Meaning to Life | Exotic Caribbean

Archive for the ‘Playa Vista’ Category

Thursday, January 27, 2005
After a quick refreshing cold beer break (check last blog entry) we are on request back to the current state of evolution in Boca Chica.
As you may or may not know a number of businesses, for God only knows what reasons, have been closed recently in the Boca Chica main street (Calle Duarte).
As reported in our blog of 17/1/05 the ‘Cosmos Discotheque’ and ‘Zanzi Bar’ were closed because of internal misunderstandings between the two businesses and the owner of the building… a case completely unconnected to the closure by the authorities/police of several bars last week,
No firm reasons have been given although rumors as usual are aplenty. Some say that everything, for better or for worse, soon will be back to normal… some that it is all part of the new government’s plans to permanently ‘clean up’ Boca Chica… whatever that means. If the ‘permanent clean up’ rumor is true we welcome it, that is if it means a long awaited and frequently promised removal of the all-too-many illegals and criminals roaming, and in some ways ruling, the streets and the beach.
However, Boca Chica is still alive and kicking although somewhat subdued. We can absolutely reassure you that service at Playa Vista continues as before and that there are, as usual, plenty of adventurous activities to go for on the Boca Chica beach and all over this exotic Latin Caribbean country in general.
So… why not make Boca Chica your port of entry and Playa Vista your base camp, as you explore further the Caribbean adventures on offer?
Hasta la Playa Vista!

Thursday, October 14, 2004
The extraordinary hurricane activity of September seems a long time ago now. The only visible evidence that something untoward happened is the still debris-strewn reef which is either waiting for the local council to get their launch out there with a cleaning team or for a very high tide to release the stranded material mostly consisting of bark-denuded tree branches.
As is usual for this time of year beach visitors mid-week are none too plentiful but the weather gives us it’s best with a recent sequence of stunning sunsets that as always can be viewed ideally from the Playa Vista terraza.
Bar talk frequently refers to the new government still getting its feet under the table. Much is reported nationally on a daily basis regarding changes. The peso appears to have reached a stability midway between the value that the previous government inherited four years ago and its lowest point to the end of their administration currently, for better or worse depending on your viewpoint, about 32 pesos to the dollar. Lack of electricity continues to present difficulties in many parts of the country but happily in Boca Chica we are spared almost all inconveniences. Long may that continue and hopefully spread further afield too. The more underlying changes will almost certainly need more time to bear fruit.
Meanwhile… as tourism is one of the cornerstones of economic development in the Dominican Republic in general, and therefore needy of government attention, we remain very hopeful that planning and support of international standard tourism will be further spurred on in our small corner of the country in a way good old Boca Chica deserves!

Meanwhile seven years later:
Frankly speaking not even the most enthusiastic PLD/Fernandez supporter can claim much progress was made for the man in the street. The peso has been kept under that 40 to the dollar level throughout that Fernandez administration and the second that has followed however the polls currently indicate that Hipolito Mejia is favorite to be the new president next year as a very disappointing signal to that PLD/Fernandeez government over these last seven years.

Friday, August 22, 2003
The Pan American Games are over and the enthusiasts on our island seem to be very pleased with the outcome, not least the haul of 10 gold medals and even more silver and bronze for the Dominican team across a range of sports from 400 meters hurdles to table tennis. After the voluble celebrations of the Brazilian soccer silver medalists at Playa Vista and the coming and going of many other participants we are now left with our usual summer influx of visitors, the peaking summer temperatures and most important of all our truly international range of friendly customers who trek from even further afield than the Americas to visit our little town with surprising regularity. We ourselves have been experiencing a little streak of high temperatures in the last few days but that has to be tempered with the knowledge we are getting people from middle and southern Europe cooling down here in their escape from exceptional heat and forest fires back home.
Meanwhile seven years later:
Global warming is given as the reason for such peaks of heat. However, the coast of the Dominican Republic seems to continue to bask in that accurate perpetual June observation from Christopher Columbus

Wednesday, August 6, 2003
Here is a little sunshine story about honesty in the Dominican Republic. Little Reyito (or Riquitin to others) is a schoolboy who often picks up empty soda bottles from the beach at the weekend and sells them to us at one peso per bottle. We were reminded of an incident demonstrating his honesty quite some time ago by another of equal charm recently.
The first endearing story involved him trying to pass three bottles to us in one go… unfortunately one slipped from his hand, fell to the ground and smashed. He apologized clarifying that it was his own fault this had happened and backed that statement up claiming he only wanted two pesos as a result. Thinking that he should be rewarded for his honesty we didn’t hesitate in fetching three pesos but he insisted and refused to accept any more than two – impressive, eh?
The latest “honesty” story is that he brought several bottles and in the growing gloom of the early evening we didn’t notice that we accidentally gave him a five peso coin amongst the several single peso coins in the handful offered up. Some ten minutes later he returned to exchange the “wrongly” received five peso coin for a single peso. What a pleasure to deal with such an honest gentlemanly thing especially at the end of a busy Sunday.

Meanwhile seven years later:
It would seem to stand as a testament that honesty is an individual choice. Reyito was very young, certainly poor and had plenty of contrary examples to lead him astray. We presumed that his family was probably very influential in his inspiring attitude.

Thursday, July 31, 2003
PS
As of 12.15 pm today after 18 months of haranguing the promotional department at Coca-Cola we have four new brightly colored parasols proudly standing in front of our property officially announcing our sponsorship of one of the world’s larger companies.

Meanwhile seven years later:
Finally, Coca-Cola well and truly sponsored by the “real thing” – Playa Vista!

Wednesday, July 2, 2003
Should you ever make a visit to Boca Chica hopefully also granting us at Playa Vista the honour of your presence, we would then like to take the opportunity to pre-introduce a recent acquisition who helps us out especially at the busier times of the week. Carlos is his name but very commonly called “Flaco”, a nickname accurately translateable as “Slim”. Slim he is indeed and easily tall enough to make it into most basketball teams although we have tended to keep him busy enough to keep him off the court. We are very pleased to see him enthusiastically and politely helping out in most departments where he lends his helping hands and on top of it all his English is coming along all the time, so if Spanish is not one of your strengths and you are lounging around enjoying the sun and local views then we know he would be only too pleased to exchange a few friendly words with you.
Hasta La Playa Vista… Baby ! (as our motto goes)

Meanwhile seven years later:
Unfortunately in spite of our best wishes and endeavours over time Flaco could not resist the urges of his ego. We tried on numerous occasions to get him to consider the grander scheme of things rather than constant ego gratification but he would not listen attentively. His ego continued to rule his roost even some time later after gaining a very good employment position at the Hamaca Hotel. The hotel also had to ask him to pursue a future elsewhere.

Sunday, June 29, 2003
As you may know we do like to keep you up to date on the parasol situation here at Playa Vista because it is so dear to our hearts and the latest is a major breakthrough with Coca-Cola. Unfortunately it comes at a cost of… well, money actually.
We did omit to mention in a previous entry that in addition to daily parasol put-outs we also have four eight-foot diameter parasols which stay out the full 24 hours. Originally supplied by Coca-Cola – thank you very much, but poorly supported thereafter. In spite of them very kindly coming up with 3 bright shiny replacement Coca-Cola canvases for the very sadly faded originals about one and a half years ago (remember we needed four) the intervening period of coaxing, cajoling and then almost begging for just one more yielded a big zero. Until this week that is, when our desperate offer to pay for half the cost of production tempted them out of their reticence. The cheque has been issued, the order has been made and we are now eagerly looking forward to be able to brag about Playa Vista actually now sponsoring Coca-Cola! – The Real Thing!

Meanwhile seven years later:
The Coca-Cola franchise went through a lot of difficulties in the intervening years which we presumed were due to the transfer of its ownership. Things seemed to recover because we even ended up getting a brand new replacement refrigerator.