[AZB]

Funny how some people still think almost all Dominicans are poor. When you mention the number of SUVs in this island, some people still question the credibility of the writer. Let me tell you this: this island probably has more hi-end (fully loaded) SUV's than a great number of US states I have visited. Many Dominicans are rich to the extent that they pay for the SUV's, Mercedes 600 series with cash money. You can imagine how much these cars cost in this country with the added import duty?
Ceros de Gurabo (neighborhood) has a large number of houses which cost in millions of pesos. These houses are no less than the mansions you see on TV programs as in "rich & famous". Most visiting foreigners can't even come close to buying the lower end houses in that area (in this life time). Just go to plaza Internacional and you will see more SUV's and Mercedes (even a Ferrari) than you would see in many malls of a decent US city.
Mind you, I am only talking about Santiago here, if you bring Santo Domingo into equation then you are talking about some serious wealth which is flaunted daily on DR streets.
Like I always say: Most foreigners who exhibit skepticism and doubt on anything that they are not accustomed to seeing, you must think where have they been spending all their time in DR? Most visiting foreigners spend a bulk of their time in Boca Chica, sosua, caberete and playa dorada. These places are near the beach and the creatures with bumps on their chest are in abundance. Oh yeah, they will say that they have been to santiago and to santo domingo, but they fail to mention that they only passed through these cities on their way to boca chica from puerto plata.
Hey king, come and see me too in santiago. I am not as horrible as you think.