General Info

[GeneHickman]

Different topics are mixed in one. Colombia is flush with USD paper, and until recently it was much more advantageous to draw pesos from ATM, given no ATM fees at your institution and no ATM fees at the machine itself, and paying VISA exchange rates, that 2. 5% above XE rates. Now it's still better to withdraw at ATM but the advantage is negligible. You should always have some cash or other arrangements to back up your trip if your cards fail or get blocked. However there are risks to having too much cash. Also, when you do cash exchange at cambio, they know exactly how much you have, and I personally don't like it. ATM gives me more privacy. Numerous casas de cambio websites are available online with posted rates, so you have to check each time before the trip and make an informed decision.

I am just curious, what has changed with the ATMs and when? Earlier this year, I was withdrawing at the Mastercard rate, and no forex or ATM fee with my debit card at Santa fe mall which is very safe.

[BMo814]

Different topics are mixed in one. Colombia is flush with USD paper, and until recently it was much more advantageous to draw pesos from ATM, given no ATM fees at your institution and no ATM fees at the machine itself, and paying VISA exchange rates, that 2. 5% above XE rates. Now it's still better to withdraw at ATM but the advantage is negligible. You should always have some cash or other arrangements to back up your trip if your cards fail or get blocked. However there are risks to having too much cash. Also, when you do cash exchange at cambio, they know exactly how much you have, and I personally don't like it. ATM gives me more privacy. Numerous casas de cambio websites are available online with posted rates, so you have to check each time before the trip and make an informed decision.

Guess it's a matter of taste, I personally just don't like using ATM much when I travel, I'm not as advanced as why'all and maybe need to look into getting a debit card for travel where I don't have to pay the bank fees but I don't have that now si prefer to change money. I would change it in Oviedo where I don't see any danger and changed $600 dollars at one time and walked all the way to where I need to be without one problem.

[Questner]

Don't they give the same exchange rate at the ATM as they give at the casas de cambio?. I pretty sure it was 3. 200 at the money exchanges in Oviedo and what they were giving at the ATM plus the ATM fees. Loyd say use ATM I'm a fan of carrying cash and glad I did bancolombia stuck me twice. 2 different ATMs in 2 different locations didn't give me my money and took it out of my account. Still waiting on my bank to reverse on of the charges. Red Aval or however you call it after the 2 time they played me and was good for the rest of the trip. F Bancolombia. And that's why I like to carry cash.

Different topics are mixed in one. Colombia is flush with USD paper, and until recently it was much more advantageous to draw pesos from ATM, given no ATM fees at your institution and no ATM fees at the machine itself, and paying VISA exchange rates, that 2. 5% above XE rates. Now it's still better to withdraw at ATM but the advantage is negligible. You should always have some cash or other arrangements to back up your trip if your cards fail or get blocked. However there are risks to having too much cash. Also, when you do cash exchange at cambio, they know exactly how much you have, and I personally don't like it. ATM gives me more privacy. Numerous casas de cambio websites are available online with posted rates, so you have to check each time before the trip and make an informed decision.

[BMo814]

Don't they give the same exchange rate at the ATM as they give at the casas de cambio?. I pretty sure it was 3. 200 at the money exchanges in Oviedo and what they were giving at the ATM plus the ATM fees. Loyd say use ATM I'm a fan of carrying cash and glad I did bancolombia stuck me twice. 2 different ATMs in 2 different locations didn't give me my money and took it out of my account. Still waiting on my bank to reverse on of the charges. Red Aval or however you call it after the 2 time they played me and was good for the rest of the trip. F Bancolombia. And that's why I like to carry cash.

[Balboa]

Here are some recommendations:

1. RTFF. Most questions you have have already been asked and answered. You'll also find answers to questions that you wouldn't think to ask.

You could have stopped at number 1. LOL.

[JjBee62]

Hello,

I'm planning my first trip Colombia in March for about 10 days. I'm thinking of spending about half my time in Bogota and the other half in Cartagena. I know some basic Spanish and I have been mongering in Asia before. I'm just looking for recommendations. Any help would be great? Thank you.

Here are some recommendations:

1. RTFF. Most questions you have have already been asked and answered. You'll also find answers to questions that you wouldn't think to ask.

2. Work on improving your Spanish. The better you can communicate, the better the experience. You won't find many English speakers in Colombia.

3. Ask better questions. What sort of recommendations are you looking for? Restaurants? Crepes and Waffles is worth a visit. You'll find them all over. Or try Pizza 1969, also with several locations. Money exchange? Use ATMs. If you absolutely must use a money exchange go to the southwest corner of Carrera 15 and Calle 127 (Bogota). You will find a mall there (across the street from Centro Comercial Unicentro) that is almost exclusively money exchange places. There must be 25-30 of them. Shop around to get the best rates.

The water is drinkable. The public transportation is cheap, efficient and incredibly busy. You can find complete meals for less than $3, including drink and tip. Tips are automatically added to the bill at many restaurants. It's 10% and voluntary. Your check will have 2 prices, with or without propina. There's no need to tip more.

Service at restaurants can be frustrating. When you first sit down, someone will bring you a menu. If you want to place an order, you need to flag down a waiter. If you need a refill on your drink, you need to flag down a waiter. If you need your check, you need to flag down a waiter. If your table bursts into flames and you want someone to put the fire out, you need to flag down a waiter. Almost never will the wait staff check on you. You can sit there 30 minutes after closing and they'll patiently wait for you.

[Mightybee13]

Hello,

I'm planning my first trip Colombia in March for about 10 days. I'm thinking of spending about half my time in Bogota and the other half in Cartagena. I know some basic Spanish and I have been mongering in Asia before. I'm just looking for recommendations. Any help would be great? Thank you.

[Balboa]

I didn't say you needed to. LOL.

I know, all good.

In actuality, Medellin has a pretty good casa scene, though it used to be waaaay better.

Strip clubs can be good too.

Gustos can be interesting at least, and talent available if you don't mind the price gauging or you're good at discounting.

Centro is great, especially w the Vennie influx, and most especially if you know the language and can jive with the chicas.

You're right though, the FB scene has taken off, and though I've made contacts, I just find meeting girls in person works best for me so I just haven't gone through with it on FB.

It is hard to be beat Cartagena for night time action, past like 10 or 11 pm like you guys said, for the picking of the beauties in the Square.

[YippieKayay]

Interesting.

Been going to Medellin for about 20 years, never hooked up on Facebook, never needed to.

Thanks for the tip though, LOL.

I didn't say you needed to. LOL.

[Balboa]

Medellin has brothels but is more of a facebook hookup place.

Interesting.

Been going to Medellin for about 20 years, never hooked up on Facebook, never needed to.

Thanks for the tip though, LOL.

[YippieKayay]

Actually it's just as easy in Medellin or Bogota, and all day long.

And less expensive.

Cartagena has it's charm, however, my third choice of the 3 mentioned cities for ease, available and price.

Bogota: New York weather.

Medellin: Southern California weather.

Cartagena: Caribbean weather.

Bogota is almost a pure brothel location unless you go to the locations in Santa Fe. It's mostly a fuck and go place.

Medellin has brothels but is more of a facebook hookup place.

Cartagena is an open air brothel. You will find pussy everywhere especially after 10 pm in the old city.

Those are your choices. You can spend as much or less in any of these places. Cartagena is the exception you won't find 10 $ pussy like you would in downtown Medellin.

[Balboa]

To summarize, Cartagena is the easiest place to approach gorgeous young working girls, it's just not the cheapest but it is also not expensive by gringo standards.

Actually it's just as easy in Medellin or Bogota, and all day long.

And less expensive.

Cartagena has it's charm, however, my third choice of the 3 mentioned cities for ease, available and price.

[Mojo Bandit]

Have some questions

Some annoying questions geared towards contemplating Colombia while the offer is there: Of the Big Three, Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, or (write in), which monger scene is the one I want to focus on? Realistic budget for short sessions / long (if offered) sessions, approachable talent

As far as landing talent, is it instant like Tijuana street scene, Manila bar scene or is it a jump thru long drawn out hoops like Prague, Budapest, Buenos Aires?

And the unrest / protests making rounds, any outlook if those will simmer down or continue well into months of 2020?

As far as looking for approachable, there is no place I know of like Cartagena for this when looking for young gorgeous women. Price is negotiable starting $50 US equivalent. You simply walk into the Plaza de LOS Coches (known on this forum as the clock tower) after say 10 or 11 pm and start shopping around. They are standing around in this plaza.

There are also a couple of night clubs within walking distance of Plaza de LOS Coches that all the women there are freelance prostitutes. Cartagena is the simplest to navigate and guaranteed to have young gorgeous women. The other cities, from what I have read, because I have no experience with them (outside the Facebook scene in Medellin, which has those hoops you were referring to) are geared more towards casas and strip joints, hit or miss on quality but much better prices. There are SWs in the other cities but again on the quality YMMV.

To summarize, Cartagena is the easiest place to approach gorgeous young working girls, it's just not the cheapest but it is also not expensive by gringo standards.

As far as I have read the protests are basically over. The president even announced that he was tapping into oil funds basically to raise money to meet demands for the protesters.

[Nounce]

Some annoying questions geared towards contemplating Colombia while the offer is there: Of the Big Three, Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, or (write in), which monger scene is the one I want to focus on? Realistic budget for short sessions / long (if offered) sessions, approachable talent solid 7's and ups that is no old / high mileage, not underwhelming gordas, not strung out addicts, no dark alleys where dudes can shank?

As far as landing talent, is it instant like Tijuana street scene, Manila bar scene or is it a jump thru long drawn out hoops like Prague, Budapest, Buenos Aires?

All three have setup similar to Tijuana. Bogota and Medellin have more daytime and cheaper options, street scene is much larger.

[CenTexCrash]

Have some questions that will rightfully be answered with RTFF but whatever, my funeral. I'm growing curious about the monger scene, found on accident a while back, to fly from Texas to some Central / South America countries, a hidden trick is to drive / bus / both to Monterrey MX as Mex's Big Three CDMX, GDL, and MTY consistently have cut rate fares. Recently seen Interjet MTY-BOG for around $220 in January.

Some annoying questions geared towards contemplating Colombia while the offer is there: Of the Big Three, Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, or (write in), which monger scene is the one I want to focus on? Realistic budget for short sessions / long (if offered) sessions, approachable talent solid 7's and ups that is no old / high mileage, not underwhelming gordas, not strung out addicts, no dark alleys where dudes can shank?

As far as landing talent, is it instant like Tijuana street scene, Manila bar scene or is it a jump thru long drawn out hoops like Prague, Budapest, Buenos Aires?

And the unrest / protests making rounds, any outlook if those will simmer down or continue well into months of 2020? I'll start tearing thru General Info tonight and throughout week when I have time, if anyone has links to past posts already covering these questions, paste away.