Shopping in Cabrera will, without doubt, be somewhat different to what you are used to back home. There are no Supermarkets or “out of town” Hypermarkets here, or the Shopping Malls you may be used to visiting. What shopping you will need to do will depend on where you are staying and whether you are here on vacation or as a longer term visitor or resident?
If you are on holiday, staying in one of the fully staffed villas, shopping for food or normal daily requirements will not be necessary and you will probably only be thinking of purchasing souvenir type items to take back home as a keepsake of your visit. Cabrera does have some facilities for these items which can be found in shops known as “Tiendas” which normally sell gifts, clothing, shoes, perfumes and toiletry items, as against “Colmados” which concentrate on selling food items primarily.
If you are staying in Cabrera in one of the Apart-Hotels, or a hotel without a restaurant, and don’t want to eat in a cafeteria or restaurant all the time you will need to shop for food as well as other normal day to day requirements. You are bound to find a Colmado somewhere just around the corner from where you are staying. A Colmado is like the old fashioned “corner shop” and there is always one nearby providing a service to the local residents. These are invariably not self-service so you have to know what to ask for and the owner will select the item for you. Here you can buy anything in small quantities so if you only want a couple of eggs for breakfast it’s perfectly acceptable to do so. Most items are visible from the counter so even if your Spanish is limited you can normally see what you want and point to it. Sign language also works quite well!!
For a wider range of items and self service facilities there are a few “mini-markets” in Cabrera selling an extended range of items, including pre-packed foods, and some imported goods as well. Many of the items will not have been price marked so you will need to ask the price before purchasing and on packaged or tinned goods check the “sell by” dates.
There are also the specialist butchers, fishmongers, bakeries and greengrocers to be found in Cabrera so whatever your tastes in foods may be you will find a shop that caters to your requirements.
If you are a resident or long term visitor in Cabrera you will probably also need items such as clothing and shoes, electrical appliances, furniture etc. These items are also on sale in various shops in the town although the quality of clothing and shoes, much of which is imported from China, leaves a lot to be desired and the choice is somewhat limited. If you are fashion conscious a trip to Santo Domingo for both quality and up to date designs may be the best option. The same may well apply to any specialist items such as computers or computer peripherals, some electrical appliances and furnishings which may well be impossible to find in Cabrera due mainly to a lack of demand from local residents.
