I just had to add this to this thread. Back in April of this year I had an associate call me in my New York office asking me about the Dominican Republic. He had just went through a divorce and needed to get away. He knew that I love the Dominican Republic as my real home and called me about it. I told him that I would be traveling there within the week ( I am there almost every month) and if he wanted to join me he was welcome. It started out with this jerk insulting my limo driver by telling him he didn't know how to get the JFK airport. Mind you, the limo driver travels to JFK an average of 5 times each and every day of the week! We get to the airport and I immedietely throw my bag onto a "sky hat's" wagon even though it is only a carry on. (my clothes are in my home in Jamao del Norte). I hand the 'sky hat' a nice 20 spot which will get me to the front of the check in line. The jerk begins protesting right away that this trip has already cost him 50 bucks and now the money for the sky hat. I rolled my eyes with Gene, the sky hat whom I know well and kept walking. Jerky threw his bags onto my cart and followed *sigh*. Now, I warned jerky to only bring ONE CARRY ON, due to security restrictions but Nooooooo, he has to bring 2 bags. We get to security and of course jerky's pockets are full of metal. he keeps setting off the detector but instead of complying with the TSA security officer he begings protesting that "I am not a terrorist". well, we all know what happens next. More security officers come over and I intervene since many of them already know me and tell them that he is a new traveler and doesn't understand the procedure. it seemed to work with a smile and a joke or two from security. But jerky was asked to stuff one of his silly little bags into the other, he didn't understand. I ended up throwing his junk into my bag just to get through this area. I am very embarrassed at this point. Low and behold, we are way ahead of the Dominican "volkswagon sized luggage" and relaxing at gate 23 (the usual gate for this flight). Jerky immediately starts to fidget and complains "why are we so early?". I told him that you are either one of two things in travel and that is on time or late and never early. I told him to go get a cup of coffee before I strangle him and closed my eyes for a few minutes while listening to CNN. Jerky comes back and trips over a woman's carry on bag spilling his red hot coffee onto her *sigh* He is NOT with me! Jeeeesh, the ugly flowered shirt and shorts he was wearing and the sandals with socks was killing me. Ok, we begin our boarding process and jerky cuts in front of everyone even though it isn't his group number for boarding. He is NOT with me! Once again sntead of listening to the flight attendants he begins telling them that he is an American and not a "terrorist or towell head"...aye yie yie..this is getting worse. Finally we get on the plane and jerky begins to complain that the arm rests do not go up or the seat backs go back. Mind you that he asked for extra leg room and was given an exit row at check in. I did ask him if he ever flew before and he gave me a stupid look. The plane was only half full and I decided to distance myself from this walking nightmare. I overheard him complaining about the $2 fee for headphones and simply closed my eyes because he is NOT with me. I laughed to myself as jerk continued complaining about the size of the food portion. I laughed a little louder when I overheard the flight attendant tell him that for an extra $800 he could sit in a big fat seat and eat all he wanted! That seemed to shut him up. We now land and we are in the wonderful Dominican Republic. I tell jerky to stay close because I know everyone at the airport and he will need to stay with me and keep his gringo mouth shut. While I am shaking hands with two high ranking airforce officers and customs agents jerky starts with sarcastic remarks. The officers understand English and asked me who he was I sighed, rolled my eyes and said "an associate". My Dominican friends being friendly and very understanding simply smiled and took jerky's bags with jerky trying to grab them back. "Give them the bags Todd, they aren't going to steal them". After being given the red carpet treatment we were joined by a Full F.A.D. Colonel in his jeepeta and brought over to his house at the base where we were to be treated to a nice Dominican lunch. I begged Todd to not offend my friends anymore..I was worried! Of course jerky made a few comments about the Colonel's maid...I took him outside and told him that it was the Colonel's wife and to shut up. I know, I know..I should get rid of this guy but I invited him and I am sticking with him...nice guy huh? More later........
- Thread starter DominicanScotty
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Nasty, arrogant, stupid gringos
dang!!! what a story scotty!!!! I am NOT deffending your associate...but did you perhaps explain to him that he would be traveling in respectable company and that you expect a certain level of respect?
Sounds like this scene at the SDQ airport on my way back on my first visit. The computers went down....so we were being manualy ticketed. This VERY NYC'r and his wife (probably an high level investment banker or lawyer) totaly flipped when someone was called out of turn. I just turned to him and said "tranquillo...tranquillo....we are all gonna get on......perhaps you should go to florida next time"
I DO understand your pain tho. Last year i took a newbie with me to the DR. He doesnt speak any spanish....and was definitely interested in the sankies. Everytime i left him alone on the beach he was getting charged for sitting in a chair and had a paid way too much money for presidentes for his "new" friends. I would have to argue away in spanish to get some of his charges reduced.
Next trip i travel with a buddy who has some language skills
Next time scotty...l would find out what a friends intentions are when traveling to the DR. Sounds like you have ended up in the trip from hell:-(
I have never pleaded complete innocence myself...but even since my first trip i had complete respect for the people i met and everyone on the way there. I still get a kick when eveyone on the plane applauds on landing. I know that i am BACK!!!
jj
Sounds like this scene at the SDQ airport on my way back on my first visit. The computers went down....so we were being manualy ticketed. This VERY NYC'r and his wife (probably an high level investment banker or lawyer) totaly flipped when someone was called out of turn. I just turned to him and said "tranquillo...tranquillo....we are all gonna get on......perhaps you should go to florida next time"
I DO understand your pain tho. Last year i took a newbie with me to the DR. He doesnt speak any spanish....and was definitely interested in the sankies. Everytime i left him alone on the beach he was getting charged for sitting in a chair and had a paid way too much money for presidentes for his "new" friends. I would have to argue away in spanish to get some of his charges reduced.
Next trip i travel with a buddy who has some language skills
Next time scotty...l would find out what a friends intentions are when traveling to the DR. Sounds like you have ended up in the trip from hell:-(
I have never pleaded complete innocence myself...but even since my first trip i had complete respect for the people i met and everyone on the way there. I still get a kick when eveyone on the plane applauds on landing. I know that i am BACK!!!
jj
Hmmmmm, call me a cynic.... but geez, doesn't it sounds just a tad too contrived? DominicanScotty.... are you sure this isn't a very, very fine piece of fictional prose? Indulging in a bit of harmless gringo-bashing, perhaps? I very much enjoyed the story either way!
jrzyguy said:
One shouldn't have to ask someone not to be a stupid arrogant nasty gringo.
I'm sure Scotty must have had some idea what this guy was like before this trip so perhaps he should have asked this idiot if he could pretend to be a decent, polite, and considerate member of society.
Keith&Cris said:
No....absolutely not! The gentleman in question is a guy I used to work with here in New York a long time. His father is a slain police officer who had the same last name as me. Todd and I met when we worked for a tent company in the 80s. Anyway, out of the clear blue sky Todd called me and knew that I lived in the DR. he was going through a nasty divorce and he must have heard so many great things about this place that he wanted to go there. Did I expect him to act this way? Heck no! I never in a million years thought anyone could act like such a complete maniac. The third world drove him overboard nuts. I have lived in the DR owning numerous businesses and own real estate here NY. Living in the DR since 1994 so I am not some sort of tourist fresh off the airplane. I have brought down dozens of friends and associates with everyone but this moron completely enjoying himself. I want to finish my story though just to show you that these things can and do happen. There is no need to make this up, I have many friends both Dominican and ex-pat who can back up my claim.
Scotty
Buzzard said:
American Airlines Flight 1797 and 1798, I take this flight about 10 times a year my friend...The silver cattle car with the red white and blue stripe going down the sides. You can't miss it!
Malibook said:
LOL...you know you are right. Todd was always a bit "off the track" but he always seemed harmless and always looked up to me. I wanted to share this wonderful place with him and it turned into a nightmare!
nasty, arrogant, gringo continued
I was going out, after all it is Friday but decided to stay in and go out tomorrow night. So, here I am to continue my story.
I tried explaining everything to Todd before we came down. I told him to fully expect poverty and open begging. I told him to see things that he never saw in the good ole USA. He nodded his head, yeah, yeah, yeah...he knew, he knew, he knew. Okay..so here we are walking out of Almonte's (the Colonel's house) after being served some great food. Potato salad with egg just the way I like it and fresh chicken. Almonte's wife knows I like this stuff and she always makes it for me when I come down. Even when I am not hungry I must eat because I do not want to insult the woman of the house. Jerky, on the other hand ate like a pig and burped out loud (never do this in front of a Dominican). He thought he was being cute but didn't win anyone over in this house and I drew some disapproving looks from my freinds. Gosh, I wanted to just shrink away... That first night we went to Rocky's for some steak. Naturally it takes a while to have your dinner prepared and my friend Jose and I were relaxing drinking a few Presidentes. Todd started to get irritated and complained to Ted the bartender "what was taking so long, damn it". This drew a look from Ted and a "slow down mister...coming right up". Ted sighed and walked into the back to get the food. The food came and jerky was satisfied..for now. Ok...belly is full of food and beer now jerky is horney. What does he want to do? Go to the Cowgirl Bar next door where some of the ugliest hookers hang out. "Ooooohhhhhh and ahhhhhhh" he is going. Got his arms around something from the "Return of King Kong"movie. Hey, I am happy for him! If he is happy then I am happy! But hey, we gotta move around and I try to tell him that there are a zillion other places better then this and if he loves his UBH then he can come back. "Nooooooooo" he is saying "I wuv this one!!!!" Jose and I sigh and finally convince him that we can come back if he wants to. I didn't want to leave him there because I knew he would get rolled if I did. My gosh how he bellowed how I was "frigging up his trip" by not staying in the Cowgirl Bar. LOL...you should have seen his face when I asked him for 500 pesos to share the gas...you would have thought that I had a gun to his head. Later that night we end up at some other dump and he falls in love with another nasty UBH. This UBH is drunk and probably on drugs, she was full of tatoos and was missing a tooth or two (I wasn't looking that hard). He insisted on taking his "babe" home with him and I will not even get into where I put him up for the night because I respect the owners tremendously and I had to apologize for what he put them poor people through. Anyway, jerky insists that he is a pro now on the big Sosua night scene and doesn't need me to hold his hand. I gladly let him go with his new found love. 20 minutes and I mean no more then 20 minutes later the UBH is back and laughing her fat butt off. She is telling everyone how weak the gringo was and his tremendous lack of performance (not meaning to be crude). She charged this idiot 4,000 pesos and he passed out! The next day I am awakened by this moron storming around my bedroom complaining how that "b**** ripped him off and stole his watch and other things". Of course he blamed me for everything, said I should have come home with him while he was with her imagine that?
Anyway, I figured ok one more day with this guy and if he doesn't come out of his insanity I was going to pack him off on the next flight. I figured I would take him to Jamao del Norte, this is where I own a house and consider my
home. My very dear friends, living on the banks of the Jamao River are beautiful people that I have known for more then 10 years! I consider them to be my family! Anyway, we are all sitting around and then the lights went out. Nobody is surprised except jerky once again! The family lights up candles and we begin chatting and joking like all Dominicans do during such times, I turn on the stereo on my jeepeta. This is normal with the lights out and just another normal night. Then momma comes up to me and whispers in Spanish regarding something is wrong with your friends eyes. I looked over and saw Todd rolling his eyes sarcastically..the whites of one's eyes can be clearly seen in the candlelight. Jerky didn't notice this but everyone else did and it wasn't cool at all. After I hear a couple of remarks about the "cannibals are going to eat us" I excused ourselves and we left early. I tore jerky a new rear end all the way back to the condo! people do not have to understand another language to know when they are being made fun of and i would not tolerate this..never! In all of my years I have never been so insulted by such a narrow minded person. He took a nap and I went out without him. That night while I was out having fun someone broke into the ground floor bathroom window attempting to steal my stereo system. Jerky startles the burgular and the security guard runs into the condo firing off his "Wyatt Earp special" into the ceiling. I wasn't there but it must have looked like the "Keystone Cops". The burgular got away and thank Goddness nobody got shot! The next morning I got blamed for that too, it was all my fault for leaving this 250 lbs jerky alone in this condo to fend for himself. I had to explain everything to my friends managing the condos that I wasn't anywhere around when this happened. I was admonished for bringing such a jack*** there! I really felt horrible and it took a long while for my friend's wife to forgive me. It was found out later that the UBH that he brought home the night before told her mafiaoso friends about all the goodies I had in my condo and that's why they tried to break in. I told jerky to pack his bags, brought him back to the airport and told the agent to get him on the next plane. I never heard from this jerk again...thank God. So much for trying to show people a good time!
I was going out, after all it is Friday but decided to stay in and go out tomorrow night. So, here I am to continue my story.
I tried explaining everything to Todd before we came down. I told him to fully expect poverty and open begging. I told him to see things that he never saw in the good ole USA. He nodded his head, yeah, yeah, yeah...he knew, he knew, he knew. Okay..so here we are walking out of Almonte's (the Colonel's house) after being served some great food. Potato salad with egg just the way I like it and fresh chicken. Almonte's wife knows I like this stuff and she always makes it for me when I come down. Even when I am not hungry I must eat because I do not want to insult the woman of the house. Jerky, on the other hand ate like a pig and burped out loud (never do this in front of a Dominican). He thought he was being cute but didn't win anyone over in this house and I drew some disapproving looks from my freinds. Gosh, I wanted to just shrink away... That first night we went to Rocky's for some steak. Naturally it takes a while to have your dinner prepared and my friend Jose and I were relaxing drinking a few Presidentes. Todd started to get irritated and complained to Ted the bartender "what was taking so long, damn it". This drew a look from Ted and a "slow down mister...coming right up". Ted sighed and walked into the back to get the food. The food came and jerky was satisfied..for now. Ok...belly is full of food and beer now jerky is horney. What does he want to do? Go to the Cowgirl Bar next door where some of the ugliest hookers hang out. "Ooooohhhhhh and ahhhhhhh" he is going. Got his arms around something from the "Return of King Kong"movie. Hey, I am happy for him! If he is happy then I am happy! But hey, we gotta move around and I try to tell him that there are a zillion other places better then this and if he loves his UBH then he can come back. "Nooooooooo" he is saying "I wuv this one!!!!" Jose and I sigh and finally convince him that we can come back if he wants to. I didn't want to leave him there because I knew he would get rolled if I did. My gosh how he bellowed how I was "frigging up his trip" by not staying in the Cowgirl Bar. LOL...you should have seen his face when I asked him for 500 pesos to share the gas...you would have thought that I had a gun to his head. Later that night we end up at some other dump and he falls in love with another nasty UBH. This UBH is drunk and probably on drugs, she was full of tatoos and was missing a tooth or two (I wasn't looking that hard). He insisted on taking his "babe" home with him and I will not even get into where I put him up for the night because I respect the owners tremendously and I had to apologize for what he put them poor people through. Anyway, jerky insists that he is a pro now on the big Sosua night scene and doesn't need me to hold his hand. I gladly let him go with his new found love. 20 minutes and I mean no more then 20 minutes later the UBH is back and laughing her fat butt off. She is telling everyone how weak the gringo was and his tremendous lack of performance (not meaning to be crude). She charged this idiot 4,000 pesos and he passed out! The next day I am awakened by this moron storming around my bedroom complaining how that "b**** ripped him off and stole his watch and other things". Of course he blamed me for everything, said I should have come home with him while he was with her imagine that?
Anyway, I figured ok one more day with this guy and if he doesn't come out of his insanity I was going to pack him off on the next flight. I figured I would take him to Jamao del Norte, this is where I own a house and consider my
home. My very dear friends, living on the banks of the Jamao River are beautiful people that I have known for more then 10 years! I consider them to be my family! Anyway, we are all sitting around and then the lights went out. Nobody is surprised except jerky once again! The family lights up candles and we begin chatting and joking like all Dominicans do during such times, I turn on the stereo on my jeepeta. This is normal with the lights out and just another normal night. Then momma comes up to me and whispers in Spanish regarding something is wrong with your friends eyes. I looked over and saw Todd rolling his eyes sarcastically..the whites of one's eyes can be clearly seen in the candlelight. Jerky didn't notice this but everyone else did and it wasn't cool at all. After I hear a couple of remarks about the "cannibals are going to eat us" I excused ourselves and we left early. I tore jerky a new rear end all the way back to the condo! people do not have to understand another language to know when they are being made fun of and i would not tolerate this..never! In all of my years I have never been so insulted by such a narrow minded person. He took a nap and I went out without him. That night while I was out having fun someone broke into the ground floor bathroom window attempting to steal my stereo system. Jerky startles the burgular and the security guard runs into the condo firing off his "Wyatt Earp special" into the ceiling. I wasn't there but it must have looked like the "Keystone Cops". The burgular got away and thank Goddness nobody got shot! The next morning I got blamed for that too, it was all my fault for leaving this 250 lbs jerky alone in this condo to fend for himself. I had to explain everything to my friends managing the condos that I wasn't anywhere around when this happened. I was admonished for bringing such a jack*** there! I really felt horrible and it took a long while for my friend's wife to forgive me. It was found out later that the UBH that he brought home the night before told her mafiaoso friends about all the goodies I had in my condo and that's why they tried to break in. I told jerky to pack his bags, brought him back to the airport and told the agent to get him on the next plane. I never heard from this jerk again...thank God. So much for trying to show people a good time!
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A great read! You might want to ask for references next time you take a travelling companion under your wing. 
By the way ... is 'gringo' considered a derogatory term, or is it simply a way of identifying everyone who is not of Spanish origin? I've often wondered about this.
By the way ... is 'gringo' considered a derogatory term, or is it simply a way of identifying everyone who is not of Spanish origin? I've often wondered about this.To the best of my knowledge the word (slang) Gringo goes back into history when the United States was at war with Mexico. The US Army wore uniforms with "green coats" and were referred to by the Mexicans as "Gringos". The term "gringo" is used to refer to anyone regardless of race or origin as a foreigner.Keith&Cris said:A great read! You might want to ask for references next time you take a travelling companion under your wing.
Referring to my travel companion. I knew this guy for a long time but never imagined that he would freak out during this trip. As I mentioned at least a dozen times in past threads. I am established in the Dominican Republic for more then 10 years. I own shuttle vans, homes and condos as well as a furniture store there and deal with both Dominicans and foreigners all the time! Hey, I took a chance on the guy. He needed a get away trip and I figured what the heck why not turn him on to some paradise...he freaked!!!
Well....scotty...i dunno. Like I said....i did have a semi-problem travel partner last year, but i have always tried "screening" my travel companions beforehand.
I do drink...but i do not want travel with a beligerant drunk. Occasionaly i DO "pay to play" but i dont want to make that the focus of my trip. As you probably know from previous threads....i am gay....but am discreat and do not want to travel with some screaming queen. I have also dismissed friends who would like to go but only want to stay in an AI where "everyone speaks english?
So..scotty...you kinda brought this on yourself. Why not sit down with your friend and tell him what an as* he is being and try to liberate him from his NYC'r mindset when you are there? You dont have to humiliate him....but just explain to him that he is in different culture and although the DR is generaly regarded as 3rd world, that there are values, customs, etc that are espected.
If he refuses to comply......then book him a room in boca chica and let him run wild. He will go home happy and horney (most likely somewhat relieved)....and you will get some piece of mind.
I do drink...but i do not want travel with a beligerant drunk. Occasionaly i DO "pay to play" but i dont want to make that the focus of my trip. As you probably know from previous threads....i am gay....but am discreat and do not want to travel with some screaming queen. I have also dismissed friends who would like to go but only want to stay in an AI where "everyone speaks english?
So..scotty...you kinda brought this on yourself. Why not sit down with your friend and tell him what an as* he is being and try to liberate him from his NYC'r mindset when you are there? You dont have to humiliate him....but just explain to him that he is in different culture and although the DR is generaly regarded as 3rd world, that there are values, customs, etc that are espected.
If he refuses to comply......then book him a room in boca chica and let him run wild. He will go home happy and horney (most likely somewhat relieved)....and you will get some piece of mind.
jrzyguy said:
Thanks...but Todd was the first person I brought down in a long time completely cold of knowing anything about this island. He was an old associate of mine that just went through a nasty divorce and I tried to be a good guy and help his ills. LOL, his ills turned out to be inside of his head. I sure did bring it upon myself no doubt. I haven't heard or seen of him since and do not look forward to ever seeing him again. He wasn't ever what I considered to be a friend so it isn't any big loss. I wanted to post this story more for entertainment then anything else. It was amazing as this entire thing unfolded. I couldn't believe this guy could be as wacked out as he was! I am still shaking my head with wonder and often share this with my friends in the Dominican Republic for a laugh. That guy was a piece of work for sure!
is is funny though
your story is pretty funny though. too bad he didn't get ripped off more. met a guy even worse than that in Europe once...named Ed. he was rich as he had started the Rent a Wreck car rental franchise. i think he was an 8 year-old trapped in a man's body!
glad to hear you sent him packing before he could cause anymore damage to your network of friends and associates. those are too valuable to toy with.
maybe we should run a thread of incredible idiots and travel morons. better than the clown bin anyday!
your story is pretty funny though. too bad he didn't get ripped off more. met a guy even worse than that in Europe once...named Ed. he was rich as he had started the Rent a Wreck car rental franchise. i think he was an 8 year-old trapped in a man's body!
glad to hear you sent him packing before he could cause anymore damage to your network of friends and associates. those are too valuable to toy with.
maybe we should run a thread of incredible idiots and travel morons. better than the clown bin anyday!
Dominicanscotty, very interesting story. I truely enjoyed every word of it.
About jamao, what a nice place to spend a weekend at. I was taken there once to the river (in the tourist complex of Guarito Gomez). I was stunned to see the view. It almost resembled a beach with white sand (no pebbles) and clean fresh water. We spent a whole afternoon there eating and bathing. Do you know this place where tourists are taken for a day tour? The owner is a dominican from Puerto plata called, Guarito Gomez.
When you would come next time to Jamao, please send me a PM, I will drive down there and take you to this place.
AZB
About jamao, what a nice place to spend a weekend at. I was taken there once to the river (in the tourist complex of Guarito Gomez). I was stunned to see the view. It almost resembled a beach with white sand (no pebbles) and clean fresh water. We spent a whole afternoon there eating and bathing. Do you know this place where tourists are taken for a day tour? The owner is a dominican from Puerto plata called, Guarito Gomez.
When you would come next time to Jamao, please send me a PM, I will drive down there and take you to this place.
AZB
Ditto what AZB said "I truely enjoyed every word of it."
You told it so well, I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face. Perhaps soon you'll be able to look back and laugh too.
Joe
You told it so well, I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face. Perhaps soon you'll be able to look back and laugh too.
Joe
AZB said:
I believe I have an idea where that place is although not completely sure. I tend to shy away from tourists that come into the campo. Where I own land is just before the town of Jamao del Norte. You must either cross the Jamao River by foot where the river is up to the middle of your thigh or to cross the Jamao with a jeepeta at the river crossing and then treking up into the campo a few km. I absolutely love it there! I am returning on Nov 9-16... My e mail is scottiewad@msn.com We can share photos of this paradise that we both found!