Miscellaneous
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Updated June 8, 2009 Conference Sponsors: National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB), Indotel, the IBB, Continental Electronics, Thomson Radio Broadcast, Inc.; and the DRM Consortium. Conference Registration Forms: The official registration form and the letter of invitation are on the private area of the HFCC website (www.hfcc.org). If you do not have access to the private area of the HFCC website, please e-mail us and we will send you a copy of the form. Our e-mail is: info@wrmi.net. Hotel: The Conference will take place at Dreams Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort located about one hour north of Punta Cana International Airport. Dreams is secluded in lush tropical gardens that face a pristine beach with blue waters. The Dreams Punta Cana Resort has a free-form swimming pool that winds its way from the lobby down to the beach and is complete with waterfalls and a swim-up bar. The resort is for adults and children, and there are special activities and a special swimming pool for the kids. Because it's in a tropical paradise, it's a popular location for weddings. The resort has 620 rooms and suites within nine three-story buildings. Other features of Dreams Punta Cana include a jacuzzi, large sun decks with shaded areas, a fitness center, a world-class spa (extra charge applies for spa), 24-hour room service (included), shopping gallery, indoor theater and tour desk. Laundry service and a medical center are available for an extra charge. The special hotel conference rate is $130 per night for a single room and $168 per night for a double room (i.e. $84 per person). If you will have more than two persons in your room, or if you want adjoining rooms for family members, please contact the Conference Committee for special rates that are available. Frequently Asked Questions: Can I come early and/or stay late? Yes, you can come up to four days before the conference or stay up to four days afterwards at the same conference room rate. Can I pay the hotel in cash? Yes, or of course you can pay with a credit card also. You will need a credit card to guarantee your room reservation. If you don't have a credit card, contact us to make special arrangements. Can I bring family and friends along for the same conference room rate? Yes. Just indicate their names and credit card information on your registration form or on a separate registration form. Remember that children under 12 staying in the same room with their parents or guardians are free. Guest room amenities: One king-size bed or two double beds, closet, balcony or terrace, mp3 docking station alarm clock, air conditioning, ceiling fan, direct-dial telephone, satellite TV, CD/DVD player, coffee maker, electronic safe, iron and ironing board, free minibar, bathroom with shower, bathrobes and slippers, hair dryer, vanity and mirror, umbrella, work desk, luggage and pillow bench. If you are interested in a room upgrade to a junior suite or a swim-out room (with direct access to the swimming pool from your room) or a room with a jacuzzi, please contact the Conference Committee and we will give you the information about additional prices for room upgrades. Daytime activities at Dreams Resort: Euro-bungee, "iceberg" climbing, ocean trampoline, ping-pong, basketball, volleyball, bocce-ball, beach ball, golf (off-site for extra charge), jogging trail, darts, giant chess, tennis, horseback riding (extra charge), bicycles, board games, yoga, aerobics, water aerobics, beach football, non-motorized waters sports, catamaran, scuba diving classes, kayaks, windsurfing, snorkeling, dance classes and Spanish classes. Entertainment at Dreams Resort: The hotel has a theater with live entertainment each night, theme nights, night club/disco, a casino open from 4 pm to 3 am, cocktail reception with the management, beach parties once per week. Other entertainment at the resort includes such things as tennis lessons, mini golf, pool games, merengue and bachata dance lessons, Spanish lessons, beach aerobics, archery, water polo, aqua gym, ping pong, bike tours, basketball, baseball, bingo, shuffleboard and big-screen movies on the beach at night. Entry Requirements: Travelers from many countries can enter the Dominican Republic with only their passport, purchasing a $10 Tourist Card at the airport upon arrival. Some nationalities will need to obtain a visa before arrival. When you send us your conference registration, we will inform you if you need a visa and how to obtain it. Note that citizens of countries that need visas to enter the Dominican Republic are exempt from the visa requirement if they have a valid (non-expired) entry visa to the United States, Canada, the European Union or Great Britain in their passport. The Conference Committee is making special arrangements with the Dominican authorities to obtain visas for those delegates who require them. We will advise you if you need a visa after you send us your registration form. Please advise us if you are not a citizen of the country in which you reside. Airport: We strongly suggest that you fly directly to Punta Cana International Airport, which is a one-hour drive from Dreams Punta Cana. The Punta Cana airport is a privately-owned commercial airport built in a traditional Dominican style with open-air terminals and roofs covered in palm fronds. A large number of scheduled and charter airlines fly to Punta Cana from the United States, Canada, Europe and Latin America. This is the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic, receiving more than 3 million passengers in 2007. Punta Cana is the only Latin American airport with direct flights to both Russia and the United States. Punta Cana Group (the airport's owners) are discussing opening direct routes to the United Arab Emirates and China in the near future. This would make Punta Cana International Airport the first Caribbean airport to have direct flights to Asia. Here is a list of international airlines and destinations served from Punta Cana International Airport. Please verify current schedules with the airlines. Aerocaribbean (Varadero, Cuba) AeroGal (Guayaquil, Quito) Aerolineas Argentinas (Buenos Aires-Ezeiza) [seasonal] AeroRepública (Bogotá) [seasonal] Air Astana (Astana, Kiev-Boryspil, Shannon) Air Canada (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Moncton, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg) Air Comet (Madrid) Air Dominicana (Bogotá, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Guayaquil, Caracas, New York-JFK, Miami, San Juan, Tampa) [Charter] Air Europa (Madrid) Air France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle) Air Pullmantur (Madrid) Air Transat (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Puerto Plata, Quebec City, St. John's, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg) Allegiant Air (Chicago/Rockford, Greenville/Spartanburg, Milwaukee) [seasonal] American Airlines (Miami, New York-JFK) American Eagle (San Juan) Arkefly (Amsterdam, Puerto Plata) Austrian Airlines (Vienna) Avianca (Bogotá) Belair (Zürich) CanJet (Halifax, Moncton, Nassau, Quebec City) Condor Airlines (Frankfurt) Continental Airlines (Newark) Conviasa (Caracas) [seasonal] Copa Airlines (Panama City) Corsairfly (Amsterdam, Fort de France, Paris-Orly, Samana-El Catey, St. Maarten) Czech Airlines (Prague - seasonal) Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, New York-JFK [ends August 18]) Edelweiss Air (Zurich) EuroAtlantic Airways (Faro, Lisbon) Eurofly (Milan-Malpensa) First Choice Airways (London-Gatwick, Glasgow-International [begins May 9, 2009], Manchester (UK)) Iberworld (Barcelona, Madrid) Jetairfly (Brussels) LAN Airlines (Miami, Santiago de Chile) LAN Argentina (Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Miami) Lauda Air (Vienna [begins December 24]) Livingston Airlines (Antigua, Milan-Malpensa, St. Lucia) LTU International/Air Berlin (Berlin-Tegel, Düsseldorf, Leipzig/Halle, Munich) Martinair (Amsterdam) Mexicana (Mexico City) [Seasonal] Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul) [ends January 2009] Orbest (Lisbon) Pan Am World Airways Dominicana (Aguadilla) Ryan International Airlines (Boston, Milwaukee [seasonal], Orlando-Sanford, Chicago-O'Hare) Sata International (Lisbon) Skyservice (Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, Kitchener, Montreal, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg) Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale) [seasonal] Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul) [seasonal] Sunwing Airlines (Bagotville, Gander, Halifax, London (ON), Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, St. John's, Saint John, Toronto-Pearson, St. Petersburg/Clearwater) TAM Airlines (Sao Paulo-Garulhos) [charter] Tame (Quito, Guayaquil) [seasonal] Thomas Cook Airlines (Belfast-International, London-Gatwick, Manchester (UK)) Thomsonfly (Birmingham (UK), London-Gatwick, Glasgow-International [begins May 9, 2009] Manchester (UK), Newcastle) Transaero (Moscow-Domodedovo) United Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare) US Airways (Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia) USA3000 Airlines (Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-O'Hare, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky [seasonal], Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, St. Louis) WestJet (Toronto-Pearson) XL Airways (London-Gatwick, Manchester (UK)) XL Airways France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle [seasonal], Paris-Orly) Tips Regarding Flights to Punta Cana: In mid-February, we checked some flights and round-trip airfares to Punta Cana. Some of the least expensive flights to Punta Cana we have found from Europe for mid-August are American Airlines from Madrid (USD 1046 round-trip), Brussels (USD 1044) and Amsterdam (USD 1052); and US Airways from London (USD 1091). All of these involve connections through the United States, so a U.S. visa or entry permission would be necessary. There is a non-stop flight from Frankfurt to Punta Cana on Condor Airlines for USD 1199, which does not go through the U.S. There are a number of connections through the U.S. On American Airlines, US Airways, Delta, United and Continental. Some of the fares we found for mid-August were Paris-Punta Cana on Continental for USD 1263, Rome-Punta Cana on US Airways for USD 1300, Lisbon-Punta Cana on American Airlines for USD 1382, Milan-Punta Cana on US Airways for USD 1276, Moscow-Punta Cana on United Airlines for USD 1542, Dubai-Punta Cana on American Airlines for USD 1490, and Istanbul-Punta Cana on American Airlines for USD 1547. All of these require connections through the U.S. There is an Air Europa flight from Tunis-Punta Cana (with one stop in Madrid) on Air Europa for USD 1420, which does not stop in the U.S. You can also fly to Miami and take American Airlines from Miami-Punta Cana for USD 372 round-trip. For those who do not want to connect through the U.S., you can fly via Canada, where Air Canada and several other airlines fly from Montreal, Toronto and other cities direct to Punta Cana for around USD 600-USD 700. You may also want to check charter airlines in your country or nearby countries for flights to Punta Cana. Some of these companies are listed above; some operate this route in August and others do not. If you find good fares and connections from your country, please let us know so we can post the information on this website for others. Geoff Spells indicates that there are direct flights from London Gatwick to Punta Cana for around 850 euros; these are charter flights and operate only Wednesdays and Thursdays. Geoff says there are plenty of options from the UK using American carriers changing at Miami, New York, etc. for around 950 euros. Arrival at Punta Cana International Airport: When you enter the terminal building, if you need a Tourist Card, you will have to buy this first (for US$10) before you get in the line for immigration. You will see a desk where you can purchase the Tourist Card. After passing through immigration, you will pick up your baggage and go through customs, which is generally a quick and easy procedure. It is a one-hour drive from the airport to the Dreams Punta Cana resort. Taxis and other public transport generally charge around $70-$80 one-way. We strongly suggest that you arrange your transportation from the airport to the hotel with the Conference Committee, as we have made arrangements with a local provider at the best rates (and with air conditioning) and you will be met personally at the airport. Please note that parts of the road between the airport and the hotel are unpaved and are very bumpy, but it is perfectly safe and you'll find the one-hour drive well worth it when you arrive at the resort. |
Telephone Service: The Dominican telecommunications infrastructure is very good. From your hotel room, you can call anywhere in the world with no problem. The cost is approximately US$2 per minute for calls to North America and US$3 per minute for calls to Europe. There is a voice mail system on your room telephone. If you have a GSM cellular phone with international roaming enabled, you can use it in Punta Cana and at the hotel. Internet: Wireless Internet will be available in the conference meeting room. It is also available in individual hotel rooms, where there is a charge of $25 per 25 hours (they do not have to be used consecutively) or $60 per week for unlimited service. Broadcasting and media: Throughout the country, there are about 290 AM and FM radio stations, 46 television stations, plus other cable TV and satellite stations. There are also a handful of tropical band shortwave stations. The Dominican Republic is the only Caribbean island besides Cuba that has shortwave broadcast stations operating. National and international newspapers are available in the hotel gift shop. TV channels may vary, but during a recent stay at Dreams we noted the following channels available on the in-room satellite TV system: Channel 3 – HBO Plus (Spanish) Channel 4 – HBO Family (English) Channel 5 – Cinemax (English) Channel 6 – Movie City (with Spanish subtitles) Channel 7 – Boomerang (animated features in English) Channel 8 – Discovery Kids (Spanish) Channel 9 – Disney Channel (Spanish/English) Channel 10 – Fox News (English) Channel 12 – RAI Italy Channel 13 – TV5 Monde (French) Health matters: No vaccinations are required to enter the Dominican Republic. The sun is very hot in Punta Cana in late August, so bring sunglasses and use plenty of high-protection sunscreen lotion when you are outdoors – particularly at the pool or the beach – in order to avoid sunburns. You will find a bottle of 15 SPF sunscreen lotion in your hotel room. As in many tropical countries, it is not recommended to drink tap water. We recommend drinking bottled water and other canned or bottled beverages. The water and ice used at the resort restaurants is filtered. The restaurant conditions are very sanitary, but there is always the possibility of getting stomach problems when eating any food in unfamiliar countries. Therefore, you may want to bring with you some Imodium, Pepto Bismol or other similar medicine, just in case. Dreams has a doctor on-site for any medical problems, but they do charge for medical treatment. For any serious problems, it would be necessary to go to a hospital in Punta Cana, about an hour away. Religious services: Dreams Punta Cana Resort has a Catholic mass on Sunday mornings. Hotel Beach: The beach at Dreams is called Playa Uvero Alto (Uvero Alto Beach). You'll find fine tan-colored sand and beautiful blue waters. Some parts of the hotel beach have coral just offshore, so you may want to bring beach shoes (the type that can be worn into the water) with you. There is an area with no coral near the water trampoline. Beach chairs, towels and other items are available for use at no charge. Snorkeling is good at the beach, and there is some snorkel gear available at the hotel, but you can also bring your own. The hotel offers guests free introductory scuba lessons in the swimming pool, and there are paid dive packages available from the hotel. Tours: Dreams is a self-contained resort, and there's really no need to leave the resort complex during the week we will be there unless you want to take a tour to nearby areas. There is an excursion desk at the hotel which offers trips to places like Saona Island nature reserve, the Mediterranean-style village at Altos de Chavon, the historic basilica in the city of Higuey, tours to sugarcane plantations, zip line trips, catamaran excursions, deep sea fishing, etc. Post-Conference Excursion: An optional one-day group excursion from the conference hotel to Santo Domingo is planned for the day after the HFCC/ASBU Conference ends (Saturday, August 22). The tour will be by bus, and will visit historic and tourist attractions in the Dominican capital, with lunch at a typical Dominican restaurant with a folkloric music show. Some of the major attractions in Santo Domingo include the Colonial Zone with the first cathedral in the Americas, the Columbus Lighthouse containing the explorer's tomb, and numerous museums, galleries and theaters. The price of the tour will be approximately US$75. Shopping: There are several shops at the Dreams resort (including a gift shop and pharmacy), and there is a small shopping center called Plaza Uvero Alto located about two kilometers from the hotel. Just beside Plaza Uvero Alto is an area where you can purchase local handicrafts such as leather and straw goods, colorful paintings and wood carvings in an informal market. Other typical souvenirs of the Dominican Republic include cigars, jewelry (particularly amber and larimar), rum, coffee and CD's of merengue music. At certain times and days, local vendors are allowed onto the resort property to offer handicrafts to interested guests. You can – and should – bargain with the sellers at open-air markets. In the hotel shops, prices are fixed. Most places will accept U.S. dollars, Dominican pesos or euro equivalents. The Punta Cana airport also has duty-free and souvenir shops. And you'll find handicrafts and other souvenirs at some of the places we'll be visiting on the post-conference excursion to Santo Domingo. Money: Most things in Punta Cana are dollarized, and occasionally priced in euros. You may not even see Dominican pesos at the resorts. If you have pesos, you can always pay the peso equivalent of dollar prices. There is a bank with an ATM machine at the Punta Cana airport where you can withdraw pesos from your bank or credit cards. There is also a bank and ATM at the small shopping center near the Dreams resort. You can exchange currencies at the resort, and the hotel will provide cash advances for up to US$300 per day if you have a credit card. You will need to pay the Conference registration fee (the equivalent of 150 euros) in U.S. dollars (cash only). You can pay the hotel in cash or by credit card. If you buy souvenirs at the open-air markets, you will need cash (dollars or pesos). We suggest that you bring a quantity of U.S. one-dollar bills with you to use as tips. You can pay for excursions with credit cards or cash. As of June 2009, the exchange rate was approximately 36 pesos to one U.S. Dollar. You can use a credit card or cash as a guarantee for any incidental charges at the hotel during your stay. Conference Program: The Conference will begin at around 9:00 am on Monday. You should plan to arrive in Punta Cana by Sunday, or earlier if you want some extra time to enjoy the sun and sand. (The conference room rates will be in effect as of August 12 and until August 31.) Registration will be open on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 16) and Monday morning (Aug. 17). The meeting will be opened on Monday by HFCC, ASBU and Dominican officials. Generally speaking, the sessions will run from approximately 9:00 am until 5:00 pm daily, with a break for lunch. There are usually three or four restaurants open at the resort for lunch. You may eat dinner at any of the resort restaurants, and there is nightly entertainment in the theater. The conference will end at noon on Friday, although we are planning a DRM seminar for local/national Dominican broadcasters on Friday afternoon. The optional tour to Santo Domingo will leave the hotel just after breakfast on Saturday, returning in early evening in time for a private cocktail reception hosted by Thomson Radio Broadcast, dinner and a Taino Show, showcasing the culture of the Taino indians who originally inhabited the island of Hispaniola before the arrival of Columbus. You may want to fly out of Punta Cana airport on Sunday, or you can stay around for another day or so to enjoy the resort at the special conference room rate. |
Language: The language of the Dominican Republic is Spanish. Because of the large number of North American and European tourists in the Punta Cana area, English (at least rudimentary English) is widely spoken by personnel in the resorts, along with some other European languages. The Dreams resort actually offers free Spanish lessons for guests. You'll find the days and times indicated in a printed bulletin delivered to your room each day. Economy: The Dominican Republic is a developing country, although economic growth has been fast in recent years. In the Punta Cana area, the economy is based primarily on international tourism. Many of the employees of the resorts are people of meager economic means. But they are hard workers, and almost without exception they are welcoming and go out of their way to be helpful to foreign tourists. Santo Domingo, the capital city, has turned into a major metropolis of nearly three million people with modern skyscrapers and highways, although traffic in the city can be frustrating at times. Driving in the Dominican Republic is quite challenging, as many roads are not in good condition and rules are often overlooked. We do not recommend driving rental cars in Santo Domingo; in other parts of the country, you should only do so with much caution. Weather: The Dominican Republic has a tropical climate. Temperatures in Punta Cana in late August tend to be about 31 degrees C during the day and around 24 degrees C at night. Most of the buildings at Dreams (including your room) are air conditioned, and you can always escape to the swimming pool (which is one of the largest in the Caribbean) and the ocean. Some areas and restaurants in the resort are open-air with no air conditioning but with pleasant ocean breezes. August is technically hurricane season in the Caribbean, but the likelihood of a tropical storm or hurricane hitting the Punta Cana area during our conference is extremely small. Historically, there have been few tropical storms in the Punta Cana area. The hotel's structures are well-built to resist strong winds, and the resort has electrical generators in the event of power outages. With modern forecasting methods, the approach of any hurricane is known days in advance, so appropriate measures can be taken. Tipping: The Dreams resort is all-inclusive, meaning that gratuities are technically included in your room price. However, as a practical matter, it is customary to give small additional tips for especially good service. As mentioned earlier, many of the employees are people of very low income, so they greatly appreciate tips and will reciprocate with special service. We suggest bringing a quantity of US$1 bills for tips; a dollar or two is sufficient for most tips. Time: All of the Dominican Republic is on UTC -4 year-round. As in many parts of the Caribbean, time has a much different context for people than it does in North America or Europe, for example. The pace of life is slow. The level of service is quite high, but don't expect people to do everything immediately. Things can take time, and the best idea is to just accept this reality and “go with the flow.” In Spanish, the term “ahorita” means “right now” in most Latin American countries. In the Dominican Republic, however, “ahorita” means “later.” You should also be aware that most people take a siesta break at mid-day (approximately 1:00-4:00 pm), and then return to work for a few hours after the siesta. This will not be so notable at the resort, but if you go outside of the hotel or elsewhere in the country, you will notice this tradition is still very much alive. Restaurants: Dreams has one buffet restaurant and several a la carte restaurants serving a wide variety of local and international cuisine. Guests can go to any restaurant any day or time (during their regular hours), and no reservations are needed; in fact, reservations are not accepted. There is a dress code at some of the a la carte restaurants for dinner. Generally, men must wear long pants, shirts with collars (polo-type shirts are fine) and closed shoes (no sandals). Young children are not allowed in the Bordeaux French restaurant nor the Himitsu Oriental restaurant, but otherwise anyone can use any restaurant. Vegetarians will find plenty of choices, especially in the buffets. All meals are included in your room price. Here is a list of the resort's restaurants: World Cafe: The air conditioned main casual restaurant featuring a variety of local and international cuisine in buffet style. Open for breakfast from 6:30-11:00 am, lunch from 12:30-4:00 pm and dinner from 6:00-11:00 pm. La Trattoria: Air conditioned, located on lower lobby level. A casual restaurant featuring a variety of gourmet Italian specialties. Open 6:00-10:30 pm. Himitsu: Air conditioned with Asian cuisine, featuring Teppanyaki grill tables (reservations required for Tepanyaki) in an elegant Oriental atmosphere. Open 6:00-10:30 pm. Children under 6 years old not allowed. Bordeaux: This air conditioned restaurant is for adults only (18 years or older). Enjoy a spectacular ocean view while savoring exquisite French gourmet dining in an elegant atmosphere. Open 7:00-10:30 pm. El Patio: Air conditioned a la carte restaurant with traditional Mexican cuisine. Open 6:00-10:30 pm. Oceana: Fish and seafood specialties served under a giant open-air "palapa" located on the beach. Open 5:00-10:30 pm. Seaside Grill: A variety of grilled steaks and hamburgers served under a giant open-air "palapa" located at the beach. Also has an appetizer, salad and dessert bar. Open for breakfast 7:00-10:00 am, lunch from 12:00-4:00 pm and dinner from 6:30-11:00 pm. Dress: As mentioned, there is a dress code at the a la carte restaurants for dinner. Otherwise, dress at the resort is very resort casual. T-shirts and short pants are fine most anywhere. Swimwear should only be worn in the beachside and poolside grills. For the conference sessions themselves, feel free to dress as you please. However, because of the warm climate, you may want to wear more comfortable resort-type clothing rather than suit jackets and ties. Food: Since guests come from all over the world, the food at the Dreams resort restaurants is international. Some typical Dominican food is also available. Dominican cuisine is based largely on rice with red beans and some sort of meat or chicken. Plantains (like large bananas) are also very common; they may be unripe (in which case they are called “tostones” and taste like French fries) or ripe (called “maduros” and sweet-tasting like sweet potatoes). A popular dish called “mofongo” is made of unripe plantains smashed in a pestle, mixed with some pieces of pork rind and often served with chunks of meat and/or broth to make it less dry. Do try it if you get a chance. Being right on the coast, fish and seafood is of course abundant. Since this is a tropical country, there are a lot of excellent fruit-based desserts. Dreams Punta Cana Resort offers a Dominican buffet Friday nights in the World Cafe buffet restaurant and on Monday nights on the beach. Drink: One of the advantages of an all-inclusive resort is that unlimited beverages are included in your room price. This means water, bottled water, soft drinks, tea, coffee, fruit juices, beer, wine and almost all alcoholic beverages. You may want to try some of the tropical Caribbean mixed drinks, and if you do not drink alcohol you can simply ask for your drink to be without alcohol (“sin alcohol” in Spanish). There are nine bars throughout the resort, including a swim-up bar in the pool. Waiters will also take drink orders on the beach. Drinks with meals are also included in your room price. Both Dominican and international alcoholic drinks are included. Please note that some restaurants will offer a list of wines that can be purchased, but house wine is always free of charge. In your hotel room you will find a mini-refrigerator filled with water, soft drinks and beer. These drinks are free, and the mini-refrigerator is refilled daily. In the Dominican Republic, the two primary alcoholic beverages produced are beer and rum. The most popular beer is called Presidente, but there are some other good brands as well, such as Bohemia. Presidente is considered by many to be one of the best beers in the world, and it is especially good when served chilled on a hot day. There are several brands of Dominican rum, including Barcelo, Brugal and Bermudez, each available in white, gold and aged (“añejo”) varieties. The “Cuba Libre” (rum and Coke) is a popular drink in the Dominican Republic. Traditional Dominican coffee is served espresso-style in small cups with sugar. It is excellent and is similar to Italian espresso. The resort usually serves American-style coffee unless you specify otherwise. If you ask for a Dominican coffee, you'll get a small cup of espresso. You may contact the HFCC B09 Conference organizing committee at info@wrmi.net |
