What affect this will have on the DR?

[Marcion]

Yeah, send me a reminder note about Cuba in about ten years...doesn't sound like it's ready for prime time .

 

[AZB]

why go to cuba when you can have great cultural experience in colombia, not to mention great infrastructure, vibrant night life, beautiful women, safety, great internet and more affordable than cuba? I need no visa to go to colombia, get there directly from usa, no need to lose money in exchange robbery as in cuba, I don't have to pay exit fee as opposed to cuba where you have to pay separately in local tourist currency. I don't have to worry about On-your-face hookers ;like you see in havana. I can travel easily within colombia in excellent transportation system, where in cuba no foreigner can buy airline ticket to travel within cuba. great food in colombia and cheap. beautiful elegant women who are not desperate to screw you for a bar of soap. No police following you if you are with a local.
did you know if you meet a local girl in cuba, she will make you follow her 20 meters behind her for a long time until she reaches the target place to have a chat with you? yes, that is true, a regular girl will not talk to you unless she is in a safe place. so the mongers usually end up with hard knock whores who have more than 200,000 miles on their meter and pay premium. some regular travelers to cuba do find diamond in the rough but the vast majority of mongers just get jineteras (hookers).
the real hotels are expensive and the casa particulares are mediocre at best. the house rules apply for any visitors. Cuba will make you buy health insurance on the spot at the airport if your international health insurance does not cover in cuba. so good luck americans.
so cuba loses in all points with colombia.
AZB

 

[AZB]

if anyone is interested, copa air has special for cuba 440 dollars RT from santo domingo. book for the end of the month.
AZB

 

[porkman100]

I'm reading a book right now - Havana Bay by Martin Cruz Smith - and I'm struck by how similar his descriptions of Cuban life mirrors DR [especially the hookers].

If we can some day take a ferry with our car to Cuba, I think we'd do it at least once. Cuba has always held some sort of fascination for Mr. AE [a lot of it is the cars], so I know he'd go for it, but for us it would never take the place of DR.

A/E there was a ferry.. for many years that you could drive your car.
The points that AZB made are all true...but that is only if you go looking for B.U.H. or jineteras in general.
The cars for the most parts are heavily modified, just to keep them running, but it is a sight to see..so many 50's car running.. just amazing.
However...it is just an amazing place...architecture (old) and famous forts (la cabana) and is a pretty big city..all you will see was built prior to the dictator...and is just amazing.
Cuba has 2000 miles of coast line and 2000 islands.. nothing in the Caribe compares.
If you go with Mr A/E you will both love it.
Crime is really low..if you mind your biswacks..and for a retiree is the cheapest place..so far.

 

[Criss Colon]

i think one trip to cuba will be enough for most of the people who were reluctant to go there before.
1. cuba is expensive and you get little for your money.
2. hookers are sleazy and expensive and expert con artists.
3. cuba takes off 10-13% off american dollar exchange rate so you are left with very few cuc in the end as compared to actual dollar value.
4. confusing laws, 2 different currencies, unfavorable exchange rate, lousy food, sub-standard hotels, casa particulares (legal family home stay - room rentals).
5. can't really use american credit cards yet, but it should start soon.
6. zero airlines go direct from usa, except charters at the moment (expensive). you need to go there from another country at the moment (example: canada, mexico, DR, jamaica, cayman islands etc).
7. already lots of foreigners go there so american addition is no big deal. chicas (jeneteras) are already spoiled by the tourists.
8. no internet and if you do find wifi, it's 10 dollars /hour run at extremely slow speed. no cell 3g network at all, not even 1g. tourists can rent local sim cards at extremely expensive prices (if you buy minutes as well).
8. extreme poverty everywhere, people live in abject conditions. DR looks like europe as compared to cuba.
9. Water bottles are expensive, like $1.50 for a small bottle. did I tell you that food sucks there?
10. 20 dollars is the visa (i think) and 25 cuc (dollars) is exit fee. must be paid in cuban tourist currenct CUC.
11. everyone in big cities will try to rip you off. separate menu for tourists with prices 3x more expensive in many cases. the street people will try to take you to places where they get a commission. Nothing is free there.
12. if you don't speak spanish, you are screwed. the ones who speak english there will try to take you for a ride where it will cost you $$$$$$$. english speaking girls are always all semi-pro (hookers).
13. good girls from university will not speak to you for the fear of going to jail.
14. good luck for tourists who like UBH (ugly black hookers). you will be stopped by police and the girl will be taken to jail, unless you pay. she may not be allowed in hotel either. Oh, forgot to mention, no cuban girl is allowed in hotels or casa particulares unless she registers herself legally. this could mean trouble by police somewhere along the line.
in simple words, cuba is not colombia or DR.
AZB

That's NOT the Cuba I visited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But then I'm WHITE!!!!!!!!!!!

MOST AMERICANS HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE DR.
They have all heard of Cuba, and will want to go there.
The place is cheaper than the DR, and that's why the Russians, and eastern europeans have been going there for years!!!!!!

I got all the "Cubana Toto" I COULD EAT!!!!
NO TROUBLE WITH THE "Policia"!!!

Their whole roast pig is better than the DR!!!!!!!

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[porkman100]

why go to cuba when you can have great cultural experience in colombia, not to mention great infrastructure, vibrant night life, beautiful women, safety, great internet and more affordable than cuba? I need no visa to go to colombia, get there directly from usa, no need to lose money in exchange robbery as in cuba, I don't have to pay exit fee as opposed to cuba where you have to pay separately in local tourist currency. I don't have to worry about On-your-face hookers ;like you see in havana. I can travel easily within colombia in excellent transportation system, where in cuba no foreigner can buy airline ticket to travel within cuba. great food in colombia and cheap. beautiful elegant women who are not desperate to screw you for a bar of soap. No police following you if you are with a local.
did you know if you meet a local girl in cuba, she will make you follow her 20 meters behind her for a long time until she reaches the target place to have a chat with you? yes, that is true, a regular girl will not talk to you unless she is in a safe place. so the mongers usually end up with hard knock whores who have more than 200,000 miles on their meter and pay premium. some regular travelers to cuba do find diamond in the rough but the vast majority of mongers just get jineteras (hookers).
the real hotels are expensive and the casa particulares are mediocre at best. the house rules apply for any visitors. Cuba will make you buy health insurance on the spot at the airport if your international health insurance does not cover in cuba. so good luck americans.
so cuba loses in all points with colombia.
AZB

Totally true...no comparison ....in the Mujeres department.. Colombia and dr.....much better.
Unless you "into" B.U.H. then cuba is no#1....

 

[porkman100]

That's NOT the Cuba I visited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But then I'm WHITE!!!!!!!!!!!

MOST AMERICANS HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE DR.
They have all heard of Cuba, and will want to go there.
The place is cheaper than the DR, and that's why the Russians, and eastern europeans have been going there for years!!!!!!


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There are a few polacos there.. they like really cheap living....
But if you don't monger is fine...mongering is not for every one

 

[AZB]

A/E there was a ferry.. for many years that you could drive your car.
The points that AZB made are all true...but that is only if you go looking for B.U.H. or jineteras in general.
The cars for the most parts are heavily modified, just to keep them running, but it is a sight to see..so many 50's car running.. just amazing.
However...it is just an amazing place...architecture (old) and famous forts (la cabana) and is a pretty big city..all you will see was built prior to the dictator...and is just amazing.
Cuba has 2000 miles of coast line and 2000 islands.. nothing in the Caribe compares.
If you go with Mr A/E you will both love it.
Crime is really low..if you mind your biswacks..and for a retiree is the cheapest place..so far.

well yes pokeman, if you go there for just that then you will be delighted but so happens many tourists expect 1st world comfort and 1st world infrastructure. this is when they are disappointed. I would like cuba and seeing the cars will be an eye candy. i am just comparing cuba with DR at the current state.
sure the people there are far better educated than dominicans or even most americans. the country is frozen in time and if you want to take a peek in to the early 50's cuba, it's still there. If I go there, I will not have such a hard time and I may just go there but judging from what the tourists complain in DR, they will be in for a shock in cuba.
AZB

 

[AZB]

That's NOT the Cuba I visited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But then I'm WHITE!!!!!!!!!!!

MOST AMERICANS HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THE DR.
They have all heard of Cuba, and will want to go there.
The place is cheaper than the DR, and that's why the Russians, and eastern europeans have been going there for years!!!!!!

I got all the "Cubana Toto" I COULD EAT!!!!
NO TROUBLE WITH THE "Policia"!!!

Their whole roast pig is better than the DR!!!!!!!

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

yes, you would love cuba, all the UBH you can eat and I tell you what, you can have them all, both in DR and in cuba.
visiting cuba 20 yrs ago was one thing, try going there now. its not cheap by any standard. things have changed ever-since.
AZB

 

[porkman100]

well yes pokeman, if you go there for just that then you will be delighted but so happens many tourists expect 1st world comfort and 1st world infrastructure. this is when they are disappointed. I would like cuba and seeing the cars will be an eye candy. i am just comparing cuba with DR at the current state.
sure the people there are far better educated than dominicans or even most americans. the country is frozen in time and if you want to take a peek in to the early 50's cuba, it's still there. If I go there, I will not have such a hard time and I may just go there but judging from what the tourists complain in DR, they will be in for a shock in cuba.
AZB

AZB...cuba gets millions of first world travelers...Canadians germans..etc...Varadero is first world...to the taste of those families that return every year.
Comparing cuba to Colombia, Colombia being much larger.. and d.r. being smaller..is not an accurate assessment.
How ever....cuba is the oldest (d,r was first, but a short time)...and consequently have more historical buildings..if you in that kind of thing

 

[AZB]

AZB...cuba gets millions of first world travelers...Canadians germans..etc...Varadero is first world...to the taste of those families that return every year.
Comparing cuba to Colombia, Colombia being much larger.. and d.r. being smaller..is not an accurate assessment.
How ever....cuba is the oldest (d,r was first, but a short time)...and consequently have more historical buildings..if you in that kind of thing

yes I know cuba gets tons of european and canadian tourists every year but when it comes to americans, they have little idea what desperate situation cuba is experiencing in current state. I have talked to many americans and many have little to no idea about the current state of affairs in cuba. all they know is cigars and old cars. let me send you a PM.
AZB

 

[drescape24]

That will be awesome for Americans. They get to bring there car as well for a vacation. That would make a huge difference for me if I was planning a trip.

I would be worried my car would get stolen.

 

[AlterEgo]

A/E there was a ferry.. for many years that you could drive your car.
The points that AZB made are all true...but that is only if you go looking for B.U.H. or jineteras in general.
The cars for the most parts are heavily modified, just to keep them running, but it is a sight to see..so many 50's car running.. just amazing.
However...it is just an amazing place...architecture (old) and famous forts (la cabana) and is a pretty big city..all you will see was built prior to the dictator...and is just amazing.
Cuba has 2000 miles of coast line and 2000 islands.. nothing in the Caribe compares.
If you go with Mr A/E you will both love it.
Crime is really low..if you mind your biswacks..and for a retiree is the cheapest place..so far.

Ah jineteras - I just learned that word from the book [Havana Bay] that I'm reading. The author's description of them, and why they do it is also a perfect depiction of Dominican jineteras

 

[porkman100]

Ah jineteras - I just learned that word from the book [Havana Bay] that I'm reading. The author's description of them, and why they do it is also a perfect depiction of Dominican jineteras

Jejeje..as you know it means "rider" like a jinete...means a man that rides a horse.
But Cuban girls did not wanted the name of prostitute ...cuz that's not what they think of themselves.
It is just like a "temporary" assignment...not a career.

 

[AZB]

Jejeje..as you know it means "rider" like a jinete...means a man that rides a horse.
But Cuban girls did not wanted the name of prostitute ...cuz that's not what they think of themselves.
It is just like a "temporary" assignment...not a career.

yeah like some girls call themselves Chapiadora in DR. this is way more honorable than being called a cuero.
AZB

 

[b?rbaro]

International tourism loves virgin ground, and the DR lost its virginity long ago. Given the appeal of Havana compared with Santo Domingo (great food and excellent tour buses, no pollution or traffic jams, well educated and honest travel operators, inexpensive cultural opportunities), The EFFECT (not affect) will be enormous. The DR will lose sophisticated travellers.

Cuba is NOT virgin either, the only ones that cannot travel there are you gringos.

 

[ccarabella]

if anyone is interested, copa air has special for cuba 440 dollars RT from santo domingo. book for the end of the month.
AZB

BTW AZB. Starting December 19th you will be able to fly Delta from Santo Domingo to Atlanta to Medellin or Cartagena.

 

[windeguy]

Cuba is NOT virgin either, the only ones that cannot travel there are you gringos.

And only those gringos who are from the US could not and still cannot currently go on vacations to Cuba.

 

[Criss Colon]

ANY, American can visit Cuba.
I DID!!!!!!!!
There are a thousand "loopholes" one can use to visit Cuba.

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[b?rbaro]

ANY, American can visit Cuba.
I DID!!!!!!!!
There are a thousand "loopholes" one can use to visit Cuba.

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That's right, but you have to go through all that hassle