T.G.I.F.

Tomorrow I am heading up to Santiago. There is yet another bodybuilding contest. What can I say, I'm a groupie. We decided to go up a day earlier to sniff out what is going on. Also, we can check out some of the gay Santiago hotspots. I am sure to have some photos of our exploits this weekend. Also, found the video for Arlenis Sosa as the new face of Lancome. She is sooo beautiful.

Also, finally, people are starting to talk about how the taxes and airline tickets to the Dominican Republic are becoming prohibitive. The taxes can sometimes be 52% of the ticket. Somehow I doubt that they will reduce the taxes.

Haina: City of Poison

Fifteen miles from Santo Domingo is the town of Haina. A documentary about Haina talks about the environmental devastation that has wrecked havoc on the town.

Busy Weekend

There was much going on in Santo Domingo this past weekend. Merengue Festival in the colonial zone. And then there was the Mr. Republica Dominica bodybuilding contest on Sunday. Also a Dominican parade in Bronx, New York. I was already to go the bodybuilding contest. Got up at 7:50 am on a Sunday morning. Get there early, sit right behind the judges. Pull out my camera and turn it on. No memory! Left it in my laptop. Silend scream. NOOOOOOO! Fortunately, Ernest was there covering the event for a bodybuilding magazine. The problem is all the good photos of the weigh-in and everyone getting ready must go to the magazine who is paying for them. I will have access to them as soon as they are published. Otherwise, it was a long, but great Sunday.

Bon Voyage

To celebrate Sylvester's last night in town, a few of his friends pulled together and got him a cake and a stripper. Just so he remembers what he's missing when he is back in boring Louisville, Kentucky.

Potential Dominican Model

Press

The publisher of Odyssey Magazine, a gay guide for Southern California, came to survey the scene in Santo Domingo. The article above.

Hola

It has been overcast and cloudy the last couple of days while a tropical depression dumps some rain on us. And it has been incredibly HUMID. Otherwise it is pretty quiet.

This weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) is the start of the annual Merengue Festival on the Malecon. So it should be really crowded in the colonial zone this weekend.

This Sunday is also the Mr. Republica Dominican 2009 bodybuilding contest. They are not really playing it up this year (though I will be there regardless!). And that is because the week after is the bodybuilding championship for the Caribbean, which will be hosted at a stadium in Santiago. Participants are expected from the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Cuba, among other islands. Someone in our crew was able to get a press pass. I, of course, will be his assistant. I want to get backstage and help the contestants get ready. I mean, it is the least I can do. What I'm really looking forward to is the rumored after-party.

Major League Baseball has announced a partnership with Puerto Bani, a new residential ballpark community. Bani is less than an hour west of Santo Domingo. This is the first of many projects planned for the southwest of the country. The plans are very ambitious and it will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Gloria Gaynor, the orignial singer of "I Will Survive," will be performing at the Hard Rock Cafe on August 1, 2009. I wonder how many times she has sang that song?

Did you know that Santiago, Dominican Republic, is on the cutting-edge of stem cell breakthroughs? No. Neither did a lot of other scientists. That hasn't stopped people from paying tens of thousands of dollars to receive treatment. Click here for the story.

Lastly, Sylvester Paige is here and looks great. Also, I want to say Happy Birthday to David Lee.

Until soon,
The Monaga Blogger

A Day @ The Beach

Cosmopolitan Bikini Bash took place at the beach in Juan Dolio yesterday. 1000 bikini-clad women formed the letters cosmo. And where there are beautiful women in bikinis, men can't be far behind. Unfortunately, most photographers there yesterday were concentrating on the woman. But, I found a few photos. The night ended with a huge party.

G.A.L.D.E. Dominican LGBT Picnic

G.A.L.D.E. will be having the 19th annual LGBT Dominican Latin Health Fair Picnic. Taking place on Sunday, July 26, 2009, in the Inwood section of Manhattan. Afterwards, you can go to the after party given by Escandalo Nights.

Benefit for Mahoney tonight @ CHA

There is a benefit tonight at CHA for Mahoney La Vaca. Mahoney has been around the gay community for many years and now he is ill and in need of a kidney transplant. Mahoney is a great guy and we wish him the best.

Hot & Sweaty

New Model Prisons in the Dominican Republic

Pate Palo

The front entrance to Pate PaloPlaza Espana Sunday NightSea Bass

Crispy Apple Shrimp
One of the best known restaurants in the colonial zone is Pate Palo. I think it is one of the best restaurants in Santo Domingo. Last night I had a great meal there with a couple of friends. Pate Palo is located on Plaza Espana. There are several restaurants located there, and I have eaten at many of them, but you will notice that Pate Palo consistently has the largest crowds. Once you taste the food you will understand why. The menu is deliciouslThis is also great restaurant for a romantic meal or drinks when the sun goes down. The next time you are in Santo Domingo and looking for something special, check out Pate Palo.

Mr. Republica Dominicana 2009

This is one of my favorite times of year. The bodybuilding contest is taking place on the last Sunday of this month. Then the first Sunday in August will be a bodybuilding contest in Santiago that will have competitors from all over the Caribbean. I hope to see you there.

I'm Back

Needed a break from blogging, but now I'm back. Who knew while I was gone so many things would happen. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson have all died. All three of them have been in my celebrity orbit for as long as I can remember. I hope Michael is at peace now.

Pan Am World Airways Dominicana is a new airline flying from Santo Domingo to Puerto Rico. (www.pawadominicana.com)

And article about the effect of the decline in remittmances.

Air France is really having a bad time lately. They had a flight take off from Santo Domingo, bound for Paris. It had to return after 20 mintues because of some mechanical problems.

JetBlue now flies directly from Boston to Santo Domingo.

The Dominican Republic is second in the world for "green living" happiness.

Gay Pride 2009?

As first reported on Blabbeando, there was to be a gay pride celebration in Parque Duarte in the colonial zone section of Santo Domingo (last weekend), but it was thwarted by the police. There was no march down El Conde this year. I understand that permits were not granted for any marches, or for celebrations in Parque Duarte. The police showed up and tried to use intimidation to get everyone to disperse. But, most people stayed. Even after they pulled out cameras to take photos of the revelers, and turned on spotlights, and other measures to make people leave. There was even a "symbolic wedding" in the park. I think that really set off some people (wedding invitation at bottom).

Parque Duarte is the gathering place for gays in Santo Domingo, particularly young gays. In fact, most gays from around the country know that this is the place to come to meet other gays. The park is named after one of the founders of the country, Juan Pablo Duarte. Also, there is a church, and an order of nuns across the street. And people have started to complain about the "delinquents" who gather in the park. Many years ago the gay gathering spot was over near Plaza Espana. Many of the businesses there didn't like it one bit. They put enormous pressure on the authorities to do something about it. And gays no longer gather in that area in large numbers. I believe the same campaign is being started now with regards to Parque Duarte. Could it be that the same campaign is being tried again?

At least there was a big gay pride party @ CHA: