lil' help in SD

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i have to go to santo domingo this friday to be checked top to bottom for my residence. looks like i have to go all by myself :ermm: so i am looking for some advice on where to eat and shop cheaply without being ripped off and mistreated. all the advice will be appreciated. gracias
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Will you be arriving in your own car or on public transport? I'd say that once you're finished at Migración take a taxi or drive to Bella Vista Mall (pronounced MOLL) on Avenida Sarasota.

There's a supermarket, a ferreteria, home decor, boutiques, and all sorts of shops, and on the 2nd level they have a good choice of eating places. Nothing too fancy - pizza, burger, mexican, crepes, pseudo-Starbucks place, etc.

The advantage is that you can get everything under one roof without having to traipse around the capital, which is complicated if you're not familiar with the place.

If you want more charm and character, head for Calle El Conde in the Colonial Zone. There are plenty of eating places in the area as well as shops, but less glitz.

If you need any help with specifics, ask here or send a PM.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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sd

thanx for help, i am told that an abugado friend will take me from metro to migracion and back. is there any shopping centre near metro? i will have little time to venture very far but i am huge supporter of DIY and like travelling on public transport, i have been told that SD has proper bus service, how much do i pay for a bus ticket? are ticket pre-paid or do i pay the driver? upon getting in or out of the bus? and taxis, do they have taxometer so i know how much should i pay? or do they charge a very white female i am double the price?
thank you again!
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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There is a shopping mall immediately opposite Metro bus terminal in SD - you are facing the back or side entrance to the Mall when you exit the bus terminal. Mall has 2 floors, clothes, shoe etc shops, stationers, hardware stores on ground floor. GNC on first floor. Has eating places also. Sorry I don't know the name of it but one of the SD people will. This Mall you can walk to from Metro and as buses back to PP are every 2 hours or so, it is close enough not to miss the next bus.............;)
 

Larry

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Mar 22, 2002
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and taxis, do they have taxometer so i know how much should i pay?

There are no meters in the taxis. The price for an average ride, which is what you would be taking within the confines of SD is 100 to 120 pesos. I suggest not asking the driver how much the fare is but simply sticking 120 pesos in his had when you arrive at your destination.

Larry
 

GringoCArlos

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The mall across the street from the Metro station is called Plaza Central, and it's one of the largest malls in Santo Domingo. You can get anything you want there. The food court is on the 2nd or 3rd floor. There is also an Internet cafe, etc. Lots of shoe stores too, since you're female. :)
 

dv8

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cheesecake

:hurt: not all females love shopping! :cheeky:
do they have nice stores with zapatos there? ;) and lenceria?
and - the most important question: where do i buy good CHEESECAKE?
 

Lambada

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Thank you for the name of it GringoCarlos. You'll like that mall dv8, nothing like it in PP. Think it even has an Oscar de la Renta bijou boutique, or certainly one which sells his clothes. Haberdasher's? Probably, but plenty of those in PP in any event. Yes good shoe shops. Good cheesecake? You make your own..............:) you know, after you've done the cleaning and finished a day's work..................;)
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Plaza Central definitely sounds like your best bet, and a large department store, Plaza Lama, is a short walk across the 27/Churchill intersection.
 

dv8

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hi hi

:cry: :cry: lambada, it is my boy who's making cheesecakes :bunny: but i thought i'll give him a day off! day off from me, that is... ;) i'm affraid oscar de la renta is way off my price range :cry: but i do enjoy a good bargain and the more shops the more opportunities!
muchas gracias to everyone.
 

macocael

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Aug 3, 2004
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And the best dessert place is just a few blocks north of Plaza Central, a block to the east of Churchill: La Cuchada de Madera. Wow. CHiri knows it.

But you wont be doing too much shopping I'll wager. A day at Migración is a full day of waiting waiting waiting.
 

Chirimoya

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how long does migracion take?
Very difficult to predict, sorry. Get there as early as possible.

chiri, fancy a cheesecake on friday?
One mention of La cuchara de madera and I'm anyone's!
If you're out early, I might be able to make it, especially if I combine it with picking my son up from school. I have some people coming over in the afternoon so I won't be able to make it if you're out later - I'll send you my phone no. via PM.
 

dv8

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chiri, lambada can vouch for me - i am nice, clean and i curtsy ;) byt CHEESECAKE i eat verociously! i am taking 6.30 am bus from pto pta, have to be back before midnight or i change into pumpkin. in between i belong to migration with my body and to MISSION CHEESECAKE with my soul.
hope we can make it!
 

Lambada

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chiri, lambada can vouch for me - i am nice, clean and i curtsy ;) byt CHEESECAKE i eat verociously! i am taking 6.30 am bus from pto pta, have to be back before midnight or i change into pumpkin. in between i belong to migration with my body and to MISSION CHEESECAKE with my soul.
hope we can make it!

I most certainly can! I know Chiri, too; you two would get on well together. :) As you can tell, Chiri, from the quality of her posts in a second (or is it third or fourth language) dv8 is NOT an el thicko............ I rather like the new addition to the English language, too, the mixture of voraciously and ferociously.........;) Must remember that one. It probably is a very apt description of the way dv8 massacres cheesecake.
 

SantiagoDR

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Jan 12, 2006
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i have to go to santo domingo this friday to be checked top to bottom for my residence.
how long does migracion take?

From your first statement it sounds like maybe you are going just for the medical, it does not take very long at all. If so, no lawyer needed, but you need to go to two locations, Migracion for the main physical, and then to another location for the x-ray, if things are still the same that is. Hope Friday is not one of those special Dominican holidays and/or that the x-ray clinic is open. I ran into both those problems when I went for my medical (Different days at that).

I would guess that coming from P.P will get you to S.D about 9:30-10am, more or less. Not sure how long the ride from P.P to Santiago, but Santiago to S.D. is about 2 hours. Migracion is just a short distance from Metro, I usually take the public car down to the Loteria and walk from there. Then after the main physical, walk up to the main drag and take the public buses (Not OMSA) up to the x-ray clinic (After the bus, it is 2-3 blocks away). You might consider being a big spender and just take a cab if in doubt as to where it is. I am a major DIY person and usually walk (very far) to the large shopping area way East of Migracion, not sure the exact area, but it is semi-barrio, but many large stores, including La Sirena. Then take Carribe Tours back to Santiago since I am then way East of Metro(and it's cheaper). I usaully walk 2-3 hours when I go there.
 

dv8

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all things big and small

si, santiagoDR, i am going only for medical, abugado will be there with me only as an escoltar y traductor. you gave me hope there will be enough time for cheesecake. i love walking myself, one can see so much more! not to mention it saves monies for all important postres....
do you know by any chance whether carribe tours goes to pto pta as well? and in case i need it, how much is a ride on public transport in SD (bus, i mean)?
lambada, you flatter me :eek: english is my third language indeed but "verociously" was my poor spelling, not a stroke of genius. i liked your version thou, let's keep it as an official one, ok? ;)
as to cheesecakes i destroy, devour and deconstruct them like any other cheesecakevore, oh YES!
la cuchada de madera - here i come! BEWARE! wrrrrrrrrrrrr......
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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There are no meters in the taxis. The price for an average ride, which is what you would be taking within the confines of SD is 100 to 120 pesos. I suggest not asking the driver how much the fare is but simply sticking 120 pesos in his had when you arrive at your destination.

Larry
I wouldn't do that. I think you should always have an agreed on price before the taxi moves. If you arrive at your destination and hand the driver 120 pesos without an agreement many will just accept it. Some will throw a scene; there are those who have the attitude "you're a gringo you OWE me double". I've been there; it can get ugly.
 

riravaga

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Feb 24, 2005
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Near to la Feria in Winstong Churchill Av. there are a McDonalds restaurant and in the same av. is Located Plaza Central and Acropolis Driving up to 27 de Feb. Avenute.