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Hoof Hunter:
Sorry bro, just got your message! I'm back in the states now! Just as I thought, didn't have much time alone this trip. I had a boat load of fun though! Split time between C/gena & B/quilla. If you are in B/quilla now, tell your girl you want to go barrio Las Flores for fish! She will tell you it's dangerous, but go in the late afternoon if you are concerned!
For those of you who haven't been to B/quilla. Well you just don't know what your missing! Shit, just standing around the Avianca counter in Miami, you'll get a sample of whats to come!
Vallenato
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Hello all,
I don't have any posts but I have been around for along time. Mostley looking up things here in the states but I have been down to Venezuela to Isla Margarita and had a great time but I dream about hitting up colombia. But here is the thing: I am a white male in his thirties with a bunch of tattoos and dont speak much spanish. I hate to ask but is it safe for someone like myself to go down there? I love spanish women and Colombia has the best in my eyes so if anyone could help a fellow monger out I would be most greatful.
I have been looking around and seen these mariage site wich state that I could stay for two weeks and meet new women everyday for 1000 usd but I am thinking that why not kill two birds with one stone stay there and meet a wife and at the same time do the scene down there.
Thanks guys.
[size=-2][u]EDITOR's NOTE[/u]: [blue]Posting of this report was delayed pending revisions to [u]capitalize the word "I"[/u]. To avoid future delays, please use a capital "I" to refer to yourself in future reports. [i]Thanks![/i][/blue][/size]
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Solo: I doubt Avianca will "disappear", and even if it did, Aerorepublica, Satena, Inter or somebody else will pick up the routes. It WAS more convenient when AA had their MIA-BAQ flight; perhaps they might resume that service. Otherwise, COPA may be your only option.
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Brazilian Wins Bidding For Avianca
Colombia's bankrupt airline Avianca said Tuesday its board had picked a cash-rich Brazilian oil entrepreneur to take charge of the carrier over a rival group led by Continental Airlines.
The bid by Brazilian businessman German Efromovich, who would take a 75 percent stake in Avianca, will be formally submitted for approval to a US bankruptcy court under the struggling carrier's Chapter 11 proceedings, Avianca said.
"[Efromovich's bid] adequately complied with necessary requirements for the company to emerge from Chapter 11 in a satisfactory manner," Avianca said in a statement.
Efromovich, who wants Avianca to complement his Brazilian regional carrier, Ocean Air, offered in his bid to make a USD$64 million cash injection into Colombia's flagship airline and assume its debt of about USD$300 million.
In comparison, the bid by Continental -- in partnership with Panama's Copa airlines -- was "subject to multiple conditions," Avianca said.
One of the conditions was that Copa was first able to obtain a USD$50 million loan so that it could pay off the Colombian carrier's pension liabilities.
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Guys,
You also can fly to cartagena...and from there take a BUS....to BQ.
The ride is about 2 hours. Doing this in the DAY time it is pretty "safe". You will meet several checkpoints from the police/militairy.
Doing this on the evening....well....you are at your own risk.(AFTER 18.00 the checkpoints are no longer occupied)
Even at this traject sometimes busses got robbed! During the daytime this road is pretty safe.
btw the busride will cost you about 8 bucks.(one trip with AC vehicle).
Beware of pickpockets on all large busstations in Colombia!!
Travel at a very LOW profile. Learn spanish or bring somebody that speaks spanish which you can trust to arrange the deal for you. Try to avoid speaking english or any other language except spanish in order to avoid attraction from certain scumbags.
Take care.
Johan.
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I wouldn't so much worry about Avianca going away from BAQ. Little fact known: Avianca was founded in BAQ. There's a lot of history there.
The only national Avianca flight between two cities not originating or connecting through Bogota is BAQ-MDE. There's the MIA-BAQ direct flight, as well as MIA-MDE, MIA-CLO.
But my point is, BAQ seems to get special treatment from Avianca. The airport stays busy, so it wouldn't make sense to eliminate or decrease flights to this destination.
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Re.: Overland bus eastbound from CTG.
We traveled from CTG to Maicao from early morning returning to Santa Marta that same day arriving 10 PM. My novia told me to keep a low profile, not to speak english and she would do all the talking if spoken to.
Several members with in-country experience advise against it.
All of us should consider spending the airfare and getting there within 25 min. (CTG - BAQ) instead of traveling on the bus not knowing about our safety. There are no guarantees.
I hope to be in CTG within the next couple of months and visit BAQ as well as Cali. With the high airfares from US airports, the Colombian domestic fares are minimal in comparison.
Safe and pleasant journey. Enjoy.
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Guys,
It is NOT only the question of not speaking English at any point, you have to remember that you people STAND OUT.
Unless you are dark and Italian than may be you can pass as a local , I had an Italian Client one time and when walking around at the mall people would ask him for directions which he did not understand oh course.LOL. But if you are Irish, forget it you will stand out EVEN if you never say a word. Even Black Americans look different than the Black people here.
Manson749, if you PM , I will be more than happy to help you, save you money and get you the woman you want. And when you are here I will be your translator and guide. I will give you a fair rate too.
Peter Solano
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The checkpoints WERE staffed at night when I drove it in a taxi. We got stopped and searched three times, though only one was thorough. They check the drivers papers VERY carefully though.
Hard to get an AC taxi to BAQ for less than 100K.
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From Santa Marta, we took a late afternoon taxi to CTG. We were stopped 3 times at the check points. Two times I had to produce id and they searched my suitcase, behind/under the rear taxi seat and allaround the inside lining of the trunk. Only took 5 minutes. Our driver also had to show the travel documents he wrote up before departure.
From BAQ to CTG it got dark and there were no more check points.
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Peter Solano,
Black Americans only look different by the way they dress! If they remove their gold and or timberlands/nikes, they will pass. That is until they open their mouths!
Cuidate,
Vallenato aka El Negrito Lindo
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Try to carry your passport at all times, especially while traveling, photocopies just won`t do, and police can give you a hassle if they want to. BUT don`t ever loose your it, I have heard it takes over a month to get a replacement, you can`t go back home without it and the hassle you will have to go trough to get a new one will ruin the memories from your trip.
Peter Solano
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Peter: While the police can ALWAYS hassle you "if they want to", my experience in Colombia is that they want to HELP we poor Nortes, not hassle us (unlike Mexico, for example). I NEVER carry my original passport outside the hotel and have never had even a bit of hasle from la policia when I show a photocopy. The main thing is make a copy including the page with the CURRENT entry stamp for Colombia (so they can verify you have not overstayed).
Carlos Vives new album is getting rave reviews here and I'd LOVE to see him in concert THERE. If you hear anything about concert dates please post. Ditto for BAQ's most famous daughter Shakira, though she will not tour until the new album is released sometime early next year (I believe).
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Agree with Surfer. I carried a photocopy of my passport and the police accepted it as legal documentation in the LDV raid one night and "on the road" at check points.
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Surfer, that info was posted based on my experience, they gave us a hassle with a photocopy and I had to get tough with the Police.
Sure I will watch for Carlos Vives and will post the info accordingly.
Cheers,
Peter Solano