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Wednesday, January 31, 2018
My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic...
My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic...: Our one week trip is coming to an end, we're leaving today January 30th, it's been nice to get away from the cold although the weath...
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Our one week trip is coming to an end, we're leaving today January 30th, it's been nice to get away from the cold although the weather here has been temperamental especially the wind which is finally starting to let up today. Without the wind it would have been very very hot and muggy, I suppose the wind was welcome relief in retrospect.
Need to start with a little disclaimer. Not a huge fan of all inclusive vacations, it's not my preferred mode of travel although it will certainly do in a pinch. I've traveled a great deal and only managed three all inclusives in all that time. First one was in Cuba a 3 star experience in Varadero on which I wrote extensively. The second attempt was Fuerte Venture in the Canary Islands, departure from Nantes France. It was a 5 star outfit. I also wrote extensively on that one. This latest all inclusive is called Arena Blanca and it's a 4 star. We've done all the stars, don't think there are 2 stars all inclusive outfits.
Arena Blanca was pretty nice overall, the best of the bunch. The room was spacious, there was plenty of hot water, the food was decent although it too became boring after a week. The beach did have white sand but not quite like the pictures in the brochure. Because there was so much wind there was a lot of flotsam which ended up on the beach and the water was never calm. Apparently in this area it's still the Atlantic and not the Caribbean therefore it's natural to expect more waves. Waves do mean you can have some fun in the water which is always nice. Impossible to go for lengthy swims, way too bumpy.
The complex also had two enormous pools, plenty of lawn chairs to go around. Recently there was a report on the BBC which claimed that all inclusives have become so popular, there are so many tourists using them, that reserving your own spot on a pool chair is going to become necessary. If not it will be a fight to the finish, ok maybe not quite but you get the picture. Crazy tourists hungry for their tan want their place in the sun assured.
I have learned virtually nothing about the Dominican itself. These places are not geared to learning, it's strictly fun in the sun. There are a few things I've noticed. Of course the area is heavily dependent on tourism, it's their bread and butter. Without it the island would shrivel to nothing. The Dominican is very popular with Europeans who,no doubt, find it quite a bargain with their Euro currency so strong.
Everything here is quoted in American dollars which really pisses me off. You have to ask for the price in the Dominican peso otherwise it's not posted. You don't get too much for 1000 pesos, a bottle of rum can be bought for around 800 pesos but bargaining is always an option and it's not the best rum around.
The trips outside Arena Blanca are extremely expensive. The most expensive out of the 3 resorts we've been to and certainly more than any comparable trip in South America or Mexico.
Couldn't help but notice that female tourists no matter their size, shape or age appear to prefer bikinis
which could be seen as liberating or just plain gross in some cases.
Dominicans are generally trim and pleasant. They work very hard picking up endlessly after the messy don't really care where I put my stuff tourists.
Had to interrupt the post because bus was here to pick us up. Most of the money we spent we gave out in tips which are greatly appreciated. I had also brought stuff from home for the ladies who clean the room. They do a fantastic job and don't get paid very much.
What bothers me the most about all inclusive is the bloody waste when it comes to food. The food is prepared on an industrial scale which means there is a lot of it, too much. I didn't ask where the leftover food goes to, hopefully it serves a higher purpose than ending up in the trash.
One thing that was surprising there is very little animal life. No insects, not even flies, I think they fumigate the entire place periodically. In fact they were scheduled to fumigate our room with biodegradable (sic) stuff on the day we left. It's not just lack of insects though. There are hardly any birds. We saw a few frigates, 4 or 5 pelicans (that's odd, so many in Mexico) and a type of crow or blackbird, a tinier version especially fond of eggs. There were a couple of those which hung out in the main dining areas where the buffet was served. Lots of stations at the buffet and they do vary the menu every day but nothing is ever piping hot except if you have something made on the spot.
Generally people don't socialize a great deal. Everybody stays in their little bubble. We befriended na older couple from Quebec who were there for 3 weeks and felt it was way too long. They were on their second week when we met them.
For one week I would definitely recommend it, one week more unless you're a total lover of dolce farniente by the pool and at the beach then by all means two weeks might be just your bag.
Had to interrupt the post because bus was here to pick us up. Most of the money we spent we gave out in tips which are greatly appreciated. I had also brought stuff from home for the ladies who clean the room. They do a fantastic job and don't get paid very much.
What bothers me the most about all inclusive is the bloody waste when it comes to food. The food is prepared on an industrial scale which means there is a lot of it, too much. I didn't ask where the leftover food goes to, hopefully it serves a higher purpose than ending up in the trash.
One thing that was surprising there is very little animal life. No insects, not even flies, I think they fumigate the entire place periodically. In fact they were scheduled to fumigate our room with biodegradable (sic) stuff on the day we left. It's not just lack of insects though. There are hardly any birds. We saw a few frigates, 4 or 5 pelicans (that's odd, so many in Mexico) and a type of crow or blackbird, a tinier version especially fond of eggs. There were a couple of those which hung out in the main dining areas where the buffet was served. Lots of stations at the buffet and they do vary the menu every day but nothing is ever piping hot except if you have something made on the spot.
Generally people don't socialize a great deal. Everybody stays in their little bubble. We befriended na older couple from Quebec who were there for 3 weeks and felt it was way too long. They were on their second week when we met them.
For one week I would definitely recommend it, one week more unless you're a total lover of dolce farniente by the pool and at the beach then by all means two weeks might be just your bag.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, first impressions
We arrived in Punta Cana yesterday from a cold, rainy Montreal. Had to wait on the tarmac for about 40 minutes in order for them to deice the plane. We arrived in Punta around 2:30. It was quite a shock getting out of the airplane into 28 degree Celsius weather. It takes a little adjusting plus we were wearing way too many clothes. Had to peel off some layers pronto.
A little bus drove us to the main airport area. It's a relatively small airport, very clean with palapa style buildings. On the plane they gave us tourist cards worth 10.00 U.S. each, included in the price of our tickets. Kind of silly, we gave them back as soon as we landed. Guess it's a little taxation bonus for the island. A couple of the regular forms to fill out, nothing major. There was nobody to greet us from Arena Blanca. You have to exit the airport and look for the bus which will take you to the right spot. Not too difficult, I got to practice my rusty Spanish right off the bat. Could be confusing if you're older and not sure what's going on.
The bus dropped off a few tourists at another resort called Blue and Sand which looked all right but it's not as nice as Arena Blanca, we do share the same beach with them.
We arrived in a spacious lobby, palapa style again. The resort is quite spread out but easy to get around. It's very airy, lots of beautiful green spaces, extremely clean and well maintained. There are at least 4 or 5 restaurants a la carte to choose from in addition to the main buffet style restaurant which offers a wide variety of choices. We were not disappointed with the food. Lots of fresh fruits, the papaya was scrumptious, it must be the season for it. A lot of mixed greens, plenty of variety with meats, even freshly cooked turkey, ribs, Chinese and Italian dishes cooked on the spot. The deserts are varied and not too big which is perfect. Of course there are plenty of drinks to be had including everyone's favorite: Pina Colada, it's always ready to go, you get it from a dispenser. It doesn't have a lot of rum but that's fine, you can't get drunk on it.
Today we went to the beach. The beach does have white sand which is very powdery and doesn't get hot, easy to walk on. There is a fair bit of algae kind of brown looking which mars the look of the beach a bit, not quite like the pics. represent but it's a small complaint. It's been windy, windier than usual for this time of the year, the sea is throwing up a lot of this algae. The water is a beautiful turquoise color, very clear, the waves are tiny. There are wave breakers along where we are. The water is warmer than it was in Cuba in Varadero.
This is the third all inclusive we will have been in. Varadero was a 3 star, too cheap for Cuba and some problems with the food and the room, way too long a stay at 2 weeks. The Canary Islands were too cold, you couldn't swim either in the pool or in the ocean and it was basically boring.
So far I've noticed quite an international crowd here, people from all over. There are quite a few Europeans, many French, German,Russian, Polish. Of course lots of Quebecois, Canadians, Americans and some South Americans as well. I like that, makes it more interesting. The Dominican is apparently a favored destination of many who crave the sea, the sand and the sun. The personnel here is extremely helpful. They don't always have their hand out either but it's good to leave propina and little things in the room for the cleaners. I brought quite a few things from home. They're always happy to get stuff for their children too.
We're not planning on doing any side trips since we're only here one week. The only area of complaint concerns those very same trips. They are the most expensive of anywhere we've traveled. For instance a trip on a catamaran to a secluded beach with lobster meal (langouste actually) will run around $220.00 U.S. a person. Most trips are in the $150.00 U.S. vicinity, way too much money for us. Whenever we've done trips of that nature in the tropics, we've often been disappointed. Too much time spent with drunken idiots on buses, boats etc... with .lousy overpriced meals. In terms of culture there's not much "artesania" here, not like Mexico which is so rich culturally therefore they don't have a lot of items for sale other than the usual trinkets. It's fine our home is filled with stuff we've brought back from other trips, don't need more. Apparently the Dominican is the biggest producer of cigars in the world, thought it was Cuba.
Last night we were treated to a Michael Jackson extravaganza. The impersonator was truly fabulous and the dancing was spot on. It was fun and it was free. I will provide another entry at the end of our stay if I feel there's a lot more to add. So far we like it a lot.
A little bus drove us to the main airport area. It's a relatively small airport, very clean with palapa style buildings. On the plane they gave us tourist cards worth 10.00 U.S. each, included in the price of our tickets. Kind of silly, we gave them back as soon as we landed. Guess it's a little taxation bonus for the island. A couple of the regular forms to fill out, nothing major. There was nobody to greet us from Arena Blanca. You have to exit the airport and look for the bus which will take you to the right spot. Not too difficult, I got to practice my rusty Spanish right off the bat. Could be confusing if you're older and not sure what's going on.
The bus dropped off a few tourists at another resort called Blue and Sand which looked all right but it's not as nice as Arena Blanca, we do share the same beach with them.
We arrived in a spacious lobby, palapa style again. The resort is quite spread out but easy to get around. It's very airy, lots of beautiful green spaces, extremely clean and well maintained. There are at least 4 or 5 restaurants a la carte to choose from in addition to the main buffet style restaurant which offers a wide variety of choices. We were not disappointed with the food. Lots of fresh fruits, the papaya was scrumptious, it must be the season for it. A lot of mixed greens, plenty of variety with meats, even freshly cooked turkey, ribs, Chinese and Italian dishes cooked on the spot. The deserts are varied and not too big which is perfect. Of course there are plenty of drinks to be had including everyone's favorite: Pina Colada, it's always ready to go, you get it from a dispenser. It doesn't have a lot of rum but that's fine, you can't get drunk on it.
Today we went to the beach. The beach does have white sand which is very powdery and doesn't get hot, easy to walk on. There is a fair bit of algae kind of brown looking which mars the look of the beach a bit, not quite like the pics. represent but it's a small complaint. It's been windy, windier than usual for this time of the year, the sea is throwing up a lot of this algae. The water is a beautiful turquoise color, very clear, the waves are tiny. There are wave breakers along where we are. The water is warmer than it was in Cuba in Varadero.
This is the third all inclusive we will have been in. Varadero was a 3 star, too cheap for Cuba and some problems with the food and the room, way too long a stay at 2 weeks. The Canary Islands were too cold, you couldn't swim either in the pool or in the ocean and it was basically boring.
So far I've noticed quite an international crowd here, people from all over. There are quite a few Europeans, many French, German,Russian, Polish. Of course lots of Quebecois, Canadians, Americans and some South Americans as well. I like that, makes it more interesting. The Dominican is apparently a favored destination of many who crave the sea, the sand and the sun. The personnel here is extremely helpful. They don't always have their hand out either but it's good to leave propina and little things in the room for the cleaners. I brought quite a few things from home. They're always happy to get stuff for their children too.
We're not planning on doing any side trips since we're only here one week. The only area of complaint concerns those very same trips. They are the most expensive of anywhere we've traveled. For instance a trip on a catamaran to a secluded beach with lobster meal (langouste actually) will run around $220.00 U.S. a person. Most trips are in the $150.00 U.S. vicinity, way too much money for us. Whenever we've done trips of that nature in the tropics, we've often been disappointed. Too much time spent with drunken idiots on buses, boats etc... with .lousy overpriced meals. In terms of culture there's not much "artesania" here, not like Mexico which is so rich culturally therefore they don't have a lot of items for sale other than the usual trinkets. It's fine our home is filled with stuff we've brought back from other trips, don't need more. Apparently the Dominican is the biggest producer of cigars in the world, thought it was Cuba.
Last night we were treated to a Michael Jackson extravaganza. The impersonator was truly fabulous and the dancing was spot on. It was fun and it was free. I will provide another entry at the end of our stay if I feel there's a lot more to add. So far we like it a lot.
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