I can't believe what I am reading!

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ally

New member
Dec 8, 2005
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After visiting DR in Jan this year for THE most amazing 2 weeks of my life, i have to admit that i have thought of nothing else but jumping on the next plane back out there! That is why i am astounded at all this negativity towards my favourite place in the world! it makes all my hackles rise and i instantly want to defend it!

I understand that people have their own opinions, and i spose they can't help it if they are wrong...;)

seriously though, ive never really been the kind of person who raves about something or goes on about spiritual awakenings and the like, but i feel as though being there was what it truly feels like to be alive, and being here is just a stop gap until I can go back to what feels more like home! does anyone think im being completely weird?

I have travelled before please dont think im some kind of nutter who goes on one holiday and thinks its amazing! ive been to some of the (supposed) best places in the world, florida, new york, miami, bahamas, quite a bit of europe.....and still i'd rather go back to DR than any of those places!

I miss it so much!

I stayed in a very touristy area, and yes we were plagued by sellers everywhere we went but it all added to the experience. most of the time we would say no (cos a lot of it is the same stuff, or we'd already bought one!!) and the guys would give it one last shot and then move on to the next person, not too much trouble!

the best was one guy on the beach who kept saying 'its just my job!' which is pretty damn fair!

anyway, the people are what makes DR the place it is, welcoming, chilled and fun. i will NEVER EVER forget any of the people i met there, they are all fantastic and i cant wait to see them again and meet new people next time!

as nice as it is to find people who arent bored with talking about DR, im starting to feel a bit depressed that im not there right now! :cry:

thanks for listening

Ally
 
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amy2761

Island Body
Mar 16, 2003
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www.dr1.com
As this is the trip reports section it's customary to include where you stayed ... at least which part of the country as we have touristy pockets all over. I'm pretty sure it was North Coast but please enlighten us a little more :)

Stay well,
Amy
 
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rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
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Ally, welcome to DR1. Like most of us on this board, you fell in love with the DR on your first trip. It must be something in the air.

Most of us love the DR, but openly talk about it's flaws. Besides the Sankie forum, where on this board did you feel you found negative overtones towards the DR?
 
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planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
4,409
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I will add my welcome as well. Like you I fell in love with this country on my first visit! I came back 13 times before I made this home!

SOrry that you have tapped into some of the negative comments. Some things are a fact of life here. Read the blogs to get in touch with a lot of the positive things!!!!
 
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laurapasinifan

Silver
Sep 19, 2005
4,632
91
48
I agree, lets here about this place you went that you enjoyed so much. Although I have always thought knowing about trouble spots as a much more beneficial tool in planning a trip.( because they can litterally ruin a trip) Hearing some really great stories is great too. great beach, great things to do, great person you met?.....divulge! where did you land? how did you get around? how was the food? how was the beach? how was the nightlife?


bob
 
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A.J.

New member
Jan 2, 2002
444
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Keep in mind you have been there once - whereas the majority of this board either lives there or has more than 15 stamps in the passport from entry alone.
I understand how you can be reading some of the comments here - they may be received as negative. However you must remember the sources, many of the posters here are living in the DR and some have been here for 15+ years. These are people with real everyday lives living in the DR. They are not being negative they are being realists - talking about how things are in the DR, things you will never see or know about until you live here and have to deal with aspects of everyday life. Just like if you were to post about your hometown - you have opinions about how the government is run, how your garbage is picked up, how the traffic is, how the quality of service has gone down.
As you said you stayed in a touristy area - next time get out some and see more than the touristy area - go to the supermarkets - check the prices - then go bakc a day later to see that those same prices went up (again), check out the lines in the goverment halls, call the phone compnay and ask how long it will be to get a phone. Then look at the positives - you can live a more relaxed lifestyle than you are used to, you can have good beer year round, the sun is shining and the weather is warm, christmas here can not be beat.
 
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palmiche

New member
Mar 26, 2005
46
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0
ally said:
After visiting DR in Jan this year for THE most amazing 2 weeks of my life, i have to admit that i have thought of nothing else but jumping on the next plane back out there! That is why i am astounded at all this negativity towards my favourite place in the world! it makes all my hackles rise and i instantly want to defend it!

I understand that people have their own opinions, and i spose they can't help it if they are wrong...;)

seriously though, ive never really been the kind of person who raves about something or goes on about spiritual awakenings and the like, but i feel as though being there was what it truly feels like to be alive, and being here is just a stop gap until I can go back to what feels more like home! does anyone think im being completely weird?

I have travelled before please dont think im some kind of nutter who goes on one holiday and thinks its amazing! ive been to some of the (supposed) best places in the world, florida, new york, miami, bahamas, quite a bit of europe.....and still i'd rather go back to DR than any of those places!

I miss it so much!

I stayed in a very touristy area, and yes we were plagued by sellers everywhere we went but it all added to the experience. most of the time we would say no (cos a lot of it is the same stuff, or we'd already bought one!!) and the guys would give it one last shot and then move on to the next person, not too much trouble!

the best was one guy on the beach who kept saying 'its just my job!' which is pretty damn fair!

anyway, the people are what makes DR the place it is, welcoming, chilled and fun. i will NEVER EVER forget any of the people i met there, they are all fantastic and i cant wait to see them again and meet new people next time!

as nice as it is to find people who arent bored with talking about DR, im starting to feel a bit depressed that im not there right now! :cry:

thanks for listening

Ally
Click to expand...

Visiting as a Tourist with your wallet full of greenbucks is a VERY different scenario as LIVING in the country. They're already TOURISTS planned for MARS.
 
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sunshine_79

I made the 300,000th post!
Jun 1, 2005
684
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ally said:
After visiting DR in Jan this year for THE most amazing 2 weeks of my life, i have to admit that i have thought of nothing else but jumping on the next plane back out there! That is why i am astounded at all this negativity towards my favourite place in the world! it makes all my hackles rise and i instantly want to defend it!


Ally
Click to expand...


What the heck is a hackle? You mean the kind I put on my hook shank when I'm fly fishing?

You have those? Cool! ;)

In all seriousness, I'm delighted you had a good time. It really sucks to have "vacation hangover", doesn't it?

I hope your next trip here is even better than the first. Unfortunately, you can't really escape the vendors if you are in a highly concentrated tourist area. Just keep in mind that those people are part of the culture, annoying as they may be. Just tell them you're hungry and ask them for money and they'll leave you alone. Works for me every time.

Maybe on your next trip you would have an even better time if you explored a bit more. Get away from the resorts and the crowded beaches and you might enjoy yourself even more.

Aside from all the beach towns, Santiago is nice as well so I suggest a day trip there.

Here's to a safe trip back,

Sunnie
 
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nlove88

New member
Aug 12, 2005
138
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Welcome to the board :classic:

You've caught what I caught a few weeks ago...Dominican Fever. It was my first visit to the DR and two weeks later, I am sitting here looking for cheap flights and future adventures in the DR. If you look back at one of my other posts, you'll see how tons of people were writing some of the same exact feelings as you, including me! :classic:

I can also understand how it would be a much different experiance to live and work in the Dominican Republic.
 
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chuckuindy

Bronze
Mar 8, 2004
1,372
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Waite until you visit Santiago and meet some almost white chica?s who are doctors and lawyers, drive SUV?s and have travel visas, then you will really want to go back.

Chuckuindy
 
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MeDominican

New member
Nov 9, 2005
55
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What???

chuckuindy said:
Waite until you visit Santiago and meet some almost white chica?s who are doctors and lawyers, drive SUV?s and have travel visas, then you will really want to go back.

Chuckuindy
Click to expand...

??????????????????????????????????????????????????
 
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daddy1

Member
Feb 27, 2004
351
0
16
chuckuindy said:
Waite until you visit Santiago and meet some almost white chica’s who are doctors and lawyers, drive SUV’s and have travel visas, then you will really want to go back.

Chuckuindy
Click to expand...
I guess you are going to introduce Miss Ally to the lesbian population ha chuck!...:classic:
 
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Keith&Cris

New member
Aug 22, 2002
167
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www.keithbroad.com
Ally;
I know all about the post DR vacation depression. Like many people who visit there, I can't wait to get back. Cris and I have been twice. We can't get there this year but definitely going back in '06. We love it, and the people are amazing!!!!
Great first post. Come back to this message board often. It helps to ease you over the DR Blues. And you'll meet some amazing people here. Perhaps even hook up with them on you next visit to DR.
Keith&?Cris
 
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London_Calling

Bronze
Aug 19, 2004
572
30
0
Pleased to read that you had a great time and just want to go back for more.

Please though spare a thought for those Domincans who risk life and limb crossing the Mona Channel to escape the country.
 
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ally

New member
Dec 8, 2005
12
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0
Hey guys

sorry I haven't been able to post for a while.

To Amy yes we were in the North - Puerto Plata and yes we were in a huge tourist resort, but hey people make mistakes!!

Just to set the record straight, the negative comments i had read were all made by tourists, just like myself, who went to DR on hol and complained about everything!! (especially on this forum) when i read the messages written by people who live there, they make me smile as i know it is good natured bitchin' as we all do about things that bug us!

I know a lot of people are against tourists and the way they take over the place wanting all their comforts of western life and being really naive about the 'real' country they are in.
when we booked the holiday we did, on the advice of a friend, refuse all tourist packages with our travel company. we swapped big coaches with mass arrivals of tourists, for a local company in DR with a people carrier, sometimes even a car, and a more personal experience. it was the best move cos by the end of the trip we had really got to know our driver Rigo and the guide Pajani. sometimes it was just us and sometimes with another couple, but very small groups. I believe we got to see more of DR that way!
Like when we took a shortcut and there was a funeral walk down the middle of the road. when we stopped at playa grande and pajani introduced us to the cooks and ordered us whatever we wanted to try! when there was an bike accident on the side of the road and pajani stopped to see if we could help, all these kind of things would never have happened in a coachload of 50 people!

Again sorry for ranting on and on

I know i WILL be going back time and time again and yes i do want to see more of the non-touristy stuff. friends we made there were on their 8th time out and told us the best supermarkets for local food, so next time i think we will go and fend for ourselves!
and we have planned to go to santiago, but maybe not for the fit birds!!!


Ally

xxx
 
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ally

New member
Dec 8, 2005
12
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London_Calling said:
Pleased to read that you had a great time and just want to go back for more.

Please though spare a thought for those Domincans who risk life and limb crossing the Mona Channel to escape the country.
Click to expand...


im sorry if I offended

we met a really great guy (dressed as a pineapple!) on a boat tour we took, and although he was working he spent the whole time telling us how he was leaving DR in the next week to go to the UK to make some money. He was really depressed about it as he'd been over before and had a really rough time of it and all he wanted to do was go home. So he wasn't looking forward to it at all!
We swapped email addresses and promised to keep in touch when he was over here.

no-one can do much about the circumstances (or country) you are born in to, but we can be there for each other to offer our support.


Ally
 
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Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
856
0
0
Good golly Ms. Ally!

Ally, you post very nicely. you seem to be the understanding, affectionate, & caring person everyone hopes to meet. You appear to be a candidate for long term permanency in our flawed paradise. I hope it comes true. Certainly wish you lots more fun and adventures in DR! Have a happy new year!!
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Dear Ally:: I think you have a proper handle on things. You got out, spent some time with "real" people, and got a feel for things.

Don't let the whiners at that all-inclusive place spoil your party.

As for the Mona Passage swimmers...look at it this way: These are people that pay RD$30 - RD$50,000 to the person who arranges the trip. NOw with less than half that much they could have set up a little business that would bring in enough cash money per day to live on and even prosper. I have seen it done time and time again:
Case #1: A school teacher tires of 60 nasty kids in a room, set up an orange stand and tripled his income.
Case #2: A young man who sold veggies, started selling "Avocados for Rich People" (Aguacate de "Gente"). He would only sell to people in good cars, and he sold at double the going market price. But he was such a good salesperson that he now owns three major vegetable stands and drives his own nice car...

None of these people started with RD$30,000 in their pockets. The Mona Passage Swimmers are people that are illiterate and filled with crazy dreams of streets paved with gold over in Puerto Rico. This may be true for a very, very few...but for the rest it is a truly disappointing life, and good protein for the sharks...

Besides, without the Mona Passage Swimmers, how would the high ranking Navy personnel get their Christmas bonus??? I mean, the Beemers needed new tyres and all???? They're the bastards that need to be "looked after"..:ermm:

HB :(:(
 
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rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
48
ally said:
To Amy yes we were in the North - Puerto Plata and yes we were in a huge tourist resort, but hey people make mistakes!!
Click to expand...
Considering you had a fantastic time, it doesn't seem like you made a mistake.
 
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