Advertisement
Published: July 15th 2015
Edit Blog Post
The Grand Staircase
I love these stairs. It is a pleasure to climb them to our room. I don't even miss not having an elevator. AFFORDABLE LUXURY
Peirgiorgio Palace Hotel
Our second day in Santa Domingo started with the Weston Suites’ very fine breakfast. It was probably the most complete free breakfast I have had since I started traveling. It had a buffet that changed daily. You could order eggs the way you like them. There was a very diverse fresh fruit tray, breads, and some days there were pancakes or French toast. There were cereals and yogurt, juice and hot beverages, and it was all you can eat. The breakfast room was on one of the top floors so there was a great view as well.
When we were full we went to the bus station and caught the bus to Sosua, Puerto Plata. It was a three and a half hour ride. The bus was comfortable and the price was right. Getting off the bus added excitement to our trip. We got off on the side of the busy road, with all our luggage, squished between the bus and the traffic. We got a taxi immediately however and were at our charming old hotel in minutes. We checked in and as we gathered our bags
The Main Foyer
Sometimes when there is a problem with the internet we sat here. Such a gracious area. I realized I was missing my underwater dive camera bag. I was dismayed. I frantically explained my predicament to the desk clerk and she called the taxi companies and found the man who had driven us to the hotel. He agreed to return immediately. He wanted $25 for the extra trip, which was fine with me since the camera is worth a lot and I would be bereft having to dive without it.
We stayed at the Piergiorgio Palace Hotel, and it is like a palace. The owners were from Italy and the hotel was the husband’s dream project. He passed away several years ago and the widow continues to live here, with her daughter. The gracious owner (might I call her the grande dame?) insisted I take her umbrella when it was raining, as we were stepping outside to get to the in-house restaurant. There are marble pillars, and gorgeous Italian tile on the floors and in the bathrooms. The furniture is elegant, and there are several buildings with lots of little nooks and crannies to explore. It has a sweeping floor plan, and the grounds include a pool, a weight room, a gazebo overlooking the
The Gardens
Beautiful and beautifully tended. ocean, a dance floor, and egress into the sea should you prefer to swim there. The gardens are extensive, well taken care of, and provide an abundance of blooms. I loved it. When we were in the hotel I felt like a princess.
We deposited ALL of our luggage and then walked down the street and around a corner to the dive shops. Since it was after five most of them were closed, but we talked to Aqua Adventure, the one that was still open and set up a couple of dives for the next day.
After several trips to the market for food, to the dive shops, to restaurants, or just plain exploring we began to notice there were a lot of women in the streets with very tight, revealing clothes. Often curvaceous, their jeans were stretched to the limit. Finally Michael mentioned it to a taxi driver and learned that the area was well known for sex for sale. Sometimes you just had to comment on the bizarre outfits. We well fed American women could definitely buy clothes off the racks here.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.067s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 29; dbt: 0.041s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb