Cigar opportunities in Punta Cana?

[ripper]

Originally Posted by shilala

There aren't any legit cc's that I could find.
Everyone, and I mean everyone rolls cigars around there. You can catch little cigar plantation/rolling tours that are fun. The smokes are nice, too. Fresh and local.

When you go, take tons of dollar bills with you. A few hundred, at least. They tip for everything. It's their custom. A five dollar tip is like a 50 dollar tip.
Also take some torch lighters like Ronsons, and any odd stuff you can give away.
A teenage kid at a cigar plantation tour gave me a cigar and I sparked it up with an LED blinky light triple torch and his mouth dropped open.
I said "You like?" and let him try it. It was like he saw the invention of fire. So I gave it to him. He said he'd be taking it to the disco that night. (They're big on disco's.)
Awhile later he came back with another cigar and his Bic that he insist I take.
I still have that Bic. That deal was probably the best part of the trip. It's certainly the most memorable.
Take lots of trinkets like click pencils, crayons, colored pencils and stuff for the kids. Anything. Everyone is very poor and they very much appreciate it.
We stayed at Punta Cana Excellence and spent a good part of our days gathering stuff up and throwing it over the fence to the neighbors. Also very fulfilling.

Good advice on the trinkets, Scott. Mrs Ripper and I headed to Punta Cana in May. Will bring an extra suitcase of swag to give to locals.

[ripper]

Southbound for Punta Cana on Monday.
Got 10 cigars, mostly Pinolero and La Flor Dominicana for me, plus 100 of my pens for the locals. Going to a cigar factory Wednesday, but don't know details. Is a group shopping binge arranged by a colleague from Maine.