Photos From the D.R.
Here’s a slideshow of photos from the trip to the Dominican Republic!
The Mariachi’s Revenge
“Beware the Mariachi,” comes the dark warning from the British chap at the lobby bar, in so many words. I should have heeded John’s advice. El Mariachi is the Mexican component of our resort’s four “international” restaurants (the others are Italian, Japanese and “American steakhouse”). The resort, Catalonia Bavaro Resort & Casino on the Dominican Republic’s eastern coast, has been fantastico, but the food (included with airfare and all the drinks you want), well let’s just say the food is not its strong point.
“C’mon,” I tell the British chap, “El Mariachi can’t be that bad.”
“Oh, but it can,” he sneers.
“Can’t be worse than that bland buffet over there,” I say, pointing toward the no-reservations-required, no-shirt-no-problem livestock pen known as the Gran Caribe.
John hesitates for a second but concludes, “It’s worse.”
Julie and I look at each other and chuckle a bit nervously. But, hey, it’s Mexican food — how bad can it be? Warm up a tortilla, sprinkle on some cheese, bada boom bada bing it’s a Mexican thing.
Three hours later Julie keenly surmises something might be wrong when I suddenly dart up in bed, grabbing my belly and grimacing in pain. “What’s the matter?” she asks, but we both know the answer. Between stomach cramps I am able to mutter two words as I raise my fist in anger: “El Mariachi!”
I fight off the cramps for a solid three hours, timing them and pushing back, before the Mariachi finally gives up, taking leave as suddenly and as silently as he appeared.
Other than that, things are great.
Next Trip: Dominican Republic
Tentative plans for a weeklong jaunt to the Dominican Republic in October. More details later …
UPDATE 8/5: This trip will be quite a bit different from my usual off-the-beaten-path jaunts. I will be ditching the backpack and trading it for marble bath tiles at a fancy-dancy, all-inclusive tourist-filled resort. The weeklong stay in Punta Cana, on the island’s easternmost tip, will be at Catalonia Bavaro Resort & Casino. Joining me will be my main squeeze, Julie. What’s the deal with the all-inclusive resort, you ask? In a word: it’s cheap. OK, that’s two words. But it’s true. Did you know that you can book a suite with a terrace in a five-star hotel overlooking a beautiful tropical beach (tops optional for the ladies) for one week, throw in roundtrip air fare, include all manner of unlimited fruity cocktails and three delicious square meals a day, plus snacks and bottomless minibar, for under $850 per person? Believe it, baby; it’s possible. The catch is this: it’s during hurricane season. Well, just in case, we’ve added on emergency helicopter evacuation insurance for a mere $40 more. [Date of trip: October 15-21.]
