Dominican Republic - 2010
It’s currently 35 degrees in the Nation’s Capital, and let’s just say it’s a very somber moment. I along with two of my best friends from college have just arrived back from an extraordinary vacation in the Dominican Republic. I wanted to share with you my experience as well as some fun photos from my trip. Mainly to make you JEALOUS---I kid, I kid. No but seriously, running off a 15 minute download of the trip is going to get exhausting, since we did so much, and there is so much to tell. This should serve as a good source for when you ask---“hey, how was your trip”, me – read about it on thecloseup.blogspot.com!
How it all began, (boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy decides to take trip regardless without girl in his life and ask his fellow buddies to join him)---sound familiar to any of you SATC folks??!! While I would like to say, everything went smoothly getting there, that was certainly not the case. We were going to EARN our vacation one way or the other. And what that means was, two cancelled flights, a day early departure, a 10 hour layover, and a 2 hour runway stall before we could depart for DR. Many of this as the result of such a nasty winter season for us in the DMV, but it didn’t stop me and my friends. So I say to the blizzard of 2010---YOU LOSE
The first couple of days, we took in the sights of Santo…the galleries, stores, restaurants, bars…you know the usual. And with the weather being 85 degrees (yes, this is when the jealousy should start) we were getting some great vitamin E from our friend the Sun. Now folks, Santo Domingo isn’t for the amateur Spanish speaker---why? Cuz NO ONE SPEAKS ENGLISH!! Shout out to my Spanish teacher at Banneker HS---Mrs. Bennett, cuz she helped me make it through (choppy but thru…broken but through), along with my boy, Raheem who’s skills in speaking I think even surprised him. He did his thing, throwing in good conjunctions, and predicates, etc…..you know, YO HABLO ESPANOL….(claps real loud). However, he did have some blank moments…one in particular and quite amusing would be us driving and the taxi cab driver getting frustrated with repeating himself, says,“ You either KNOW Spanish or you DON’T KNOW Spanish”. Now that I think of it, maybe that’s the reason he dropped us soooo far from our destination…. a good mile before anything good started to pop up---so I say to the old angry Dominican Man who balked at my boy, raheem ----may your bones ache and your Ben Gay prescription run out!
Calming down---after we returned back to the apartment, we met Michael—(whom at the time came off as an Italian Mobster)—he just had that swagger that made you do what he said….C’MON BRO—“we can fk the whole town if we stayed here”… Real Talk folks! The man had people working from him round the clock, and everyone looked on edge. But don’t let him know I said that---some goons might come and wack ya boy---and that would be absolutely wretched. Ha, but anyway Michael was definitely a great connect, with 20+ years in the casino business, he was undeniably THAT DUDE. He invited us over and had his maid cook this huge lunch before taking us up the mountains and around while he checked in to his various casino stops in Puerta Plata, Las Terenas, followed by another day trip to the other side—Cabarete and Sosua. My behind still is a lil sore from riding in the back of his pickup truck for a total of 5 hours---in the middle seat mind you. Why? Cuz some folks feel the length of their legs justify being near the windows, and why I dangle, I should be the middle seat occupant. So I say to those folks (ahem Raheem and Arinze)---(……………………………. 5 TIMES). The “…..” is censored, but they know what that means!
Each night we went out, the chicas were DROP DEAD GORGEOUS, and F.R.I.E.N.D.L.Y. Some more than others….but the ones that were “more”---required what some may consider, ahhhhhhhhhh a business transaction in order to communicate. Outside of those chicas, the regular girls were more than just regular, they were O.M.G. did you see that one…what about that one….no, no…look at THAT ONE. I felt like I was being punked all these beautiful women walking around, and the only thing I could consistently say without fudging up…”Estoy un Americano, mi espanol is muy mal, tu es bonita….te quieres bailar” AND I WAS IN THERE……! I was taught the salsa, meringue, and a couple o’er moves…I can’t mention on this here blog –hee hee. So I say to all the wonderful women that we had to pleasure to meet……GRACIAS, GRACIAS, GRACIAS.
Lastly, let me tell you about one of my new found friends---Edison. He is a native from the DR, but was commuting back from another relief trip in Haiti, and wanted to show us a good time around his city before we left. The man got the car waxed, bumped, and ready---and we were off to Santiago and La Vega for an amazing CARNAVAL experience. The music was ridiculous, the costumes were amazing, and people were explosive! One thing to note about this carnival experience over any one that’ I’ve been too----(and I’ve been to a few), you will literally get the Sh*t beat out of you at this one. The masked participants/carnival ppl walk around with these rubber paddle thingies, for what point?? I don’t know folks, but if you dropped your guard, these ppl would light your little Hein parts up. It was all in good fun I suppose……I SUPPOSE… but the next time, if ever a next time…I will NOT be wearing thin fitting khaki shorts….NOPE not me. So I say to the people that actually got some good lickings off of me----I am a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, INC….THAT WAS NOTHING
We ended the trip with some R&R on the beach at Boca Chica for good food, sand, and some time in the water. We returned to the apartment to catch a happy hour and some more good times with the ladies of DR, and being the last night we were pulling out all the stops….Stops like performing “Sexy Back” at a karaoke bar. Serenading the Birthday Girls, and fooling other chics into thinking it was one of our birthdays and therefore we required special attention. The night ended with us rejoicing in the moments spent in DR, and packing up our stuff to leave and return home (to this cold a* 35 degree weather). But even during that,, that as I write…I sit and smile. So I say to everyone that helped make my first trip to the Dominican Republic such a memorable experience-----This is one story for the grandkids, thank you, thank you, thank you! –L poteat
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