Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Bright Christmas!


Try and go early to avoid the crowds and the traffic. The city government has set up the Bright Christmas attraction at the Parque Iberoamerica of the Avenida Bolivar and Tiradentes. Live entertainment is provided at night. 
The city government has installed 27 million lights in 400 trees over a one-kilometer stretch. It expects three million visitors to enjoy the Disneyworld-like experience.

Sunday, December 01, 2013

Cruising For Carnival


There is a wonderful cruise scheduled to set sail from SDQ in February just in time for Carnival. The exciting thing about the cruise is that it's sponsored by the same group that has hosted so many other gay-themed events and cruises, ZenBiz Travel.

The cruise will feature scenic ports of call in the caribbean and the Antilles. Click HERE.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Ambassador To DR Weds Partner


On Friday, 22 November, at 7pm on the same day as Texas-born James "Wally" Brewster was sworn in by US Vice President Joe Biden as the US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, he married his long-time partner, Bob J. Satawake. Brewster is the senior managing partner for SB&K Global, and Satawake is a managing partner at Sotheby's International Realty's Chicago Luxury Group. They were living in Chicago prior to taking on this new challenge. Brewster is a National LGBT Co-Chair for the Democratic National Committee and is on the Board of the Human Rights Campaign fund. The wedding and reception took place at the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C. overlooking the South Lawn of the White House. 

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/wally-brewsters-really-big-day-sworn-in-as-a-us-ambassador-marries-bob-satawake/politics/2013/11/22/79170#.UpMr4xZ6VUQ

Friday, November 22, 2013

JamDown Junkie!!


Yes, I'm addicted to JamDown Production. This is one of my favorite models, but there are many others to fulfill your fantasies! Check them out HERE.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Art Galleries Tour In SDQ

Take the bus and visit several Santo Domingo art galleries on Thursday evening, 21 November. The Santo Domingo Art Galleries Association organizes this special event every third Thursday in the month from 7 to 9pm. Get together with a group of friends and take the next tour, which leaves from Arawak Art Gallery at Rafael A. Sanchez #53, Piantini / Tel. 809-563-7860 / 809-565-3614 www.artearawak.org.do, www.asociaciondegaleriasrd.com

Monday, November 11, 2013

Veteran's Day

Thanks to all the veterans for all you do for us. Including provide some sexy fantasies about men in AND out of uniform. 

Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Dominican News

New boutique hotel for Colonial City
Casas del XVI is the new boutique hotel scheduled for a 15 December soft opening in Santo Domingo's Colonial City. It is an eight-room luxury hotel located at Calle Mercedes 57 in a collection of three restored colonial houses dating back to the 16th century. The hotel will offer butler service, cultural-themed decor including navigation maps to evoke images of the Colonial City during the age of early exploration.
Westin Puntacana Resort & Club opens in December
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is opening the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club this December 2013. The hotel was built by Grupo Puntacana in a strategic alliance with the leading international hotel chain. The hotel is located in the Playa Blanca beach, a kitesurfing and SUP paddle area within the Puntacana Resort & Club with its many restaurants. Guests have access to golf at Corales and La Cana courses, and the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve and its freshwater lagoons. The 200-room hotel will have 10 suites, a convention area with capacity for 400 persons, facilities for weddings and a children's club. It brings Westin signature standards to the Dominican Republic, including the Heavenly Bed, the SuperFoods and the Westin Workout Studio. 
The Westin is about five minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport, the airport with the most international flights in the Caribbean and Central America.
JetBlue nonstops from Fort Lauderdale to PUJ
JetBlue Airways has announced it will fly non-stop once a day from Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood beginning 1 May 2014. The flight is already available for sale, with special introductory fares starting at $99 one-way for travel from 1 May 2014 through 18 June 2014. The airline also announced new flights to Montego Bay in Jamaica, and Port-of-Spain in Trinidad & Tobago. 
"Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood was JetBlue's very first destination and we have always been very committed to the South Florida region." With the start of the flight the airline expects to be offering 29 nonstop routes and more than 70 daily flights from Fort Lauderdale/ Hollywood on peak days. 
"We are delighted to welcome JetBlue's new service from Fort Lauderdale to Punta Cana," said Magaly Toribio, marketing advisor for the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. "We greatly value our long-term partnership with JetBlue and the new route will positively impact tourism. 
JetBlue's schedule between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Punta Cana (PUJ) effective 1 May 1, 2014: 
The flight will depart FLL at 11:20am arriving at 1:44pm in PUJ. It will depart PUJ at 2:40 to arrive at 5:20pm in FLL.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Panama Independence!

Panama celebrates its Independence Day today. They revel in two centuries free of colonial rule, however it was on November 3, 1903 they called for independence and entered into treaty with the United States. There are actually two "Independence" days for Panama, November 3rd and November 28th. The former being the day they celebrate freedom from Colombia. The latter is when they were freed of Spanish rule.

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Discover Monte Plata


About an hour's drive from Santo Domingo, the hilly province of Monte Plata is seeking to attract more domestic and international travelers to show them what it has to offer. Senator Charlie Mariotti is the coordinator of the annual Expo Monte Plata. Mariotti stresses the ecotouristic treasures of the area. He is pushing for the province to be named the Ecotouristic Province in the Senate. 

The area has beautiful waterfalls in its mountainous region, farmlands and other attractions that will excite the ecotourist.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Boca Chica Upgrades


The Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia says that he wants to help Boca Chica in order to encourage more tourists to visit the town. Proposed initiatives include several new construction projects. 

Speaking at a recent meeting organized by local business owners and workers, the Minister promised to start the new work immediately. 

The work includes improvements to the beach, building a boulevard on Duarte Street, building a seafront promenade and a designated area for fruit sellers and artisans. 

According to the last census carried out between January and March this year, Boca Chica has 1,928 hotel rooms and is the main beach visited by people from the Greater Santo Domingo area. 

www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/9/21/293041/Turismo-asume-el-rescate-de-la-playa-de-Boca-Chica

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Discover Puerto Plata


Puerto Plata will be hosting its Discover Puerto Plata Marketplace, a Puerto Plata Tourism & Cultural Cluster initiative. The event is set to take place from 16-18 October at the BeLive Grand Marien in Costa Dorada. Professionals from 20 countries are expected to attend. There will be 49 stands promoting the goods and services available in Puerto Plata. International tour operators, airlines, hotels and vacation property will be exhibiting. The event serves as a trade show and a platform for educating consumers and the trade on all that Puerto Plata has to offer. The natural, historical and cultural attractions of the North Coast will be highlighted. 
www.discoverpuertoplata.com

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Capital City Tourism Promoted


Sponsored by the Santo Domingo Hotels Association (AHSD) and the Ministry of Tourism, the city of Santo Domingo will be hosting Santo Domingo 2013, Destination Capital City on 14 and 15 October at the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel, announced AHSD president Eduardo Reple. Buyers from all around the world are invited. Reple says the event seeks to present the diversity and versatility of the capital city, which is the gateway to the Americas and center of the first tourism and economic activities in the New World. 
Reple explained that most guests at city hotels have traditionally been business travelers but there are many other segments such as meetings, incentives, conferences and conventions that can be used to make the most of the country's geographical location and the good air connections to the Americas and Europe. 
He said that educational talks are planned to inform international buyers about the city's advantages. There will also be a gastronomical festival and a tour of the Colonial City's bars and restaurants. Participants will be able to experience life in the metropolitan area with Dominican food and music, he said. 
Reple said that these are strategic times to push for the positioning of the capital city as a tourism destination. He said that Santo Domingo has the largest colonial city in the Caribbean, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. He commented that the colonial city is now being renovated but that the city's gastronomy, entertainment options, shopping, and the natural charisma and happiness of Dominicans are what complement this historical site.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Sweet On Santiago

The Ministry of Culture announces the celebration of the Regional Biennial of Dominican Sweets in Santiago for Wednesday, 24 July and Thursday, 25 July. The event is specially dedicated to Zunilda Guillen, Dona Nenita. It will take place at the Palacio Consistorial in Santiago, facing Duarte Park. Some 30 participants from 14 provinces of the central region will present their sweets all day. This is an event that should not be missed.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Merengue Festival In SDQ


The Ministry of Tourism announced that the 2013 Merengue and Caribbean Beats Festival will take place this year at the Plaza Juan Baron of the Malecon of Santo Domingo facing the Caribbean Sea on 2 and 3 August. The event is held to celebrate the anniversary of the city of Santo Domingo. This year the anniversary falls on a Monday (5 August). The event is sponsored by Brugal Rum and the Ministry of Tourism.

Booked for the event are Diomedes & Grupo Mio, El Jeffrey, Joel Santos, Ramon Orlando, Vakero, Los Potros, El Poeta Callejero, Miriam Cruz, David Kada, Pochy Familia & La Coco Band, and the Ministry of Tourism Folklore Dance Group.

The Ministry says there will be firework shows after the closing performance.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

MyVidster Warning!!!

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN BROWSING CONTENT ON MYVIDSTER OR VIEWING CONTENT UPLOADED TO OTTHER SITES FROM MYVIDSTER. THEY HAVE A SERIOUS INVASION OF MALWARE AND RANSOMWARE THAT WILL INFECT YOUR COMPUTER AND BLOCK YOU OUT OF IT.

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

AquaWorld Opens

Another new attraction added to the already popular Sambil Mall in Santo Domingo. I don't know whether this will effect tourist numbers at the National Aquarium, but it seems like a duplication of services.

Aquamundo at Santo Domingo's Sambil Mall opens to the general public on Wednesday, 10 July. The new aquarium features colorful and out of the ordinary fishes, turtles, eels, stingrays and sharks from seas and oceans all over the world. A US$4 million investment, it is said to include 1,500 species from all around the world. The center also has a collection of over 2,500 fish and marine creatures. The aquarium even has a sea tunnel with 15 live sharks.
Guides accompany the visitors and provide explanations about the fish, where they come from, and their particular characteristics. There is a tank with lionfish, one with live corals, and a touch area where children can pet the stingrays. The tour includes crossing through a submarine, where children can touch the controls.
Opening hours are 10am to 9pm and the cost is RD$500 for adults and RD$350 for children.
The aquarium was custom built by International Concept Management (ICM), which also built the Sambil archway tank with over 500 fish that has been on site since the opening of the mall in November 2012.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

News For Travel Season

Just in time for the summer travel season comes this report from the DR.

Armed Forces Minister Sigfrido Pared Perez said yesterday, Monday 24 June, that as a result of the Citizen Security Plan, in which 3,500 members of the military are patrolling the streets as well the police, crime has been reduced by more than 50% across the whole country in the last few days.

He said that every Monday, the Armed Forces evaluate the situation to see if crime has reduced, and that they are working in places where the police are not and that although many people are criticizing their involvement, the reality was that the country could not hide from crime. He stressed however, that the military patrols were a temporary measure.

He continued by saying that if the new Organic Law for the Armed Forces were approved, promotions would depend on qualifications and the number of generals would be reduced.

The existing law dates back to 1988, and although it is good, it is a little behind the times as since then the Ministry has created new institutions and structures for education and performance. He said that there were currently more than 130 generals, and over the next six years there would be less than half that number.
www.elnuevodiario.com.do/app/article.aspx?id=334701

Friday, June 07, 2013