A DAY IN THE LIFE

Today is my birthday -  breakfast with a friend at Adrien Tropical overlooking the Caribbean sea.  Then a meeting in the Colonial Zone,  followed by lunch in the Colonial Zone, followed by drinks in the Colonial Zone.

Now at home and a friend is cooking me roast chicken dinner THEN dancing.............. wooo hoooooooooo

NO, not a typical day in our lives here, but a damn good one.....LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I stopped counting those years ago.

Bob K

Happy Birthday Planner. Save me a slice of cake :-)

Thanks - it was my "29th" again.....

Yesterday was quite the day.  I am in Gazcue near the Colonial Zone in  Santo Domingo.  The electricity went out at 8:20 am a planned outage for "maintenance".  Now this can mean almost anything but what we saw on the streets was them cutting all the tree limbs that are near electricity lines. They told me on the phone the electricity would come back at 4:20 pm

The morning then was  some reading, a bit of cooking and cleaning,  a shower and off we went.  My friend Lisa volunteers at Padela,  a dog rescue home.  We walked to the Colonial Zone, temperature was somewhere between hot and really damn hot.  The humidity felt like 1,000% too!

On arrival we were greeted by 18 dogs, ranging from puppy to old guy.  Some have been there for months, some are new arrivals.  I spent some time playing with the dogs and having my heart broken.  they all need homes.  SO when you are here,  consider taking a rescue dog or two.........

Then it was to continue my walk all the way to Pizza Hut - my favorite air conditioned place on the Conde in the Colonial Zone.  Salad and a cold drink and I was  ready to go again.  Unfortunately as in most place, the customer service SUCKS.  It took 25 minutes to get and pay my bill!  to set the stage - there were more staff then customers!!!!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh a daily grind of shaking my head about customer service.

Then i walked home to find that the electricity came back EARLY!!! WOoooo hooooooo.   

Imagine no electricity - no fan,  no computer, no light......... not so bad in the day but the nights are brutal.  We are lucky to have 24 hour power here,  it only goes out when schedule maintenance or something goes wrong.  We don't have daily outages. 

If moving here that is one of the first things you want to investigate before you rent or buy - check out the electricity supply!!!!!

the rest of the day was work and more work.  Well except for when we stopped and made margaritas!!!!!  Makes all the work  worthwhile...

Yes living on a 24/7 line is great but I do feel for those that do not.
Get home to the north coast tomorrow.  Cannot wait!

BObK

Yesterday was another interesting day.  I receive a "bank draft" from a client.  I go to my bank, every other bank and even  Vimenca (western union) to try to cash this damn thing.  Nope!!!!  The best they will do is HOLD it for 20 DAYS while it clears.  You kidding me????  It clears within 24 hours as it is NOT a check.  AHHHHHHHH

So then to lunch where we sat on the Malecon (indoors) and watched this storm roll in.  Wow! Magnificent! The wind picked up,  the rain was torrential,  branches went flying.........oh no that means electrical issues!!!

By the time I finished lunch and got home the electricity was out,  and stayed out for a few hours. This time it was storm related........

We had Morrocan chicken for dinner  made when the electricity was out on  our propane fueled stove.  Cooking is a bit different here, cooking with propane is cooking with gas rather then electric burners!   But hey,  I am not one to write about cooking - I don't cook!!!

Electricity came back on while we were having pre dinner drinks....... and stayed on......

Actually I hate cooking with electric. Gas is much better...and I do all the cooking in our house

Bob K

Now Bob don't be teasing me that way!!!!  Do you have a clone????

Sorry no but do enjoy cooking. n fact tonight will be some grilled  specially seasoned charasco steaks, home made yucca fritters, grilled veggies, salad and a nice port and cigar for dessert.

Bob K

You are making me hungry!!!!!

Ok today was one of those days that tires you out and you only get basically one thing done.
Started off this morning with breakfast with the boys.  Every Wednesday between 4 and 6 of us expats (guys only) get together for a breakfast and to solve the world's problems (usually not to successful at that) So we get to our "restaurant" and its closed so off to find a second choice.  Great breakfast of an Omni omelet (veggies, cheese, bacon), potatoes, fruit, bread, Orange juice and coffee all for 200 pesos. Pretty good deal
Next was the bank to change some money. Of course the computer was "down" so what should have taken 5 min took 20.

We have a friend staying with us who is going to watch the kids (our dogs) while we do some traveling and I was showing him some places he may need in Puerto Plata like the car mechanic, Orange and Claro main offices.  Then off to la Sirena for some shopping.

We then stopped at a great Chineese restaurant for lunch.  Two dishes with rice was about $300 pesos.  Even got some fried rice with pork and chicken to go (100 pesos) maybe for breakfast??

Back home stopped at the office to leave some money for our part time gardener who needed another loan.  More on this in another post.  Finally got home unloaded the car and now it is 3:30.  So what did we do today.....went food shopping and it TOOK ALL DAY!

Bob K

Loans:
Your house staff looks at you like a bank where they can get interest free loans when they need more money, which is all the time.
In the 7 years we have been here I  bet that there has not been 6 consecutive months that one or more of our staff has not had a loan out.  Currently all three have loans.  You can hardly blame as some have families and are trying to exist on 9000 pesos ($217.65 USD at todays exchange rate) a MONTH.  Try doing that with 2 kids at home or a wife and 3 kids living in Haiti.

So we are constantly loaning them money.  Today it was the part time gardener who needed $4800 pesos for his back rent.  Now we pay him 700 pesos for the two days a week that he works for us (he works for another household 4 days a week). So he is paying us at 300 pesos a week.

Like I said it is a way of life for them and we have never been burned on a loan yet. Sometimes we will forgive the last payment or two if they have not missed any during the loan period. And again it is interest free for them

BObK

Wow Bob that is very unusual!!!!  Good for you.

Almost everyone I know has house staff that is taking loans.  Kinda of the norm here

Bob K

Yes that is usual,  getting paid back is not!!!

Last night we went to a movie!  From where I am staying in Santo Domingo it is a 10 minute walk to the theater on the Malecon. 

First we decided to go see The Great Gatzby.  Ok, so what time is the movie?  We had a newspaper it says 7:40 pm.   Online it says 7:20 pm  and  we called the theater - she said 6:45. WOW.

So off we go in time for the 6:45pm show.  You would think that the theater would have the most accurate time! Right! He he he.......

We arrived and found out it was 50 peso Tuesday.  Yes my friends,  US $1.25 for a movie.  we bought our ticket which said 6:45pm.

Then of course we had to get popcorn and a drink.  For me small popcorn and a small drink - 100 pesos, US $2.50

Then we are directed to our theater - its a multiplex and not well marked. We go in and sit down and there is an animated movie playing.  we quickly scan the others in the theater, tooo many kids, we are in the wrong place. 

we are directed to another door, which is closed.  The other movie has not finished yet, we have to wait!  6:45 comes and goes...........  at 7:04 people come out.  Finally we go in  and our movie starts at 7:10  Good grief,  no source of info was correct!!!!!   Welcome to the Dominican Republic

now here is the best part - it is air conditioned inside the theater and damn those seats were comfortable!!!!!!

we both enjoyed the movie and the popcorn!!!!!  Likely you can find me there future Tuesday nights at 50 pesos a movie.......

We walked home enjoying a nice breeze off the ocean!

Really enjoy reading the Expat.com of all the adventures you people are having down there and cant wait till we are down in Jan. and hopefully maybe get to meet some of you to get some of the low down and ins and outs for our move down there.
So keep up the daily adventure stories from paradise

What part of the country are you going to visit in Jan.

Bob K

I will be in Bavaro area

WE are on the north coast. If you come by this way let me know

Bob K

Sure will

I am in Santo Domingo but often visiting Bavaro or Punta Cana! Glad you like our little stories and updates......LOL

Yesterday was a busy one, today the opposite.

The first thing I needed to do was to get water, nine large bottles, for the house for the next two weeks.  Where I get them the price just went to 35 pesos per bottle. Still not a bad deal at 85 cents compared to $6 or more back in the US.

Then my friend and I headed to the beach in Sosua for the day. Great sunny day, cold presidentes, terrific burger at Tom's beach bar, a couple of great Dominican cigars.  All in all the perfect Dominican day.

Tonight off to Cabarete for a nice fish dinner

This is what it is all about!

Bob K

Yesterday was another of those "took all day to do it" days.

Started off exchanging money, checking on the rental unit, getting gas and heading off to Santiago for some shopping.

First a stop at our favorite cigar factory/store in Tamboril.  Oscar produces some of the best smokes around and visiting is a true social event. Robby and I sat in his office for an hour enjoying a couple of his cigars while his wife assisted in packing up the ones we were going to purchase. So actually an hour and a half later we left with a few for me and lots for Robby. The price is great as well. We buy the cigars with out any labels so MUCH cheaper.  A cigar that would cost about $10=$12 cost us about $1.20.

Then off to Price Mart for some supply shopping.  It is basically a Costco store.  First however we got behind a Dominican Funeral.  Here the casket is in the lead vehicle and most of the time it is a pick up truck like yesterday. This is followed by dozens of mourners on foot, dozens of motos and a few cars.  Because most are walking this is a very slow process and backs up traffic sometimes for miles. So it took an extra 30 min for the ride into Santiago.

Huge shop at price mart and then back over the Moca road to Cabarete and home. Got home in the late afternoon showers.

A full but good day.

Bob K

Today is an unusual day - spent it by the pool,  by the ocean etc........  yup we call this work.

I have clients in Bavaro and I have so far spent the day eating, drinking,  translating,  and then more eating and drinking  first by the ocean then by the pool. 

Yup, today life is tough..........  got to go shower and get ready for more eating and drinking - followed by much laughter and more drinking probably.

What a wonderful thread! Thank you all for sharing.

You are very welcome and welcome to the forum!!!

I too welcome you to the forum.

Bob K

Damn. I wrote a long posting telling all about my past week, trip to POP, the play that we put on this past Saturday night at Concho Loco in Cabarete, probably 6 or 7 inches of story. When I went to post it the internet was down, again, so I thought I would wait until it was back up again to send the post. So, waited 2 hours, it came back on, I clicked on submit and the posting disappeared and never got submitted. All that effort for nothing. Pretty much reflects life here at times.

No way I can be as witty a second time around. Suffice it to say it was a busy week, lots of storms, glass exploding out of window in our house yesterday due to the wind, play was successful and, for the most part dry, armed police and mobs of school children and street people chasing an accused thief through the streets of POP, Tiger still out of shape, very hot.

We will be in POP on Wednesday. Will you, Planner?

That has happened to me too David,  so now for long posts I put in a word document, save it then copy and paste.......LOL

Nope won't be in POP this week,  too much work here in the capital.  I will message you!

Later a long post about my weekend in Punta Cana.........

I too sometimes will write on Word and then copy and paste.  Helps with spell check as well.

Bob K

Ok here is why sometimes things take all day.

Yesterday our gardener told me we needed two new lawn rakes. We use the larger plastic fan ones. The metal ones break and bend too easy.  So off to the Ferriteria (sp)(hardware store). Well six stores, two towns, and nearly 3 hours later I had my rakes. Spent all that time, $8 in gas for two very nice $11.45 rakes (the cost for both)

So half a day for two common rakes..... go figure

Bob K

I feel compelled to relate our experiences from yesterday's trip to Puerto Plata. The ride over was uneventful. We had a plan to go to 4 places that we wanted to see or shop at. The first was a store that sells things to the hotel and restaurant trade. Heard you could find some interesting small appliances there and we were looking for a food dehydrator. I knew that it was on the road before the circle, had seen it leaving PP the last trip, but i missed the sign and ended up going on to the next planned stop instead. Had not continued on the main highway towards Santiago before so this was to become a mini adventure. I was told our destination was near the hospital. It didn't seem to matter that I had no idea where this hospital was, i just knew that we had to look somewhere along that road. We were going to Hidelisa Home Center. In my last to be posted story that disappeared due to loss of Internet when in the act of posting, i had made mention that we had gone to Hidelisa last week. That was a store in the middle of town, near Restoracion Square, and almost all of the store was comprised of fabric and sewing supplies and trims. Very interesting store, especially if you are looking to recover cushions or create a special gown. But we were looking for the home goods. Wrong place. But where we ended up yesterday was marvelous. Great store. Very nice home and office furniture. Lots of things that would make nice gifts if you need to find something for someone. But more important was the staff. As I have mentioned before here, customer service is very lacking in this part of the world. Planer has reinforced this and mentioned that part of life is spent trying to help businesses improve on their customer service. Well, Hidelisa Home Center must have been one of her stops. I cannot express more strongly how nice, courteous and helpful those folk were. Even their unashamed attempts at speaking English did not deter them from helping us. They were nearby if we needed anything. Went out of their way to protect the two little items we bought. And, upon arriving back at Perla Marina, I received a thank you email from them for visiting their store and an invitation to a special event they are having next Friday evening. If you haven't been there, it is a place you should go and support as you can.

Went from there to Optica Miami to pick up glasses Rachel had ordered last week. The crew there is nice, but I just never get the feeling that they are doing everything thing they should to make your purchasing experience pleasant and instilling a feeling of confidence in their knowledge and abilities. Easier that making the trip to Santiago, but I just am not sure that what we ended up with is correct and, if not, they are willing to do whatever needs to be done to make it right. Last time Rachel got glasses was in Florida a couple years ago. Bad experience! I wrote a review and submitted it to "Angie's List". Within a week we received a call from the store. They asked Rachel to come back in, found the problem with her glasses, re-made them and then followed up to make sure they were satisfactory. Maybe we need a Angie's List DR. People always seem to have things to report about good and bad business and service experiences they have in this country. It would be a good way to share those experiences.

Then on to La Serena, as long as we are in PP we will always stop at La Serena, especially because it was 35% off on veggies and fruit Wednesday. Don't ever miss that. But service still needs to be addressed there. These women in their navy blue uniforms seem to run the aisles and you better not get in their way because they will run right over you like a 15 ton dump truck on the highway. Could be a nice place, if only.

Found the hotel supply store right where I thought it was on our way out of the city. They were closed. Didn't say if it was siesta, vacation or what. Just closed. Will try again next trip.

David


Sent from my iPad

Nice report of your day David....

Here is mine.....  this morning I woke to a nicer cooler morning... what a change from damn hot and humid.  Picked up a woman who is visiting.  Her hotel  charges includes her breakfast.  It was 11 am so I thought (silly me) we would go do some site seeing. within 5 minutes of her entering my car, I am told she is hungry. Okay we go to IHOP.  Ahhhhhhhh I LOVE IHOP. 

Yes, stuffed french toast,  2 eggs,  hash browns and 2 strips of bacon...... I may never eat again I was soooo full.  Well I didn't actually finish it all.

we left and returned our rental car - I've had it for a week.  I used Dollar Rent a Car.  Good price and great service. they are friendly,  professional and offer good prices.  I highly recommend them.

Then we walked from Gazcue to the Colonial Zone.  It was breezy and a bit cool and spitting rain........  That continued all afternoon with short bursts of rain.  we played tourist,  Parque Colon,  the Conde,  Plaza Espania......... we had a great time and walked our little feet off.

Home was a US $5 taxi ride.  We took at least 200 photos,  walked for miles, drank 2 bottles of water and thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon. 

I arrived home just after 4 and the rains arrived at 5.  And I mean torrential rains!!! Great cracks of thunder,  bolts of lightening,  torrential rain and wind!!!! WOW

Now it is sooo nice for sleeping.

That was my day.

David good post. Just so you know there is another restaurant store a bit past the courthouse.  If you go straight at the round about you will see a shopping center on the right. there is a huge pool store as well as a restaurant supply place.  Also a great place to buy chlorine tablets if you use those for  your pool.  In Sosua they cost about 40-44 pesos a puck. Here they are 30 pesos.

Bob K

Yesterday was another record type of day. We have a friend staying at our house for awhile and I was showing him some of the "ropes".  We went to pay bills yesterday.

We left the house at 9:30 am and went to the veggie lady, cable place, orange phone, claro phone, ede Norte (electric), playero for lunch food, and met a someone for some business (25 min time) and we were back home by 11:45 AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

After all of that we will have to  rest today....I think

Bob K

Here is a bit about the NOT fun part of life.

On Sunday I was scheduled to go to Las Ruinas in the Colonial Zone.  It is one of my very favorite things to do.  Grupo Bonye plays for free, you can listen, dance, have a drink etc.

I was dressed in my dancing best, ready to go and thought OH OH, something doesn't feel right!  I spent the next 4 hours in and out of the bathroom.

3 hours later, my roommate came down with the exact same thing. We've both picked up some virus! 

If you think having a virus is not fun at home imagine it here with 34C heat and high humidity!  We both spent the night suffering.....

Most locals would immediately call for a trip to the emergency department. Not me, no thank you.  Let it run its course.  IF it lasted longer then 24 hours like that or I could not keep liquids down, I would want to be checked out.

Here they want to take a pill for everything. Not me.

Monday I was somewhat better,  aches in my joints,  headache but manageable.  I  had to go pay my Viva cell phone bill so off I went,  umbrella in hand.  Good thing,  it poured rain on me!!!  I just do not understand how barely a cloud can dump that much water.

Bill paid, returned home,  hot shower and relax again!  I was exhausted from a walk of about  1.5 km each way! 

Note to self,  pay the damn bill before the due date, just in case......

Dengue?