Warning...long and not that interesting.
I left Maine early Tuesday morning, flying into LGA and transferring over to JFK. The bus over was $13. JFK-SDQ was an easy flight, and full.
Arriving, I knew I?d have to get a taxi. Paid $30 from the airport to Juan Dolio.
I made the guy stop and buy me a beer and cigarettes. Dominican Marlboros taste like oak leaves. I quit smoking that day. Not that I am much of a smoker anyway but they were horrible enough to make me quit.
At the resort, which was the Decameron, I checked in quite late at night. My room was clean and had a balcony. I was too tired to go down and get a beer. The animation team?s theme was some ditty with a variant of the hokey-pokey and their slogan was ?wasssssup.? I fell asleep to loud music, hokey pokey and wassup.
The next I went straight to the beach and really tried to rest and take my mind off the events of my life?.
Highlights:
Coffee with Debbie and Tony (MommC and PapaTony). They were so nice to meet in person and they were the only people I hung out with in Juan Dolio.
Lunch with the aunties, Chiri, Pib, and the anointed Jezebel (Salome/Himilce), and especially the conversation on the way to Rob?s. (Mujeres al borde de un ataque nervioso?or, Girl Talk with an International Flair). By the way, Pib is a good driver.
The trip up to Sosua with Rob. I am still laughing about the ?cow in exchange for a girl?s virginity? story as well as the four drunk doctors. Scenery fantastic, full moon, mountain air, and great conversation.
Chatting with Sandra and Dawn about cooking and traveling at the DR! party, with Dolores popping into the conversation here and there. Beautiful women, great taste. Dolores, I did not take the bus back from SD to JD, I was simply too tired to figure it out. Another taxi and I was too tired to negotiate so paid an outrageous price I am too embarrassed to post.
Seeing Dawn?s sculptures. She is very talented and everyone had the same reaction?to reach out and touch the bronze, which seemed alive. Special thanks to Escott for showing me the other ones?.the work in progress was amazing.
Staying at the Otis house with Sylvia and spending the morning luxuriously sipping coffee and exchanging stories. Checking email there without having to pay the outrageous prices in Juan Dolio.
Surprising my Dominican friends, the Riveras, and spending the afternoon talking with them on Playa Naco. They were shocked to see me, they hugged me all afternoon, fed me delicious food, and didn?t disown me for getting divorced (which I was afraid they would, but now I think they might try and marry me off to their oldest son). I admittedly had to have a drink before seeing them because I was very nervous about the disowning part. But it all turned out okay.
Meeting D.D. and Jedda, this was a highlight because next time I know I will see their farm...and that makes a Mainegirl happy. (Mainegirl, farmgirl, it's all the same.)
Texas Bill?s constant ?I hear ya, gal.? at dinner. His wife is lovely, too. He gave me some very good advice.
A Glenfiddich on the rocks at Rocky?s. I was so happy to have good liquor away from the resort.
The laundry service at the resort. For under 10 bucks I had several outfits pressed. This made me happy as I detest wrinkled clothes and also, ironing.
The awesome massage I got at the San Juan airport on the way home. It made later events more tolerable.
The pedicure I got on the beach. They spent over an hour working on my tired feet.
Lowlights:
Taxi fares.
Juan Dolio internet caf? prices. ($5 an hour? MommC said it was the going rate all over town.)
The outrageous price at a local salon to get my hair blown out. In Venezuela the service is under 5 bucks. Beachside I negotiated $14. !!!! But hey, I wanted to look nice.
Resort food. Blah.
Resort liquor. Blah. I stuck to beer.
Resort music. God help me.
Resort people. I didn?t meet a soul at the resort I would ever hang out with in real life. Drunk ladies tripping over themselves on stage dancing to horrible music is not my cup of tea. Pool aerobics while ogling resort workers shaking their stuff is not my cup of tea either. I stuck to the beach.
Resort water.
Missing out on seeing Hillbilly and Ken. Hillbilly, I had to give your ration of maple syrup to Rob.
The Metro bus temperature was freezing and I shivered all the way from POP to SDQ.
New York passengers. Mean. Ugly. Americans.
Boston Logan airport. A broken plane, a long delay, and nothing exciting to do at the airport. (Like shop, eat or drink). The plus here was that I bought a GREAT BOOK and read the WHOLE THING while waiting. Umm?the name of it is?..The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. Go, read it, now!!
Special sankie report:
I figured I had them beat. I?m a geek at heart (I prefer brains, too), and not very humble. I really did not need some idiot guy telling me I am cute. "Yes, I am, thank you for noticing. Ahhhh, don't you just love my attitude!!!" It worked.
All in all a good trip.
I left Maine early Tuesday morning, flying into LGA and transferring over to JFK. The bus over was $13. JFK-SDQ was an easy flight, and full.
Arriving, I knew I?d have to get a taxi. Paid $30 from the airport to Juan Dolio.
I made the guy stop and buy me a beer and cigarettes. Dominican Marlboros taste like oak leaves. I quit smoking that day. Not that I am much of a smoker anyway but they were horrible enough to make me quit.
At the resort, which was the Decameron, I checked in quite late at night. My room was clean and had a balcony. I was too tired to go down and get a beer. The animation team?s theme was some ditty with a variant of the hokey-pokey and their slogan was ?wasssssup.? I fell asleep to loud music, hokey pokey and wassup.
The next I went straight to the beach and really tried to rest and take my mind off the events of my life?.
Highlights:
Coffee with Debbie and Tony (MommC and PapaTony). They were so nice to meet in person and they were the only people I hung out with in Juan Dolio.
Lunch with the aunties, Chiri, Pib, and the anointed Jezebel (Salome/Himilce), and especially the conversation on the way to Rob?s. (Mujeres al borde de un ataque nervioso?or, Girl Talk with an International Flair). By the way, Pib is a good driver.
The trip up to Sosua with Rob. I am still laughing about the ?cow in exchange for a girl?s virginity? story as well as the four drunk doctors. Scenery fantastic, full moon, mountain air, and great conversation.
Chatting with Sandra and Dawn about cooking and traveling at the DR! party, with Dolores popping into the conversation here and there. Beautiful women, great taste. Dolores, I did not take the bus back from SD to JD, I was simply too tired to figure it out. Another taxi and I was too tired to negotiate so paid an outrageous price I am too embarrassed to post.
Seeing Dawn?s sculptures. She is very talented and everyone had the same reaction?to reach out and touch the bronze, which seemed alive. Special thanks to Escott for showing me the other ones?.the work in progress was amazing.
Staying at the Otis house with Sylvia and spending the morning luxuriously sipping coffee and exchanging stories. Checking email there without having to pay the outrageous prices in Juan Dolio.
Surprising my Dominican friends, the Riveras, and spending the afternoon talking with them on Playa Naco. They were shocked to see me, they hugged me all afternoon, fed me delicious food, and didn?t disown me for getting divorced (which I was afraid they would, but now I think they might try and marry me off to their oldest son). I admittedly had to have a drink before seeing them because I was very nervous about the disowning part. But it all turned out okay.
Meeting D.D. and Jedda, this was a highlight because next time I know I will see their farm...and that makes a Mainegirl happy. (Mainegirl, farmgirl, it's all the same.)
Texas Bill?s constant ?I hear ya, gal.? at dinner. His wife is lovely, too. He gave me some very good advice.
A Glenfiddich on the rocks at Rocky?s. I was so happy to have good liquor away from the resort.
The laundry service at the resort. For under 10 bucks I had several outfits pressed. This made me happy as I detest wrinkled clothes and also, ironing.
The awesome massage I got at the San Juan airport on the way home. It made later events more tolerable.
The pedicure I got on the beach. They spent over an hour working on my tired feet.
Lowlights:
Taxi fares.
Juan Dolio internet caf? prices. ($5 an hour? MommC said it was the going rate all over town.)
The outrageous price at a local salon to get my hair blown out. In Venezuela the service is under 5 bucks. Beachside I negotiated $14. !!!! But hey, I wanted to look nice.
Resort food. Blah.
Resort liquor. Blah. I stuck to beer.
Resort music. God help me.
Resort people. I didn?t meet a soul at the resort I would ever hang out with in real life. Drunk ladies tripping over themselves on stage dancing to horrible music is not my cup of tea. Pool aerobics while ogling resort workers shaking their stuff is not my cup of tea either. I stuck to the beach.
Resort water.
Missing out on seeing Hillbilly and Ken. Hillbilly, I had to give your ration of maple syrup to Rob.
The Metro bus temperature was freezing and I shivered all the way from POP to SDQ.
New York passengers. Mean. Ugly. Americans.
Boston Logan airport. A broken plane, a long delay, and nothing exciting to do at the airport. (Like shop, eat or drink). The plus here was that I bought a GREAT BOOK and read the WHOLE THING while waiting. Umm?the name of it is?..The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. Go, read it, now!!
Special sankie report:
I figured I had them beat. I?m a geek at heart (I prefer brains, too), and not very humble. I really did not need some idiot guy telling me I am cute. "Yes, I am, thank you for noticing. Ahhhh, don't you just love my attitude!!!" It worked.
All in all a good trip.
