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July 21, 2006
Officially on vacation
Arrived in DR a few hours ago. Sadly 'Aqoul housekeeping has taken up most of my internet allowance, so can't say much. There are peacocks walking around the hotel. Food is mediocre, grounds are nice. Room is decent.
Pool and ocean are fantastic.
More later.
Update: Well, the nightly theatre show idiocy is happening right now (there is some group here called the Chocolate Friends, apparently well-regarded but the name turns me off) and so I've wandered back to the business centre to ramble on about my first impressions.
First, the Dominican Republic reminds me greatly of sub-Saharan Africa. Similar displays of wealth and grinding poverty (massive village-sized resort enclosures surrounded by little shanty towns made of corrugated sheet metal). Also the smell of diesel in the air, something that always brings to mind developing countries. The people are quite beautiful, a wide range of skin tones and curly hair. It seems that the milk-chocolate types work in reception while the very dark do maintenance. Not surprising, but my observation is of course anecdotal.
Second, the hotel. Claims to be 4.5 star, but is probably 3.5-4 by EU standards. Fairly good for the Carrib, but does not hold a candle to my lovely Marbella hotel last year (I still get misty-eyed thinking about the bathroom). It's fucking huge, I haven't seen it all even after 20 min of walking around. Architecture follows the style of "Big Fucking Carrib Resort", just like every other hotel in the region. I know I didn't come down here for culture, but it is mildly depressing that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of these cookie-cutter resorts with no distinctive character whatsoever.
Third, on a whim I picked up Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul at the airport and found it to be thoroughly enjoyable. I love his melancholy writing style (highly evocative, poetic). Makes me wish I had gone to Turkey instead. Ah well.
Posted by eerie at July 21, 2006 08:23 PM
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Comments
Bah, you bloody bollixed up my neat little side-by-side tables experiment.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at July 21, 2006 08:32 PM
Bloody diva. No need for such complicated formatting.
I did find the frankenstein HTML in that entry rather cute. Since when are you interested in such things?
Goddamn German valley girls are pissing me off, must go.
Posted by: eerie at July 21, 2006 09:25 PM
Well, I was bored. And I had the side by side thing in me head.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at July 21, 2006 09:33 PM
Will it make you happy if I put the quotes side by side?
Posted by: eerie at July 21, 2006 09:38 PM
There will always be Istanbul, no? Even if not this year? I sure hope so, anyway, as this year seems so far to be holding a friend's spare bedroom (although a quite enjoyably located one).
Posted by: Eva Luna ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://eerie.aqoul.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 21, 2006 10:42 PM
does this resort come equipped with beach giggalos?
Posted by: drdougfir at July 22, 2006 11:50 AM
Eve: Well, I don't exactly regret coming here. It's actually rather nice when the only choices one needs to make are a) ocean or pool b) Elle, Cosmo or Allure and c) pina colada or rum & coke.
Still, the Pamuk book is hauntingly beautiful, and includes photos/engravings of Istanbul from decades ago. Not sure when I'll be able to go as I have W. Africa in my head for next year.
DrDoug: Yes. A few of the waiters irritate me as well. However, have recruited a big friendly American covered in tribal tattoos to run interference. He probably wants to sleep with me too, but not interested.
I spent about 5 hours in the water today, it was wonderful. Am already a few shades darker.
Posted by: eerie at July 22, 2006 08:00 PM
careful, E!
if you get too many more shades darker, they might think you're a local and not let you leave!
Posted by: drdougfir at July 22, 2006 08:04 PM
They already think I'm a local. You know how international hotels are, staff always try to guess your nationality and address you in the correct language. Everyone assumes I'm Latina here, just like everyone in Egypt assumed I was Egyptian or Emirati (and a huge slut for travelling alone).
Posted by: eerie at July 22, 2006 08:09 PM
Ah, thanks for taking my vanity link down. I was starting to feel a little silly about it.
Posted by: Tom Scudder at July 23, 2006 02:23 PM
Re Will it make you happy if I put the quotes side by side?, no, the moment of inspiration passed.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at July 23, 2006 03:43 PM
