Thursday, January 27, 2005
After a quick refreshing cold beer break (check last blog entry) we are on request back to the current state of evolution in Boca Chica.
As you may or may not know a number of businesses, for God only knows what reasons, have been closed recently in the Boca Chica main street (Calle Duarte).
As reported in our blog of 17/1/05 the ‘Cosmos Discothèque’ and ‘Zanzi Bar’ were closed because of internal misunderstandings between the two businesses and the owner of the building… a case completely unconnected to the closure by the authorities/police of several bars last week,
No firm reasons have been given although rumors as usual are aplenty. Some say that everything, for better or for worse, soon will be back to normal… some that it is all part of the new government’s plans to permanently ‘clean up’ Boca Chica… whatever that means. If the ‘permanent clean up’ rumor is true we welcome it, that is if it means a long awaited and frequently promised removal of the all-too-many illegals and criminals roaming, and in some ways ruling, the streets and the beach.
However, Boca Chica is still alive and kicking although somewhat subdued. We can absolutely reassure you that service at Playa Vista continues as before and that there are, as usual, plenty of adventurous activities to go for on the Boca Chica beach and all over this exotic Latin Caribbean country in general.
So… why not make Boca Chica your port of entry and Playa Vista your base camp, as you explore further the Caribbean adventures on offer?
Hasta la Playa Vista!
Posted by Playa Vista @ 04:35 PM CST
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
First hand observation soon shows that good old-fashioned beer, even here in the exotic Caribbean, surprisingly is the most popular drink at the Playa Vista. For that matter it is probably so at any bar in any part of the Dominican Republic and it is the ‘Presidente’ brand produced since 1935 by Cerverceria Nacional Dominicana which wins the grand popularity prize. It is a pilsner type beer, comes for the most part in 355 and 650 cc green bottles and is produced at the central brewery just off the Avenida Independencia in Santo Domingo
We actually think it comes closer to the Carlsberg advertising slogan of a few years back ‘probably the world’s finest beer’ than even that fine Danish beer does. We have asked numerous imbibers over the years what they think of it, and almost without exception the response is extremely favorable. It appears to hit a beautiful middle ground seeming to have a little bit of everything that a beer should have without any one of the individual characteristics dominating. Namely: smell, froth, fizz, sweetness, crispy dryness and taste of hops. The alcohol content is a little above average, compared for example with standard North American beers, at 5% per volume but the real trump card is the near ice-cold temperature at which the beer is best served and it goes without saying this contrasts exquisitely with the usual high ambient temperatures that we enjoy in our corner of paradise. The locals often ask evocatively for their beer to be served ‘cenizada’ literally meaning ‘coated in ash’; used perhaps because Dominicans are so unfamiliar with the term ‘frosted’.
Although ‘Presidente’ is exceedingly popular we wouldn’t want you to think that there weren’t alternatives. The same beer company took over the ‘Bohemia’ label in 1983 and is making inroads into the ‘Presidente’ market although it has a long way to go to take over the ‘Presidente’ mantel. Bohemia is a little drier, a little flatter and less sweet but perfectly palatable having even won gold awards in Spain and Italy.
To round up the beer list we also serve Miller, Corona, Budweiser (the Anheuser-Busch variety), Heineken (recently back in supply after a lengthy lay-off) and two fine Belgian beers Leffe and Hoegaarden… all beers that can be found around the world. We trust that will also be true of Presidente in the years to come so that you may have the opportunity to try one for yourselves… that is if you, for some reason or other, can’t make it to the Playa Vista BeachBar!
Cheers!
Posted by Playa Vista @ 06:56 PM CST
Monday, January 17, 2005
In Boca Chica businesses open and close just like in any other town in the capitalistic world, but there is a specifically dramatic variant here that occurs from time to time and always gives occasion to raised eyebrows and rumor mongering.
We remember when one of the hotel’s nearest to us began early one morning with its guests milling around outside its own front entrance unable to get in because the tax authorities had sealed off the premises. Whatever dispute that existed was entirely resolved by the afternoon for the doors were re-opened and guests were allowed to pass freely in and out as normal once again. We also remember that three businesses in the main street, as reported in our blog of February 24th last year, were closed down simultaneously for what exactly we never really knew. If you have visited Boca Chica over the last 12 months you will know that they are all, after a facelift, fully functional again.
The latest talking point is opening eyes a little wider than usual because this time around two businesses that have been a pivotal point of Boca Chica night life in the main street and have seemingly continued without hindrance or interruption for a number of years are suddenly closed down. They are the well known Discotheque Cosmos and Zanzi Bar, located next to each other in the same building; just a stones throw from us at Playa Vista. On one recent sunny day the feared official removal truck pulled up directly in front of the two businesses with a contingent of the usual, for this kind of operation, armed men in uniform to oversee the immediate dismantling and carting away of all the fixtures and fittings of both businesses including all contents from some apartments above them.
When everything was finally loaded the establishments were securely locked leaving a hole along the main commercial thoroughfare. Zanzi Bar in particular now looks very sad and sorry for itself because the “entire” empty contents are on full view from the street through its metal security fence gates.
The inside track information that we have tells us the problem is not directly with the authorities and that the mentioned businesses therefore probably soon will be up and running again. Meanwhile have no fears because there is certainly a thoroughly recommendable close-by discothèque in the Hotel Burbuja which was some years back the prime discothèque in town and is said to be back to its attractive best on three floor levels with a very fine music system.
We will, as always, keep you informed about the always changing but entertaining life in Boca Chica.
Posted by Playa Vista @ 06:47 PM CST
