A DAY IN THE LIFE

Pool opened at 8:30 this morning.

Bob K

It now has been two weeks with NO significant rain. Things are looking pretty brown these days.  Temp 95F yesterday and forecast to be 93F today. 

Bob K

We are pretty dry here in the capital again too, very very hot already today. And here is some additional BAD NEWS for the country: From DOMINICAN TODAY

Santo Domingo.- The Government owes the power companies a record US$905.0 million to September, and could force many of them to shut down their plants, Dominican Republic’s Electricity Industry Association (ADIE) warned Sunday.

It said the Government debt has forced its affiliates to tale loans to continue operations.

In a statement, ADIE said some power companies have already pulled out of the Dominican market to others more reliable ones, such as Panama.

“The population is also affected because the blackouts would increase which are caused by the distributors themselves for their inefficient management and marketing,” ADIE said.

It adds that the distributors are unable to collect from consumers all the electricity served, leading to losses of 33%.

AND an update on my search for a new place:

As you may know I posted I found a place. Yup I did, so we went through the process to finalize.  Here in Santo Domingo and some but not all other locations you need a "fiador" someone to sign your contract and guarantee your payment. Doesn't matter how much you earn, who you are etc, they just want it. Also doesn't matter you pay 2 months of deposit either....  So, my fiador was out of the city and not available,  I was able to meet sign the contract and pay the deposit.... Lawyer was willing to wait  5 days for my Fiador to return.

Right, that is until someone showed up and offered MORE then they were asking for the house. Yup, you got it,  no integrity, I lost the house.

On to the next one........   Found a place in the newspaper,  called, chatted, arranged to see it.  All good,  its not ideal but its good and the price is reasonable.  We shake on it, and agree to exchange all the needed info by email.

Right, email comes and the price does not match either the newspaper ad, or, the price discussed, What the heck??

IN addition, when you have an "intermediary"  ie lawyer, realtor, or just some taxi driver who thinks he is a realtor, in addition to the 2 deposits, and the fiador  you will pay a month of "commission".  Yup that is how it is done here.  Bloody hell.

Well in this case, I confirmed that the owners are the people who had the ad, showed me the apartment. We discussed when they lived in the apt, how the neighbors are etc.... well these people want me to pay a month of "commission" to them to rent their own place.  HELL NO.   No no no no no and no.

Back to square one.  Yikes you all are learning a lot via this process I hope......LOL  Me, I am frustrated, I need to go swimming in Bob's pool!!!!!   

More places to see tonight, cross your fingers my friends......

Pool is open, just cleaned and vacuumed. Water added. Nice clear somewhat cool water. Beer is cold. What more can I say.

Bob K

Another day in Paradise Bob.....LOL  Enjoy!

Well yesterday took an interesting turn for the GREAT!!!!!  Got a call from the lawyer on the house I really really wanted.  Turns out the people who offered more money backed out!  Ha!!!!

So I met with him, negotiated a couple of house "upgrades" and signed the contract!!!! The HOUSE I originally wanted is mine. Yay Yay Yay....  Move is now starting in 9 days.  Of course sooo much to do but that is fine.

The house is large enough, but one level, no real yard to speak of which is good, no maintenance. There is no roof  filtration issues, it has cisterna, tinaco and a pressure tank. The pump is brand new.  I will install a hot water tank likely in November, don't need it now that is for sure.

AND across the street is a beautiful park. Last evening it was full of people walking, running, kids playing and Zumba classes......LOL  During the day it is quite quiet so  its nice to see it being used. The area is very very clean,  middle class etc. 

It is easy walk to everything I need on a routine basis, including places to dance!  It has electricity 24/7, I can get all my services easily..... yayyyyyy. I am very happy but will be ecstatic when this is done. 

Woooo hoooooooooooooo.

Poor Planner, you are having a hell of a  hard time lately ! Dang... good thing you seem to be a strong cookie ! Hang in there !

great news !! I am so happy for you !!

Thanks honey!!!!   It always works out, no matter what the process, it works out as it should......  I figure if I keep saying that it is bound to be true..........   

¡Felicitaciones!

Muchisimas gracias!

Great news.  Good things do happen

I hope you signed a long long long lease.

Bob K

Yayyyyy. 1 year renewable with no increase!!!

You rock!

Bob K

I try Bob, I try.  Now the move process....... first stock up on Brugal and mix.....

Next boxes: I go to any major grocery store about 10 am and ask at customer service for clean empty boxes.  I ask for 15 or 20 and almost always its a 15 minute wait while I get a few things.  They have never charged me and I tip the guy who brings them out....too easy.

I start packing early, make sure to mark all boxes in both Spanish and English for location.  You never know who is handling that box!!!

Preplanning: once you have the rental contract finalized then you go to the electrical company to organize service. This can be a nightmare as illustrated by my last move.  This time we are simply transferring the account to my name. Lets see how that goes!!!

I will update regularly......

For now i am trying to see the eclipse. I was up at 5:30 for no reason....saw the full moon but now all is gone......lets wait and see....

First mistake..."first stock up on Brugal and mix"....FORGET the mix you will need the Brugal to be straight and strong.

Good luck packing and moving can be a nightmare not to mention the utility companies.

Bob K

HAHAHA I need the mix Bob, I am a cheap drunk......

I like Bacelo, not as sweet. have you ever tried Cruzan "single Barrel"? expensive, but a real sipping rum. drink it in a snifter like a fine cognac. truly ambrosia.  the Cruzan gold or estate bottled is a good daily rum. when I lived in St. Croix it was really cheap.  I see the beer & hard liquor tax is increasing to sky high amounts. woe to us poor folks who enjoy our daily libations!  it's bad enough to tax our food, but to tax our fun too???

Happy packing ! Happy drinking !!!

We took a ride to combiaso beach, rough rocky road , took an hour to get there it has to be one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen so far. The countryside was stunning. We swam with the neighborhood kids. Took a short cut back by way of pop and it took 2 hrs. Lol......

Thanks guys.... will be stocking up....

Jan sounds like a great day, will go there with you one day soon!!!

Anytime !!!!!

Good things happen to good people  Happy for you planner.

Thanks honey.... 

Quick udate  -  packing  =  YUCKKKKK  need more rum for this job......

Electricity - well we were supposed to meet yesterday with the previous tenant to transfer the electrical contract to my name.  Right - didn't happen. Maybe today??? Hahahahahaah

I continue to pack,  organize etc.  I've hired someone to clean AFTER I am out.  One less thing on my list thank you very much.   

I can't actually plan the move date until I know about the electricity, so everything else is kind of on hold....LOL 

HOT HOT HOT in Santo Domingo still, hot and humid.

HOT and humid here as well.

There is a wave off to our east that may bring some relief by Monday or so.

Good luck on the packing

Next time we move (from the DR to somewhere else) if it does not fit in 4 suitcases it is not moving with us. 

Bob K

I like the attitude....  my shoes won't fit in four suitcases.....LOL Ok slight exaggeration.............

The advantage of not wearing real shoes for he last 9 years. Crocs and flip-flops....don't take up much room

Bob K

The joys of being male.... us girls need real shoes baby....

Good morning everyone.....  well it looks like the North and East coasts may get some much needed rain!  And maybe without too much wind.... fingers crossed.     We are watching a tropical storm approaching  Puerto Rico,  looks like it will head north but you learn to keep an eye on everything!!!!!

We are hot and humid in the capital still.  It was  88F at  7 am today! 

Today I go to the new house, again,  to see about transferring the electrical contract over. The previous tenant was supposed to do this with me Thursday, then Friday and now today. Third time lucky??? IF Not new contract period.  Taking no prisoners today!

I need to finalize my plans but cannot do that without an ETA on electricity!  Yikes. 

Weekend was AWESOME - some excellent news to follow soon!  Can't tall ya yet.   Did some packing. 

Saturday night I went out to dinner at Nipau restaurant in  Santo Domingo.  Very very good food,  decent pricing,  quality service and  live music.  Got to love it.........

Then of course, I worked and I packed......LOL   

So, what did all you all do this weekend????

Quiet weekend for us in HOT HOT HOT humid weather.  Dinner Friday and Saturday with friends.

Today HOT and Humid with showers.  Already now at nearly 9am I have had a cool shower, and I am working on my second shirt of the day. It may be a 3 shower 5 shirt day

Hoping some rain from the storm but it will be over 250 miles from us so I am no counting on it.

Bob K

Had a very busy weekend with our 4 children and 6 of our 9 grandchildren out for our Canadian Thanksgiving turkey,beautiful day weather was nice and company was awesome  so Happy Thanksgiving to all the Canadian expats on the Forum a day late but better than never said. And will be down there soon

Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

So here is another story for you.............. Please try not to laugh.

Yesterday the electricity went just after 10 am.  I waited a bit as most often it comes back within 20 minutes.  After that I called............. no there is no outage in my area, but I was disconnected. Really, why?  Well i did not pay.  Really cause I have the receipt in front of me.

Off I go to offices of Edesur and sure enough their error. Right. So I am told they will reconnect me in the afternoon. I go home. At 4:20 I call to be sure someone is coming, oh yes and they will be working late.

At 7pm I am ticked. I call and am told no they stop work at 5:30 pm.  So again why lie to me?  Just tell me the truth and I can plan around it.

Off i go to a cabana!!! If you do not know what this is...........well..........it is a place you rent by the 2, 4, 8 hours etc. It is where men take their "girlfriends" etc.  BUT it is inexpensive, clean, air conditioned, TV, hot water etc.  800RD for the night.....   that is less then US 20!!! So why the heck not..........

Got home this morning, no electricity. OK,  they finally show up at 10:20 am - 24 hours later and reconnect me. Technician told me hundreds of people were disconnected yesterday - and all the fault of Edesur. 

Today a good friend called to tell me they continue to disconnect people here in the capital, he went running out the door chasing the truck with his receipt, they reconnected him immediately............  Be warned......LOL

Yes my tale of woe.  And you cannot help but laugh at the stupidity and ridiculousness of the situation!!!! 

Oh so sad and so true.  It is amazing that they have the nuts running the asylum

Bob K

Will fall ever get here????????????

The heat is on again today.  After no effects or moisture from the passing hurricane, other than some bigger surf, we are still in the furnace.  Currently at 11am temp is 34 and climbing.

Bob K

Hola... I have not been too active here in the last few months.... If any remember I came here for my six month trial,, very shaky first month in a bad unit in PUnta Cana  until I moved to Playa Turquesa condos (and thanks to all who made it through my long-winded posts)....I love it so much here that I investigated many places where I might live for several more years..

I even searched these forums and found someone who had an apartment right here in Playa Turquesa which I had decided was the perfect place as it is oceanfront, lots of help from security and others on the beach and beachfront (even though I'm in the back) seems so essential as even though I can ride my scooter for a couple miles, no way would I want to do that just to get to the beach and the opportunity one has at a "complex" such as where I am is that there are open chairs, generally food and drink service and even though some of the most beautiful condos I found were actually across the main avenue, I didn't think I could ever ride the mile or so and then not have a dedicated beach or beach chairs for that matter.. That is why the advice for anyone (especially someone with my particular issues) needs to do the 6 month stay!!

I was in negotiations which I actually initiated to rent a never-lived in unit (penthouse, 3 bath 2 br) here in the best building in my opinion...I even had measured for draperies I would pick up on my trip home that starts tomorrow.. Basically, I was to become a resident as much as I could be.... However; as I have been the "ill" sister for many years, only lately having the ability to travel and do more, it became clear that my younger sister who was suppose to visit me but had a 3 yr odyssey with some rare form of migraines that cause seizures, it was now my turn to help.. So my dram of a more permanent residence here has been put on hold; however; I dearly want to thank the many persons who helped me through my first month.

I also can't stress enough that all the reports that one should come here for 3 to 6 months in a rental are so very  important..There is no way for example I could have enjoyed myself and gotten around so good in the "across avenue) units as even though they are priced incredibly for monthly, as above, mobility issues would have made my daily beach visits almost impossible...For others, perhaps this would be great....Proximity to a set of stores such as grocery, pharmacy, etc is also very important here in my opinion...

I have so much more to write about but don't want to do one of my multi-page posts so suffice it to say, I love the people here, I am sad to leave, but I will write another post relating to the culture, ways to quickly learn spanish, etc.  I aim to come back for several months at a time (perhaps april and may for future years) if I am again given the opportunity...

Thanks especially to Planner and Bob K....

Ahhh honey so sorry to hear.  Hurry back soon,  good luck to your sister!!!!  And please write more when you can.

Sorry to hear about your sister.  You are doing a good thing.  You will be missed here and I do hope you make it back soon.

Bob K

Good morning everyone!!!  Another hot day in paradise! 

So you know things are always changing here.............You have NO idea how much.  Now I will fill you in.............

I do mainly consulting work here,  I love my work, love helping others. That will never change and I will still do some of it and be here regularly.

A week ago I had an amazing meeting with an American who is opening a large company here.  I'd done a bit of consulting with them but not too much.  Within 24 hours of our meeting I received an amazing offer. Withing 24 hours I accepted!

And then the changes started. the business will be based in La Romana.  I had to cancel the lease on the house i negotiated here. The lawyer was awesome about it.  It also helped he STILL did not have the house ready.......LOL He was still very good about it returned my deposits etc.

The new company (cannot say too much yet)  will be based in La Romana - so guess where I am moving to? Yup.  I started working with them Wednesday of this week just passed. Thursday i was in La Romana-  getting an apartment, Check,  looking at office space - hmmmm more time needed,  checking out the town - check,  checking out services available - check.............  The move happens this coming Friday!  I return there Monday to sign contracts, continue to look for office space etc.

What an adventure.  I can tell you I am responsible for the "business" side of things, all gov't contracting, licensing etc,  all support, hiring etc etc etc.  So much fun!!!!! As things develop  I can tell you more. For now, heck of an adventure. 

One thing we have stressed here is adaptability!!!  I am thinking I got more then my fare share of this!!!!

Tomorrow 2 friends come over to help finish packing up my house prior to the move.  Going out today to buy more rum!!! LOL

That's great news. Good luck with the new job