General Info

[Manizales911]

Blourghus,

This is an excellent response. Thank you so much.

Can you tell me if atm's are readily available in each of those towns?

I'd like to see Cali before I decide where to go next. I was thinking of hitting a few towns on the way back to Medellin.

I assume 1 or 2 days in each town is sufficient?

Thanks Again,

Artisttyp

ATM's are readily available in all of these towns,I probably don't have to tell you this but as a fellow monger it is my duty,watch your back while using ATM's and don't use them at night.

I am planning on being in Manizales from December until March with the exception of a week or two back in the states so if you decide to go through there hit me up.

[Artisttyp]

Blourghus,

This is an excellent response. Thank you so much.

Can you tell me if atm's are readily available in each of those towns?

I'd like to see Cali before I decide where to go next. I was thinking of hitting a few towns on the way back to Medellin.

I assume 1 or 2 days in each town is sufficient?

Thanks Again,

Artisttyp

[Blourghus]

Are there any towns along the way worth a stay over as far as mongering or photography is concerned ?

I have done the whole thing by bus, but in segments, i.e. Cali->Armenia, Manizales->Medellin.

Smack dab in the middle of Medellin and Cali is the Eje Cafetera with the three departments of Risalrada (Pereira), Qundio (Armenia), and Caldas (Manizales). Definitely highly worth spending some time in.

This is one of the most beautiful areas in the world with gorgeous and stunning green mountains and rolling coffee fields. Incredible weather. Manizales is a very photogenic city, very quaint, hilly little streets, colorful buildings, just gorgeous, VERY FRIENDLY PEOPLE. Great place to take photos. It is a very cool city.

Highly recommend you check out the National Coffee Park (near Armenia) - very beautiful place and a great place to take photos. One of the top tourist attractions in the country. Pereira is perhaps the least interesting of the three cities, although you have plenty of cool stuff nearby (such as bungee jumping of the very cool bridge in town, or skydiving over coffee fields, Santa Rosa de Cabal - hot springs). Tons of cool little traditional towns ('pueblos paisas') which attract tourists on weekends.

For mongering, Pereira is amazing (and has some of the sexiest women in Colombia - this is where Sin Tetas No Hay Paraiso comes from), also Manizales is great. Armenia not so much at least IMHO (but has very beautiful women!!).

IMHO, this is whole area is more interesting and much more beautiful than Cali or Medellin.

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[Justafool]

But I have never seen "first class" bus sevices. I think it is teminal Sur, and all the buses are the same. Quite comfortable with a small bathroom for all to use but at times it was locked.

The seats are comfortable and they do show a DVD (so if you want to hand one over they and ask them to play it for you.

There are afew compaies Boliviana comes to mind. I am not sure which I rode to Cali but I have used to others for Buga and surrounding areas.

I usually take the last bus out about 10:30 so I can arrive and enjoy the day but this has backfired at times when the bus was stuck in some mountain due to a mudslide or something.

Sit back enjoy!

I was curious to know if anyone has done MDE to Cali by bus and can somebody refer me to a bus company with executive class seating ? I would be happy to pay whatever it costs.

*A bathroom on board is a must have for me.

Are there any towns along the way worth a stay over as far as mongering or photography is concerned ?

Thank you for your time.

Artisttyp

[Artisttyp]

I was curious to know if anyone has done MDE to Cali by bus and can somebody refer me to a bus company with executive class seating ? I would be happy to pay whatever it costs.

*A bathroom on board is a must have for me.

Are there any towns along the way worth a stay over as far as mongering or photography is concerned ?


Also can anyone tell me if there is a "centro" in cali like in medellin ? I am asking this in hopes of locating economic hotels. In medellin's centro you can walk around and find several of these hotels.

* Does somebody not recommend staying in economic hotels in cali due to extreme heat and the need for a good AC ? What are you thoughts ?


Thank you for your time.

Artisttyp

[Bango Cheito]

Bog really doesn't get back on its feet again till February. The rest of the country is fine by Jan 10 or so. Many places are better during the holidays, Cali, Manizales, Popayan and Pasto all have celebrations that draw people during that time. Pasto's Carnival is from the 2-7 this year and the Feria De Manizales es from the 2-10. CTG is popping that time of year but also expensive.

[Artisttyp]

I was curious to know how quickly things get back to "mongering" normal in Colombia after the holidays? Some places are just a no go during the holidays.

I am looking into going somewhere from the 5 of jan until the end of the month.

Cali came to mind again. Hopefully my back won't go out this time.

Thanks for the tips.

Artisttyp

[Oh Ya Papi]

man this sucks.

colombia dollar sales in market finished for year, zuluaga says

by alexander cuadros and andrea jaramillo

oct. 16 (bloomberg) -- colombia’s government will refrain from selling dollars in the market for the rest of the year and the central bank may take steps to stem the peso’s rally, finance minister oscar ivan zuluaga said.

the government will leave about $500 million in dividends from state oil company ecopetrol sa abroad and sell an equal amount of peso bonds locally to compensate for the deferred revenue, zuluaga told reporters in bogota yesterday after meeting with president alvaro uribe and central bank board members to discuss the peso.

the colombian currency has risen 28 percent against the u.s. dollar in the past six months, the second-most among 171 currencies tracked by bloomberg after the seychelles rupee. the peso rally “is fundamentally due to expectations of government sale of dollars this year,” zuluaga said.

uribe earlier this week urged the central bank to find a “solution” to the gains in the peso, which he said has caused exporters to cut jobs as they get less local currency for goods sold abroad such as flowers and coffee.

zuluaga, who is also president of the central bank’s board, said banco de la republica may take measures to ease the peso’s rally when policy makers next meet on oct. 23.

strong foreign direct investment flows have caused the peso to rally, according to alberto bernal, head of emerging markets research at bulltick securities corp. in miami.

mining investments

foreign direct investment in the mining industry more than doubled in the first half of the year to $1.72 billion from $817 million in the same period a year ago, the central bank said last month. foreign investment fell 10 percent in the first six months of the year to $4.9 billion from $5.4 billion a year earlier, the report said.

“colombia is a victim of its own success,” said bernal. “uribe’s policies are market friendly unlike that of some of his neighbors, making it attractive for foreign investment.”

measures the central bank may take to weaken the peso include buying dollars in the foreign-exchange market, lowering reserve requirements and buying back peso bonds, known as tes, nick chamie, head of emerging markets research at rbc capital markets, wrote in a note yesterday.

when asked about capital controls, zuluaga said that dollars coming into colombia are long-term flows associated with foreign direct investment and not short-term portfolio investments.

reduced incentives

in a bid to stem a rally in the peso in 2007, the central bank ordered companies and investors taking loans abroad to deposit 40 percent of the funds in the central bank for six months to reduce the incentive to bring in short-term capital. the finance ministry in 2007 imposed deposit requirements on new portfolio investment in the country, such as the purchase of bonds and stocks. the capital controls were abolished last year.

the central bank may also lower interest rates a half percentage point to 3.5 percent in its next meeting, according to bernal. policy makers last cut the benchmark overnight lending rate a half-percentage point to 4 percent on sept. 25, a move aimed in part at stemming the peso’s advance.

“inflation is low and given slow growth, there is room for more cuts,” said bernal. “that would help calm expectations of a further strengthening of the peso.”

[Daves Pison]

Very nice hostal to stay in the center of the action 2 blocks from parke lleras you got all the bars clubs I have stayed here everytime I visit Medellin you deal with with the owner brian cool guy.

Where would be a good place to stay for a first time visitor who has been to MDE and speak SOME spanish?

[David Smash]

Where would be a good place to stay for a first time visitor who has been to MDE and speak SOME spanish?

[Gonzo]

I was in MDE in September and talked to Tom33. I assure you he is fine. He'll be back. I ended up living with some mutual chica friends, and that was an interesting experience, to say the least.

Does anyone know what has happened to member Tom 33?. He has posted alot of quality information, but has not posted now in a long time.

I hope he is alright.

[John Gault]

I want to go to Colombia, stay at a nice beach and meet some nice looking girls, dont care if they like me for money or not (I will pay). But where should i go? were is the nicest beach with the least crime? It would save me from having to go around myself to find out. I can afford to hire an armed body guard, but would that just draw more attention to me and end up kicking myself in the back after or would it be smart?

Thanks in advance.

Santa Marta has some pretty nice beaches in the area with calm and pretty clear water. Also if as you who seem to have deep pockets then go to Flamingos. expensive, but some very hot chica's to be had.

[Fabone]

If you must have a beach, your best bet is Cartegena. Prices will of course be more expensive because of all the tourists.

Spot on.

The Hollywood Beach area there near Laguito & Boca Brande is fine for meeting chicas.

Beware of Tony & the like but you can have a nice time in that area even doing business with those guys if you keep them in check.

And to Bango's point, if you find a girl that you like, take her out to one of the islands one morning... some of those beaches are great!

[Hioctane]

I want to go to Colombia, stay at a nice beach and meet some nice looking girls, dont care if they like me for money or not (I will pay). But where should i go? were is the nicest beach with the least crime? It would save me from having to go around myself to find out. I can afford to hire an armed body guard, but would that just draw more attention to me and end up kicking myself in the back after or would it be smart?

Thanks in advance.

If you must have a beach, your best bet is Cartegena. Prices will of course be more expensive because of all the tourists.

[Bango Cheito]

Beaches and mongering in Colombia don't mix very well. All the decent beaches are in real remote areas. You'd have to find your girl in the city and then take her there. And they'd have to trust you enough to go.

Butterface. Nice body, but her Face.