 |
|
|
|
|
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
|
09-16-2001, 02:09 PM
|
|
|
Santo Domingo to Miami yesterday
Those flying out of Santo Domingo will be in for some new security procedures. My flight was delayed 5 hours, but they delayed it in 1 hour increments.
First, when you check in, before you can even get to the ticket counter, every tiny spot in first bag was searched. They told me various things could not travel. Then I told them this was a bag I was checking. "Oh". No attempt was made to see that the bag was indeed checked.
Then my carry-on was searched. I already knew you could not carry knives, but then it was extended to anything pointy, which for me, included an eye-glasses screw driver about 1.5 inches long. No problem, I dropped them into the bag I was going to check.
Since Santo Domingo is currently under renovation, a new section has opened up that is very modern. I passed through the x-ray, and then another hand search of my carry-on was executed. This time, they took all my lighters, and my nail clippers. Since I had already checked my bags, there was nothing to do except surrender the items. They had a box full if items like nail clippers, scissors, lighters of every kind, nail files, etc. I wish they had told me about that restriction before I checked my bags.
Once past immigration, there is no longer any smoking anywhere, but people were ignoring the new signs. The deli counter was giving people lights. I have a few lighters that don't look like lighters that did get through, and they missed one pair of nail clippers but I was afraid if I used one, somebody would come and take it away. I'm not sure what the purpose of the nail clipper ban is except than most have a 1 inch file built in.
Each passport is checked when entering the jetway and again at the jet door.
We arrived in Miami at 10:30pm. Customs was nearly deserted and I've never gotten my bags so quick. It took all of 3 minutes to get my bags and pass through customs.
All ticket counters and service desks were closed and there was no place to recheck luggage for connections. Everyone was told to come back at 5am for misconnect assistance and there were no hotel vouchers provided.
I had an E-ticket but I had to get it endorsed before I could use it on another airline, which meant I had to get to the service desk when it opened.
At 4:30am, the line for the yet to open service desk was several blocks long with about 3-4 agents working the counter. I could see this was going to be an all day affair and I'd never make my morning flight. I just walked up to the counter in front of everybody and said, "Excuse me. I'm confused. I have a 7:45am departure on Northwest and need to get my ticket endorsed. Where do I go?" Luckily, the agent pulled me in and gave me an endorsed paper ticket on the spot. I made my flight.
In Miami, they did not search me. They just asked me if I had any nail clippers, scissors, lighters, or pointy objects. By this time though, I had transferred all they items they missed in Santo Domingo to my checked bags when I got through customs.
Beyond that, security was about the same as always for the domestic portion of the flight except for ticketed passengers only were allowed beyond the x-ray and ID was checked. There were no delays. In fact, beyond the x-ray, the airport was pretty vacant. That's probably because everybody was still in line for the ticket counter.
If you've every seen a line to buy tickets for a rock concert, that's how it was. They agents controlling the lines were being pretty abrupt and at times, nasty to people. I was told at one point when I asked where to go, "just get back". I never did get my questions answered from that guy. A real ass.
As a note, when in Santo Domingo, one gate agent (Asian, female) told another agent (Dominican, male), "Don't tell people you don't know. Give them the information they want". The Dominican told her she had no right to talk that way to him. She said she was not talking bad, she was simply telling him to stop telling people he didn't know when questions were asked and to properly attend to the customers. He told her she had no authority over him, and then he just walked away, leaving 20 people in his line at the gate podium wondering "what the hell?". About 3 minutes later, a supervisor came by and asked where they guy was. She just said she didn't know. Make of it what you will.
Boca Chica is alive and well, but there are very few tourists so it is pretty quiet during the day. I talked to a family that had just spent 10 days there and their daughter had gotten married. They loved their hotel (Hamaca), the beach, and the town and said they'd be back for sure. They said they are not the "stay in the hotel" kind of people and found the town to be charming. Of course, they are right. Some people just don't know what they are talking about (Andy B.), and talk whatever crap they can dream up. See www.BocaChicaBeach.net to see what it is really like.
People were very patient about the delays and everybody was talking about the recent events, speculating, and looking at their fellow passengers with suspicion. One New Yorker insisted that two Arab looking guys be "checked out further". They were indeed pulled aside. And something was wrong and they were taken away. We thought that might have had something to do with our delay.
My own opinion is that Santo Domingo is somewhat known for its haphazard airport security, as was Boston. Us officials had speculated that the haphazard security at Boston was one of the reasons it was chosen.
|
09-16-2001, 02:30 PM
|
|
|
Re: Santo Domingo to Miami yesterday
I'm glad to hear Boca Chica is nice. I'm going for about 2weeks in November for the first time.
|
09-16-2001, 03:48 PM
|
|
|
Re: Santo Domingo to Miami yesterday
I know well of what I'm talking about and be sure and read the post titled "La Noria-Boca Chica" by Thor posted below this one about the quality of life in Boca Chica. I guess he's wrong, too. Boca Chica is what it is and all the hype from you will not change it.
|
09-17-2001, 01:59 PM
|
|
|
Re: Andy - take your crusade elsewhere
See http://dr1.com/2001/index.cgi?read=63356
See http://dr1.com/2001/index.cgi?read=63421
Boca Chica -- Telling it like it is....
content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
DR1 Message Board Header
DR1 2001 Archive
Boca Chica -- Telling it like it is....
Posted By: DR1 <webmaster@dr1.com>
Date: Monday, 20 August 2001, at 10:28 p.m.
After reading some of the posts last week regarding Boca Chica, I decided to take a walk around over the weekend.
I spend a reasonable amount of time in and around Boca Chica. A friend has a boat docked at Club Nautica (Andres), so most weekends I'm either at the beach (Boca Chica) or out fishing.
Garbage/smells
------------------------
The main street and the beach looked pretty clean to me.
If you go a few blocks back you see rubbish, but it's no worse than many other parts of the DR. The best place to see rubbish is on the back road between Boca Chica and Andres, now we are talking! If your into trash, this is a must see :-)
Why is it bad here? This is the location of the local tip for Andres and Boca Chica.
To say rubbish isn't a problem would be inaccurate, to call it "garbage capitol of the republic" is also inaccurate. Rubbish is a problem for most parts of the DR, the problem isn't unique to Boca Chica.
Prostitution/Sex capital
----------------------------------
When I first visited Boca Chica back in 96 it was very different, the "open air whore house" and "sex capital" description fitted Boca Chica well. By day it was a wonderful beach and at night a completely different story.
This weekend I took a walk around at night, it was dead, very few people on the street.
The police have made a big effort to clean up, obviously it's working.
I spotted a few girls on the street, maybe 10. Most of the girls are working in the bars.
I would say that males out numbered females 3:1, if not more.
To be honest, I noticed more female tourists with local guys on the beach in the daytime, than visa versa at night. Yes, female tourists come to the DR to pick up local guys and pay for companionship, just like they do on other Caribbean Islands and other parts of the world.
Prostitution still exists in Boca Chica like most other parts of the island and most parts of this planet we live on, it's not unique to the DR, take a look in your own backyard. I have seen much worse in LA, London, Sydney etc.
Old Guys
---------------
Look, we all get old.
If they want to run around the beach in a thong with a cute looking girl all credit to them.
If it bothers you, don't look :-) Once again this is not unique to the DR. I have seen this all over the world.
Vacation Paradise
---------------------------
Whats a paradise for one, is a garbage tip for another :-)
In "MY" opinion, Boca Chica is a great place for a vacation, but I wouldn't exactly call it paradise.
If I was looking for paradise, I would head further East towards Punta Cana/Bavaro.
Boca Chica has a fantastic beach, good restaurants, lots of bars and a beach town type atmosphere etc etc.
Boca Chica receives thousands of tourists every year, it must have some attraction?
Rob.
Messages In This Thread
[*]Boca Chica -- Telling it like it is....
DR1 -- Monday, 20 August 2001, at 10:28 p.m.
| | |
