Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Drifter47;2009615]Where best in PR

Need some input from some of you BMs as to best place to go in PR. [/QUOTE]Then you had better post in the PR section.

[QUOTE=CharlesPooter;2009843]Then you had better post in the PR section.[/QUOTE]Thanks new.

[QUOTE=Knowledge;2009555]Yes, I think you are right. Consider this also, gringos in the Dominican Republic have not been a novelty since long before anyone reading this was born. It's not like the Colonial Zone was only frequented by Dominicans until the Internet era. I think more of the gringos in those days were from Europe than North America. The Dominican Republic, on the other hand, was a novelty for all of us at one time or another or even now in some cases. That is what wears off over time, the novelty of the Dominican Republic to us.[/QUOTE]Sure on el conde and tourist areas. My first night in DR we stopped for beer at a colmado on charles de gaulle. I was in mid 30's and every single waitress was flirting heavily with me. Pulling my hair, smiling, saying hola shyly. This was a small colmado with chairs on the street. I am sure they were 18-22 but being new to DR they looked YOUNG. One girl was in the bathroom when we were leaving and she literally ran out to see the gringo after the rest of the chicas told her. I was always more into off the beaten path. In villa juana, villa mella, villa consuelo, gringos were still a novelty in those days. I am sure not as much as 10-15 years before I got here, but waaaaay more than now. If I went to a similar colmado now, the girls would barely look up from fey and WhatsApp. . . . . LOL. Partly because times have changed and partly because I am 20 years older. . . LOL.

[QUOTE=Prtyr2;2011242]If I went to a similar colmado now, the girls would barely look up from fey and WhatsApp. . . . . LOL. Partly because times have changed. . . LOL.[/QUOTE]Yes, they have! Times have changed and all anyone needs to do is to change with them. I can summon girls with just one finger using whatsapp, tender and facebook. And that's just the social media that I use.

Can somebody tell me again. What exactly did I miss? Because from my perspective (even given my lack of decades of historical knowledge) things still look pretty good. Maybe that's just because I'm looking at it this morning from my balcony with an ocean view? Or because a smoking hot twenty something left my bed early this morning because she has a university exam?

I used to monger in Santo Domingo as often as I could. This was from about 1995 to 2006 or so. Things changed for the worse for me, and it wasn't mostly the attitudes of the chicas.

I started noticing how the electricity would go out more frequently and for longer periods of time. The hotels I stayed at were constantly running their (loud) generators. Prices rose a huge amount after the peso fell in value so much. A lot of restaurants serving local food had good food at reasonable prices. That disappeared. There seemed to be only chain restaurants serving mediocre food at sky high prices. Little seemed to be worth it anymore.

Then there was the crime. I started being warned more often about robbers and muggers late at night. I sensed a higher degree of anxiety in the locals about crime. The case in point that was the final draw for me were the taxi drivers. They were terrified of driving. Some explained to me that there was a racket on the highway to the airport from SD. Robbers would ambush taxis by putting construction material in the road as if work was being done to force them to slow down. The the robber would jump the taxi and robber the driver and the passengers (usually tourists). My last taxi driver showed me his HUGE gun that he kept on him when working. I don't need to get caught in any cross-fire between robbers and my taxi driver.

I remember good times in SD. Lapsus had many sexy chicas doing sexy strip shows. I din't know what the current president, Danilo Medina, has been able to do or is doing. If it hasn't changed dramatically from the crap Lionel Fernandez had to clean up after Meija, then I doubt I will see much of DR for some time.

[QUOTE=George90;2012210]I used to monger in Santo Domingo as often as I could. This was from about 1995 to 2006 or so. Things changed for the worse for me, and it wasn't mostly the attitudes of the chicas.

I started noticing how the electricity would go out more frequently and for longer periods of time. The hotels I stayed at were constantly running their (loud) generators. Prices rose a huge amount after the peso fell in value so much. A lot of restaurants serving local food had good food at reasonable prices. That disappeared. There seemed to be only chain restaurants serving mediocre food at sky high prices. Little seemed to be worth it anymore.

Then there was the crime. I started being warned more often about robbers and muggers late at night. I sensed a higher degree of anxiety in the locals about crime. The case in point that was the final draw for me were the taxi drivers. They were terrified of driving. Some explained to me that there was a racket on the highway to the airport from SD. Robbers would ambush taxis by putting construction material in the road as if work was being done to force them to slow down. The the robber would jump the taxi and robber the driver and the passengers (usually tourists). My last taxi driver showed me his HUGE gun that he kept on him when working. I don't need to get caught in any cross-fire between robbers and my taxi driver.

I remember good times in SD. Lapsus had many sexy chicas doing sexy strip shows. I din't know what the current president, Danilo Medina, has been able to do or is doing. If it hasn't changed dramatically from the crap Lionel Fernandez had to clean up after Meija, then I doubt I will see much of DR for some time.[/QUOTE]Back in the day the DR was a transit point for drugs. Back in late 90's it was rare to find anyone that messed with even weed. In fact a famous boca chica bar owner who was very connected was told he could basically almost kill someone and he would be out in hours but if found with a joint, he was on his own. Then the local DR drug smugglers started getting paid in drugs rather than cash. Around the same time the shift from bachata, merengue and topic to rap, reggae ton and dembow also started. Chicas that had a crap be&W flip phone wanted the latest and greatest. Everyone wanted more bling. Back in the day almost everyone they knew were poor. Now they had drug dealers, musical artists and hos flashing bling.

Now, the barrio culture has changed to more of an instant gratification model as has most of the world. I remember back then a tour bus on north coast was robbed. The min of tourism ran up and cut checks to all the victims and within days 2 suspects were dead and one arrested. The idea of crime against tourists was crazy. If word got out tourism would suffer. Not any more. The tigres and thugs do not care. That way of life is even glorified. Some barrio loser is out on a moto to rob people of cell phones while his cuero is at a casa earning him money. Nothing new. Has happened all over for many years, but way more common than back in late 90's and early 2000's.

The good news is on average the chicas have better clothes, smart phones and more frequent salon visits. Bad news is someone is paying for all of that.

I have been to pretty much all the barrios over the years minus capotillo. I did go to simon bolivar twice and cristo rey a bunch of times. Ask a taxi driver to take you there now.

I had not been to la mansion in maybe 10 years and assumed they closed down. They did. The most recent owners who had it for 8 years reopened as "solo bar". It is in a crappy neighborhood and not near anything else really besides ejecutivo, and not all that close. I stopped in for a beer but it was way early. Maybe 8 PM. Three venezuelans, one dominicana. The venezuelans were talking about heading home as their three months were up.

I didn't stay long but chatted with the owner. He said they get busy around 11 PM. I don't see myself going out that way that late but figured I'd post info for the more adventurous.

It is hard to find as well as not in great location. Off of carretera Mella east of mega centro. After banco leon / BHD make a left on calle cachon. Keep going straight until there is a colmado on the corner of calle 10-w. Go one more block and make a left on calle campo verde. Casa will be on left hand side.

The girl asking the phone was horrible with directions and descriptions. She said make a left at colmado. We did. Not even close. Then she said left at colmado on 10-w, also not correct. Finally she said left the block AFTER the colamdo on 10-W. She said purple house. House was not purple, but had purple awnings which is almost impossible to see at night.

The neighborhood is called "Lucerna". Mansion hasn't been a place for people from out of the neighborhood for a few years as you said.

[QUOTE=Prtyr2;2012266]I had not been to la mansion in maybe 10 years and assumed they closed down. They did. The most recent owners who had it for 8 years reopened as "solo bar". It is in a crappy neighborhood and not near anything else really besides ejecutivo, and not all that close. I stopped in for a beer but it was way early. Maybe 8 PM. Three venezuelans, one dominicana. The venezuelans were talking about heading home as their three months were up.

I didn't stay long but chatted with the owner. He said they get busy around 11 PM. I don't see myself going out that way that late but figured I'd post info for the more adventurous.

It is hard to find as well as not in great location. Off of carretera Mella east of mega centro. After banco leon / BHD make a left on calle cachon. Keep going straight until there is a colmado on the corner of calle 10-w. Go one more block and make a left on calle campo verde. Casa will be on left hand side.

The girl asking the phone was horrible with directions and descriptions. She said make a left at colmado. We did. Not even close. Then she said left at colmado on 10-w, also not correct. Finally she said left the block AFTER the colamdo on 10-W. She said purple house. House was not purple, but had purple awnings which is almost impossible to see at night.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Prtyr2;2012262]Back in the day the DR was a transit point for drugs. [/QUOTE]It still is.

[QUOTE=Knowledge;2012295]The neighborhood is called "Lucerna". Mansion hasn't been a place for people from out of the neighborhood for a few years as you said.[/QUOTE]Like I said, have not been in maybe 10 years. They say it is in Vista Hermosa. Though I don't see any beautiful views there. It is a bit east of where the chinese place to turn off for the old location was. The original mansion was ok. Hmmm. . . I just remembered a few more places on that side of the bridges. Sutra which was a strip club on san isidro owned by venezuelans. Then cafe 47 in isabelita down the block from hotel acuario. There was another place further inside isabelita or maybe las mameyas that was supposedly owned by the GF of the owner of Sutra.

Not sure if I mentioned Solteros on las americas. Sleazy strip club where I once saw a chica squat on a beer bottle, pick it up with her pussy and then walk down the bar and back. Squatting again to drop it off in front of the guy she borrowed it from. I cringed when he grabbed it and continued drinking. Check please!

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2012298]It still is.[/QUOTE]Right but now drugs also stay in DR. Back in late 90's nobody could afford them. Once the cartels started paying in drugs vs cash. . . . things tumbled downhill, and fast.

[QUOTE=Prtyr2;2012394]..............Not sure if I mentioned Solteros on las americas. Sleazy strip club where I once saw a chica squat on a beer bottle, pick it up with her pussy and then walk down the bar and back. Squatting again to drop it off in front of the guy she borrowed it from. I cringed when he grabbed it and continued drinking. Check please![/QUOTE]Too funny, thanks for dropping in and bringing back some good memories. Life goes on but always great to bump into someone you can say. Remember when, laugh about it and keep moving on.

I arrived to Santo Domingo 3 hours ago. Flight from Puerto Rico was $175.00. Currency exchange was 47.35 at the airport. I am at hotel Riazor, $70 per night with breakfast, penthouse level. Reports coming soon.

I am looking forward to your reports Boricua. They are always entertaining and informative. Was your $175 fare round trip or one way? I noticed a few months ago that American Airlines has a code share with a LIAT like regional for flights between San Juan and Santo Domingo. That could help keep Jet Blue fares down.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline;2013497]I arrived to Santo Domingo 3 hours ago. Flight from Puerto Rico was $175.00. Currency exchange was 47.35 at the airport. I am at hotel Riazor, $70 per night with breakfast, penthouse level. Reports coming soon.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline;2013497]I arrived to Santo Domingo 3 hours ago. Flight from Puerto Rico was $175.00. Currency exchange was 47.35 at the airport. I am at hotel Riazor, $70 per night with breakfast, penthouse level. Reports coming soon.[/QUOTE]What was the name of the Currency exchange place at the airport?

Thanks.