Good life in the DR??

[bienamor]

So, Bienamor, exactly what are you basing your opinion on?

Which opinion are you asking about.

Agreeing with AZB or not spending nights in the Touristy areas.


Like I said I'm really ashamed to have to agree with AZB.

As far as spending nights in the Tourist areas, I don't go out that much and like to sleep in my own bed.

Nothing against the zones just as a personal note don't like the atmosphere, in Boca Chica, Sosua. Have not been to Punta Cana in years. Same for Samana. For other folks its whatever floats your boat.

 

[catcherintherye]

Well, that was what I was asking about.

If you haven't spent any time in Sosua, how do you know you don't like the atmosphere?

I am not saying you are right or wrong. I was just curious as to how you formed your opinion, that's all.

 

[whirleybird]

Forgive me for being a little naive but, as I see it, there are a huge number of villages/ towns/ cities apart from the capital of Sto. Domingo, second largest city of Santiago and the tourist town of Sosua to consider when living/ residing in the the DR.

I was going to list a few places but realise that would be futile and I am sure everyone is aware of the many delightful areas of the DR apart from those mentioned previously.

 

[GeeDee]

I would say it depends on what type of scene you are into. I love to visit Sosua but after 2 days ive had enough. I have friends who could spend a month there and that wouldn't be enough time for them.

Personally, I would take La Venezuela over Pedro Clisante any day.

 

[SKY]

There is one very large problem living in the Capital. It is getting where you want to go.

The traffic is impossible. At night it lets up, but to get anywhere in the daytime is misery at best.

 

[catcherintherye]

I agree with Sky. The situation he described is exactly what I have found in SD every time I have been there. It is just pure agony getting around that city.

There are some very beautiful areas throughout SD, but getting to them is truly a nightmare.

As several others have already stated, it really is simply a matter of personal choice. I happen to like Sosua, while others enjoy other cities and towns throughout the country. Diversity is a good thing.

 

[bienamor]

I agree with Sky. The situation he described is exactly what I have found in SD every time I have been there. It is just pure agony getting around that city.

There are some very beautiful areas throughout SD, but getting to them is truly a nightmare.

As several others have already stated, it really is simply a matter of personal choice. I happen to like Sosua, while others enjoy other cities and towns throughout the country. Diversity is a good thing.

Agreed, My daytime experience usually involves going to work and back, so the traffic hassle is not that bad just have to know your windows and routes, like any other city, works most of the time. but yes can be a mess, no different than anyother large city. read LA, NYC cant get around in them either.



If you haven't spent any time in Sosua, how do you know you don't like the atmosphere?

Did not say that I have not been there, just that I don't stay there.

I am not that big a night person, so the sosua and boca chica scenes are not my thing. Would rather have the options that are available in the capital. But also like some of the other towns in the interior. just not the beach town scene.

 

[AZB]

traffic in SD? what problem? Its all simple, when you live here, try to live near a supermarket and your work. You will hardly ever see traffic anywhere. I work in the city, near famous avenues and i live like 4 minutes drive from work. I never see any traffic anywhere. I went to renew my residencia, I went to the immigration office at around 12pm and I saw no traffic anywhere. I went to american consulate 3 times, I saw maybe 5 minutes of traffic. The problem is, out-of-towners always take the most congested avenues and streets to go anywhere when they come here and then complain. Now I can imagine why they find santiago and capital so congested;
AZB

 

[SKY]

traffic in SD? what problem? Its all simple, when you live here, try to live near a supermarket and your work. You will hardly ever see traffic anywhere. I work in the city, near famous avenues and i live like 4 minutes drive from work. I never see any traffic anywhere. I went to renew my residencia, I went to the immigration office at around 12pm and I saw no traffic anywhere. I went to american consulate 3 times, I saw maybe 5 minutes of traffic. The problem is, out-of-towners always take the most congested avenues and streets to go anywhere when they come here and then complain. Now I can imagine why they find santiago and capital so congested.
AZB

You have got to be kidding. No traffic in the Capital, come on AZB. It is a nightmare there.

 

[AZB]

You have got to be kidding. No traffic in the Capital, come on AZB. It is a nightmare there.

did you read my whole post? Did I say there is no traffic there? Read again.
let me break it down for you.
Work close to where you live = no traffic.
Live close to grocery store and major avenues = no traffic.
Live close to major avenue where your bank is nearby, ice-store is walking distance, gasoline station is 5 blocks and mechanic is within 10 minutes away =
No traffic.
If you go to immigration office, go there at 12pm = no traffic
want to go to american embassy, find out the back streets and go in a time when there is : no traffic.
Need I say more.
AZB

 

[Robert]

Bottom line, traffic is a mess in Santo Domingo.

Zero urban planning, huge amount of cars and lots of people wanting to get places.

 

[TOOBER_SDQ]

Bottom line, traffic is a mess in Santo Domingo.

Zero urban planning, huge amount of cars and lots of people wanting to get places.

YES and YES. Although I give the city planners some slack considering this city is the oldest in the western hemisphere.

I love Santo Domingo but hate the traffic. This is why I live in the eastern section of the city. If I plan it right, I can be downtown in under 15 minutes at any time of day.

 

[norvan]

new to this!

so we have decided to come and have a look at dr with a view to buying a home that we can use for holidays, then in a few years (3 or 4) retire there.
After reading some of the comments I'm not sure we should bother!!
I lived in Manchester , UK for 30 years then here in Vancouver Canada for 20. am I making a mistake or is it not as bad as people are saying?

 

[jrhartley]

if it was the same as at home it wouldnt be worth coming

 

[norvan]

if it was the same as at home it wouldnt be worth coming

thats a VERY good point!!
Haha, I got completley caught up in all the negative and forgot that the point of trying this was for a change!!
Thank you jrhartley

 

[PICHARDO]

so we have decided to come and have a look at dr with a view to buying a home that we can use for holidays, then in a few years (3 or 4) retire there.
After reading some of the comments I'm not sure we should bother!!
I lived in Manchester , UK for 30 years then here in Vancouver Canada for 20. am I making a mistake or is it not as bad as people are saying?

Yup! It's that bad! Save your bucks and head to Costa Rica or Argentina...

The DR is NOT a walk in the park or for the feeble minded...
Most expats learn on the go that the DR is fit only for Dominicans to live here; after all it's the Dominican Republic for a reason and not Canada, USA or UK...

You come to a country where the first city of the new world was built, where you can b*tch slap anybody from across the narrow street, sidewalk to sidewalk, without as much over-stretching your arm doing so.

Since the first light bulb got electricity flowing, we learned to keep the old faithful oil lamps handy, the freezer packed with ice only (buying meat and other cooler perishables on a daily basis), made sure to unplug the TV and fridge as the lights went off in wait for the upsurge in power sure to come, had enough fresh water in the patio's tanks to take care of the needs and finally plenty of talk to gather around the galeria to spend the night away.

The DR was the only LA country were novelas and news got repeated twice, to make sure people could keep up with the episodes lost to blackouts...

You can expect to pay more for a gallon of gasoline in the DR than the other surrounding developed nations (save for the UK, France and Germany to my experience). You can expect to see old cars actually increase in value as new taxes kick in for newer imports. You can expect to see homes for sale that take years in the market to sell, all to the owner's imagination of a value.

Yes, the DR is not for everyone, save for those darned crazy, loud-mouth, scheming, drunk driving and what-not Dominicans...

That's the honest truth of the matter! Or not!


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[CFA123]

Nice post, Pichardo.

Maybe I should give your other posts more weight. Or not! :cheeky:

 

[AZB]

YES and YES. Although I give the city planners some slack considering this city is the oldest in the western hemisphere.

I love Santo Domingo but hate the traffic. This is why I live in the eastern section of the city. If I plan it right, I can be downtown in under 15 minutes at any time of day.

Yup, thats my whole point. Plan it right and you will avoid getting stuck in traffic. I planned it right. i would rather pay more and live near my work than save money and get stuck in traffic for 40 minutes / day. I planned it right and I never get to see traffic. I know traffic is a mess in capital, this is why I plan my outings when i do have to drive far.
AZB

 

[Lambada]

The DR is NOT a walk in the park or for the feeble minded...

Now you're going to confuse the person asking the question who has probably come across some feeble-minded whinging on the forums.....:cheeky:

 

[Trainman33]

Is the traffic in SD worse than Boston? Actually I should be asking what traffic is like in Santiago, since that is where I want to go.