Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Wickid8]Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie on ISG. I've been thinking of going somewhere in the Caribbean for the first time and after reading through the forums, DR sounds quite appealing. I do have some questions which I will be very grateful in receiving answers for. The Mercure Hotel sounds like a good place to stay and as mentioned in Luego's excellent report, there is a good racial and age balance. But he'd only mentioned Caucasians and blacks. I am Asian. Will I encounter any difficulties in getting girls in SD? Not that I am suggesting the local girls are racist but they might just prefer Caucasians. Also, I don't speak Spanish. Will that be a problem in exploring the place and picking up girls?
I have 4-5 days to spend, and I don't know if that is too much for SD only. If so, any suggestions on other destinations within DR?

Finally, is DR and SD in particular relatively safe for a traveller? I'm an amateur photographer so I will be carrying some expensive equipment with me when exploring the city. Of course I am careful in not flaunting it but obviously I would need to take the equipment out the bag when shooting.
Many thanks[/QUOTE]

Well gents..you have a very new member that seems quite new to the game as a whole. I am curious to see how all address his concerns. Am a well seasoned mongerer, but I need DR info too..

Mr. Wicked you didn't mention if you have RTFF to gather valuable info left by the family?

[QUOTE=Wickid8]Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie on ISG. I've been thinking of going somewhere in the Caribbean for the first time and after reading through the forums, DR sounds quite appealing.

I do have some questions which I will be very grateful in receiving answers for.

The Mercure Hotel sounds like a good place to stay and as mentioned in Luego's excellent report, there is a good racial and age balance. But he'd only mentioned Caucasians and blacks. I am Asian. Will I encounter any difficulties in getting girls in SD? Not that I am suggesting the local girls are racist but they might just prefer Caucasians.

Also, I don't speak Spanish. Will that be a problem in exploring the place and picking up girls?

I have 4-5 days to spend, and I don't know if that is too much for SD only. If so, any suggestions on other destinations within DR?

Finally, is DR and SD in particular relatively safe for a traveller? I'm an amateur photographer so I will be carrying some expensive equipment with me when exploring the city. Of course I am careful in not flaunting it but obviously I would need to take the equipment out the bag when shooting.

Many thanks[/QUOTE]Your pesos and personality are all that count. Please use discretion when using your camera equipment in mongering areas. Respect other peoples space and only use your equipment in appropiate ares. Brush up on basic spanish and enjoy your trip.

" But he'd only mentioned Caucasians and blacks. I am Asian. Will I encounter any difficulties in getting girls in SD? "

I sincerely doubt that being Asian would be any sort of a drawback to finding chicas. It might be something different and seen as a plus. Remember, the primary motivating factor is green - as in "dinero". The girls and residents seem very open to racial mixing - which is part of the legacy of the island.

" Also, I don't speak Spanish. Will that be a problem in exploring the place and picking up girls? "

It is always a handicap not speaking the language in any country. It limits the exent of your interactions with the locals and understanding exactly what is going on. Some of the girls speak limited English - but VERY limited, as in 10-20 words. OTOH, some of the Spanish spoken in the DR is hard to understand - even for fluent speakers. They don't pronounce the letter "S" and have a sort of sing-song delivery which sounds more like Italian. I was often lost talking with the taxi drivers. They understood me, but I had a tough time hearing them unless I slowed them down and asked questions.

When you say "picking up girls", I assume you are talking about pros and paying them. The girls here are sweet, but in the end it is all about the money. Trying to pick-up girlfriends (freebies) at a club or disco without a word of Spanish would be tough indeed, but would depend on your skills, age appearance etc. Would not count on that . . .

Make sure you write down several key Spanish phrases and learn the numbers or at least have pen and paper to write them down. Because the peso is only worth 3 cents, most of the prices are in big numbers - 1200, 1500, 2500 etc which can be confusing without "S"s - even for a Spanish speaker. Make sure you know in advance what you agree to pay and what you agree to do.

" I have 4-5 days to spend, and I don't know if that is too much for SD only. If so, any suggestions on other destinations within DR? "

There isn't that much stuff to do in Santo Domingo, but easily enough for 3 days, maybe more. Several historical buildings in the colonial barrio, an aquarium, a zoo, the Faro with the remains of Columbus, botanical gardens, a cave-lake system called Tres Ojos. Also a Museum of Modern Art, a Museum of Dominican Man, etc. No usable beach anymore within the city limits.

" Finally, is DR and SD in particular relatively safe for a traveller? I'm an amateur photographer so I will be carrying some expensive equipment with me when exploring the city "

I had no problems at all in SD and felt very safe. The biggest worry for me is the traffic and accidents. Easy to get whacked by a car, bus or moto. Also many of the streets, sidewalks and construction sites have huge holes. Easy to break a leg if you don't pay attention. I'm sure there is plenty of petty crime and everything seems safe until something bad happens to you. The biggest hassle is everybody asking for money, or to help you, to be your guide or a chica begging for more cash.

This is just my opinion from my first trip a week ago - and there are others with far more experience than I.

Good Luck, -P

[QUOTE=Prokofiev]" But he'd only mentioned Caucasians and blacks. I am Asian. Will I encounter any difficulties in getting girls in SD? "

I sincerely doubt that being Asian would be any sort of a drawback to finding chicas. It might be something different and seen as a plus. Remember, the primary motivating factor is green - as in "dinero". The girls and residents seem very open to racial mixing - which is part of the legacy of the island.

" Also, I don't speak Spanish. Will that be a problem in exploring the place and picking up girls? "

It is always a handicap not speaking the language in any country. It limits the exent of your interactions with the locals and understanding exactly what is going on. Some of the girls speak limited English - but VERY limited, as in 10-20 words. OTOH, some of the Spanish spoken in the DR is hard to understand - even for fluent speakers. They don't pronounce the letter "S" and have a sort of sing-song delivery which sounds more like Italian. I was often lost talking with the taxi drivers. They understood me, but I had a tough time hearing them unless I slowed them down and asked questions.

When you say "picking up girls", I assume you are talking about pros and paying them. The girls here are sweet, but in the end it is all about the money. Trying to pick-up girlfriends (freebies) at a club or disco without a word of Spanish would be tough indeed, but would depend on your skills, age appearance etc. Would not count on that . . .

Make sure you write down several key Spanish phrases and learn the numbers or at least have pen and paper to write them down. Because the peso is only worth 3 cents, most of the prices are in big numbers - 1200, 1500, 2500 etc which can be confusing without "S"s - even for a Spanish speaker. Make sure you know in advance what you agree to pay and what you agree to do.

" I have 4-5 days to spend, and I don't know if that is too much for SD only. If so, any suggestions on other destinations within DR? "

There isn't that much stuff to do in Santo Domingo, but easily enough for 3 days, maybe more. Several historical buildings in the colonial barrio, an aquarium, a zoo, the Faro with the remains of Columbus, botanical gardens, a cave-lake system called Tres Ojos. Also a Museum of Modern Art, a Museum of Dominican Man, etc. No usable beach anymore within the city limits.

" Finally, is DR and SD in particular relatively safe for a traveller? I'm an amateur photographer so I will be carrying some expensive equipment with me when exploring the city "

I had no problems at all in SD and felt very safe. The biggest worry for me is the traffic and accidents. Easy to get whacked by a car, bus or moto. Also many of the streets, sidewalks and construction sites have huge holes. Easy to break a leg if you don't pay attention. I'm sure there is plenty of petty crime and everything seems safe until something bad happens to you. The biggest hassle is everybody asking for money, or to help you, to be your guide or a chica begging for more cash.

This is just my opinion from my first trip a week ago - and there are others with far more experience than I.

Good Luck, -P[/QUOTE]

Dominicans DO tend to be quite racist in their attitudes and may refer to you as "el chino" regardless of your ethnicity. Of course most of this stems from ignorance, and if you are attractive or well endowed in the wallet department, they will soon get over it.

As regards Spanish, yes, you can get by without it, but your experience will be better if you learn some. Even if you only have a month you could get a set of CDs like this one [url]http://********/hl4DF[/url] for only about 30 bucks and with 45 minutes a day of practice--you can do it while driving your car--for a month or more, you would make huge gains in your ability to communicate in Spanish.

I ve been talking to girl in Haiti. I'm planing to go to San Domingo in 3 weeks. I ask the girl to meet me there. That would be some free pussy for me. She want to come but I want to know how much is going to cost me. Can someone give me a estimate (visa + bus price form (Port au Prince to San Domingo)

Many thanks to Mr. Gogo, Frannie, and Prokofiev for your swift response.

I'd forgot to add my vacation begins on 1st March so I'd better get a move on in booking my flight! I hope to at least learn some basic Spanish before my departure, and as Prokofiev suggested, I will carry pen and paper to ensure there are no misunderstandings with what the chicas are charging.

Mr. Naked Gunz, I'm afraid being a newbie, I haven't yet mastered what all the abbreviations mean on here. Please clarify what RTFF is. And maybe also DATY.

Much appreciated.

[QUOTE=Wickid8]..............I'd forgot to add my vacation begins on 1st March so I'd better get a move on in booking my flight!.............[/QUOTE]

I will be in SD that weekend. Maybe we can meet up and have a few Presidentes.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]I will be in SD that weekend. Maybe we can meet up and have a few Presidentes.[/QUOTE]Guys,

I arrive on the 8th, I'm up for a beer too!

[QUOTE=Wickid8]I'd forgot to add my vacation begins on 1st March so I'd better get a move on in booking my flight! I hope to at least learn some basic Spanish before my departure, and as Prokofiev suggested, I will carry pen and paper to ensure there are no misunderstandings with what the chicas are charging.[/QUOTE]I learned spanish in a Mexican school 6 years ago. Before I went to the DR, I taped shows from the Dominican Channel and listened to it on audio tapes in my car and wherever.

I did this for about a month before I went there. I did this to get used to the way they talk. At times, I had to tell them to slow down, because the tv shows don't really mimic the local lingo when two people get together.

My point? Don't waste your time trying to do a crash course on learning spanish. It takes a long time and then it depends on what country you try to speak it in. If you utter one word, they are going to run with it, that you know spanish.

Do this, learn this phrase first: No comprendo espanol. (I don't understand spanish), "so don't start a conversation with me. " You have to let them know right away, that you really don't know spanish, even though you are about to throw out some sentences.

Go online to a translator site (babel fish is one), make up things you think you would ask. There's nothing wrong about reading from your notes in front of them. One example would be, "Do you want to go back to my hotel? ". Make-up sentences that gets what you want and they answer it in short yes or no answers. If they answer in a sentence, your done.

I brought back a SD phone book. Its actually a hobby of mine to bring back phone books from where I have visited. Its started as a way to learn the local language, but became a resource to what's really going on in that city. For example, In Montego Bay, their phone book does not have any listing for massage.

In the SD book, they have two listings under massage. Also, I didn't see anything like "escort service" or the likes. Under the "Bars", there were several listed, including the ones I went to, Now, if I were on my own, I would not have know about the "great service" they have to offer.

I didn't mean to pump "Maria'", but where else can you find such a service? It's not in the book. The two guys that I translated for said they wish the girls they were with could speak english. They couldn't get what they really wanted. Even though you may have made a deal, its hard to get her to know what you want, without physically showing her.

You may want to learn the word: chupa-suck.

[QUOTE=Smith Yves]I ve been talking to girl in Haiti. I'm planing to go to San Domingo in 3 weeks. I ask the girl to meet me there. That would be some free pussy for me. She want to come but I want to know how much is going to cost me. Can someone give me a estimate (visa + bus price form (Port au Prince to San Domingo)[/QUOTE]

You are being scammed. I know people in both countries. The sad fact of the matter is this.Almost any Haitian who really wants to gain entry into DR,be it legal or otherwise, can do so.LET ME BE CLEAR.The Dominican government just isnt going to toss out visas to every Haitian who wants one. However,many Haitians can pay a fee to be sneaked into the country. Once they are there,they may or may not opt to leave.It's in some ways similar to the US/Mexico border. Everyone knows its happening but its diffiult to enforce.If she wants money for a Visa tell her to meet you in Port Au Prince. This way you can still enjoy the capital for a few days and gauge her actual intentions.

[QUOTE=Curry]You are being scammed. I know people in both countries. The sad fact of the matter is this.Almost any Haitian who really wants to gain entry into DR,be it legal or otherwise, can do so.LET ME BE CLEAR.The Dominican government just isnt going to toss out visas to every Haitian who wants one. However,many Haitians can pay a fee to be sneaked into the country. Once they are there,they may or may not opt to leave.It's in some ways similar to the US/Mexico border. Everyone knows its happening but its diffiult to enforce.If she wants money for a Visa tell her to meet you in Port Au Prince. This way you can still enjoy the capital for a few days and gauge her actual intentions.[/QUOTE]She actually want me to go to port au prince. But I don't know if it's going to be safe for me. I know I will be better off going to haiti since I speak french too.

[QUOTE=Smith Yves]She actually want me to go to port au prince. But I don't know if it's going to be safe for me. I know I will be better off going to haiti since I speak french too.[/QUOTE]

good luck!

Not true.

Any Haitian with a passport and 80 US$ gets a visa at Dominican Consulate in PAp or cap haitien. 200 for a multiple entry valid one year.

[QUOTE=Curry]You are being scammed. I know people in both countries. The sad fact of the matter is this.Almost any Haitian who really wants to gain entry into DR,be it legal or otherwise, can do so.LET ME BE CLEAR.The Dominican government just isnt going to toss out visas to every Haitian who wants one. However,many Haitians can pay a fee to be sneaked into the country. Once they are there,they may or may not opt to leave.It's in some ways similar to the US/Mexico border. Everyone knows its happening but its diffiult to enforce.If she wants money for a Visa tell her to meet you in Port Au Prince. This way you can still enjoy the capital for a few days and gauge her actual intentions.[/QUOTE]

I have heard that Total Satisfaction has moved their operation from Margarita Island to the DR. Has any one been there since they have opened? I am looking for a report.

Many thanks,

Rockhunter

I thought for a newbie to DR that I would start in SD on my first trip. See some of the tourist sights and meet beautiful chicas. Is anyone else going to be at the Hilton in March around 20th? Or have any advise for a newbie for where to have fun in SD and safety is important to me? I am interested in pro and non-pro chicas so advise on where to meet both types would be appreciated.

After my trip, I will submit a report of my experience.

Thanks