Jan Trabandt Travel Blog » Dominican Republic

Interesting haircut experience in Punta Cana

JT — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 14:53:54 +0000

Interesting (men’s) hair cut experience yesterday afternoon for US$10 here in Bavaro, Dominican Republic.

Painful is the word. Lots of pain. Like a bad beach massage where the masseuse is just pressing hard in a beat you up kind of way, instead of being helpful.

He really pressed the trimmer (with attachment) hard on my head, bent my ears forcefully, poked at my head to get me tilt this way or that. No finesse. I’ve never been so uncomfortable at a haircut.

Come to think of it, I’ve never had the trimmer portion take so much time and effort…

And hygiene? Ha! No sterilizer, and when he dropped his comb near the end, he gave it a little tap (not even a wipe) and went back to work on my head. Really!?

And to top it off, he as drinking Chivas Regal (scotch). While working on me. Nice.

Whale = ballena = vah-JAY-na!?

JT — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 01:53:30 +0000

In Spanish whales are “ballenas” (pronounced ba-YEH-nas in Spain).
When we did the whale watching cruise in Samaná, Dominican Republic, earlier this month, with a terrific Canadian marine biologist named Kim leading the boat, it sounded like she said “vajena”. As in vajayjay.

Though it actually makes sense with the local dialect (her gringo accent notwithstanding):

– a “b” and “v” are almost interchangeable (in fact you even see a town Veron spelled as Beron sometimes on the side of taxis)
– an “ll” is pronounced like a j (as opposed to a y or “lli” as in million)
– the “s” at the end of the word is dropped in the D.R.

So it sounds over the loudspeaker like “the vajayjay dives at regular intervals”

PUJ – EWR biz on UA

JT — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 04:02:36 +0000

Amazing how many people are napping on a sub 4 hour mid afternoon flight.

Drained batteries on 2 laptops to watch one movie… How can they have entertainment on your own device and no power ports? Sigh… First world problems!

Lunch before the vino tinto…

Panama: Casco Viejo

JT — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:57:40 +0000

Trying again, lost my text the first time too.

Oldest part of town, reminds me of colonial zone in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Interesting restored colonial buildings, dilapidated ones, empty shells (just walls) and ruins.

When the canal was started 100 years ago, i thus was the entire city.

Wow are regular headsets useless on a plane!

JT — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 21:37:29 +0000

I accidentally packed mine in checked luggage and paid the price.

In the plus side I did get upgraded on 5 of 6 legs this trip.

Here is the biz meal from today’s flight to Chicago where I’ll catch up with a friend tonight before continuing to Toronto tomorrow to see my beloved.

Lunch in half empty biz PUJ -> EWR

JT — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Not sure why the “soup spoon” is a tiny plastic teaspoon (alongside metal knife and fork). Received a metal teaspoon upon asking, a little better. Ah, first world problems

And I won’t be eating that bread, going gluten free. More on that later.

Doc says I can leave the hospital today!

JT — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:17:29 +0000

After 3 nights, yeah!
It turns out there is another patient here with dengue fever…

Kudos to the great staff at Centro Medico Punta Cana.

In the hospital with dengue fever

JT — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:17:33 +0000

After a rough weekend in bed with a fever and aches. In the Dominican Republic.
Most likely got bit in Singapore based on the incubation period.