Altogether a good experience to get out of here for a working holiday. I've not travelled much off the beaten path over the last year or so and have just returned from a visit down south .. to Barbedos and Antiqua. Here is a quick comparison.
These two islands spend a lot of money in training their staff for tourism. We were treated like honored guests all the way - experienced staff well used to tourism. Service is the name of the game and it makes quite a difference from the DR generally. Here, we have a long long way to go.
It was quite a joy to taxi and bus around on these two islands. Traffic is sane, drivers give way, traffic signs are clear and traffic signals and everything works. The roads have no potholes. The drivers are exceptionally courteous. Each driver that we had could explain coherently their piece of their island, what is to see, what is to do, give prices, distances and were altogether good ambassadors for tourism.
It was quite fun to be propositioned a few times for a 'lady's massage' (wink wink) by the rastafarians in Barbedos. When I started speaking, they immediately realized that I was no green gringo tourist and we all laughed together. (Yea, I was tempted to try a massage for the experience, but all that hair .. man .. yuck! who knows what crawls around in there ..
)
In Barbedos, the street beggars are a pain in the patoot. The different thing was that even the ordinary person on the street would chase them off and say quite sternly .. Now, go get a job and don't mess with the tourists or we call the law on you.
I'm used to the Caribbean islands where one sometimes has to deal with locals with a chip on their shoulders. Generally the people on these two islands were exceptionally friendly and helpful.
These two islands are very clean, sparkly and no-trash clean. This was very different on my DR 'used to trash' eyes.
Liat could very well be the worst airline in the world.
There was never an apogone. Electrical structures were neat and never did I see the hodge podge type messed together lines that we see here on the streets as a matter of course. All the houses, hotels and structures have solar water heaters and solar power.
Hotel prices are generally much higher than the DR .. Food prices (restaurants) are generally much higher as well. A medium quality restaurant meal (surf and turf) was US$75.00 per person, shared salad and two glasses of wine and two beers.
Shopping was surprisingly good, focused on what the tourist would need but the large shopping malls worked well and had a surprising variety of goods.
The most excellent thing was that I managed to hand my green card back in the embassy in Barbados and swop it for a 10-year unlimited entry visa. In four years I have not managed to do that in Santo Domingo even though I am entitled to status. My little granddaughter also has her visa now. If your paperwork is in good order and there is no need for the visa authorities to deny your Dominican spouse and family a visa, put some bucks together and take Liat down to Barbados. The embassy there gave me a good hearing, understood what I wanted and simply made it so with courtesy and a helpful attitude. I stress that your documentation has to be in order, and your story straight.
Oh yes, a last thought, no-one refused us a drink after 12 at night ..
These two islands spend a lot of money in training their staff for tourism. We were treated like honored guests all the way - experienced staff well used to tourism. Service is the name of the game and it makes quite a difference from the DR generally. Here, we have a long long way to go.
It was quite a joy to taxi and bus around on these two islands. Traffic is sane, drivers give way, traffic signs are clear and traffic signals and everything works. The roads have no potholes. The drivers are exceptionally courteous. Each driver that we had could explain coherently their piece of their island, what is to see, what is to do, give prices, distances and were altogether good ambassadors for tourism.
It was quite fun to be propositioned a few times for a 'lady's massage' (wink wink) by the rastafarians in Barbedos. When I started speaking, they immediately realized that I was no green gringo tourist and we all laughed together. (Yea, I was tempted to try a massage for the experience, but all that hair .. man .. yuck! who knows what crawls around in there ..
)In Barbedos, the street beggars are a pain in the patoot. The different thing was that even the ordinary person on the street would chase them off and say quite sternly .. Now, go get a job and don't mess with the tourists or we call the law on you.
I'm used to the Caribbean islands where one sometimes has to deal with locals with a chip on their shoulders. Generally the people on these two islands were exceptionally friendly and helpful.
These two islands are very clean, sparkly and no-trash clean. This was very different on my DR 'used to trash' eyes.
Liat could very well be the worst airline in the world.
There was never an apogone. Electrical structures were neat and never did I see the hodge podge type messed together lines that we see here on the streets as a matter of course. All the houses, hotels and structures have solar water heaters and solar power.
Hotel prices are generally much higher than the DR .. Food prices (restaurants) are generally much higher as well. A medium quality restaurant meal (surf and turf) was US$75.00 per person, shared salad and two glasses of wine and two beers.
Shopping was surprisingly good, focused on what the tourist would need but the large shopping malls worked well and had a surprising variety of goods.
The most excellent thing was that I managed to hand my green card back in the embassy in Barbados and swop it for a 10-year unlimited entry visa. In four years I have not managed to do that in Santo Domingo even though I am entitled to status. My little granddaughter also has her visa now. If your paperwork is in good order and there is no need for the visa authorities to deny your Dominican spouse and family a visa, put some bucks together and take Liat down to Barbados. The embassy there gave me a good hearing, understood what I wanted and simply made it so with courtesy and a helpful attitude. I stress that your documentation has to be in order, and your story straight.
Oh yes, a last thought, no-one refused us a drink after 12 at night ..
