Saeedah's Bithday/Vacation - 9/1-9/6

Here it is, the world traveler (lol, Im working on it) Queen A (not B!! That's lil kim)... "A" standing for the fabulous & fun family, Abdullah. So... Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, Im here, sharing the space with my brother, and sharing my wonderful experiences. Sooo... Here we go! My birthday was September 2nd, and this is my last year of my twenties (just turned 29) so as usual I decided to take a trip. Went with a home girl to Puerto Plata, Dominican Repulic (DR). Although the ocean was as beautiful as ever, the rest really didn't meet my expectations.. I mean no wash-n-sets, that's devastating enough, lol (wash-n-sets, only dominican salon's in nyc get your poppin, lol) the children were beautiful, but always asking for candy lol, and the souveniers were extremely overpriced! Are they kidding me, did they really think I'd pay $15 for 2 magnets (1 for me, 1 for my ma. For those reading who don't understand black folk terminology ma= mother, lol... Had to throw that in there just in case we have a mixed audience reading, *wink--> back to my trip), I said oh no! Im from New york, and I KNOW a magnet is not $7.50 for one, so we negotiated, I said $8, he said $10, then he offered me to stay in DR and be his wife, and at the end, I got the magnets for $9! Hmmph! I know that's right! Lol!

I tell you, one thing about DR, the men love women, especially women with some weight, sooo you know I was walking around like "hmmph, Beyonce aint got nothing on me" lol, If I EVER need a boost of self-esteem, or ladies if you EVER need a boost of self-esteem, get you a ticket to Puerto Plata, you'll leave thinking your a super model. I got more marriage proposals and offers than even Donald Trump has given (and Donald, if you're reading this, I wouldn't mind a proposal from you... Cuz I don't care what Rosie said about your hair, its sexy boo... Work it!!!) So I decided that life in DR isn't for me, plus the men run things there, completely different culture from USA, I'd hate to have to knock my husband in the head with my skillet because he got out of line, see because that's my culture, lol. Now, the food was good. I ate mostly at the resort and once in town. Went to the store by the resort and got my first real experience of a TRUE bodega!

You see all these years growing up in harlem, I thought I knew what a bodega was. As a teen I "THOUGHT" I was buying candy at the bodega, I "THOUGHT" I was buying my pickles from the bodega, I "THOUGHT" I was getting my turkey and cheese sandwich with a free grape soda from the bodega.... OH NO ladies and gentlemen! A REAL bodega has a security guard with a sawed-off shot gun standing outside, a real bodega has tables where people sit drinking presidente's and playing dominoes, a real bodega has bachata (a type of music) playing, a real bodega has all of their products in spanish, a real bodega has several freezers packed with only presidente's, a real bodega sells RON BLANCO RUM, and a REAL bodega has men with their hands in their pants laying back in their seat winking at you as you pay for juice you hope is orange, but you don't know because its in Spanish, as you follow the security guard in the corner of your eye inside socializing with the drunken patrons while he swings the shotgun like he's swinging hands with someone. So the next time you're at the corner store on your block, in your hood, (or for the folk living downtown) at your local deli, lmao, appreciate it more than ever!!! Lol, because I have learned to!

- Shout out to Hamad, and Muhammad, at my local bodega (now owned and run by Arabs, lmao!

And to my people, its not A-rab, caaaooommme ooonnn, its Aaarab! LMLSAO-- laugh my light skin a** off!! haha)BUT overall it was nice to get away... Im going to finish unpacking my suitcase now, but until next time.... (oh, you better be here next time!) ok bye! :o)Virgo kisses!P.S.

The pictures are from my walk on the beach in Puerto Plata the morning after my birthday (Wednesday September 3) at about 8:30am.