Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Mardonius].....does the Riazor has its own taxi it uses? If not what is the cost of the Taxi ride from airport and which ones to use?........[/QUOTE]
There are three or four taxi drivers who hang out on the corner by Riazor. Their business cards say Taxi Service Hostal Riazor. These drivers will take any fare or the desk at Riazor calls them for their hotel guests. They are not exclusively for Hostal Riazor. If you book a cab with Riazor you will pay the going rate, maybe a couple bucks more. A driver will be waiting with your name on a piece of cardboard. No biggie...........

You can just as easily walk out the airport and get a cab with the airport taxi service (guys with yellow shirts). Do NOT take a taxi from some dude whispering in your ear "taxi?".

There are just as many gimmicks in taking a taxi as there are taxis. Easiest thing to do is take the legit cab. The going rate is $40. I know, I know, I know you can negotiate, go upstairs, wait for a taxi dropping someone off, and so on and so on. Ask the driver the rate. His response will be $40. Offer 1,000 pesos or $35 and start to walk away. Most likely you have a cab to the city for that rate. As this is your first trip I wouldn't even bother with the BS. Just be prepared to pay $40 at the maximum and have a nice ride into town.

When you exit the airport and see daylight go to the right and there are ATMs to get you started with pesos.

Hostal Riazor has computers for use so keep posting while you are in town.

Print out sections of the map, especially the Riazor area. Review the map for walking directions to El Conde. El Conde is no big deal but a nice strip to just walk, eat, and chill out.

Don't forget to keep info for two backup hotels tucked away in your wallet.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]There are three or four taxi drivers who hang out on the corner by Riazor. Their business cards say Taxi Service Hostal Riazor. These drivers will take any fare or the desk at Riazor calls them for their hotel guests. They are not exclusively for Hostal Riazor. If you book a cab with Riazor you will pay the going rate, maybe a couple bucks more. A driver will be waiting with your name on a piece of cardboard. No biggie.

You can just as easily walk out the airport and get a cab with the airport taxi service (guys with yellow shirts). Do NOT take a taxi from some dude whispering in your ear "taxi? ".

There are just as many gimmicks in taking a taxi as there are taxis. Easiest thing to do is take the legit cab. The going rate is $40. I know, I know, I know you can negotiate, go upstairs, wait for a taxi dropping someone off, and so on and so on. Ask the driver the rate. His response will be $40. Offer 1, 000 pesos or $35 and start to walk away. Most likely you have a cab to the city for that rate. As this is your first trip I wouldn't even bother with the BS. Just be prepared to pay $40 at the maximum and have a nice ride into town.

When you exit the airport and see daylight go to the right and there are ATMs to get you started with pesos.

Hostal Riazor has computers for use so keep posting while you are in town.

Print out sections of the map, especially the Riazor area. Review the map for walking directions to El Conde. El Conde is no big deal but a nice strip to just walk, eat, and chill out.[/QUOTE]Now does the Riazor have internet in the room or you have to use their computers which will be no big deal?

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]There are three or four taxi drivers who hang out on the corner by Riazor. Their business cards say Taxi Service Hostal Riazor. These drivers will take any fare or the desk at Riazor calls them for their hotel guests. They are not exclusively for Hostal Riazor. If you book a cab with Riazor you will pay the going rate, maybe a couple bucks more. A driver will be waiting with your name on a piece of cardboard. No biggie.

You can just as easily walk out the airport and get a cab with the airport taxi service (guys with yellow shirts). Do NOT take a taxi from some dude whispering in your ear "taxi? ".

There are just as many gimmicks in taking a taxi as there are taxis. Easiest thing to do is take the legit cab. The going rate is $40. I know, I know, I know you can negotiate, go upstairs, wait for a taxi dropping someone off, and so on and so on. Ask the driver the rate. His response will be $40. Offer 1, 000 pesos or $35 and start to walk away. Most likely you have a cab to the city for that rate. As this is your first trip I wouldn't even bother with the BS. Just be prepared to pay $40 at the maximum and have a nice ride into town.

When you exit the airport and see daylight go to the right and there are ATMs to get you started with pesos.

Hostal Riazor has computers for use so keep posting while you are in town.

Print out sections of the map, especially the Riazor area. Review the map for walking directions to El Conde. El Conde is no big deal but a nice strip to just walk, eat, and chill out.

Don't forget to keep info for two backup hotels tucked away in your wallet.[/QUOTE]Does the Riazor have internet in the rooms or do you have to use their computers which is no big deal if that is the case?

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs] The going rate is $40. I know, I know, I know you can negotiate, go upstairs, wait for a taxi dropping someone off, and so on and so on. Ask the driver the rate. His response will be $40. Offer 1,000 pesos or $35 and start to walk away. Most likely you have a cab to the city for that rate. As this is your first trip I wouldn't even bother with the BS. Just be prepared to pay $40 at the maximum and have a nice ride into town.
.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the taxi info. I plan on being in the DR in late November for a couple of weeks and for the purposes of adventure plan on taking the Metro bus to Puetro Plata/Sosua. Could somebody help me with a couple of questions. How much would one expect to pay for a taxi from the Riazor to the Metro bus station, and how much is the ticket from SD to Puerto Plata?

My plan is to stay one night in SD and then ride the bus instead of renting a car. My Spanish is not great but I will have finished disk three of Rosetta Stone before making the trip. I feel foolishly confident I will be able to get around with the little I know.

Any tips or thoughts on the advisability of taking the bus would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[QUOTE=Bogiemaker]..... plan on taking the Metro bus to Puetro Plata/Sosua............

My Spanish is not great but I will have finished disk three of Rosetta Stone before making the trip. I feel foolishly confident I will be able to get around with the little I know............

Thanks[/QUOTE]

Smart move not renting a car. A taxi from Riazor to the Metro Station should be 200 pesos. Most cabs take you just about anywhere in Santo Domingo Centro for 150 pesos. The Metro Station is not that far but most times there will be traffic. 150 or 200 pesos? It is only like $1.50 more paying the 200 pesos and you have a happy driver. So 200 pesos for the cab and I am guessing around 300 pesos for the bus.

Here is the Metro webpage. Look under the STGO/POP/SOS listing leaving from Churchill. The Metro Station is on Avenida Winston Churchill in Santo Domingo.

[url]http://www.metroserviciosturisticos.com/rutas_horarios.html[/url]

As far as the Spanish goes you will get along just fine. I know a few words but can't understand a thing and I never have problems.

BTW how do you like Rosetta Stone?

Caribe Tours Bus info
[url]http://www.caribetours.com.do/[/url]

over 50 women were arrested this weekend on an operative against street prostitution. the girls protested today in front of the palace of justice claiming ownership of their bodies and the way they use it. the girls were arrested on the malecon, sarasota and independencia ave. and in the gazcue area.

some goods were confirep001ed to the girls, including condoms, massage lotions and ham and cheese sandwiches.

[url]http://www.primerahora.com/prostitutasdelacapitaldominicanaprotestanporpersecuciondelasautoridades-424459.html[/url]

oh no......... say it ain't so

i wonder if this is in conjunction with what has been reported in sosua lately?

i had nothing to do with the sandwiches. i always make sure my chicas eat in the room. then again chubby could have snuck a sandwich out.

[quote=boricuaonline]over 50 women were arrested this weekend on an operative against street prostitution. the girls protested today in front of the palace of justice claiming ownership of their bodies and the way they use it. the girls were arrested on the malecon, sarasota and independencia ave. and in the gazcue area.

some goods were confirep001ed to the girls, including condoms, massage lotions and ham and cheese sandwiches.

[url]http://www.primerahora.com/prostitutasdelacapitaldominicanaprotestanporpersecuciondelasautoridades-424459.html[/url][/quote]

were any items confirep001ed like in the pics? this is how i set up camp when in sd. i like to keep a well stocked frig and cabinets.

[QUOTE=Mardonius]Does the Riazor have internet in the rooms or do you have to use their computers which is no big deal if that is the case?[/QUOTE]
I think you can get a signal in the lobby but not in the rooms. Check with BoricuaOnline as Riazor is where he usually stays.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]I think you can get a signal in the lobby but not in the rooms. Check with BoricuaOnline as Riazor is where he usually stays.[/QUOTE]

That is true. There is wireless but only accessible in the lobby. I have stayed there many times. Great place, great location for the money. Highly recommended!

[QUOTE=La Isla]That is true. There is wireless but only accessible in the lobby. I have stayed there many times. Great place, great location for the money. Highly recommended![/QUOTE]
La Isla maybe you can help Mardonius out. Which are the better rooms at Riazor?

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]

BTW how do you like Rosetta Stone?

[/QUOTE]

Rosetta Stone works pretty good in that you associate words with pictures and have to use a mic. to talk back to the computer for pronunciation. Over time they take simple concepts and start putting the thoughts into sentences and keep reinforcing the words you learn throughout the program. A year ago I couldn't say hello and a year later I could carry on basic conservations with the chicas in Sosua/Blackbeards. A friend who is fluent in Spanish is amazed at my progress and feels I should do even better this trip. My problem now is that I am not around Spanish speakers enough to help beyond Rosetta Stone.

The price is steep but torrents can be found if you are so inclined. I would recommend the first disk to anybody who does not know Spanish and is planning a visit to the DR. This would at least let greet a person, ask names, order food and buy stuff. Much better than the culture/language shock I had on my first visit. The chicas really do like it when you try to talk to them and some even want to be your profesora which can be fun.

Thanks for the taxi/bus pricing. I decided on Metro after reading several threads on DR1. They indicated that Metro stops less often than Caribe Tours cutting almost an hour off the total trip time. Also Metro drops you off near the hotels in Sosus where as Caribe Tours is about a mile away from my ultimate destination. I plan on stopping at BB for a few days before traveling on to Sosua so maybe that would not be an issue.

[quote=boricuaonline]over 50 women were arrested this weekend on an operative against street prostitution. the girls protested today in front of the palace of justice claiming ownership of their bodies and the way they use it. the girls were arrested on the malecon, sarasota and independencia ave. and in the gazcue area.

some goods were confirep001ed to the girls, including condoms, massage lotions and ham and cheese sandwiches.

[url]http://www.primerahora.com/prostitutasdelacapitaldominicanaprotestanporpersecuciondelasautoridades-424459.html[/url][/quote]

what is yours or anyone else is take on this situation does that mean that the chicas will not be on avenida independencia anymore ? i'll be heart broken if that is the case.

My nephew just got back Monday from his first trip to SD. Now Junior
( not his real handle ) is an experienced monger, I took him under my wing long ago, he has been to many of the great locations for women in the world. However he was just gushing over a couple of nenas he met at the Copa Disco this past weekend.

It is not like him to go gaga over a puta or any other woman for that matter but from what he tells me these Dominicanas living in NY and visiting their land of birth were really hottt. I don't think the SOB ( just kidding ) will give me the contact information. His comment was " I'm in love with both ".

The good news is they hang at the hotels on the Malecon when in SD which I understand is frequently. I asked how would anyone know who they are without specific information his response was you'll know.

The bad news is they are expensive.

no grey poupon!?!

[quote=bq ribs]oh no......... say it ain't so

i wonder if this is in conjunction with what has been reported in sosua lately?

i had nothing to do with the sandwiches. i always make sure my chicas eat in the room. then again chubby could have snuck a sandwich out.



were any items confirep001ed like in the pics? this is how i set up camp when in sd. i like to keep a well stocked frig and cabinets.[/quote]

Not really related but just reminded me of a funny clip I saw on YouTube...

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eSflbxXeoo[/url]

[QUOTE=Bogiemaker]Rosetta Stone works pretty good in that you associate words with pictures and have to use a mic. to talk back to the computer for pronunciation. Over time they take simple concepts and start putting the thoughts into sentences and keep reinforcing the words you learn throughout the program. A year ago I couldn't say hello and a year later I could carry on basic conservations with the chicas in Sosua/Blackbeards. A friend who is fluent in Spanish is amazed at my progress and feels I should do even better this trip. My problem now is that I am not around Spanish speakers enough to help beyond Rosetta Stone.[/QUOTE]