La Babarika: Anyone familiar with this place?

Which city??

Which city?
If you were in Puerto Plata, you're probably talking about La Barrica.
It's a small and dark disco which plays local music. Next time, try the Orion too!

Maryanne

Orion is also dark and waiters use flashlights too. However, Orion has 2 floors, the ceilings are tall, and the dance floor is much bigger.

Maryanne

Orion is way better!!!

I have frequented both La Barrica and El Orion. By far Orion is much better. I don't know if you noticed the musty smell in La Barrica. It's enough to drive someone crazy. They at least have sorta fixed the floor, the first time we went there was before the earthquake and you had to really be careful or take a nose dive, man that floor was uneven. Orion is almost as dark but much bigger. People tend to go in groups so you have selection on who to dance with. Give it a try the next time your there. The good thing about La barrica is that it's open everyday and till very late, while Orion is open only on weekends till about 4am.

Minni

Whitedove said:

Yes, it was in Puerto Plata and, yes, it was very dark! The waitors had to use flashlights to show us around. At one point the power completely went out and there was no music, but this didn't last long. The people there were very friendly and danced in couples. The beer was cheap and cold. What is the Orion like?

Click to expand...

Everyone dances in couple in DR. Women don't dance with other women and act like lesbians like in USA.
Anyway, Labarica is the most slimiest disco in Puerto Plata where all the low lives of the city go there to have fun in the dark ex: taxi drivers, motoconcho and cheap whores from slumbs. Don't touch the walls there, they are sticky (no its not the wet paint). Try going to Hemmingway cafe in Playa dorada.
Good luck.
AZB

Whats wrong with women acting like lesbians? LOL

AZB Man!

AZB said:

Everyone dances in couple in DR. Women don't dance with other women and act like lesbians like in USA.
Anyway, Labarica is the most slimiest disco in Puerto Plata where all the low lives of the city go there to have fun in the dark ex: taxi drivers, motoconcho and cheap whores from slumbs. Don't touch the walls there, they are sticky (no its not the wet paint). Try going to Hemmingway cafe in Playa dorada.
Good luck.
AZB

Click to expand...

There is or was a place in the capital just like that when I was a kid. The name was El Burrito and my older brother told me that it was the cheapest "hotel" that he has ever been to. He said that one just needed to go in and that there were condom's wrap all over the floor, and that the moaning was as loud as the music.

Don't listen to AZB

He's the biggest snob I think I have ever come across. As long as you enjoyed yourself that's all that matters.

Anyway AZB - how do you know what La Barrica is like? When was the last time you were there? :cheeky:

La Barrica

La Barrica

What wonderful memories that brings back. I met my Dominican wife in POP about 9 years ago. We went to La Barrica whenever we could. Yes, its dark and a bit dingy, but for me it was a magical place where I fell ever more deeply in live with my Daysi as each night went by. The music and atmosphere seduces you. You dont need to go to a swanky American style disco to ejoy yourself, in fact La Barrica beats most of them hands down.

As for derogatory comments about the type of people who frequent this bar, I suggest they are made by bigotted types who dont class people as worthwhile unless they earn enough money. My wife came from an incredibly poor background and I believe she's the better for it, and as a result our children and I myself have benefited from her humility and kindness. Does that sound like a bit of a rant, I'm sorry, but as soon as anyone casts aspersions on the character of a person due to their poor financial circumstances they deserve a bit of a kick in the ***.

Paul

If u ever go back in to one of these places, thread lightly...

Stay in the tourist areas, you don't want to get yourself and your mate stabbed by some horny, drunken, bitter, foreign-hater, bachata dancer just because you are having "a good time". Just don't to this in a "$h1thole equivalent in Santo Domingo or Santiago. No place for outsiders, stay out of trouble.

Dominican Babe said:

He's the biggest snob I think I have ever come across. As long as you enjoyed yourself that's all that matters.

Anyway AZB - how do you know what La Barrica is like? When was the last time you were there? :cheeky:

Click to expand...

Hello dominican babe, how are you? I hope you are enjoying your stay in the north coast by now. Ok, enough of BS and let me get back to subject.
Unlike you, I have lived in the north coast for 2 1/2 years and had been traveling there since 1986. The only time we went to Barrica is when my Italian friend was either accompanied by a cheap hooker or was looking for a hooker. This was a few years ago and I am sure the clientel hasn't changed mush. Just look at the nummer of scooters (pasolas) and motoconcho type motorcycles parked in front of the entrance. You think any decent dominican would venture into this cheap sleazy place looking to meet some quality folks?
As for the gentleman who found his long lost love in the sleazy disco is nothing new. Almost all foreigners (with the exception of very few) find their love mates from poor guetto (barrios). This has been going on for many decades now. You think a decent dominican girl from a middle to upper middle class family would find a foreigner attractive to go out with if he is older than her dad? So there you have it, the only poor and the desperate would only appreciate your company. Now I never said they are all bad people. There are good people and bad people in all socio-economical ladder in DR. Then why is it that a poor person from a barrio is considered a good human being and while a rich dominican is automatically considered a snob, jerk and a pig? There are good decent dominicans who don't care to live in cheap guettos of DR and are just as good of human beings as your guetto friends.
Please, treat everyone with respect. the rich dominicans are also humans.
Regards,
AZB

Cheap sleazy place

AZB said:

You think any decent dominican would venture into this cheap sleazy place looking to meet some quality folks?
As for the gentleman who found his long lost love in the sleazy disco is nothing new. Almost all foreigners (with the exception of very few) find their love mates from poor guetto (barrios). This has been going on for many decades now. You think a decent dominican girl from a middle to upper middle class family would find a foreigner attractive to go out with if he is older than her dad? AZB

Click to expand...

AZB

You make too many assumptions my friend. Firstly I met my "LONG LOST LOVE" as you put it working as a hairdresser in a hotel salon. She is 6 yrs younger than me, mmm... cradle snatching, definately. I had to well and truly persuade her it was a good idea to date a hotel guest. She saved money as soon as she was old enough to get a job to pay to go to college because she had no schooling as a kid. Not all Dominicans accept their lot in life, she had humble beginnings but was living quite comfortably when I met her. She's the last person in the world you could describe as sleazy. One half of her family live a very middle class life in Gazcue in Santo Domingo. Those that chose to better themselves. It's as simple as that. Whay do you have such a downer on poor people. You refer to them as if they were vermin. You refer to 'cheap whores'.. Firstly what sort of person does that make you, if you were looking for that type of woman ? Secondly, in many cases the women have no other option but to enter that profession, they don't do it because they love it, they more than likely have kids or even older member of their family to support in any way they can. Where do you get off looking down on anyone ? It's people like you who the DR can do without, judgemental and with delusions of grandeur.

Go to Hemingways if you want a sankie!

AZB, Hemingways may not be sleazy but it is certainly crawling with resort workers who are looking to pick-up tourists (and I know this because I've been there and seen it)! Hemingways is in the Playa Dorada Plaza and non-resort workers would rarely be caught dead in this place. First of all, Hemingways plays mostly "American" style music and holds karioke nights and secondly it's filled with drunk tourists - therefore you will get little cultural experience if that's what you're looking for.

AZB, I thought you hated sankies so I am surprised you would hang out at a place where you will find few locals that are not looking to hook-up with those staying at the resorts in Playa Dorada.

P.S. - the drinks are expensive compared to a local bar.

AZB said:

Everyone dances in couple in DR. Women don't dance with other women and act like lesbians like in USA.
Anyway, Labarica is the most slimiest disco in Puerto Plata where all the low lives of the city go there to have fun in the dark ex: taxi drivers, motoconcho and cheap whores from slumbs. Don't touch the walls there, they are sticky (no its not the wet paint). Try going to Hemmingway cafe in Playa dorada.
Good luck.
AZB

Click to expand...

Hemingway's is expensive compared to local bars ( but then again it's in a tourist mall)...but not as expensive as "upscale" bars in Santo Domingo. Yes, it crawling with resort workers, but they restrict entrance right at the doormen/bouncer's discretion, so i'm sure that the resort workers that you see there are far decent to behave appropriately. Hemingway's may not be filled with non resort workers locals 24/7, but it has been accepted as a "great" hang out place for middle and middle upper class Puerto Plata locals. It has an interesting social blend of tourists and locals. Very relaxed enviroment, in my opinion the greatest bar (overall) in DR. I'd prefer it over any bar in SD. Barely comparable bars in SD with Hemingway's would be Steak House Cafe and perhaps Champions Bar at Hotel Jaragua?. What's your opinion?

I have to disagree Oche. For me anyway, it is definitely not the best bar in in the DR. I have only been to the North Coast and it wouldn't be even close to my favorite bar in that area. The doorman may check people at the door but that means nothing. Lots of these guys that work on resorts are friends with the people who work at the bars/discos in Playa Dorada and therefore have no problems getting in. A friend of mine met a guy at Hemingways and he seemed great and told her he would like to take her into Puerto Plata to a non-tourist "local" disco. She went and he took her to a drive-in hotel instead. A VERY scary experience.

For tourists staying in the Playa Dorada complex, I think most would enjoy the Las Brisas de Palma disco in Montellano (yes THAT Godforsaken place). Get a taxi from the resort and don't go alone - it's not dangerous and has a great atmosphere, great music (only local) and good prices (i.e. Dominican prices).

Oche said:

Hemingway's is expensive compared to local bars ( but then again it's in a tourist mall)...but not as expensive as "upscale" bars in Santo Domingo. Yes, it crawling with resort workers, but they restrict entrance right at the doormen/bouncer's discretion, so i'm sure that the resort workers that you see there are far decent to behave appropriately. Hemingway's may not be filled with non resort workers locals 24/7, but it has been accepted as a "great" hang out place for middle and middle upper class Puerto Plata locals. It has an interesting social blend of tourists and locals. Very relaxed enviroment, in my opinion the greatest bar (overall) in DR. I'd prefer it over any bar in SD. Barely comparable bars in SD with Hemingway's would be Steak House Cafe and perhaps Champions Bar at Hotel Jaragua?. What's your opinion?

Click to expand...

Fiesta Mama said:

For tourists staying in the Playa Dorada complex, I think most would enjoy the Las Brisas de Palma disco in Montellano (yes THAT Godforsaken place). Get a taxi from the resort and don't go alone - it's not dangerous and has a great atmosphere, great music (only local) and good prices (i.e. Dominican prices).

Click to expand...

Fiesta mama if you think a disco in Montellano is better than hemmingway cafe then I rest my case. Different strokes for different folks.
Hemmingways cafe is a good hang out place if you like to meet decent dominicans from puerto plata and from santiago (on weekends). The prices are kept high to keep the trash out. No sankie is allowed to bother folks there. Then again, I only go there to meet decent santiago girls on the weekend, when I have to sleep over in playa dorada complex. I simply hate the north coast and avoid it as much as I can. But if I have to stay there then I would go to hemmingways cafe.