Yesterday afternoon I drove slowly from La Romana to the capital returning today after several detours. Firstly, my brand new rapid pass card did not work at the La Romana peaje nor at the Airport peaje although put onto the windscreen as per instructions. The AMET man at the airport peaje said many people had the same problem. It appeared to me that less than 5% of cars used the rapid pass barrier Secondly , in relation to El malecon at San Pedro de Macoris ,it is now a total disaster scene .All the small shops near the sea have been demolished and may trees have disappeared and all that is there is dirt and rubbish.The plastic seats have been placed on the other side of the road but there was no sign of any workers nor any machinery .I just hope that it will not remain as it is at present and that there are plans to either pave or grass the entire area..It was rather pleasant as it was before. Thirdly , in relation to the Sargassum ,I saw none at Boca de Yuma nor at La Romana a few days earlier but from the mouth of the river at San Pedro de Macoris all the way to the airport the sea has many pockets of the weed , 50 yards by 50 yards in dimension. Fourthly ,I drove around Juan Dolio and it is very depressing to see so many buildings of between four and five stories high unfinished and so many former hotels closed down and decaying away . Many prime seaside sites and homes are for sale and I presume there is a problem with the titles. Finally , I was very happy to see Zona Colonial full of people with various small concerts taking place but the closure of Calle Mercedes is causing all sorts of traffic problems.
- Thread starter Kipling333
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When the rapid pass thing ..I like the dominican slang word vaina meaning thingy.. I put my window down and showed the man where the thing was put onto the front window..he fiddled with a lever that changed the angle of the camera ,I think, and still nothing happened so I just gave him 100 pesos .
Vaina is not thingy. Cosa would be thingy. Vaina is more vulgar and used mostly by the poor
ie me gusta esa vaina. I like that shit, loosely translated. Cosa, is more thing or stuff
Una cosa que tenemos aquí!
Una vaina que tenemos aquí! (More vulgar)
I've heard upmarket people say vaina. My lawyer uses it sometimes. I equate it to the Jamaican "ting". But I must admit I don't think it's something that a gringo should be using, unless for comedy effect, it's like listening to a child swear it sounds out of place coming out of a non-Dominican mouth.
Kipling. Thanks for this, very interesting post. I have never quite worked out why Juan Dolio can't make it, but I agree that it never seems to. A friend of mine runs a restaurant there and he said they are all seriously struggling, no punters on weekdays and just enough customers to pay the luz at the weekends. As you walk down the beach it's littered with closed-down restaurants.
The same in Guayacanes, I went there the other day (on a weekday) and it felt almost scary. We started in Playa Esmerelda (could be a lovely hotel but its closed down) then went to several closed-down restaurants and eventually headed out. Dominicans frequently mention how they love going to the beach, yet two of the beach resorts within striking distance of the capital just can't seem to make it.
And this is the problem with technology coming to DR.
But the way if your a fleeing a crime the Rapid Pass is not your friend.
Even the most stupid person you know walks around glued to their smartphone in DR. Everyone knows how to whatsapp, and they certainly all know how to use a cash machine. So there's no reason that a rapid pass wouldn't work.
These things often are implemented badly. Remember when the e-Tickets for immigration first came in, a lot of people on here said "give it a month", but now they are absolutely required.
Yes I know that it is a street word here and in Colombia but it amuses me because it really means a sheath. I so not use it except in total derision.
The strange thing about Juan Dolio is that beautifully maintained apartment blocks are right next door to some decaying buildings. I believe that the problem in Guayacanes is to do with titles and two major problems with the beaches of Guayacanes and Central Juan Dolio is the parking .The tigueres on the look out for a car seeking a car space are aggressive . The beach at Juan Dolio East is stunning but hard to get to unless through an apartment site.
The stupid are more glued - because they watch videos all day - when they aren't playing with their 'special purpose'
I have had a few Paso Rapido vainas in other countries but they are not just a sticker but are a small plastic box which you can put in many locations in the car and which a much larger sensor at the toll gate can read easily. Here it seems the sticker in the car must be in a precise position and the reader in the peaje has a much smaller reading capacity. I followed the instructions when putting my sticker on the windscreen and the man at the peaje said the position was ok.