Hangin' at the Carwash, yeah

Recap of a very Dominican week:
1. Esperanza - el musical (based on the lyrics of Juan Luis Guerra) Some friends and I went to see the opening night of this musical at the national theater. Going to the theater here is a big deal. People get dressed up to the nines and all the photogs come out to shoot for the society pages (yep, I've made it in at least once...) Last time we went to see a Dominican musical, well, we laughed the whole time...This time around, MUCH BETTER! The plot was pretty terrible, but SO Dominican - the obsession with getting a visa to the States, the central (daily) role of the Gomero (the tire guy), and the constant beat of bachata and merengue...  It's hard to say that it was a good musical, but it was great singing and great entertainment - good enough for me!

2. My new empleada - Maria. I finally managed to get myself an empleada to come clean once a week. She came for the first time yesterday, and boy did she have her work cut out for her.  She arrived at 7am, before I left for work, and she was still working away (with the help of her sister) when I came back at1:30. I think Maria and her sister cleaned every single surface of this apartment. They stayed until nearly 4pm!  As ecstatic as I am to have my place be spotless, this is going to take some getting used to.  They put away everything that was still in boxes from my move - great!, but now I don't know where anything is. And they washed, folded and put away the laundry...into whatever drawers they could find room (again, no clue now where things are...). I also got a lesson on which type of mop to buy so that I get the best shine (apparently I get a C in mop purchasing). I don't really need to see myself in my floor, but now I can.  thanks Maria

3. The Carwash Discoteque.  Last night I went out with a bunch of friends for dinner, drinks and dancing. Best place to go dancing in Santo Domingo (so far) - the carwash.  That's right. The carwash.  Carwashes here turn into dance halls at night on the weekends. Logical, right? - big open spaces, lots of dance floor, not stuffy....some even more enterprising carwashes still wash cars when the dance party has started (and they employ buxom, scantily clad women to do the washing). Alas, the carwash we went to last night was dancing only...

There's my Dominican week for you.  Next DR experience I'll have to try will be the Dominican blow-out.  For now, I'll let you ponder what that might possibly be. :)