Punta Cana

Upon existing the airport, I am reminded of the negatives of the Dominican Republic: Everything is kinda crappy. I paid 2x for a "nice" Uber, and it's a trashy car that looks like it's been in an accident. I get to my walkable neighborhood, and there are no trees in sight. All the sidewalks are half-finished, wires hanging down from the polls. I eat at a restaurant for lunch, and I am reminded there are two extra charges on receipts; one is an 18% tax labeled ITBIS and another is a 10% included tip labeled as a tax. The ATM fee increases with the quantity of cash you want ($20 to take out $300). The Airbnb has a cookie-cutter, no love design with flimsy furniture. The A/C doesn't go below 22 degrees C (72F).
I've traveled enough to know if I like a spot before arrival. I should have known better. This is not a place for me. It's a resort town, kinda like Cancun. It's hot and humid. It's only mildly walkable. Low-energy locals selling drugs, women, tours, party, and massages like San Andres. But what really gets me is the little attention paid to the things just outside the eyeball zone. The beach is somewhat clean, but take a tiny little step off it and it's full of trash. It's the epitome of lazy humans pillaging the land for all it's worth; just this time, they're pillaging tourists while the land takes the brunt of the trash. Honestly, it's reflective of the people and the government. The cars are trashy, the streets are trashy, the buildings are trashy, the food in the supermarkets are trashy.