Dmitri_Markine

Hello fellow Canadian!! Welcome

Welcome fellow Canadian

Quote: Originally Posted by Morgan one of the forum photographers tested this method. he left a $1 bill on the bed as a tip for housecleaning & put up the do not disturb sign. the $1 bill was gone when he returned. That is what I always did when I traveled, but then my room was never cleaned. On my last trip to mexico, I just kept everything locked in luggage within luggage. This is why I like to say Hi to the housekeeping lady on my first day at the hotel. I don't need the room to be cleaned every day so I tell her when to come back. Then I give her a tip(say $5) and have a small talk for a minute Even if she's the one that steals stuff, my guess she'd less likely to do so to a person who's being that nice to her. I also never ask my room to be cleaned a day prior to the departure. From what I hear, things usually get taken between then and the last day. Overall, putting valuables in a locked suitcase can greatly reduce any attempts. This all may sound a bit paranoid to some,but when you have $20K in equipment with you, it's good to have protective measures against any attempts.

I used to drink 2L of Coke every day! 3 years ago I decided that it's just not healthy and switched to iced teas. They aren't really popular in North America,but in Europe/Asia, they sell flavored iced teas everywhere. Usually less calories than pop.

Good friends of mine just flew to Dominican a few days ago for their honeymoon. Their travel agent spent about 3 hours with them, giving suggestions and also helped with their PADI diving courses that they wanted to take. As far as know, most can price match other deals on the web. Sometimes information on specific resorts and suggestions from a TA can make a huge difference.

Quote: Originally Posted by CayoLargo Well I know that this forum has a lot of Americans who are unable to experience the Cuban hospitality There are a lot of Americans in Cuba as well. They usually fly from Mexico or Canada. They just have to ask the customs officers not to stamp their passport

Quote: Originally Posted by Tammy Host no, only vendors with paid registration will now be allowed to post in the vendor marketplace (see rules above). all vendors that are no longer part of the forum will have their posts removed. Tammy,I understand,but say in my case I already paid for basic Vendor membership. Do I still have to wait or the rules were changed to allow me to post there without having 100+ posts.

I am sure we've heard that before and seen reviews about missing stuff from the rooms,etc. I found a little trick that works. Every time I live my room, I put the Do Not Disturb sign. It works like a charm. Some hotels don't have these signs in each room,but ask the front desk. If they still don't have it. Just write it yourself on a piece of paper and stick it somewhere on the door. Leaving your TV/radio and lights on can also steer the bad guys away. You can also leave a good tip to the housekeeping ladies on your first day(if you think they maybe the ones...). Perhaps be there on the first day of cleaning to say hi. If you are in a country with tough economic situation(eg. Cuba) bring some gifts for the hotel staff. There's no reason to give money as gifts can work as well.

Does the 1 month,100+ posts rule still apply for the vendor section?

Oh, I completely forgot. See if you can slip an extra $20 to the front desk agent,along with the documents and while asking for a free upgrade. It works for a lot of people

Quote: Originally Posted by jackobelle Welcome to the forum Dmitri! I looked at your website and your photos are absolutely gorgeous! Where was the Varadero wedding you shot? Thank you That one was shot at Paradisus.

Thanks guys. Glad to see other Torontonians here!

Tortuga Bay(#1),Majestic,Dreams are very nice hotels. I never stayed at Paradisus Punta Cana,but a friend photographer got back from shooting a wedding there and he didn't like their customer service. They had problems with towels,chairs and hot water. But he mentioned that this hotel is made of 3 sections and if you aren't staying in the "vip" section of the hotel,then you won't be getting as much service.

I would also recommend the Tamarindo Bay. Lots of activities and things to do around. People say, it looks like Los Angeles in the 50's. You can find a property on the beach or on the hills, overlooking the ocean. It is a bit touristy than some other locations though. But again, there are no private beaches in Costa Rica and tourists walk everywhere

Quote: Originally Posted by starchild If it doesn't scare you to wait until the day you arrive, some people say that you get the best rates at the last minute when there are vacancies yet to be filled. Since it is only one night it may work out for you. That's what I usually do and sometime the rates can be amazingly low. I remember getting a 5-Star hotel in Thailand for $50/night. I thought they were joking,when they first told me the rate

May is absolutely fine for Cuba. Although it's sort of a start of the season,but up July is usually quite safe. Even if it rains, it doesn't last long and dries up very quickly. I often recommend to my clients against planning a wedding for the months of August-mid October.

On my last trip to Cuba, I talked to a local photographer for an hour and he said he has to work under the table as much as he can or the government takes most of his money(communism?) Basically, their government can't allow photographers make $400-500/wedding, while others make that amount in a year. Chances are, you shouldn't try to persuade them to do it under the table. Their communication lines are being watched(according to him),so if anything, they usually are more willing to negotiate in person. Still,their camera equipment suffers quite a bit. The cameras he showed me were so old and rusty, it was painful to watch. If it breaks, it can take up to 8 months to get it fixed, as they have to send/receive it through someone else. Cuba is still one of the happiest countries on the planet!!

Just want to say hi to everyone. My name is Dmitri Markine and I am a photographer from Toronto, Canada. I also travel for destination weddings. All in all, I try to provide unique and creative images to my clients and I am pretty well known in Canada just for that.