It's amazing what people love about this country. I am constantly surprised at how things we take for just being 'there' are so magnificent to our visitors.
Last Sunday after a short round of colf with Bob and Tom, two buddies from Petersborough, en Canada, eh? we planned a trip to play Playa Grande. All week I kept asking my son to check with his buddies up there about prices and tee times, since it is getting a lot of play. Nope he didn;t do it.
Anyway we left at a bit after eight, took the road to Moca and then up and over the mountains The Cafeto restaurant wasn't open that early in the morning so we stopped at the sampe place at Cleef and I did a long time ago.
Breakfast was fried chicken and tostones, since four Dominicanyorks ate all the "cachirulos" or boiled green bananas, just as we got there. They were from Jamao and on their way to the Santiago airport...
Tom kept saying "How beautiful, how beautiful" all along the road, partially because the amapolas are in bloom and they dotted the hillsides, and partly because we were not going off the road and falling for 2000 feet!
As we hit the highway at the Cruce de Jamao, traffic got worse, but we zoomed into Playa Grande in pretty good time. I am always shocked at the worsening condition of the highway, the MAJOR artery along the North Shore! D@mn them!
At P.G. we were told very nicely that a Tournament had just teed off and that there would no be any time available until 4 in the afternoon. Tom said that the trip alone was worth the ride and not to worry. I talked with the bosses and suggested that since there were 5 par 5s on the course and only 18 foursomes playing there was plenty of room. While they were thinking on this I checked on the green fees. For my two friends the price was US$101 each plus US$7 for the caddy. That was just too much....We took off for Puerto Plata, stopping for beer along the way in Gaspar Hernandez. They're Canadian, eh?
As we reached Cabarete, I was looking for a Surf Shop-Trendsetters- but could not see it for the confusion there. What a gobbledegook place that has turned into. Sorry, but it IS for the young crowd. Oh to be 25 again!!
I did check out a cigar store-I had forgotten to bring my own- and found it to be pure "crappo" The only half decent cigars are those from Victor Sinclair. NONE of the so-called Cubans were authentic. Absolutely NONE..BEWARE!!
So, after getting by the traffic jam caused by one diesel oil tank truck filling a local's tank, and some construction going on, we whisked our way to Sosua.
Just as we arrived, I was struck by a bolt-I have some friends that love German bread! SCREECH! Right turn down that lovely (not!) dirt road, and went to Moser's Bakery....Spent like RD$1000 (not a typo) on some goodies....and off to Playa Dorada.
Playa Dorada: Fees--RD$1850 each, includes cart. Caddy-obligatory-US$9.00 Note: POP members pay a lot less and Golf Association member pay a lot less.
We played 18 holes, enjoyed the course, had a good time, hit a few good shots. Tom is the best of the three and he was a bit off and shot 85 for the day..from the Member's tees...
Tired and hungry and thirsty we left in search of food. Ribs? Would have to go back to Sosua. Fish? Johans was just up the road....so off we went to Johans. About ten minutes later we were there and it was mobbed.
The Good Lord intervened and said: HB just ahead there is a spot that is new and very accomodating, not packed, try it!" Giving thanks, I went on the the place with the thached roof-the second one past Johans on the way to Santiago. Walked in, nice clean, orderly place. As we looked for a table to choose, I spotted an old student at a back table, he grinned and I pointed and grinned, went over to say hi.
Tito turned out to be the Owner of the place, newly opened and just one of his many things going on. A graduate of my university back in the 70s, Tito is an Electro-mechanical engineer with a long history in POP. He worked at the power plant for the old CDE, installed the cable car (which he now maintains) with some other of my friends, became the administrator of the CDE power plant, opened a hardware store, etc, etc and now this fish place.
But not just fish: shrimp, conch and more stuff from the ocean..We had a fried fish, a plate of conch ? la vinagrette, and a baked fish with a mountain of tostones and a little salad, two "grandes" all for RD$420!!!!!
Highly recommended by HB and his golfing buddies.
Home by 8:45, asleep by 10:00.......ZZZZZZZZZZ
HB
Last Sunday after a short round of colf with Bob and Tom, two buddies from Petersborough, en Canada, eh? we planned a trip to play Playa Grande. All week I kept asking my son to check with his buddies up there about prices and tee times, since it is getting a lot of play. Nope he didn;t do it.
Anyway we left at a bit after eight, took the road to Moca and then up and over the mountains The Cafeto restaurant wasn't open that early in the morning so we stopped at the sampe place at Cleef and I did a long time ago.
Breakfast was fried chicken and tostones, since four Dominicanyorks ate all the "cachirulos" or boiled green bananas, just as we got there. They were from Jamao and on their way to the Santiago airport...
Tom kept saying "How beautiful, how beautiful" all along the road, partially because the amapolas are in bloom and they dotted the hillsides, and partly because we were not going off the road and falling for 2000 feet!
As we hit the highway at the Cruce de Jamao, traffic got worse, but we zoomed into Playa Grande in pretty good time. I am always shocked at the worsening condition of the highway, the MAJOR artery along the North Shore! D@mn them!
At P.G. we were told very nicely that a Tournament had just teed off and that there would no be any time available until 4 in the afternoon. Tom said that the trip alone was worth the ride and not to worry. I talked with the bosses and suggested that since there were 5 par 5s on the course and only 18 foursomes playing there was plenty of room. While they were thinking on this I checked on the green fees. For my two friends the price was US$101 each plus US$7 for the caddy. That was just too much....We took off for Puerto Plata, stopping for beer along the way in Gaspar Hernandez. They're Canadian, eh?
As we reached Cabarete, I was looking for a Surf Shop-Trendsetters- but could not see it for the confusion there. What a gobbledegook place that has turned into. Sorry, but it IS for the young crowd. Oh to be 25 again!!
I did check out a cigar store-I had forgotten to bring my own- and found it to be pure "crappo" The only half decent cigars are those from Victor Sinclair. NONE of the so-called Cubans were authentic. Absolutely NONE..BEWARE!!
So, after getting by the traffic jam caused by one diesel oil tank truck filling a local's tank, and some construction going on, we whisked our way to Sosua.
Just as we arrived, I was struck by a bolt-I have some friends that love German bread! SCREECH! Right turn down that lovely (not!) dirt road, and went to Moser's Bakery....Spent like RD$1000 (not a typo) on some goodies....and off to Playa Dorada.
Playa Dorada: Fees--RD$1850 each, includes cart. Caddy-obligatory-US$9.00 Note: POP members pay a lot less and Golf Association member pay a lot less.
We played 18 holes, enjoyed the course, had a good time, hit a few good shots. Tom is the best of the three and he was a bit off and shot 85 for the day..from the Member's tees...
Tired and hungry and thirsty we left in search of food. Ribs? Would have to go back to Sosua. Fish? Johans was just up the road....so off we went to Johans. About ten minutes later we were there and it was mobbed.
The Good Lord intervened and said: HB just ahead there is a spot that is new and very accomodating, not packed, try it!" Giving thanks, I went on the the place with the thached roof-the second one past Johans on the way to Santiago. Walked in, nice clean, orderly place. As we looked for a table to choose, I spotted an old student at a back table, he grinned and I pointed and grinned, went over to say hi.
Tito turned out to be the Owner of the place, newly opened and just one of his many things going on. A graduate of my university back in the 70s, Tito is an Electro-mechanical engineer with a long history in POP. He worked at the power plant for the old CDE, installed the cable car (which he now maintains) with some other of my friends, became the administrator of the CDE power plant, opened a hardware store, etc, etc and now this fish place.
But not just fish: shrimp, conch and more stuff from the ocean..We had a fried fish, a plate of conch ? la vinagrette, and a baked fish with a mountain of tostones and a little salad, two "grandes" all for RD$420!!!!!
Highly recommended by HB and his golfing buddies.
Home by 8:45, asleep by 10:00.......ZZZZZZZZZZ
HB
