this sounds like the betamax of ideas " ´Tourists at my home´, visitors will be able to share one day with a Dominican family," García said..........I can see it now......... " Well Harry there goes our spending money "

Photo caption..........Typical family after being cleaned out " At least they dint get our airline tickets "

They should have found a happier family for the photo.. they looked bored...

Fix the electricity.

Stay at a Dominican home at candle light.

These guys must take stupid pills in the DR government.

Oh sure, Like I would want these white swine in my house.

DT : Tourism Minister: "Together with the private sector, we have envisioned a plan to make tourists directly linked with the community. With the plan called ´Tourists at my home´, visitors will be able to share one day with a Dominican family," García said.
==========

What is this guy smoking? What they should do is to invest in local communities infrastructure, streets lights etc, amenities and local businesses in order to attract and motivate tourist to visit these communities.

Promote a "see it like a native" or "live it in Dominicana" strategy. Provide incentives to foreign investors and entertainment industries to set up shop in local communities.

And you guys thought Hipolito was the only crazy politician!

so its a HOSTEL

I would love to see this Europeans taking a dump in some barrio house and having to flush it with a bucket full of water, that'll be the funniest shit ever

"Cynics galore" should be the headline of the DT posts to make you guys feel even more at home.
You soldiers of the Haitian fifth column that is instructed to belittle, demean, ridicule, make fun off,
any and all government originated ideas for the improvement of life or the economy in the DR.
Why don't you offer some lucid solutions or ideas instead of just ridiculing and being cynics!
Your feeble attempts at levity underscore your small brain capacity specialized in "fuzzy thinking"
or repetitive non creative hogwash said time and time again.
I mean read this carefully:
"Another program plans to create a specialized fund for productive investment in the tourist areas, encompassing the farming, craft and business sectors, the minister announced".
Any comments on that? I think it is a wonderful idea.
Regarding the first part, many countries in LA have tours of visitors visit the country side and
witness a farm or ranch in operation, spend the day and have lunch with locals.

PS The photo looks like the Conuco restaurant in the city.
You guys have probably never been there, have you?

yes I have and that explains the long faces......it sux....its plastic and phony....bad food under a heat lamp .....go to Mezon Beri or at least Villar Hermanos....better still Vizcaya

josean the prof is talking about you ""Cynics galore" should be the headline of the DT posts to make you guys feel even more at home.
You soldiers of the Haitian fifth column that is instructed to belittle, demean, ridicule, make fun off,
any and all government originated ideas for the improvement of life or the economy in the DR."

with Mexico wanting to kick our ass in tourism and the best these Morons can come up with is visit a familly in Guachupita with candles we are in deep doo doo.....the Hoteliers are begging for a devaluation to be competitive and we have no electricity.....come on prof . this is not cynicism

GC:
What do you suggest.....oh lucid and wise one?
And the name is Meson de Bari for the best empanadas and chivo.
If you really want the best typical DR food , rice and beans and platanos you visit Bonao on the way
to Santiago and stop by the Tipico Bonao for the best chivo in the island.
Re the Mexicans, you can't even take a taxi in Mexico city without risking being kidnapped.
Most Mexican women are dirt ugly and the only good beaches are in Cancun, Mexican Caribbean.
Josean is probably still snoozing, only old farts like you and me get up so early on a holiday.

do the math prof Mexico is the biggest market ....and no we do not compete with Mexico city but the Beaches from Acapulco to Cabo from Can Cun Mazatlan and Cozumel they have the capacity to eat our lunch....dont worry about Anguilla St Barths and Barbados and the rest of the Caricom sandbars they can fight it out for 300 dollar a night market ....the competition will be brutal

yes Tipico Bonao should open a branch in Santo Domingo an excellent example of Dominican food served properly.......Conuco gag me with a spoon....like going to Taco Bell for Mexican

GC:
You do know a lot about tourism, seems like you might be in the business.
Mexico will always have the upper hand as far as USA tourism goes because of the closeness to the US and the "Mexican brand" that is well positioned.
But as far as dollar for dollar value to the "connoisseur" the DR is a better value and safer.
You forgot about our other ass-ets..... pretty women and very friendly natives, unlike the Mexicans.
This counts more in tourist returns than spicy taco sauces and hot peppers.

Can't we all just get along as Rodney would say.

There is no objective reason to be cynical is there:

The PLD and Lie-onel did not waste $750,000,000 on the METRO to No where.

The PLD and Lie-onel are fully funding education as mandated in our constitution.

The PLD and Lie-onel have decreased blatant drug trafficing via our country.

The PLD and Lie-onel have made a serious attempt to solve the electrical crisis.

The PLD and Lie-onel have fully equiped and supplied our hospitals.

The PLD and Lie-onel have lowered interest rates so the little middle class we have can have fair chance at progress.

Your right professor g, we are so ungartefu and cynical of this "wonderful goverment's GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS."

I rather be a cynic than a KOOL-AID DRINKER any day!

I agree that the PLD government has had a lot of flaws and that an idealistic government could be
a lot more efficient and purpose driven than the PLD at present.
But recovering from the nightmare that the PRD left us, is NIRVANA. Huge and non productive
public works projects repeat themselves under all governments. Lately Balaguer had his Faro a Colón, Hipoloco had his Pam Am Games, Leonel had his metro to nowhere (as Sarah Palin would say).
These are not wrong political decisions or mismanaged assets, they are excuses for graft and corruption to flourish, everyone takes their favorite pet project to finance the next political campaign. Where do you think the moneys for the Faro a Colón went? and from the Pan Am games? To failed election efforts. The same with the metro business, the "surpluses"
will go to a reelection effort in 2012.
Education is a long range goal, we sure don't want Dominicans to be smart, dumb voters are
easier to handle and taken advantage off.

prof you are correct up to a point ....Mexico has been exploiting the hi end for some time ...we are just beginning...There have been a Ritz Carlton etc in Can Cun for years and Cabo has whales ...Golf is part of the culture at the hi end and there are many different formats...... all in all we beat them easily in general feminine pulchritude but not in cuisine nor art nor history ....just imagine the Aztec and the Maya civilizations....and they recently devalued so it is a better bargain .....the east coast USA can get to the DR faster than Mexico....and remember dont drink the water

g,

"I agree that the PLD government has had a lot of flaws and that an idealistic government could be
a lot more efficient and purpose driven than the PLD at present."

What the hell is IDEALISTIC about good education and having the lights come on when you hit the dam switch!

professor g,

Who has been in power for the last four years?

An example of an IDEALISTIC need not being met!

http://www.listin.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=80581

A Four Seasons is being built in Casa de Campo as we speak, construction is ahead of schedule.
We have plenty whales in Samana, golf here is rated the best in the Americas by experts.
Dominican cuisine is more diverse and international than Mexican tacos and hot tamale sauce.
We have unparalleled cuisine from all parts, sushi all over, Dominican food, Spanish food, our
Adrian's tropical offer sancocho at all hours, you can't compare the amount in numbers of
excellent restaurants in Santo Domingo to the sorry Mexican cuisine in Mexico City.
Culturally maybe we are lacking to have had great cultures like the Maya or Aztecs. But where are they now? or their legacy? a bunch of dopy, ugly indians. We have great contemporary artists, international musicians, and a strong Dominican mulatto race composed of white pirates, African slaves, Taino indians, Chinese, Lebanese, Jews from Sosua, you name it, we got it. it's a potpourri
of nationalities making us stronger and more tolerant of o

g,

The problem is not the whales in Samana but the SHARKS in the National Palace!

josean:
anger will get you nowhere. Like I said in my previous post, in general governments do not want to spend in long range goals like education for the masses. "Let's keep them dumb" is the motto. because being a long range goal and Dominicans have a short memory span, it is counterproductive
for election propaganda purposes.
The damn power problems are everybody's fault from the time of Balaguer who signed the first "installed capacity" contracts to the corrupt privatization of the PLD, to the mental giant blunder of the PRD Madrid accords all those guys who signed should be in jail, but they had a power of attorney from your idol Hipoloco), to the fire sale of the bankrupt power company back to the state.
Back in the 70"s a group of concerned Dominicans and scientists proposed to Balaguer the purchase of a nuclear power plant that was available in Puerto Rico at a very low cost to provide
all the power we needed and more and we were ridiculed by the know it all press.

Why there was no interest in the nuclear power plant?
Because the offer was so transparent there was no possibility of commission moneys being paid to anyone, so the deal felled through as quick and hard as a ripe mango drops from a tree.
We are living in a habitually corrupt society and we have to make the best of it not daydreaming about eradicating corruption overnight, but a step at a time. If it is 40% now according to independent studies, maybe next year it will be 35%, and in a couple of more years, 30%. I mean there is corruption even in Switzerland is just human nature, but a lot less and more in the QT than here.
You can have a 100% full powered and backed by the people change of government in DR and the power crisis will still take years to be completely solved. It is a mess that will take years to be solved and the solution is to attract more private generators to invest to lower rates for all.

prof I admire your Dominican boosterism good for you but in the market place it counts for zero....remember the first ultra lux Ritz/Four Seasons/Banyan tree has not been built yet they have been in Mexico for decades catering to the locals let alone tourists.....second Golf the number of quality golf courses in Mexico out number the DR 4 to 1 we are still fighting it out with PR for best in the Caribbean....and third cuisine ....Nowhere in the Americas has indigenous and imported to fuse such a sophisticated kitchen as in Mexico I am not talking Tex Mex but the cuisine of mole,huitlacoche and cacao fused into what is considered an international home run ....try to find a Dominican restaurant in Paris....let alone the romance of Tequila ....no prof we have a hard battle ahead with the mexicans

""Together with the private sector, we have envisioned a plan to make tourists directly linked with the community. With the plan called ´Tourists at my home´, visitors will be able to share one day with a Dominican family," García said."

AM I the only one who thinks this can't end well?

"Dominican cuisine is more diverse and international than Mexican tacos and hot tamale sauce."

Have you ever been to Mexixo?

GC:
I know Mexico well, since the first time I visited Baja and Tijuana traveling by car from California across the border. Was there a few months ago as well.
The problem with Mexico is a lot more evident than here in DR. The Mexicans themselves are the big problem and their historical animosity to Americans in general as well as the lack of security.
There is rampant graft and corruption by the authorities at all levels that target tourists. I know a friend that got badly beaten and taken to a tour of several cash machines recently in Mexico city.
The police were no help at all and wanted more money from him.
So even with their recent devaluation, people will prefer to come here and relax and spend heir vacation dollars. The DR is still a lot cheaper than Mexico if you come to an all exclusive resort, and eons cheaper than the rest of the Caribbean with the exception of the prison island of Cuba.

yes and cuba is reserved for super cheapy cheesy drink and eat till you puke types.......But Mexican all inclusives are very price competitive with the DR and that is what counts the most ....you are correct about antipathy of typical Mexican compared to Dominicans

tonyc as usual know nothing eater of tex mex has never even heard of huitlacoche or mole or any mexican culinary inventions ...you Mofongo eatin Moron

"Written by: generoso, 10 Nov 2008 9:49 AM
From: United States
GC:
I know Mexico well, since the first time I visited Baja and Tijuana traveling by car from California across the border. Was there a few months ago as well."

With all do respect saying you know Mexixo by visiting TJ and Baja is like saying you know the DR because you went to Bavaro.

Some of the best restaurants I have ever experienced are in Mexico. Cancun's Beachs and nightlife is a sight to behold,
The Whole of the Yucatan is spectacular. Monterey is wild. I can go on and on.
Both the DR and Mexico are great destinations but to discard Mexican cuisine so off the cuff like that just exposes ignorance.

anthonyC:
No, the God honest truth I have never been to Mexixo as you put it, where is it at?
Oh, if it is Mexico you are referring to, I have been to Guadalajara, Pachuca, Toluca, Mexico city,
Tijuana, Baja California, Rosarito, Cancun, and a few others I can't recall now.
Oh yes, Guanajuato, my favorite place.
Also a brief stint in the Autonoma as a non resident professor.

sorry tonyc it is the prof who is the Mofongo eatin Moron

".....the east coast USA can get to the DR faster than Mexico.."

Miami to Cancun flight time is shorter than Miami to SD.
Also more airports have flights to Mexico than the DR.
Try to get to the DR from Houston, Chicago, St Luis, D.C. Philly,........

the roots of Caribbean cuisine are pretty much all the same { slave food } high starch imported saltfish or bacalao with a few variations ie West Indian Food throw in the curry of the indians of INDIA and you have many tasty dishes ....I do not mean to dismiss it but it does not have the cornucopia of flavours of the Mexican and other LA cuisines

tony our biggest market is north east Corridor if you live in miami you dont go anywhere to get warm or you have already been in a plane for 3 hours so the short flight does not count

anthonyC:
Flight time from Miami to Cancun is one hour 45 minutes. Flight time from Miami to SDQ 1 hour and 50 minutes. No big difference.
Houston flights go to Dallas, Texas that has a big AA hub, and then on to Miami.Chicago flights to Newark or Atlanta on Delta or Continental, St. Louis same as Chicago, Philadelphia routes back to Newark or NY Kennedy and then direct to DR.
there are many other options as well that have to be researched.
Just do your homework before you post your ignoramus comments.

GC:
you are correct about the Indian seasonings in Trinidad, that's about it. Where you are not well informed is in the splendid variety in Dominican restaurants that are all over the island and some not that well known, to name a few for your next outing or visit:
La Otra Cosa in Cabarete beach, run by the shoeless Swiss-french cook. The Al Paso restaurant in Coson, Samana. The many great Spanish, French and Italian restaurants in Pueblo de los pescadores in Las Terrenas. Deli Suisse in Guayacanes, La Cocina de Mama in Juan Dolio.
The restaurant in Minitas beach in Casa de Campo run by a chef from "Le Cirque".
Samurai, Japanese in Santo Domingo, David Crockett for steaks, Pan Oliva near the Embajador hotel, best Chinese, as well as in the new Chinatown a bunch of new cheap joints with excellent food. Boga Boga for Spanish food, Meson de Bari, and it goes on and on and on.
So let's not judge from the convenience of our laptop, (in your case your ancient PC probably).LOl

Is that a blue basinilla in the middle of the table? LOL

Prof as a member of the CONFRERIE DE LA CHAINE DES ROTTISEURS for many years and a wine professional I am familiar with most of the restaurants you mention ....Some are my favorites I also have dined in many of the great establishments in the world and for about four years was a caviar peddler for a well known company in Manhattan so wine and food are my hobby and profession...talking of Le Cirque I have Sirio Maccionis home phone and know Tomas Keller for many years and many many more of the superstars of cuisine and wine ....it was my business and my hobby

GC:
good for you, I contributed to write the restaurant guides for ZAGAT in New York, and Atlanta.
So don't pull rank on me.
I used to buy Iranian caviar when it was cheap brought to the New York docks in contraband by the
Russian merchant marine sailors and sold very cheap.
Beluga Malassol, big light gray eggs in 500 mg and kilo cans.
No Caviarteria recycled junk.
This here are the major leagues you have the privilege to be talking to.
BTW have you ever had the Osso Bucco at Le Cirque?
Pendejo!

do not take Caviarteria name in vain the Sobol brothers were good friends of mine until they blew their brains out.....I knew tim Zagat before he hit lightning in a bottle ....and i know Le Cirque only from the Daniel Bouloud era that ended in the 90s....my favorite for sentimental reasons is Four Seasons in the Seagrams bldg..I used to provision the wine for Alex Von Bidder and Danny Meyer on their sailing trips and always got comped in their places ...Four Seasons is a monument....Tomas Keller used to work on yachts out of the USVI when he was young.....the stories i could tell you of that scene ....How about Joe Baum that name mean anything to you ?

Joe Baum:
Elementary my friend, the Joe Baum restauranteur award, Windows of the world, The Rainbow room.
You can come up with something better than that, GC.

Joe Baum a legend a great man besides what you mention so many others including The Four Seasons.and the turkey Aurora...Kevin Zraly and Ray Wellington at Windows were good friends of mine also

I was at the grand opening of Rainbow Room in the late 80s is Stars at Rainbow still in existence... I loved that room ...Did you ever eat at Lutece when Soltner used to ask almost every customer if things were right....Le Bernardin when Le Coze lived.....my era was Bryan Miller and the Pinballs

Lutece was an icon. But there was also Le Bernadin, La Cote Basque, Le Relais to hang out,
Un, des, trois,
Gramercy Tavern
Daniel
per se
Phoenix Garden
Cafe Habana
Milos
Tamarind
Sushi Yasuda
Hatsuhana
Nobu

and some new ones in the meat packing district.
So many to choose from, I can't recall all the names.
Must be getting viejo like you.

Cuba has its ballet. DR has many fine locations for Son et Lumiere. http://www.visiteurope.com/ccm/ex....european/light-shows-in-europe.ja
Perhaps a wder range of cultural events/festivals would have apeal. In particular in shoulder seasons. The religous market is also important. Perhaps the DR could adopt some more saints; and hence have more festivals. Also fesivals based on the bounty of the countryside; cocoa festival etc. http://www.chocolatefestival.ae/dxb_broreg.html
Of course the DR film festival is just about to start.
http://www.drglobalfilmfestival.org/drgff2008/default_en.asp
S.

S.