Bad experience. Never Again!

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by marliejaneca

Originally posted by Voyager:

PS. English is not my native language, so maybe someone can explain to me: What on earth is a ”Bruinhunter”? What is a ”bruin” and why would anyone want to hunt it? Huh?

Isn't a bruin a bear?

Marlie

The Boston Bruins. Maybe he's a hockey scout.

[marliejaneca]

I have a nephew ......

Good thinking Rick ! I guess I should have some more coffee and wake up a little...
Marlie

[Voyager]

Originally Posted by VirginiaGomes

Ms Gomes...

I am not sure if it this thread that is boring you or, perchance, it is my above somewhat lengthy post that make you yawn?

I do realize that it might be more amusing to read catchy shot-gun comments, sweeping generalizations and the use of invectives!? However, I was of the belief that this message board had a special section dedicated to such amusements!?

The issue brought up by the person who started this thread is very important, the way I see it, and worthy of at least an attempt of a serious discussion. It deals with so much more than just a visit to DR that went awry. It deals with the appreciation of that which might be alien to the view of the world each of us have. It deals with the roots of ”fear of the unknown”, tolerance versus intolerance and the ability to understand and interpret what lies behind the superficial impressions you get as a first time visitor to a new place.

But maybe I was overdoing it with my analysis…

[platanomami23]

Too many tourists, and Americans especially, expect other countries to be postcard perfect paradises where everyone speaks english and they don't have to be inconvenienced in any way... I have been to the DR numerous times and never had a problem. Yes, people on the street may ask for money or try to sell you something, but if you act like you know where you are going and what you are doing and tell them "no gracias" they'll leave you alone. As for police in other countries, they do carry bigger guns, and it was probably pretty obvious that a tourist, and not a native dominican was driving. I'm not excusing the corruption, just stating that it wasn't the smartest idea to drive without knowing the country.

I have traveled both with friends and with only my sister (two gringas) and we had an awesome time. We had no problem with taxi drivers and ended up having a personal driver for the weekend in October. Sometimes I get to pay "Dominican prices" and sometimes I pay "tourist prices" but I look at it as one way I can contribute to their economy and help them out. Yes, I have visited some of the resorts in passing (b/c my friends have connections) but I have truly enjoyed seeing the "real DR" also. We went to visit an orphanage for Christmas, and I have walked around in various areas of La Romana and Santo Domingo with no problem. My sister and I went by ourselves to Santo Domingo for the Festival Presidente, walked around both our neighborhood near the Catholic University and the Zona colonial (of which i gave my sister a tour b/c my friends and I had taken a paid tour on the previous trip), as well as going out to dance clubs on the malecon, and had absolutely no problems.

Yes, like any big city or when you are in a country you don't know, you have to be careful, but if you walk around with a big tourist sign on your back (whether the way you dress, act, or speak) you're going to get hassled. The DR's tourism is aimed at staying on the resorts so people can experience the "tourist/fake view of a country". Have you ever been to Cancun? If you've actually gone outside the tourist area, it's similar to the DR. Places like Cancun and other resorts are just that, an oasis that in no way reflects the diversity and uniqueness of the contry. I have walked across the border in Southern Texas into Matamoros and had no problem... you just keep walking, speak Spanish, and they'll treat you just like anyone else.

You (and your sister) need to grow up and recognize that while the DR may have economic and political problems, it is an amazing country that needs to be explored with an open mind. The people are the ones who make up the true Republica Dominicana and their friendship and open arms are something I look forward to everytime I go back there. I'm sorry you had a bad trip, but it wasn't totally the fault of the police or the people there.

[palmsandgarbage]

I came to this site after a google search for the Dominican Chamber of Commerse.Dr1 was at the top and said message board so what the hell I'll post my views there.
I travel every year and have for the past 30 years gone to warm locations in the winter.Last years trip was my second trip to Cancun and for about the same amount of cash I can go there rather than to the D.R. The year before was my second trip to Spain. The year before was Cuba. Before that was Costa Rica, Bermuda, 6 times to Hawaii, Phuket Thailand, Peru & Columbia, Cabo San lucas Mexico, Guatamala ,and Cosumel Mexico on our honeymoon. I have also been to Western Europe 6 times I have driven throughout these countries with road maps, compass and guide books. I spend about 5 thousnd dollars per trip although the Dominican is much cheeper you get what you pay for. Next year we are talking about going back to Cuba. I have not seen the GARBAGE in any of these countries that I saw in the D.R. and would return to most in a flash if I had the chance.
One thing that the Dominican did was teach me how to drive. If you can drive in Santo Domingo you can drive anywhere in the world. I now know that stop lights mean very little and change from red to green and back again without anyone paying attention to them. If the car in front of you goes through a red light you go through the red light too otherwise the car/bus/truck/moped behind you will be on there horn or will ( in the case of busses) go right overtop of you. I now know that passing around blind corners on double yellow lines is the norm and oneway streets (well there is no such thing) mean that there will be more cars going one way than the other but not in the directions of the arrows. I now know that when you drive up to a place that you have to stop at you will get your windows clean by a team of cleaners. The rotary's were some fun, just a free for all with no real rules. San Jose Costa Rica, Guatamala City & Bogata were about the same and seeing as i had been to the D.R. first In was able to handle this type of driving. The point of all this is I will be on vacation next year but the D.R. will never again be on my list of places to go.
Another string has issued a challange to all those that visit the D.R.to help out by bring in supplies for the children for school. A great idea!! I have another challange
FOR ALL THE PROUD DOMINICANS TO PICK UP 1LB OF GARBAGE PER DAY
Just imagin if 7 million pounds of GARBAGE per day was picked up After a couple of years the country's garbage problem would be delt with.
I'm sure there are some spelling mistakes here but just like the Garbage in your country I DON'T Care about it.

[platanomami23]

There's a big difference between being well-traveled but culturally-ignorant and being well-traveled and experiencing things with an open mind. The poverty and disorder that exists in many barrios near Santo Domingo is shocking the first time you see it, but it is part of a much larger problem. The people don't choose to live with garbage piled up on the corners, nor do they choose to have their electricity and water cut off at random times. It is part of a bigger economic problem in the country where the mismanagement of money does not allow for daily garbage pickup or even enough to guarantee 24/7 of electrity. There is a long history of government corruption and bad planning, but don't blame the people who are forced to live in these conditions or are the products of this situation. The DR is by no means perfect, but when you make the effort to understand the culture, language, history, and problems that they face, you might be a little less judgemental. If you're spending $5000 per vacation, you're obviously either getting screwed over royally or paying out the a** for the comfort and convenience you expect at home. That's nice that you've been to so many tourist destinations, but that has nothing to do with experiencing the country. Do you ever wonder why native people treat tourists differently or do you just not notice? When I was in Rome, I took buses, shopped and walked around by myself, as well as speaking Italian and Spanish to those I encountered, and repeatedly, I was mistaken for a Spanish visitor, not some ignorant American tourist. I saw how my English-speaking, obviously-tourist-acting family and aunt were received in stores and restaurants and the distinct difference in how i was treated when i actually made the effort to embrace their culture and not expect them to stop everything to cater to us. You can't look at other cultures and daily experiences and compare them to your own life here in the US. The Dominican Republic is a poor country, but also a culturally-rich one that definitely should be experienced on its own terms in the proper context.

[tired_boy]

Originally Posted by palmsandgarbage

I'm sure there are some spelling mistakes here but just like the Garbage in your country I DON'T Care about it.

The question is are you all going to take the bait. This comment is going to cause another 20 replies. I think enough has been said now, do you not think so? He isn't going to change his view, just let him have it. If you read the notes on what these forums stand for, its nothing to do with arguing and bickering trying to change other peoples opinions.

Come on lets all have a go in the arcade to chill, please leave my high-scores though!

[miguel]

Originally Posted by palmsandgarbage

I came to this site after a google search for the Dominican Chamber of Commerse.Dr1 was at the top and said message board so what the hell I'll post my views there.
I travel every year and have for the past 30 years gone to warm locations in the winter.Last years trip was my second trip to Cancun and for about the same amount of cash I can go there rather than to the D.R. The year before was my second trip to Spain. The year before was Cuba. Before that was Costa Rica, Bermuda, 6 times to Hawaii, Phuket Thailand, Peru & Columbia, Cabo San lucas Mexico, Guatamala ,and Cosumel Mexico on our honeymoon. I have also been to Western Europe 6 times I have driven throughout these countries with road maps, compass and guide books. I spend about 5 thousnd dollars per trip although the Dominican is much cheeper you get what you pay for. Next year we are talking about going back to Cuba. I have not seen the GARBAGE in any of these countries that I saw in the D.R. and would return to most in a flash if I had the chance.
One thing that the Dominican did was teach me how to drive. If you can drive in Santo Domingo you can drive anywhere in the world. I now know that stop lights mean very little and change from red to green and back again without anyone paying attention to them. If the car in front of you goes through a red light you go through the red light too otherwise the car/bus/truck/moped behind you will be on there horn or will ( in the case of busses) go right overtop of you. I now know that passing around blind corners on double yellow lines is the norm and oneway streets (well there is no such thing) mean that there will be more cars going one way than the other but not in the directions of the arrows. I now know that when you drive up to a place that you have to stop at you will get your windows clean by a team of cleaners. The rotary's were some fun, just a free for all with no real rules. San Jose Costa Rica, Guatamala City & Bogata were about the same and seeing as i had been to the D.R. first In was able to handle this type of driving. The point of all this is I will be on vacation next year but the D.R. will never again be on my list of places to go.
Another string has issued a challange to all those that visit the D.R.to help out by bring in supplies for the children for school. A great idea!! I have another challange
FOR ALL THE PROUD DOMINICANS TO PICK UP 1LB OF GARBAGE PER DAY
Just imagin if 7 million pounds of GARBAGE per day was picked up After a couple of years the country's garbage problem would be delt with.
I'm sure there are some spelling mistakes here but just like the Garbage in your country I DON'T Care about it.

Since you said that you have visited Guatelama City, did you happen to travel from Jacinto Nunez to Barrio Antonio Maria Casals?, well, if you had the time to get out of your resorsts you would have found out that the distance between those 2 barrios is about 100 miles and all you see is dirt, garbage, dead animals, even dead people on the road, you can not drive in the rain because of the road, there is not a single traffic light and some of the people sleep wherever they can close their eyes, meaning anywhere. And some people that are down to earth and have a little of bit compassion would still visit those places because some, unlike you, see other things other than the dirt in a country. You had a bad experience, cry me a river, because you thought that you needed to be treated like royalty just because you live in the US. You forgot to do your homework when visiting a country that is not yours. It seems to me that you are one of these people that thinks that you are better than everybody else and when things don't go your way, you become a baby and need to throw a baby fit. You did not like it, fine, move on. Say whatever you want to say, but be aware that when you say that the whole country is this and that, you will get responses. Maybe you were born with a silver spoon and you are spoiled and you are surrounded with luxury, then why go to a third world country and spect to see the same luxury that you are use to. Have you ever heard that the happiest people are the people that are humble, modests and down to earth?. Only a person that suffers from ADD would come to a DR1 site and say so much gargabe about the country. It's more than fine to dislike the country and then say something about it but you are going to the extreme, you are acting like if the DR stole your boyfriend or girlfriend. I will ask you again, in which borough of NY do you live and where did you go to school?.
On a side note, your sister WILL NOT tell her customers not to go to the DR because she makes commission and, as you know, money talks all languages an the DOLLAR talks the loudest. Please cry me some more rivers. I think that I am becoming just ike you, you know, ADD.

[Narcosis]

Now I'm sure you have some personal reason for this on-going rant.

To say you drove in Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Costa Rica and it was better than the DR. I know you are full of it.

I travel often to Colombia and Peru and speak perfect Spanish and basically know my way around but would never for the life of me drive on my own in these countries.

Costa Rica is a nice country but has the worse roads anywhere if you can call them roads, no street names or address numbers, and very few traffic lights. I laughed at your mention of using a compass because that is exactly what you need to find an address in Central America literally!

How can you complain about the shacks in poor areas of the DR when in Central America even nice homes look like DR shacks with the tin roofs and all?

PS: If it was so bad why the hell do you read other threads on this site? Just forget about the DR and move on.

[XanaduRanch]

Originally Posted by palmsandgarbage

One thing that the Dominican did was teach me how to drive ... FOR ALL THE PROUD DOMINICANS TO PICK UP 1LB OF GARBAGE PER DAY

Come on back. I'll have some proud Dominican pick you up once a day, thereby removing 175 pounds or so of garbage daily.

By the way, which Dominican, exactly, was it that taught you how to drive?

Tom aka XR There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.