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Hey Master Monger,
You should go with Che Guevarra, even though he really didn't have anything to do with Colombia, people know who he was. If you don't like the name Che maybe you could try, Manuel Marulanda, Alfonso Cano, Rodrigo Londono, German Briceno, Ovidio Ricardo, Efrain Guzman or Joaquin Gomez. You should also let it be known that you are associated with the FARC, this will open a lot of doors and let you see parts of Colombia most tourists never have the opportunity to visit. The country has had a civil war going for around 50 years, so, if you choose the name of a revolutionary leader then the people will really know that you respect the local customs and traditions.
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NYC Expat
You got my support, big guy. Your actions, or attitude, are not idiotic.
Ferolga[a.k.a. Master of all that can be fucked or fried. ;>} ]
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Dear Master Monger,
You should scrap both of those lame names and instead go by Juan Valdez! You can even have a hot pot of 100% Colombian coffee in your room for the prostitutes. When you drop your drawers tell them that they get the honor of riding Juan's donkey.
[size=-2][u]EDITOR's NOTE[/u]: [blue]Posting of this report was delayed pending revisions to [u]remove the multiple periods at the ends of sentences[/u]. To avoid delays in future reports, please use just one period followed by a blank space at the end of sentences. [i]Thanks![/i][/blue][/size]
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Sir Charles!
First of all I have to say to the board thanks for all the research done all Colombia and all the other places.
Black man here! I was in Cartagena from 04/2704 to 05/02/04 I'm a 41 year light skin black guy with green eyes! Not sure if my point of view is the best one, because they considered me white, go figure.
However I was there with my 25 year old nephew and some college buddy's of his and there was no mistaking that they where BLACK.
To answer your question, the place is absolutamente black male friendly, half the natives there tought we where from Bogota, I guess because when we spoke in our limted espanol we have a Bogota accent. The other half thought we where in the Navy.
Stayed in the Laquito area in an apartment down the street from the Hilton, right on the beach, price per night $50 usd.
First night there order some room service. 5'2" very yummy looking, but could not handle Maxnum size. Price 120k I know way to much.
My Nephew and his friends arrive, from Margarita Island around 10pm, we head out to LDV. Thanks to this board I knew like all of my other trips, I would feel like a kid in a candy shop! LDV wall to wall chicas.
I had a blond light skin 5'6" around 24 or so, nice tits very nice body, price para todo la noche 100k. Sex was so so attitude so so.
Day2 Had to see the old city and worth the trip, however do not buy anything there prices are 4 times higher then other parts of the city. The old city is a must see!
Night 2 hit the Casino next to LDV, my first night there I exchanged $200 usd, and that was all I needed I won $583 that night.
After my sucess, I hit the LDV hooked up with a 23 year old brown skin beauty, great looks good attitute at the club. Overall tan tan. Price 100k.
A few years ago one of my Nephew's friends was one week away from getting married, and backed out. My hereo!
I told him for that move if he ever went on vacation with us, that I would buy him a little somethin somthin, and damn he held me to it. He had a 28 year old knock out, great personality great tits just a fun girl to hang with. Price 90k.
Day 3 Headed back to the old city, this place is absolutely breath taking, and they have good food! Did some shoping in but not at the old city.
Night 3 Back to LDV, I hook up with this 23 year old chica that lived in Houston for a few years, kick ass body great attitude, body for days. Price quoted nada.
We talked for a long time my kind of a connection so the sex was off the hook, damn as I write this, my ass is sporting a shit eatin grin from ear to ear. It is all about attitude your as well as the chicas.
Day 4 my girl comes by with 3 of her friends for me and my boys letthe party begin!
Night 4 Normal stuff took the girls out to dinner hit the club, got simi shit face, and great sex, she damn near made me cry, mas mami mas.
Charles spanish talks and english walks, so learn a little.
LDV Price 65k to 120K
Taxi 3k for a local ride.
Food 3k to 25 k
Local beer good not sure of the price.
An apartment on the beach $50 usd a night two bedroom
Racism: Did not really see that much, hard to judge compared to the states, I do know that they do not see dark skined folks with money or seeing us stay in the best part of town.
By the way I'm head back to Cartagena 05/27/04 to 05/30/04
Love my Latinas!
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Master Monger ... Simon B.
... I look forward to meeting you too. I´m in Venezuela at the moment, let me know when you´re passing thru Medellin.
By the way, the currency here in Venezuela is callede Bolivares after Simon himself.
.... please, don´t call yourself Pablo Escobar in Medellin ... jejeje
Suerte!
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OK mongers, a few observations on Cartagena since Slick1 and myself arrived on Wed.
The defining thing about Cartagena is not the women, its the touts. And I´m surprised that previous reports don´t dwell on it. It´s like this: you leave your hotel and within seconds are approached by someone selling sunglasse, or plastic sandals, or crabs, or pictures, or ´Cuban cigars´, or trips to here and there, or drugs, or fruit, or candy, or beads, and any other worthless piece of junk you can think of. You brush past the first guy, but the next one is coming up on you 5 seconds later. Get past him, and another one is waiting for you on the corner. Stop at the corner for the traffic to pass and meanwhile there are now three of them shouting ämigo amigo and pushing stuff under your nose, gesticulating wildly and grabbing your arm or shoulder. You break free, moving briskly, but some of them are following you. They know that deep down, you really want those 99 cent sandals. Meanwhile more of them are waiting for you up ahead. There´s no fucking escape in Cartagena. And guess what, it gets worse. When you go to the beach. More on that later.
The best part of town is Boca Grande which is where the better hotels are and is on the water. Nearby is the Old Town. These are the only parts of C that a monger will see or want to see. Naturally, this is where the touts congregate and they vastly outnumber the tourists, who, are almost entirely Colombian from other cities, from what I have seen. The hotels are high rise for the most part and if you saw a photo, it might look quite nice. But when you hit the street, well, thats when you know you´re not in Miami.
Arrivals at Cartagena airport will have all their luggage opened and examined. Everyone was subjected to this, including us gringos. Then, out of the terminal and into the throng of yelling taxi drivers. A $4 cab ride to the Hotel Almirante in Boca Grande where we were staying. No sense of fear anywhere, but there were soldiers stationed about every hundred yards along the way from the airport to Boca.
We are both paying $150 a night for a reasonable room with ocean view, couch, and barely working a/c. The weather is hot and very humid. The food in the hotel is good. Like a previous poster said, the ocean is very warm and salty and not at all refreshing.
Our first night, we went to La Dolce Vita. It starts about 11pm. Lots of beautiful girls of every different shape and color. Its basically a nice bar with music playing and a dance floor. There is no barfine or ladies drinks. The girls are freelancers. They stand around and expect you to approach them. A few approached us but mostly you have to approach them. Its 100,00 pesos for short time, about $40. Slick and I made our selections after about an hour and left for the hotel. The Almirante told that the girls had to be out by 5am. Other people have told us that this is the norm at the other hotels too.
Next day: the beach.
The beach is across from the hotel. By the time I got there the next morning, Slick1, who was already there, had acquired a reputation for generosity with the touts. He had bought beads. Had had a manicure. A massage and pedicure. And had purchased drinks. He had also tipped generously. It could be said of Slick that he never met a tout he didn´t like. By the time I arrived, a swarm of touts surrounded the cabana. Some had missed out on Slick´s generosity and focused on me. Big, fat, black women who referred to themselves as ´negritas´were determined to give me a massage. Basically, they carry around a small plastic bucket filled with some kind of goo and will harass you for 10 minutes at a time to get you to acquiesce to a greasy massage. They tout their blackness as ´proof´of their prowess. When they take a break, the sunglass guys jump in. Followed by the guys selling crabs. You can fight and fight, but there´s always another tout coming. The most relentless, however, are the massage ladies. There´s no escape because you are stationery. They just keep coming at you. I´ve been on the beach in Havana and Rio, but never saw anything like this. At one point, a ´band´came by. A bunch of toothless old guys playing an accordion, a drum and some other thing that makes a scratching noise. For fifteen minutes we explained that we were not interested, to no avail. Suddenly, they started singing and playing. Awful shit. Anyway, when it was over, about ten minutes later, of course we were óbligated to contribute. I tell you, you can´t beat these guys. And just when you think the worst is over, they send in the cripples. Yeah! Thats right. First a wheelchair with a guy with MS followed by an amputee. As I closed my eyes to block this out, Slick reached for his wallet.
Thursday night, we went to the old town which is spactacular in its size and for how well maintained it is. On that night, we ate in the main plaza, Plaza Santo Domingo. It was very nice and the food was good. After, we walked some of the nearby streets. While fighting off the inevitable touts, I saw Isabel, an 18 yo visiting C for a few days. She was spectaculary beautiful and sexy in her manner and walk, as are many of the Colombian women. Femininity is a virtue here, unlike the states. Anyway, I approached her and we spoke briefly. After a few minutes of talk, both her and her friend accompanied us to a bar and later to the hotel. These were not pros, just ordinary girls from the provinces. Problem was that Isabel didn´t have her ID and try as I might, the hotel would not let her up to my room.
The next day, we all met up and I rented a room just for the Isabel and I at a hotel across from the Almirante for $40 for the night. Its been a long time since I enjoyed the fruits of an 18 yo regular girl and it was great. She returned to the province on Saturday morning.
I can´t write anymore. I´m tired, but will continue later. Warning! Cartagena is not for the monger who is by himself. The touts will finish him off. If you are with someone else, you have a better chance.
More later,
Don
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DashingDon: Even the RACK RATE at Almirante is nowhere near $150 per night, ESPECIALLY during the "low season" which started in mid April (just afer Semana Santa). If you book it through a Colombian travel agent, it is less than half of what you are paying. 100K should be OVERNIGHT rate from LDV if you negotiate a little (preferably in Spanish) and the girl likes you.
Agree with you that the touts are quite annoying, but if you go to beaches away from Bocagrande it is MUCH less offensive. Also, IGNORING them is the best response (wearing a walkman even better). If you acknowledge them you embolden them.
Disagree with you that Bocagrande is the "best" part of town. Also, the "best hotels" are NOT in Bocagrande: THE best is the Sofitel (Old City), plus there is a second hotel in the old city plus the Hilton in Laguito that are better than ANYTHING in Bocagrande. Further, the old city is where ALL of the charm is. Bocagrande is like Miami Beach (but with a MUCH lousier beach and tons of touts!).
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I met up with Dashing and Slickone at there hotel in bocagrande on friday. they baught me a couple of drinks and a buffee, thanks guys, and we met up with those girls he mentioned, they seemed nice but Im not sure about their story they were selling. "just a couple of country girls." I went to the bathroom and those guys were gone so I went down the street looking for the Chiva de Rumba, Bus Party, I saw earlier but it had left so I ask a guy standing on the street where it went and he proceed to pawn a cute but obviously hardened chick from medellin on me ,a blond haired freckled girl, who I was attracted to simple for the change of pace. She looked like a girl next door in my home town. we took a taxy met up with a diffent bus, not the one I saw leave with a 12 hot chicks, but it was all locals and loud music and rum but unfortunately the girl was one of those latin chicks that hate salsa music and there own culture so it was ruining the night for me when she refuse to dance and quoted me 100,000 for two hours I sent here home with cab fare from the dance club. My advice is to take the chiva de rumba bus for 4$ with a bottle of rum and a bottle of coke but leave the street girl alone.
Best of luck,
Don
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Dashing Don
Great report. I was feeling persecuted by touts just reading it.
When I was in Cartagena, sometimes I had to yell at the touts, "No quiero nada!" [I don't want anything!]
They are like spammers. They will never give up.
Ferolga
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Ferolga: Trying saying "no tengo plata" and if you are persuasive they'll disappear in a hurry. Or tell them you'd LOVE to buy a fake Rolex IF they will extend you credit!
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All this about the touts is making me reconsider visiting Cartegena this December. Is it really worth going there for (a) mongering and (b) general tourism ?
My plans are: London - Cartegena - Buenos Aires. I have already been to BsAs and since I heard so much about the Columbian chicas, I figured it is worth visiting. Are the touts bad enough to put people off visiting?
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Vallenato, Latina Passion, et al:
Props to you for giving me the lowdown on the CTG scene for brothers. Needless to say, thanks to your response my friend and I will be there in June tappin' that ass.
Thanks again,
Chas.
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ferolga777
Thanks for the support.
Npaul
You have the wrong attitude. The ”invalids” I gave to were amputees, not street beggars you saw in Asia or see in major cities. I was NOT hounded after giving change on the street to a wheelchair invalid without legs nor hounded on the beach giving change to an invalid carrying a sack between his arms because both hands were amputated above the wrist. Nor was I hounded when I bought ice cream for four while on the beach. Nor was I hounded buying a fruit plate for a teenage girl while on the beach. If you can’t accept their culture, go somewhere else.
The touts
Just say no gracias firmly and they will disappear. There are many of them. Unemployment is high. They have to make a living. Ignore them. Don’t make eye contact. Continue walking and generally speaking you won’t have problems. If you’re under a cabana, you will be approached. Just say no.
Try the beaches around El Laguito towards the Hilton. Just a few min. walking from the main Bocagrande beach. Much more peaceful there, but accept the fact there are fewer women whom you can meet. I recommend single men visiting CTG.
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Gentlemongers,
Maybe I look like Rockefeller, but I don´t think so. Anyways, the touts don´t take no for an answer. They will follow you, sometimes for blocks. Good advice from the poster who said not to make eye contact. I´ve started to wear sunglasses to avoid this.
We´ve subsequently moved to the Hilton which is in Boca Grande/Laguito. I won´t parse words here: we´re talking about 4 avenues by 20 streets for the entire area. I don´t know or care where one begins or ends. And it/these ARE the best areas in town.
We´re paying $110 a night at the Hilton, excluding breakfast. Internet is $9 per hour. No water provided in the room: its about $1.50 a bottle. $1.25 initial fee to make an outside call even when using a calling card. The girls are allowed in after 11pm but you have to pay 60000 pesos ($25) for them. The ac works well here, unlike the Almirante, where it barely worked.
Due to the proliferation of cheap imitations in C I was understandably wary when I received a call from ´The Don´, but he turned out to be a nice guy and well travelled. We hung out one night but got unexpectedly split up at the Almirante.
Now to the girls:
Cartagena has a large black population but the girls in LDV seem mostly from Medellin and are lighter in complexion. I´m told that other cities like Cali and Medellin have little or no black population. Honestly, the girls here in C are awesome and readily approachable anywhere.
We have been again to LDV last night (Sun) and took some beauties back to the Hilton. Mine wanted 200000 pesos (85 us approx ) but I gave her 150000, about 60us for all night. Beautiful, long jet black hair and BBJ etc. Great experience. It was only our second time to LDV and I highly recommend this place. In fact, its probably the only place to go. A couple of days ago, we went to Bosque, a distant area to see the Playboy club. With this club, you do it on the premises. We also went next door to the ´salon´ where you fuck in a filthy room on premises. After that, we decided to stick to LDV and back to the hotel. To be fair, neither Slick or I checked the rooms at the Playboy club: he took his back to the Almirante and I had had my fill next door (El Navegante) which I don´t recommend. Knowing what I know now, I would stay at the Hilton, frequent LDV every night, which are within a few blocks of each other and then, try to pick up some regular girls, if you have the energy.
More later,
Don
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Quick response to the Dashing One´s post
The touts here are like swarming gnats, annoying as hell but generally harmless and just trying to eek out a living in a very difficult situation. Sure I have succumbed to some of the relentless pressure but what the hell I look pretty cool in those beads from Baru and my skin is silky smooth and tan from that slimy green goop massage. Meanwhile Dashing Don is as red as those smelly crabs being sold as a quick snack and surefire case of botulism.
The girls at LDV and Pleyboy are hot and the odds are stacked heavily in the tourists favor. For roughly 40 US a session I have never even tryed bargaining for a lower price and have been satisfied with the service. I will post more later on my home PC. Out of time now.