finally got a phone in the condo (how much of that had to do with my becoming my brother-in-laws wife or with our faces being plastered in the news media while talking to Hippo at the grand apertura of the refurbished Coop Marena Beach Resort on Sunday we'll never know however the phone was installed at 2 PM yesterday).
AES has been to read our meter and our friend at AES tells us our substantial credit should show up on our bill by the end of March or April.
Hubby bought a cell phone about two weeks ago (and we still can't receive international long distant calls on it!) in Santo Domingo from a vendor at Plaza Central whom we've never dealt with before and we now have $8600. in fraudulent charges through a web site to our credit card (apparently they were unsuccessful in counterfeiting the card so have been using the account number and expiry date to make internet purchaces). The credit card company is taking care of it but it means his card has been cancelled so it's a good thing I have a different Number so mine still works!
We've met jojocho and beckyred11 in person and JH has kindly lent me his internet access (for which I will re-imburse any charges to him). Haven't hooked up with HB's contact at Metro yet but I'm sure we will eventually.
Our friends from home arrived and have been here for 10 days with 27 to go so I'm sure we'll eventually get to the beach and also play some golf (which hasn't happened yet!). Try telling someone back home that you've been here for a month and haven't made it to the playa which is about 300 ft from your front door!!??!!
I'm looking forward to meeting more of the DR1 crew and to getting in some golf with HB when we spend our week in Sosua (are you listening HB & Rob - I need some phone numbers for the two of you now that I have a phone).
It's been cool and wet in Juan Dolio but it sure beats -40C back home.
Ain't this country great!?

Sorry to have missed Wud and also his friends due to the lack of communication capabilities but such is life in the DR!
Thanks for all the advice (PJT - the Suspend service was what we tried to do which led to all the problems that eventually led to the disconnection- sigh)
Anyhow I now have a bike so hopefully will be able to shed some of this excess poundage before I meet some of the gang.
So when is the next re-union at Hotel Naco??

If I can convince the ole man......I'm IN!!

Is that the V Centennial on the Malecon?
What area and what time?????
Can we bring our friends from home with us??
Who all is coming?