As mentioned, in our last report we got to Todd's home in Okotoks about 2:30 Am 1 Jan. On the way home we seen a MacDonald's that was open so we thought we would grab a burger and a coffee. Now remember this about 2 PM and the drive through had a lineup of about 50 vehicle. They were actually wound around the parking lot. We went inside and found out that you could only order by a computer activated menu panel; actually there was 4 of them. I ask one guys how quick were they filling the order and he says I'm number 286 and the last number called was 195. I looked and Carroll and said, We are out of here. So we had some leftovers at Todd's and got to bed around 3 AM.
We woke up at 10:30, had a shower followed by breakfast and then decided to unpack the suite cases. To my absolute amazement and shock, I had picked up the wrong suitecase . As soon as I open the suite case and seen the ladies underwear I new I was in the wrong pair of pants ( so to speak ). About the same time Todd phone to say that WestJet called our house sitter in Med Hat and they in turn called Todd to say that WestJet had found our lost luggage, which really wasn't lost. The mix up was that I quickly checked the name on the tag and I thought it was Esl on the tag but it was Ebl. It was a paper tag and of course it was wriggled .
My first thought was to call the name on the luggage ( that I stole ) and to deliver and apologize for my error as the phone number was AB. However, I called WestJet and they said just return it to arrivals and pick up your own luggage. Problem solved; but can you imagine if we were going home to Med Hat and the other person was connecting to who knows where.
Quite a way to start 2016. And we got 364 days to go???? We leave for Yuma on or about 4 Jan.
My next blog will be a brief outline of the life and times about the interesting people we met in PP. We hope all our readers will have a Happy and Prosperous new Year . Cheers
Saturday, 2 January 2016
New Years Eve
Our taxi ( Fernando ) was scheduled to pick us up at 12:30 so we could be at the airport by 1 PM giving us lots of time, since our flight was scheduled to leave at 3:30 PM. We arrived at 1:00 PM but the line up was already out to the sidewalk, which surprised the hell out of me. Anyway, we meandered along and spoke to a few of the "working folks " who only had a weeks holidays and were envious because we were here for a month. We were no more than 1/2 an hour getting to the wicket. Of course the WestJet clerk reminded us that we had too much luggage and we would have to pay for the over size, over weight. I said I'm a Veteran and she said I need to seen some ID so I gave her my Retirement Card which she cleared with a supervisor and so Ok , no problem.
After filling out an Immigration forum we had to pay 60.00 USD ( each ) because our stay was over 29 days. This made no sense to us but we were told in advance that we would have to pay it.
The trip to T.O. was uneventful and we were made aware, about 2 weeks ago that our 8:30 flight to Calgary would be delayed by 1 hour. What we did not know , until we got to T.O. that there would be another delay to 10:00. However we had to go thru Customs in Toronto which is a bit of a dance. It is all computerized now, which was new to us. Finally we followed the "Herd" and along way a custom agent took our forum that we filled out on the plane and that was it... no questioned ask. If the refugees get into the country that easy, we are in trouble.
At 8:00 PM they announce they would be loading soon. I thought I missed the announcement so I checked at the counter and said " did you say we are loading at 8 and we are going to sit on the runway until 10 PM for takeoff.. are you serious? She said we are loading soon: so I said my definition of "soon " is 15 minute, what is your definition .. she said we are loading soon.
Shortly after that they announced that they were waiting on a flight from Halifax and I noticed the arrival time was 10 PM so I now know that we will be delayed until at least 10:30. We got airborne at 10:45. To make matters worst we got the rear seats that do not recline.
We also spend the arrival of 2016 somewhere over Saskatchewan as the flight attendant counted down the seconds. That is a first for us!!!
After arriving in Calgary ( it is now 12:20 AM 1 Jan 2016) we waited about 20 minutes for the luggage to roll in. After retrieving our 3 bags we rush outside in the cold only to wait another 25 minutes for a Taxi to take us to our car which was parked at Yvonne's brothers place. Todd and family are at there cabin in Fairmont. There were very few cabs as they were too busy taking drunks home who were naturally bigger "Tippers " than a bunch of grouchy WestJet passengers who wanted to get home to bed. Our Cabbie said he was called to come to the airport because he was in the area. We got to Todd's place at 2:30 AM 1 Jan 2016. We left our condo at 12:30 PM 31 Dec 2015. and the story doesn't end here... cheers
After filling out an Immigration forum we had to pay 60.00 USD ( each ) because our stay was over 29 days. This made no sense to us but we were told in advance that we would have to pay it.
The trip to T.O. was uneventful and we were made aware, about 2 weeks ago that our 8:30 flight to Calgary would be delayed by 1 hour. What we did not know , until we got to T.O. that there would be another delay to 10:00. However we had to go thru Customs in Toronto which is a bit of a dance. It is all computerized now, which was new to us. Finally we followed the "Herd" and along way a custom agent took our forum that we filled out on the plane and that was it... no questioned ask. If the refugees get into the country that easy, we are in trouble.
At 8:00 PM they announce they would be loading soon. I thought I missed the announcement so I checked at the counter and said " did you say we are loading at 8 and we are going to sit on the runway until 10 PM for takeoff.. are you serious? She said we are loading soon: so I said my definition of "soon " is 15 minute, what is your definition .. she said we are loading soon.
Shortly after that they announced that they were waiting on a flight from Halifax and I noticed the arrival time was 10 PM so I now know that we will be delayed until at least 10:30. We got airborne at 10:45. To make matters worst we got the rear seats that do not recline.
We also spend the arrival of 2016 somewhere over Saskatchewan as the flight attendant counted down the seconds. That is a first for us!!!
After arriving in Calgary ( it is now 12:20 AM 1 Jan 2016) we waited about 20 minutes for the luggage to roll in. After retrieving our 3 bags we rush outside in the cold only to wait another 25 minutes for a Taxi to take us to our car which was parked at Yvonne's brothers place. Todd and family are at there cabin in Fairmont. There were very few cabs as they were too busy taking drunks home who were naturally bigger "Tippers " than a bunch of grouchy WestJet passengers who wanted to get home to bed. Our Cabbie said he was called to come to the airport because he was in the area. We got to Todd's place at 2:30 AM 1 Jan 2016. We left our condo at 12:30 PM 31 Dec 2015. and the story doesn't end here... cheers
Last working Day in DR.
Since we are leaving tomorrow (31 Dec ) today we have to prepack and close up loose end before we hit the beach for the last time. Carroll is still trying to figure out why she packed 5 pair of Capris since we spent the past month in Shorts and a bathing suite. I still trying to understand we even needed three suite cases, however, that ship has sailed.
After packing and breakfast, we went down to the pool to check the emails, hockey scores etc and to get Joe to arrange for his favorite taxi ( Fernando ) to pick us up at 6:30 tonight and to take us to a restaurant in Puerto Plata called "Kilometer Zero". Apparently it is the favorite haunt of our friends and the meals are generous and at a reason price. Joe speaks a little Spanish and Fernando speaks a little English but they can't understand each other on the cell phone. So Joe types a text in English, then hits the translation key and Fernando rec the msg in Spanish . Fernando sends a reply in reverse order. Now, how fantastic is that?
Since we have to leave the condo clean including the laundry ( sheets and towels ) we arranged with Mario the Landlord to look after that part after we depart. The bonus for the cleaning lady is that she can have all the condiments, can goods and anything in the fridge.
By this time we are ready for our last hurrah at the beach which includes a swim in the warm Caribbean water. Surprising , the beach was not crowded at all. Possibly all the people at the "All Inclusive " where on tours this day or worrying about getting home if they were on SunQuest.
After spending a few hours at the beach we got ready for supper and went down to the pool area to wait on our taxi. Our friends ( the three couples and Mario ) where checking their emails and sipping on a drink and they told us again what a great restaurant this Kilometer Zero . So off we go in the taxi only to find out that the Restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. " Just the type of friends we needed". We were slightly disappointed but luckily we knew that the Las Palmas was open and we had eaten there a few weeks earlier so the Taxi dropped us off there. The main area has ten table and additionally, they have a sunken garden area that I'm sure would hold another hundred customer but it is not as fancy. When we walked in at 7 PM we were the only customers and I'm thinking, how do they make any money and why do you need 4 or 5 waitresses. By 7:30 the main area was full and by 8:00 there was at least another 50 customers in the Garden area including our friends who sent us to Kilometer Zero. They were all apologetic and Judy and Peter came to our table to apologize again. We can understand how you can lose track of the days in Puerto Plato. However, I will not let them forget it.
Well, that capped our last day of Fun in the Sun as we leave tomorrow. Luckily we are not traveling with SunQuest. cheers
After packing and breakfast, we went down to the pool to check the emails, hockey scores etc and to get Joe to arrange for his favorite taxi ( Fernando ) to pick us up at 6:30 tonight and to take us to a restaurant in Puerto Plata called "Kilometer Zero". Apparently it is the favorite haunt of our friends and the meals are generous and at a reason price. Joe speaks a little Spanish and Fernando speaks a little English but they can't understand each other on the cell phone. So Joe types a text in English, then hits the translation key and Fernando rec the msg in Spanish . Fernando sends a reply in reverse order. Now, how fantastic is that?
Since we have to leave the condo clean including the laundry ( sheets and towels ) we arranged with Mario the Landlord to look after that part after we depart. The bonus for the cleaning lady is that she can have all the condiments, can goods and anything in the fridge.
By this time we are ready for our last hurrah at the beach which includes a swim in the warm Caribbean water. Surprising , the beach was not crowded at all. Possibly all the people at the "All Inclusive " where on tours this day or worrying about getting home if they were on SunQuest.
After spending a few hours at the beach we got ready for supper and went down to the pool area to wait on our taxi. Our friends ( the three couples and Mario ) where checking their emails and sipping on a drink and they told us again what a great restaurant this Kilometer Zero . So off we go in the taxi only to find out that the Restaurant is closed on Wednesdays. " Just the type of friends we needed". We were slightly disappointed but luckily we knew that the Las Palmas was open and we had eaten there a few weeks earlier so the Taxi dropped us off there. The main area has ten table and additionally, they have a sunken garden area that I'm sure would hold another hundred customer but it is not as fancy. When we walked in at 7 PM we were the only customers and I'm thinking, how do they make any money and why do you need 4 or 5 waitresses. By 7:30 the main area was full and by 8:00 there was at least another 50 customers in the Garden area including our friends who sent us to Kilometer Zero. They were all apologetic and Judy and Peter came to our table to apologize again. We can understand how you can lose track of the days in Puerto Plato. However, I will not let them forget it.
Well, that capped our last day of Fun in the Sun as we leave tomorrow. Luckily we are not traveling with SunQuest. cheers
Friday, 1 January 2016
Trip to Sosua
Our trip to Sosua, which is 25 KM away from our condo cost 70.00 USD and was way way way overpriced and I was sure scammed by the tour guide office. . First I ask for a certain tour guide that we had before and that they had to speak English. The guy we had did not speak any English. I fully intended to go back and rip a stripe off the Bastard who sold me the tour but I ran out of time but I told everyone else in the condo about it. So it is what it is; so I will consider it "Lesson Learned".
The town of Sosua is a nice tourist town located in a quite bay where many sail boats anchor overnight when sailing past this Islands. I'm sure it is the Beach and the Bars that attracts the visitors. I met a Guy from Drumheller , who spends 6 weeks in Nov/Dec and another 6 weeks in Mar/Apr ( he owns a Condo ) and he says he sees many returnees each year to get their Winter Fix.
There are many ( probably a 100 ) Shops and Restaurants setback about 200 feet from the beach area and if you stop at a shop it becomes high pressure to buy. I actually intended to but a cap but I wanted to check with a few shops to get a feel of the lowest price. The first shop wanted 20.00 USD so I told him where he could shove it but he then ask what I wanted to pay. I said ,so 20.00 is not your real price so give me your best price and he kept said how much you give me; I said no , I'm not buying you and left.
The next shop owners was funny and in fact lived in Canada at one time. He even said he would take Canadian Tire money and he spoke good English. I just argued with and let Carroll bargain with him and he agreed to sell me a Cap for 10.00. Then Carroll wanted a painting so her and him bargained back forth and finally she got it for 10.00.
We sat around the beach for awhile then had an excellent lunch at a reasonable price. In the early afternoon the tour guide said our tour was over and went home. If we go to Puerto Plata again I think we would stay in Sosua for a couple of days just to see the sites and sounds of the town.
We seen two interesting sites. A young lady was carrying two flats of eggs on her head with weaving in and out among the visitors at the beach. Another guy was carrying a huge basket of fruit on his head selling them to those basking in the sun along the beach. Can you imagine one of us trying balance that on our head. I have a hard enough time just keeping my cap on. Cheers
The town of Sosua is a nice tourist town located in a quite bay where many sail boats anchor overnight when sailing past this Islands. I'm sure it is the Beach and the Bars that attracts the visitors. I met a Guy from Drumheller , who spends 6 weeks in Nov/Dec and another 6 weeks in Mar/Apr ( he owns a Condo ) and he says he sees many returnees each year to get their Winter Fix.
There are many ( probably a 100 ) Shops and Restaurants setback about 200 feet from the beach area and if you stop at a shop it becomes high pressure to buy. I actually intended to but a cap but I wanted to check with a few shops to get a feel of the lowest price. The first shop wanted 20.00 USD so I told him where he could shove it but he then ask what I wanted to pay. I said ,so 20.00 is not your real price so give me your best price and he kept said how much you give me; I said no , I'm not buying you and left.
The next shop owners was funny and in fact lived in Canada at one time. He even said he would take Canadian Tire money and he spoke good English. I just argued with and let Carroll bargain with him and he agreed to sell me a Cap for 10.00. Then Carroll wanted a painting so her and him bargained back forth and finally she got it for 10.00.
We sat around the beach for awhile then had an excellent lunch at a reasonable price. In the early afternoon the tour guide said our tour was over and went home. If we go to Puerto Plata again I think we would stay in Sosua for a couple of days just to see the sites and sounds of the town.
We seen two interesting sites. A young lady was carrying two flats of eggs on her head with weaving in and out among the visitors at the beach. Another guy was carrying a huge basket of fruit on his head selling them to those basking in the sun along the beach. Can you imagine one of us trying balance that on our head. I have a hard enough time just keeping my cap on. Cheers
Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Book our Trip to Sosua
Sosua is a small tourist , beach town , with miles of sandy beach front, located in a very quite bay 25 KM from our condo. It can be easily reach by flagging down a overcrowded local bus but that is not our cup of tea. Therefore we went to the Mall to have tour company get us a much more expensive taxi for tomorrow morning and hopefully tour us around the town and to stay with us until the afternoon.
This cost us 90.00 Cdn which I will probably regret because it does sound overpriced. Then, our beach was calling so we ventured down there for a few hours, soaking up the Sun and reading my 4 th book. As I am keeping a close eye on the WJH I returned to the pool to check the scores on the computer.
We had planned to go for supper at the Golf course which is about a city block from our condo and we where hoping to have an couple join us but there were no takers so we went alone. I guess Monday night is not Supper night at the Golf course as we were the only ones there , however the supper was good.
Tonight is poker night at the pool area, ( Texas Holdem ) with our crew so the men played poker ( excluding me ) and drank while the ladies sit around and swap stories. I , on the other hand did my Blog and checked the hockey scores. I was watching one poker hand and the winner had a Straight and a Flush. When he showed his cards he says I got a Straight and everyone hollered, No , you got a Flush. So much for the " Gambler".
The ladies must have been comparing their Condo layout and facilities . Since our is available for next year, Carroll invited everyone to view ours, as two of the ladies do not like their Condos and want a better one for next year. Two of the ladies want our condo for next year. cheers
This cost us 90.00 Cdn which I will probably regret because it does sound overpriced. Then, our beach was calling so we ventured down there for a few hours, soaking up the Sun and reading my 4 th book. As I am keeping a close eye on the WJH I returned to the pool to check the scores on the computer.
We had planned to go for supper at the Golf course which is about a city block from our condo and we where hoping to have an couple join us but there were no takers so we went alone. I guess Monday night is not Supper night at the Golf course as we were the only ones there , however the supper was good.
Tonight is poker night at the pool area, ( Texas Holdem ) with our crew so the men played poker ( excluding me ) and drank while the ladies sit around and swap stories. I , on the other hand did my Blog and checked the hockey scores. I was watching one poker hand and the winner had a Straight and a Flush. When he showed his cards he says I got a Straight and everyone hollered, No , you got a Flush. So much for the " Gambler".
The ladies must have been comparing their Condo layout and facilities . Since our is available for next year, Carroll invited everyone to view ours, as two of the ladies do not like their Condos and want a better one for next year. Two of the ladies want our condo for next year. cheers
The Gangs All Here
It rained a little during the night and again in the morning, hence the reason the entire Island is a lush green. Even with the windows open the rain seldom comes in the Condo due to the gable overhang.
The Sun soon " Euchred" the rain clouds so by noon it was a bright sunny day so we headed for the beach. We got to the beach just in time to join Peter and Judy ( Christmas Dinner Host ) and Jack and Gwen as they were heading down the beach for lunch at their Special restaurant that they visit every Sunday for lunch. We had never been there for 2 reason; first we did not know about until they came about 2 weeks ago and second reason is that is a 1/2 KM walk ( Carroll says it was a mile one way ) which is the Maximum for Carroll to walk especially on the sand. We were joined by a family friend of Peter and Judy's and their own son, who flew in to visit his parents because his " Skidoo" vacation in the Montreal mountains had been cancelled due to the lack of snow.
This restaurant is actually a two story " Bricks and Mortar " structure that serves fabulous meal in the evening. But during the day it has a huge tent set up outside to serve us old Beach Bums and even those who own as little as a halter top and a thong. Not all those wearing a thong are young. Oh mercy!!!!!The restaurant is called François's and one specially is Poutine , better known as a Heart Attack on a plate. Carroll and I shared a Heart Attack and an Empanada.
Of course there were drinks all around before the food order but I can not drink since I am on Antibiotic so it was water for Carroll and I. Judy ordered a glass with Ice and a Mickey of Rum for her and Peter. I said, surely your are not going to drink all that and she said "probably" not but two drinks of rum is the same price as the Mickey so I'll take the rest home. Incidentally there was nothing to take home.
After lunch we went back to our beach where we had reserved our lounge chairs and burnt up the rest of the day. cheers
The Sun soon " Euchred" the rain clouds so by noon it was a bright sunny day so we headed for the beach. We got to the beach just in time to join Peter and Judy ( Christmas Dinner Host ) and Jack and Gwen as they were heading down the beach for lunch at their Special restaurant that they visit every Sunday for lunch. We had never been there for 2 reason; first we did not know about until they came about 2 weeks ago and second reason is that is a 1/2 KM walk ( Carroll says it was a mile one way ) which is the Maximum for Carroll to walk especially on the sand. We were joined by a family friend of Peter and Judy's and their own son, who flew in to visit his parents because his " Skidoo" vacation in the Montreal mountains had been cancelled due to the lack of snow.
This restaurant is actually a two story " Bricks and Mortar " structure that serves fabulous meal in the evening. But during the day it has a huge tent set up outside to serve us old Beach Bums and even those who own as little as a halter top and a thong. Not all those wearing a thong are young. Oh mercy!!!!!The restaurant is called François's and one specially is Poutine , better known as a Heart Attack on a plate. Carroll and I shared a Heart Attack and an Empanada.
Of course there were drinks all around before the food order but I can not drink since I am on Antibiotic so it was water for Carroll and I. Judy ordered a glass with Ice and a Mickey of Rum for her and Peter. I said, surely your are not going to drink all that and she said "probably" not but two drinks of rum is the same price as the Mickey so I'll take the rest home. Incidentally there was nothing to take home.
After lunch we went back to our beach where we had reserved our lounge chairs and burnt up the rest of the day. cheers
Sunday, 27 December 2015
Boxing Day.
Today is just another work day for the local Dominicans. It also is the day that the "Whiteys " fly in after they got Christmas with the families out of the way. Tomorrow the beaches will be wall to wall "Whiteys" with the older ladies prancing along the beach in their all to Skippy bathing suits they got for Christmas but will never wear again until next year when they go some place that nobody knows them. Hey.. It's true. However, the bars in our area will be full of Canadians watching the USA/ Canada game.
Since the game doesn't start until 2 PM, it was time for us to start checking off the things we have to do before we leave. Since Carroll doesn't want to take any dirty laundry home I went to the office to pay for and have the laundry done today. Whatever gets dirty after today goes home in a sealed bag.
I still had a bout of diarrhea so we went to the Pharmacy . The pharmacist question me reference my illness and assured me that I had a bacteria and recommended pills to "kill " it, which I have to take every 8 hours for 7 days. Since we still had time to kill before the game was to start, we hung around the pool talking with our group.
When it was game time I went to Ron's bar ( a Cdn I met when we first arrived ) as he has every sports channel know to man. However, his TV was " Freeze Framing " which is no way to watch hockey game so he sent me to another bar in the Mall. This bar was full of ONLY Cdns and I found a chair at the bar so I squeezed in. At intermission , I drummed up a conversation and a guy who was an instructor at Red River College in Winnipeg and another guy who was from Lodgepole, which I think is in AB. It was so loud I could only talk to the guy from Winnipeg. At the 2 nd intermission his wife came along and I thought I had her chair so I was prepared to move but she just advise him that she would be at Ron's bar after the game doing her emailing, because Ron has free WiFi and the All Inclusive hotel charges 4.00 and hour to use theirs. Can you imagine???
After the game I headed home before some American found be to say the USA just kick our Ass. cheers
Since the game doesn't start until 2 PM, it was time for us to start checking off the things we have to do before we leave. Since Carroll doesn't want to take any dirty laundry home I went to the office to pay for and have the laundry done today. Whatever gets dirty after today goes home in a sealed bag.
I still had a bout of diarrhea so we went to the Pharmacy . The pharmacist question me reference my illness and assured me that I had a bacteria and recommended pills to "kill " it, which I have to take every 8 hours for 7 days. Since we still had time to kill before the game was to start, we hung around the pool talking with our group.
When it was game time I went to Ron's bar ( a Cdn I met when we first arrived ) as he has every sports channel know to man. However, his TV was " Freeze Framing " which is no way to watch hockey game so he sent me to another bar in the Mall. This bar was full of ONLY Cdns and I found a chair at the bar so I squeezed in. At intermission , I drummed up a conversation and a guy who was an instructor at Red River College in Winnipeg and another guy who was from Lodgepole, which I think is in AB. It was so loud I could only talk to the guy from Winnipeg. At the 2 nd intermission his wife came along and I thought I had her chair so I was prepared to move but she just advise him that she would be at Ron's bar after the game doing her emailing, because Ron has free WiFi and the All Inclusive hotel charges 4.00 and hour to use theirs. Can you imagine???
After the game I headed home before some American found be to say the USA just kick our Ass. cheers
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