I thought things were looking up, people are here, some are looking to buy and as high season approachs mjany are booked, despite the serious crime
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gringo exodus?
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Life in the DR is much easier/cheaper if you stay clear of red meat except for special occasions.. In general, the healthier you eat with local ingredients, the cheaper it is too.
WW you are so correct. I have had my house in Nagua since 2009 and I am planning on moving to Santiago. I already have boots on the ground. And I have been planning the move for over a year. In Nagua I have family and friends support. In Santiago I have no one so I have to plan everything down to the babysitter. With two kids under 6 not a easy thing to do. Pi$$ poor planning is what ruins most who move to the DR.
Hahahha, I buy when there is blood in the water. That's a term my stock market friend uses. What the heck I thought I would use it.
I am staying. Cuba would be tempting just like home in the 305. May be some day. My eleactrick bill is $35.
I just don't see all US folks leaving for Cuba. The DR is a mature destination, Cuba lacks a lot of things.
Canadians can go to Cuba but still arrive to the DR in big numbers.
Once it opens, there might be an initial pull effect for gringos though.
Someone mentioned Havanna was clean??? My experience is quite the opposite, I was shocked by the piles of rubbish that were rotting under the Caribbean sun, reeking for a whole week. It's not only a matter of cleanliness but a public health issue. Not to mention the collapsing buildings in habana vieja and habana centro. Looks as it had been nuked, everything falling apart, even the people.
Educated cubans? indeed there are, but probably not as many as the myth goes.
Having said this I must say the island has a special charm, I loved it. I have family there.
Canadians can go to Cuba but still arrive to the DR in big numbers.
Once it opens, there might be an initial pull effect for gringos though.
Someone mentioned Havanna was clean??? My experience is quite the opposite, I was shocked by the piles of rubbish that were rotting under the Caribbean sun, reeking for a whole week. It's not only a matter of cleanliness but a public health issue. Not to mention the collapsing buildings in habana vieja and habana centro. Looks as it had been nuked, everything falling apart, even the people.
Educated cubans? indeed there are, but probably not as many as the myth goes.
Having said this I must say the island has a special charm, I loved it. I have family there.
Come on down to the 305! Gotta warn you though...the freaking Palmetto is starting to look like a Los Angeles freeway. I routinely miss my exit cause they keep rerouting traffic because of all the construction ugghh
And while on the topic of freeways, dont drive far in Cuba! Their '8 lane super highway' is the biggest joke of life, they never finished it!!!! You run into a wall of trees and exit a dirt road. Guess where you are driving then? The freaking Carretera Central, usually behind a horse and cart at a whopping 5 mph. Oh did I mention that road is not wide enough for opposing vehicles to pass each other comfortably? You are driving on the shoulder most of the time.
Havana was a mixed bag. Lots of culture but just imagine a city like NY but the buildings decayed for lack of maintenance and dirtier than the big apple. I personally liked Varadero.....wowwwww absolutely amazing beaches. The food was absolutely disgusting everywhere I ate, and thats a big statement...I'm like Mikey, I'll eat anything. The only exception were the Paladares (homes converted to high end restaurants). I ate like a king at those places.
And don't get me started on the customer service. Some of the worst service I have received in my life. Yea, those folks aren't the least bit ready for US tourism AT ALL!!! What makes Cuba special is the culture. I'm sorry but post Castro the people there are "institutionalized". I would reeeeally hate to think of having a business there. Now THAT would be a gringo story LOL
i havent used a dryer in a long time well maybe once or twice but i grew up hanging my stuff and still do...
my friends brother has a fancy house(he complained about electric bill) then he had another meter installed to a part of the house for a/c etc....the bill went way down...it is probably the higher your usage the higher(much)a multiplier...evan after buying the meter having it installed etc he is happy now that he pays two bills...
ha ha ha wait and see.....when i can drive to florida w/a reservation on the ferry. and be in cuba 3 hrs later....with my car, clothes and whatever....im der....things will open up. cuba will be king again...d.r. will be mostly left to domincans for a spell untill the govt lowers the airplane taxes...more all inclusives are built/opened...and all the dominicans in n.y. will have to send more money/work harder to support there families...crime will go down as the # of tourists drop...crime will drop...
i stay away from red meat unless it is pressure cooked....i sub. pork....+.eat big red beans that remind me of red meat....i will go with chopped meat from local butcher once in a red moon(blu)
i do visit the veg.stand all the time buy local things,,,dont need anything much imported...(shampoo) salads tomatoes peppars...cukes onions wow...
i met an u.s. guy from florida who went to cuba twice....first time was wonderful and drew him back four months later....ha ha ha big mistake.....arrested.....upon returning to florida....fines that would kill most peeps...lawyers.. good thing he has money......
Here's a possible reason:
Like at home, EdeNorte employs a tiered rate system for Hydro. Unlike at home where your first tier usage is priced at one rate, your second tier usage at the second rate and everything over that is charged at the third tier rate, then the three costs are added together to produce your bill; Here, once you progress to a new tier during the month, your entire usage is billed at the rate for the tier in which your usage falls. You, like me, seem to be skipping the first two tiers and living within the third and most expensive tier.
I don't remember the exact cutoff numbers for each tier, but anyone with a pool running few hours a day and A/C running at night will always find themselves near the high end of the second tier (if their use is really judicious) and within the third tier if they turn a light on to pee.
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