- Thread starter PICHARDO
- Start date
Old Dominican Republic
Bread vendors in Samana 1910
Just stumbled onto this facebook page with a lot of pics
https://www.facebook.com/The-Old-Republic-134184723267587/photos_stream
Just stumbled onto this facebook page with a lot of pics
https://www.facebook.com/The-Old-Republic-134184723267587/photos_stream
actually they were the least expensive cars you could buy in the usa of the big three. Chevy was advertised as the Low priced leader.
They had many flaws but they looked good.
A lot of Trujillo's family members also drove Alfa Romeros and BMWs. Flor de Oro wrote about the European cars driven by theTrujillo family zipping back and forth and around the Presidential Palace.
In the 1930s, Trujillo had a bullet proof Packard (and from memory, a couple of Pace Arrows).
Quite by accident---or serendipity---I was re-acquainted with someone tonight at Valentino's Cafe in Sosua who I knew when I lived in Sosua 30+ years ago. He was a big macher back in the day. His family has had a farm near Sabaneta, but in the intervening years, he has bought up a lot of real estate, and he does much better at rent that he does at farming. I knew him and his then-wife (American--he's Dominican) and this was before the days of ATMs and Playero and the local industry. They made money hand over fist changing money, cashing checks, renting cars, and helping the very few Americans and Canadians negotiate this country.
It was really fun and nostalgic to talk about what Sosua was like in those days, and it made me glad that I knew Sosua before it was Sosewage. It also made me sad about what Sosua has become. But I love this country. I choose to live here. I am not a citizen and have no intention (at present) of becoming one. I've got the regularization well underway, and although I will probably never be able to vote here, I try to work every day to understand how to survive---and ultimately---to prosper here.
The DR of 30 years ago is long gone. They sort of sold their souls to tourism over agriculture, and at some point, it's going to come back and bite them in the a** if they don't get certain things right.
I love this thread about old DR. I love the stories my great Dominican friends tell me about their childhoods here, about the wonderful traditions of respect, hospitality, and generosity that were the hallmark of Dominican culture. I continue to believe (because I am a cock-eyed optimist) that this beautiful, generous, gorgeous country will find a way.
It was really fun and nostalgic to talk about what Sosua was like in those days, and it made me glad that I knew Sosua before it was Sosewage. It also made me sad about what Sosua has become. But I love this country. I choose to live here. I am not a citizen and have no intention (at present) of becoming one. I've got the regularization well underway, and although I will probably never be able to vote here, I try to work every day to understand how to survive---and ultimately---to prosper here.
The DR of 30 years ago is long gone. They sort of sold their souls to tourism over agriculture, and at some point, it's going to come back and bite them in the a** if they don't get certain things right.
I love this thread about old DR. I love the stories my great Dominican friends tell me about their childhoods here, about the wonderful traditions of respect, hospitality, and generosity that were the hallmark of Dominican culture. I continue to believe (because I am a cock-eyed optimist) that this beautiful, generous, gorgeous country will find a way.
I feel the same way. I came here in 1980 and things were quite diffrent. El Conde was open to cars and buisness prolifirated on the whole street. Chineese resturants and street full of pedestrians. Then the Colonial Zone was the place to Go. Time moved on and Then Maribel was appointed by Tourism to destroy the Z.C. She did more than destroy it she left it worse off that ever in History of this beautyfull country. She ruined the whole aspect of a Colonial Zone. Lets see what she has done. She tested the wind by plastering over the El Conde gate. That worked so she was enboldened. She then painted white the beautiful granite [Imported from canida I believe] Stone of Constitunial building corner of merino and conde.This emboldened her she then started imposing her ideas on everything. She made all buisness [ mine included remove all plants and signs from the front of the street. [This was after the removal of all overhead signs from El Conde she was not in office then]. She then learned that big money was available for resturation of the Colonial Zone she appointed herself in charge of all aspects eaven the hireing of all the Haitians that did the construction work. No one qualified was involved in the project. All the materials and work would not be acceptable anywhare else in the world except here! She plastered over the Cathredial covering the old brick and coral stone construction that gave it beauty of its age. She fashoned the streets on a picture she saw of a street in paris. no parking steel pools lining the streets. She has nefarious connections with persons now buying up realestate in the Colonial Zone. Do you think she is not getting kick backs from them aside from what she takes on the rehabilition of the Buildings. How beautyfull was the Zone in the 1930 era. thank God they stopped her before she could work her art on the Francisco ruins. i can not enumerate all that she has done to destroy her own patramony. Her next move now is the beaches she says she will be in charge for tourism to sell beach lands. She claims she has 10 Billionare coustomers [not dominicans] Waiting to buy from her. I can not tell all she has done here it would take the whole of Dr1 to do it. I just hoped after she colapsed the hotel francais that they would take her off the project. She must have a powerfull backer. Enough the tears are bluring my eye sight. thanks for listening to my ravings and yes i moved out of the Colonial Zone along with many outhers doing so due to her.
