Challenges

March, 18, 2009

Today me and Boppy went into town. I woke up feeling REALLY sick because I must have partied too hard on St. Paddys. I tried to fit in with the 17 year olds from Canada, but they just werent having it. They actually really sucked and were really dumb. I don't think I was that dumb at 17.

Today, the tour guide/taxi driver took us around Puerta Plata. People are really pushy here, I suppose as a means of survival. It is really depressing riding around because some buildings which look like they used to be elegant and beautiful are run down and demolished. Most of the shops are closed and boarded up, it's pretty much a wasteland.

The day was kind of like a struggle. I felt like I was in an educational computer game, Here were the challenges.

-Get at taxi driver.
-Find an Amber ring
-Talk down the price of said ring, after getting double teamed and having to stall
-Get free cigar from woman cigar roller.
-Find German man at cigar shop, learn about cigars from him and buy one off him for less than 150 pesos
-Go to gift shop, get followed by annoying guy and manage not to smack him in the face.
-Go to jewelry factory/museum, learn about gemstones in D.R. Click mouse aimlessly at ads for things you don't want.
-Go to san phillipe falls, take a minute to enjoy the view while standing next to a donkey.
-Manage to escape all the locals, selling their wares
-Try to take a picture with said donkey, without having to pay. (fail miserably)
-Go to supermarket-Try to go to bank (inside of supermarket), try to exchange American currency for pesos (fail once again)
-Stomp out of store because youre hung over, tired and cranky and overhear dumb locals talking about us 'touristas' while the bank takes forever to deny your request.
-Go get lunch. Hooray! The challenge is over!