sablewinters

Bone up on your spanish. Even though the area receives loads of english speaking tourist, someone somewhere in management roles don’t appear to be helping it’s workers improve their language skills. Ask for a vodka tonic and you get vodka and soda. Ask for 2 limes wedges and they bring you one. You could order a cocktail and in mid-sentence the bartender jets off as if they know what you want. When they return with your drink it’s not even close. I saw more dumping of drinks that could have been prevented.

Stay at a Punta Cana resort. You’ve come this far. Dine on premise and eat the local cuisine. Don’t risk venturing outside of the resort on your own. Do some group 4-wheeling versus horseback riding. It’s not as much fun as the horses are a little touchy and do what they want to do. You’d be too if you had a series of strange touristy internationals jumping on your back and acting stupid.

Don’t buy the pirated local music on a burned CD ROM. Don’t flash money. Keep it to singles. Don’t be fooled by vendors offering a free strand of torquoise colored beads. It’s a plow to get you to feel special and get you to stop and buy something from their table. Put on mosquito repellent after 6:00 pm (18:00).

Just for fun. Try the Momma Juanna shots. It’s the chopped branches of that tree and is reported to possess some special labido qualities. You can buy some in what looks like a wisky bottle, but customs will take it away as agricultural. Just put it in your luggage. Dominican officials don’t care. If they find it they’ll take it and if not you’re home free. Cost is about $15. It’s steeped in rum for highest effect.

I sang at Club de Jazz in Santiago, Chile. It was quaint and a bottle of wine is about 1500 pesos. Get the cheese platter and meet the locals.

Would like to return again soon.