Questions about future trip to DR

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emily

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Dec 1, 2003
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Hi everyone.

I have a few questions that hopefully can be answered. I was in the DR about six months ago, in Cabarete to be exact and I had a couple of problems that I would like to solve before going back this upcoming weekend (hopefully this weekend if I can get a flight and a hotel)

The first and most annoying was the hawkers on the beach. I found it virtually impossible to sleep, read or even walk five steps without being bothered by them. It was crazy, I counted 35 of them approaching me in on hour on the beach, I just wanted to read my newspaper quietly. Many of them would ignore me if I said ?no thanks? and just sit down next to me anyway and start asking me questions. Telling them ?maybe another day? didn?t work, because that amounted to some kind of promise that I was absolutely going to buy from them and then when I stood up and started to walk they followed me. One hawker even went to the bar I frequented and found out when my flight departed so that he could be waiting at my condo door when I checked out. I found that truly offensive. I understand that they are just trying to make a living and I did purchase a few things from one of them the day I left, and I purchased fruit daily from the woman who sells it on the beach, but I don?t like being stalked. Is there a way to diplomatically handle this so that they will leave you alone? I got so mad a the one that was following me one day, because he essentially followed me for about two hours that I finally yelled at him ?LEAVE ME ALONE?. He was really angry, which created an uncomfortable situation for me. I am on vacation after all, I think that I deserve peace occasionally. Do I have to bribe them? There are more than 20 of them working at all times, that could get a little expensive for my limited budget.

Second. When I was in the DR in October, my credit card was stolen, actually it was not stolen physically, but they swiped the card and copied the number, and then took a very nice trip to Spain on it, did a little internet gambling, and purchased groceries in Cabarete. I know exactly the restaurant that it happened in, because it was the only place I used a credit card (stupid, I know, but I thought it was a ?nice? restaurant) I realize that it could happen anywhere, so this is not an indictment of the DR at all. But now I don?t know how to bring money in to pay for my trip. I don?t like to carry that much in cash, do you get a good exchange rate for travelers checks or are there fees they add when you cash them? Are the ATM?s safe to use?

Third. The flight I am taking is going to land in Santiago because that is the most reasonable fare I could find. How long does it take to get to Cabarete from there and what is the cost for a taxi?

Fourth. Is Cabarete going to be crazy with spring break kids this weekend? If it is really going to be wild I might postpone my trip a little, I really just need serious relaxation.

Thanks for your help in advance!
 
K

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Easter week is a wild week in any beach town in the DR. And Cabarete will be no exception. This is especially true on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 8-10.

When vendors approach you, just waggle your finger back and forth and say nothing. Keep on with what you are doing. Waving your finger as though you are admonishing a naughty child is universally recognized here as meaning "no". If they follow you, ignore them.

Watch a good looking Dominican girl walking down the street. All the males she passes will make a comment, whistle, or do something similar. She will keep walking, looking straight ahead. Not giving one indication that she is hearing any of this.

Put your credit card in your wallet and leave it there. The possibility of credit card theft is not unique to the DR.
 
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hollywood north

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Dec 11, 2002
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www.cybersecretary.ca
March break begins this weekend - a wekk of high season for Canadian tourists to the DR, with Cabaret being a popular destination, as well as all other beach vacations. So guage accordingly......

With respect to the vendors - if you say not today maybe tomorrow - then you just have to know that they WILL be back for you tomorrow and tomorrow after that, which is where part of the propblem begins. Use Ken's advice. I am blonde and am constantly barraged when I am there however the ignore technique works well (until one of 'em tries to grab my botle of rum from the bar!!!!) LOL!!!!

Have a great trip.
 
M

miguel

I didn't last long...
Jul 2, 2003
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emily said:
Hi everyone.

I have a few questions that hopefully can be answered. I was in the DR about six months ago, in Cabarete to be exact and I had a couple of problems that I would like to solve before going back this upcoming weekend (hopefully this weekend if I can get a flight and a hotel)

The first and most annoying was the hawkers on the beach. I found it virtually impossible to sleep, read or even walk five steps without being bothered by them. It was crazy, I counted 35 of them approaching me in on hour on the beach, I just wanted to read my newspaper quietly. Many of them would ignore me if I said ?no thanks? and just sit down next to me anyway and start asking me questions. Telling them ?maybe another day? didn?t work, because that amounted to some kind of promise that I was absolutely going to buy from them and then when I stood up and started to walk they followed me. One hawker even went to the bar I frequented and found out when my flight departed so that he could be waiting at my condo door when I checked out. I found that truly offensive. I understand that they are just trying to make a living and I did purchase a few things from one of them the day I left, and I purchased fruit daily from the woman who sells it on the beach, but I don?t like being stalked. Is there a way to diplomatically handle this so that they will leave you alone? I got so mad a the one that was following me one day, because he essentially followed me for about two hours that I finally yelled at him ?LEAVE ME ALONE?. He was really angry, which created an uncomfortable situation for me. I am on vacation after all, I think that I deserve peace occasionally. Do I have to bribe them? There are more than 20 of them working at all times, that could get a little expensive for my limited budget.

Second. When I was in the DR in October, my credit card was stolen, actually it was not stolen physically, but they swiped the card and copied the number, and then took a very nice trip to Spain on it, did a little internet gambling, and purchased groceries in Cabarete. I know exactly the restaurant that it happened in, because it was the only place I used a credit card (stupid, I know, but I thought it was a ?nice? restaurant) I realize that it could happen anywhere, so this is not an indictment of the DR at all. But now I don?t know how to bring money in to pay for my trip. I don?t like to carry that much in cash, do you get a good exchange rate for travelers checks or are there fees they add when you cash them? Are the ATM?s safe to use?

Third. The flight I am taking is going to land in Santiago because that is the most reasonable fare I could find. How long does it take to get to Cabarete from there and what is the cost for a taxi?

Fourth. Is Cabarete going to be crazy with spring break kids this weekend? If it is really going to be wild I might postpone my trip a little, I really just need serious relaxation.

Thanks for your help in advance!
Click to expand...
First and foremost, I will try and answer at 2 of your questions. Regarding the hawkers, sorry but they can truly be pests. They take no for an answer. When they become pain in the axes, I just ignore them and let them talk to themselves. Some times, you DO have to be a little nasty to them and they will get the idea. Another thing that works for me is, after telling them NO the first time, if they continue, I just just give them a very stern look and I shake my head. And if that does not works, then I just go straight to their faces and tell them " don't you have any pride, how many times do I have to tell you know, get lost". The problem is that there are so many that it's imposible to relax. Also, some of them are sankies making believe that they are selling things just to try and pick you up. Good luck and just remember that it's a battle that one can not win. There are just wayyy to many.
If you know where they stole your credit card or the number, why didn't you tell the restaurant's manager?. That would let them know that you know what they did and it would have stopped them from using it. If you found out after your vacation was over, then you should have called the restaurant and on your next visit, follow up with a visit to the manager's office.
Traveler checks are the same as cash so I don't see the reason to give you less pesos at the exchange houses.
Good luck and I hope that you get to relax on your next trip. Drink a presidente for me. And be very careful with the sankies and hotel worker that would try to pick you up..
 
K

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Emily, if Miguel is male he can get in a shouting match. But you are going to end up foolish if you do it. Just shake your head or waggle your finger and continue with your business. It may take a day or so, but you'll find that they get the idea and look for greener pastures.
 
F

Forbeca

Bronze
Mar 5, 2003
729
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Very good advice.

Ken said:
Emily, if Miguel is male he can get in a shouting match. But you are going to end up foolish if you do it. Just shake your head or waggle your finger and continue with your business. It may take a day or so, but you'll find that they get the idea and look for greener pastures.
Click to expand...


You can also try looking right past them. No eye contact works wonders. They won't dare come to you if you don't acknowledge them. Works for me.
 
M

miguel

I didn't last long...
Jul 2, 2003
5,261
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Oye

Ken said:
Emily, if Miguel is male he can get in a shouting match. But you are going to end up foolish if you do it. Just shake your head or waggle your finger and continue with your business. It may take a day or so, but you'll find that they get the idea and look for greener pastures.
Click to expand...
Heyyyyyy, "if Miguel is male", come on buddy, the last time I checked I was male. Or am I?. A little pimple still makes me a male, I think. Hehehehehe
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I'd love to see you sue the restaurant manager

Bring all the paper work on the stolen credit card, go to a bank that has that card(Visa?MC). See if they have had any complaints and get a lawyer to sue his a$$ for robbery. Make his life miserable just for the hassle he will have to go through.

OK You are on vacation and don't want or need the hassle. I understand.

First things first. Santiago (airport) is about 1:20 more or less from Cabarete. When you get out of Customs and out the front door, ask for Rafaelito. He is a short guy with a big belly, and wears a straw cowboy hat at times. He is #1 (N?mero uno) of all the white mini-vans, and everyone knows him. Negotiate a fare to Cabarete. OR, if you get in early, get him to take you to Santiago (RD$350 at last count-a week ago, and that's $5.00) and have him take you to the Caribe Tours station where you can get a bus to Sosua and then a short taxi ride to Cabarete. If this is too confusing, send me a PM and I'll give you a phone number to call when you get in.)

ON THE BEACH: The finger wag is king.

Cabarete is always a little boisterous. Why not try Tropix in Sosua? Although I have not been there, it comes very highly rated by those that have been there, and it is out of the way, so you have quiet. It is a little ways from the beach, however. You also have the option of Condos Dominicanos where Eddy hangs his hat. It can be quiet, too.
Another option is to stay in Puerto Plata at Sofy's B&B, just a short walk to the beach. (sofys_bb@hotmail.com). Very quiet, no hassles and the best breakfast on the North Shore.

Since I am in Santiago, feel free to email me or PM to help make your holiday a holiday...

HB
 
E

emily

New member
Dec 1, 2003
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Thanks!

Great advice everyone. I will definitely use the universal "finger wag", I'm sure with great success.

As for the credit card situation, believe me, I've thought about going to the restauraunt and telling management that within 12 hours of using the credit card there, someone was buying groceries on the main street of Cabarete with my card, and isn't that a coincidence, but I get the feeling that the underlying established community in Cabarete is very small and I really don't need the bad karma on my vacation. I don't think I would get very far with it.

Thanks Hillbilly for the info on landing in Santiago. I may PM you later in the day today with a couple of more questions if that is okay.

Thanks again!
 
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marliejaneca

Bronze
Oct 7, 2003
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I don't know if this still works, but when I lived there, I just told the vendors that I lived there and they left me alone. When I went down for a vacation after moving back home, I just said the same thing and it worked again. Sometimes I had to go further and told them that I earn pesos at my job and that I couldn't afford to purchase anything - they understood that one fully!!
Of course, if you are staying at an AI, you would have to hide the bracelet.
Marlie
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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I checked on this today

A taxi from the airport in Santiago to Cabarete is RD$1,500 pesos. That's about $30, give or take.

You can call 581 3000, which is EMI taxi and ask for Unidad 133. The reason that I recommend this guy is that he has a very nice Toyota, that have checked out as "worthy" of making the trip over the mountains.

If there is anything else I can do for you, feel free to email me

Cordially,


HB

PS: There is another option outlined in a post below..."Santiago to POP airport"
 
E

emily

New member
Dec 1, 2003
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Thanks again

Thanks Hillbilly for checking on the price and giving me a contact number. They probably don't speak English at this number do they? Unfortunately I've had absolutely no time to read the phrase books again and my Spanish is pathetic at best. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do so on the plane tomorrow. I will try to make contact with this person though and hopefully it will work out.

I so look forward to returning to the DR!
 
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Tor

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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Go to Sosua instead ! I have stayed here for a half year, never had such problems. If you not are a kite surfer, i would say everything is better in Sosua, and the prices is about 50% lower.
 
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