We landed in La Romana to go to a resort. I believe the airport had just been built. My fondest memory was the bus ride from the airport to the resort and seeing all the garbage on the side of the road. That mental picture is what has stayed with me since 2002. First impressions as they say.
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First Place You Visited In DR
First time here was Sosua in 1989. Stayed at the "resort" that also had casitas on the hillside ( where Victorian House hotel is now, I think ). I cant remember the name. Actually stayed in one of the casitas.
Sosua was pretty sleepy then - Pedro Clisante was actually a 2 way street ( I'm not even sure there were ANY one-way streets )
Sat outdoors at PJ's ( what is now Sinatras ) watching the world go by. They were the only place in town that had COLD DRAUGHT BEER.
Sosua was pretty sleepy then - Pedro Clisante was actually a 2 way street ( I'm not even sure there were ANY one-way streets )
Sat outdoors at PJ's ( what is now Sinatras ) watching the world go by. They were the only place in town that had COLD DRAUGHT BEER.
My first time to the DR my wife wanted to buy property here. The hotel we stayed in was great but AI's are all pretty much the same. What convinced me was we went to the beach in Bavaro in front of the old decrepit building (that looks like its from the Flintstones) and had a ice cold beer at a bar that was called Bamboo.
The white sand and color of the water was the deciding factor in this is what life should be about. The building is still there but all the businesses there have probably changed 10 times in the last 15 years. When ever we get a chance to go through that crappy old building and see that view it always reminds me of that day.
Since we sold our place and are going to rent in Bavaro for at least 6 months, I'm sure we will get to see it a lot more.
The white sand and color of the water was the deciding factor in this is what life should be about. The building is still there but all the businesses there have probably changed 10 times in the last 15 years. When ever we get a chance to go through that crappy old building and see that view it always reminds me of that day.
Since we sold our place and are going to rent in Bavaro for at least 6 months, I'm sure we will get to see it a lot more.
My now husband took me to Jarabacoa and I fell in love with DR’s mountains.
Was it el Pirata?
Three story high...thatched roof?
Directly on the beach?
North of Bavaro Beach Resort...
Very deep and soft sandy ocean front road?
lol.
If so, I know of what you speak.
13 years ago I visited Blackbeard's in Costambar,I started wintering here 7 years ago in Puerto Plata and have lived here full time in Sosua for three years. I love it here.
Fun fact: I was the guy who supervised the final part of the remodeling of Blackbeards before it opened and was the Manager there for the first year and a half. The extra-deep Jucuzzi with its pedestals was my design.
That's it. We called it the gauntlet as the peddlers out numbered the tourists walking through there.
I plan on visiting it first week of November once we get settled in.
You did a wonderful job....Fun fact: I was the guy who supervised the final part of the remodeling of Blackbeards before it opened and was the Manager there for the first year and a half. The extra-deep Jucuzzi with its pedestals was my design.
We did a road trip there a few years ago. It was beautiful. After 14 years ocean front we might try the mountains in the next few years for a change of scenery and climate.
I took my mom to the Riu Merengue in Puerto Plata in 2011, returned to volunteer in Cabarete for 2 months in 2012, met my future husband then, kept in touch, returned to Samana in 2013, taught in SD for a year, got married in 2015.
Samana and Cabarete respectively are still my favourite places on the island.
Samana and Cabarete respectively are still my favourite places on the island.
Thanks! Although it was John with his total fixation on Maintenance who was the real hero of that story. Our maintenance calendar was (and probably still is) the stuff of legends.
I came in 2008 for a ten day break to Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata in the Victoria AI. One evening we went on a tour of Puerto Plata town, Sosua and Cabarete. Another day we went white-water rafting near Jarabacoa. I realised there was more to the DR than AI's and came back for an independent holiday the next year. Then thought I might buy an apartment for myself and also to rent. When I went back to England the agent sent me several places, including a small apartment building in Cabarete. When I came again and found it wasn't falling down, the deal was soon done, I gave up "work" to live here full time and run my apartments. No regrets yet!
Puerto Plata, stayed at the Flamenco. Made friends w a few hotel workers sho took us out of the resort and cooked for us arroz con pollo y tostones, Send tome cooked lambicito con tostones. A Presidente grande at that time was 15 pesos.
First visit for three months went from PUJ to the Punta Cana Resort and Club and was blown away. Then travelled to Santo Domingo where I was exposed to the reality. Travelling through Boca Chica was an eye opener. Punta Cana Resort and Club is still my favourite place, closely followed by Bahia de las Aguilas, but I fear it is going to be destroyed in the upcoing development
My first visit was some AI a bit east of Puerta Plata proper. It may have been Playa Dorado but I just don't remember. This would have been in April, 2006. The stay at the AI was uneventful, even though I blew off the suggestions and walked into PP itself. I found a cool t shirt place and got a ironed on PP t shirt.
The trip back and forth was much more interesting/frustrating. It literally took us over 6 hours driving a jeepeta from okap to the border. Then a bunch of bribes then cross the border then more bribes on the way over. I don't remember the time overall but it had to be > 10 hours. I remember being exhausted, and I was only 51 at the time. This was also market day which made matters 2 billion times worse. It was also not my jeep which made matters 3 billion times worse and much more expensive.
The 2nd trip was to the same place 3 months later but we took Caribe Tours to Santiago and hoped to find a ride to PP. We actually shared a ride with 2 or 3 MINISTAUH soldiers from the UN. Much easier on the blood pressure and wallet. Again, the AI itself was uneventful, although on the first trip I stopped at a red light and found out that everyone in the DR runs lights. I felt kinda dumb just sitting there but I was afraid a gringo would get heavy duty penalties.
The trip back and forth was much more interesting/frustrating. It literally took us over 6 hours driving a jeepeta from okap to the border. Then a bunch of bribes then cross the border then more bribes on the way over. I don't remember the time overall but it had to be > 10 hours. I remember being exhausted, and I was only 51 at the time. This was also market day which made matters 2 billion times worse. It was also not my jeep which made matters 3 billion times worse and much more expensive.
The 2nd trip was to the same place 3 months later but we took Caribe Tours to Santiago and hoped to find a ride to PP. We actually shared a ride with 2 or 3 MINISTAUH soldiers from the UN. Much easier on the blood pressure and wallet. Again, the AI itself was uneventful, although on the first trip I stopped at a red light and found out that everyone in the DR runs lights. I felt kinda dumb just sitting there but I was afraid a gringo would get heavy duty penalties.
My first visit was 1993 when I was 25. Stayed with a friend in the Interconinetal on Maximo Gomez en SD for the first week.So it was a short walk to the Malecon and plaza Guibia every night. Holy shit, in that times the whole Malecon was an open air disco, party every night and so much hot girls, it wasn't easy, to pick up the right chica all night...
In the second or third night we know a US marine who comes very often to SD and he shows us the best nightclubs in the colonial zone, in one of them the girls making some striptease you can't imagine...later they do this in our hotelroom.
After a week we moved to BC for a few days and then to JD, it was the same, party all night long, the daytime with some nice girls on the beach.
When we come back to Germany both we needed a week of vacation...
Sure I fall in love with this country (and the girls), so I planned to move here full time.In Februry 1995 I visit for 4 weeks the NC, and in September the same year I do this adventure and come to live here with 27 years old.
Today I'm married and live now for 20 years in this nice country, 19 years of them in SD.
In the second or third night we know a US marine who comes very often to SD and he shows us the best nightclubs in the colonial zone, in one of them the girls making some striptease you can't imagine...later they do this in our hotelroom.
After a week we moved to BC for a few days and then to JD, it was the same, party all night long, the daytime with some nice girls on the beach.
When we come back to Germany both we needed a week of vacation...
Sure I fall in love with this country (and the girls), so I planned to move here full time.In Februry 1995 I visit for 4 weeks the NC, and in September the same year I do this adventure and come to live here with 27 years old.
Today I'm married and live now for 20 years in this nice country, 19 years of them in SD.
Thank you to those who shared their story. It is so interesting to read your "story". Clearly we are all here for a reason. Something that made us say yes, this is where I want to be/live. Marriage (me), etc... everyone has a story.