Casa de Campo plus

bob saunders · #1 09-02-2006, 02:18 PM

Yris and I took our young guests, Jenny and Sandy, back to the DR on August 12 after their month visit to Canada. Eight large suitcases, two of them overweight, plus 4 carryons. Thank god for the carryons, even though we had to take all our toothpaste, shampoo...etc in the checked baggage. We arrived in Santo Domingo but our checked baggage was left in Miami and didn't arrive until later that night. 3 days later and plenty of phone calls and we finally got our baggage. I'm still waiting for an answer from AA on this saga.
After finally getting our luggage, including golf clubs off for 3 days in Csa de Campo. Rooms were great, very clean and good service from all staff at the resort. Food was good, and hamburgers in the sportsbar were great. Pool is small and beach has to be reached by golfcarts which you are assigned when you check in. The beach is very nice and the surroundings are beautiful. Altos de Chavon is very beautiful and the restaurants are good. Reservations are required for several, but not for all. Breakfast is buffet but you can order your omlets ...etc. I golfed Teeth of the Dog with 3 guys from Puerto Rico that were there for a wedding. Great course, 107 for me, higher than normal but for a first time i wasn't too unhappy. 2400 pesos for 18 holes, and 20 $us for the caddie. The new course " to die for for" looks great. Only complaint about this resort. Bar fridge and water prices out of this world. We got around this by going to the pool bar and getting water, drinks which are part of your all inclusive price.
Back to Jarabacoa for the rest of our trip because Yris had a lot of work to accomplish at the school, interviewing staff....etc. Went golfing in Jarabacoa on the day before I left with Ponci(local dentist) What a great guy, very funny, and treats all the kids and staff excellent. I enjoyed the course more tham Teeth of the Dog, all those elevated greens were a challenge! Weather was great the whole time, with a little rain a couple of days. Went to dinner with the Catholic priest(italian) in charge of the Salecianos(Don Bosco) at friends of Yris's, the Picardo's. Manolo has several restaurants in New York, as well as a limo service. Very intersting conversations on pretty well every subject under the sun. Manolo took me riding, on his very beautiful horses, and the food was to die for. This was probably the best time I've had on my many visits to Jarabacoa, probably because my Spanish is getting better and I'm getting to know more people.

zoomzx11 · #2 09-02-2006, 03:59 PM

Excellent post. Just one question. Do you happen to know if there is a gym in Jarabacoa?

bob saunders · #3 09-02-2006, 05:35 PM

several- from very basic low-end to ones with threadmills...etc.

dms3611 · #4 09-02-2006, 06:14 PM

hey bob....the ones with the "threadmills"....is this where they train the locals on how to make t-shirts...........................?

bob saunders · #5 09-02-2006, 07:28 PM

Most of them are very basic-but there is one just past the Jarabacoa supermarket on Independencia (not far after you enter Jarabacoa from La Vega) that looks clean and well equiped. DMS - are you dissing the hard working people of Jarabacoa.

dms3611 · #6 09-03-2006, 02:18 PM

....I just did not know until your report that its in the high end gyms in Jarabacoa where the "threadmills" were. Is this a new "free zone" idea....keep the people in shape while at the same time teaching a vocation............... ?

trina · #7 09-15-2006, 11:17 AM

Excellent report, Bob. Glad you had a great time!

nikke · #8 09-16-2006, 12:14 AM

Bob,

I would love to hear how Jenny and Sandy liked Canada. Where did you take them? What did they like the most about their visit?

bob saunders · #9 09-16-2006, 09:31 AM

The girls loved Canada, and Jenny(15) learned quite a bit of English, while Sandy(17) was more interested in Shopping and meeting boys. My 18 year old son and his girlfriend were great. They took them swiming in friends pools, to Sandbanks Park, and Travis has several latino friends, Gabbie from Colombia and Carlos from Cuba. Gabbie taught them how to dance samba, and they taught Merengue. Our house felt like the United Nations. We went to Niagara Falls, CN Tower, Yorkdale Mall, Carribena Festival in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston...etc. I would say their favorite things were eating at MacDonalds and looking for Clothing, and using the computer to listen to Music. They are very prudent shoppers, and bought alot of gifts for family members as well as clothing for themselves. All in all they enjoyed themselves, but their next trip will be to New York, if they get the Visa to visit with their mom's sister.

nikke · #10 09-17-2006, 02:30 PM

I'm glad the girls liked it here in Canada...How kind of you to host them. Traveling is a such great way to learn about the world and it's too bad more Dominicans do not have these opportunities.

I hope the girls get through to the US.

Thanks!