General Info

[JustTK]

Now with foreigners visiting Medellin by the thousands and girls' making a typical monthly salary in just one night, what are your opinions on how Medellin will change in the coming years in terms of mongering and meeting local girls for dating?

Let me know what you guys think.

In terms of prices, the Venzlas are a real blessing. They are going to keep the prices down for a long time yet.

[LionBacker]

My last time I was in Medellin I met a guy who has been visiting Medellin for the past 15 years.

He said that it was much easier to get dates with locals and girls were so interested in getting to know him.

Now with foreigners visiting Medellin by the thousands and girls' making a typical monthly salary in just one night, what are your opinions on how Medellin will change in the coming years in terms of mongering and meeting local girls for dating?

Let me know what you guys think.

[SoberHans69]

Almost ready to book my trip to Colombia.

Planning on going from 17th of August until at least 15th of September, possibly longer depending on re-entry rules back to the UK.

Here's my plan, just wanted to know if you lot think I should skip Cartagena and spend more time in Bogota or Medellin instead.

The architecture looks beautiful and I like to walk a lot so the fact it's safer, especially at night, is appealing but I'm not a huge fan of very hot weather or beaches.

This is my plan if I do go to Cartagena.

6 nights Bogota.

11 nights Medellin.

6 nights Cartagena.

6 nights Bogota.

My trip must begin and end in Bogota as it's much cheaper for me and less flights.

Would you lot stick to that or change it?

Also do people know gyms near Parque Lleras, Santa Fe and near the Walled City where you can pay per session or for a short period?

Thank you in advance.

[JjBee62]

For anyone interested in renting a car and driving in Colombia, here's my 10 day experience.

First thing, it's an additional and almost completely unnecessary expense, plus there are added risks. If driving back home stresses you out, you shouldn't even consider it.

There were 3 components to my driving experience, Medellin, Bogota and driving outside of the cities. Driving in Medellin wasn't bad at all. Traffic was a problem, crazy people on motos were a problem, but it wasn't significantly worse than dealing with the traffic in any major city. What helped was my knowledge of Medellin. I already had a good idea how to get to the places I wanted to go. One issue which popped up, paying at parking garages. I expected to be able to pay on my way out, and ended up blocking the exit for 10 minutes, while I ran back to the payment machine.

The streets in Medellin are mostly in good condition. Potholes weren't too much of a problem, although one in the south end of Itagui snuck up on me. Just make sure to keep your eyes open for the speed bumps. Some of them will destroy a car. I didn't have any issues finding parking. A good spot I found near Parque Lleras was Valet Pro, right across the street from Hooters. If you come in from Calle 7 you can avoid all the traffic.

Driving in Bogota, I didn't do too much. Mainly driving out of and back into the city. One noticeable difference, drivers in Bogota are more impatient. Expect to hear more horns and to have more close encounters with motos. Also, the roads in Bogota are terrible. I've seen potholes that are more than a foot deep. I would rate them as the worst city streets I've seen.

Driving outside of the cities is not for the timid. Although most of the roads were decent, there are many narrow, steep and twisting roads where the trucks are going 5 mph. Passing is a game of Russian Roulette. I had a few close encounters with oncoming traffic, one close enough that I'm pretty sure one guy needed a change of underwear. There are construction zones where they will stop all traffic for 30 minutes or more. All you can do is sit and wait.

The worst problem I encountered was from Google Maps. It directed me off the highway and onto a dirt, one lane road which I was stuck on for 30 miles. Many times I had to stop and back up to find a spot wide enough for 2 vehicles. At least there weren't any tolls.

Speaking of tolls, expect a lot of them. They usually cost about 12 k. It's a good way to get rid of some of your coins.

To me, the biggest advantage was being able to go where I wanted, when I wanted. I took several trips to places outside of Medellin, including Guatape. While I know several girls with cars, I'm much more relaxed driving than riding with someone who is indecisive. I probably won't rent a car again, but I'm happy with my experience.

[Fun Luvr]

Appreciate if anyone can confirm the curfew restriction on cities below.

Cartagena- curfew at 9 pm.

Medellin- No curfew.

Bogota- curfew at 9 pm.

I can confirm there is no curfew in Medellin. I don't know about the other two cities.

[PussyRiot]

Appreciate if anyone can confirm the curfew restriction on cities below.

Cartagena- curfew at 9 pm.

Medellin- No curfew.

Bogota- curfew at 9 pm.

[MongerHunger]

Bold move.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...a-57619929.amp

[JustTK]

Yes, there are a few in Sta Marta centro that allow 2 million. But its not all machines. You just need to check. For example, the one on the corner of Pqe Bolivar and the Malecon allows 2 million. On La 5, one machine allows, whereas the other doesn't. Am talking here of Davivienda ATMs. Same with the bank of ATMs in the small square on calle 13/14.

Last night I came across an ATM that allowed 2 million pesos and no fee. It was the Davivienda here in El Rodadero, Santa Marta. I walked up to the machine that the cars drive up to. Maybe the machines inside have a different protocol?

[Mr Enternational]

Last night I came across an ATM that allowed 2 million pesos and no fee. It was the Davivienda here in El Rodadero, Santa Marta. I walked up to the machine that the cars drive up to. Maybe the machines inside have a different protocol?

[JustTK]

This issue has become more complicated recently due to COVID entry requirements.

Am considering the ease and cost of it all to various nearby countries. Entry tests required, travel and health insurance requirements, isolations / quarantines, cost of flight, whether I can just skip immigration in the country of arrival and get back on the return flight. Its quite a tricky call.

My first thought is to get a low cost return flight to Panama. Cost is flights and test reqd to leave Col. If I can get on the return flight without leaving the arrivals hall (just as if I were in transit. No luggage), then I could avoid the extra test reqd in Panama arrivals and 3 day quarantine. But that means I would need to do check in for Panama flight online, and that means I would need to buy a 3 flight ticket. Col-PTY-Col-PTY. Bcos they won't allow online check-in unless you have a flight out of Col on the same reservation. Bit of a waste of money.

Was thinking DR too, but would need to go thru USA. More tests in both directions and extra costs for flights.

Its not easy. Anyone have anything to contribute to this conundrum?

[JustTK]

When you add in the flights, the hotel, the covid tests, taxis. Its a lot of money just for a stamp in your passport.

For those that want to know, I just had a friend pass thru immigration and they told them. Just go to a domestic immigration office (such as the one in Belen, but they are in most major cities) one week before you plan to leave, and tell them you have overstayed for whatever reason (covid is a good one). The fine will be 50,000 per month.

That sounds like a much better deal and saves a lot of wasted time too. I will try it out in a couple of weeks.

Go to Eucador for day or or two.

[Nypher]

Is a big no no. I can count on one hand in 30 years of travel, how many times I paid in advance and every time the service sucked. . If they demand payment up front, I broom them. These working girl types are like buses, another on comes along every 5 minutes.

99.9 % of the time the reason they demand you to pay upfront is because the service is going to suck and you have no power or control of the session. You have to think with the big head and don't give in to pay upfront and tell them your no longer interested.

Give them 5 or 10,000 cop and get rid of them. You will save yourself a headache.

You're so right about those girls, and I have learned over the years. Just like your bus analogy we have one over here as well. JAJAJA.

Chicas are like parking spots. Drive around looking for one and as soon as you find one out of your way and park your vehicle, a better parking spot becomes available that is way more convenient.

[World Travel 69]

Go to Eucador for day or or two.

[QnUOTE=JustTK;2571390]Does anyone happen to know the rules if you overstay as a tourist?

Yes, I know there may be a fine, but how much and for how long an overstay? Grcs! QUOTE].

[JjBee62]

Does anyone happen to know the rules if you overstay as a tourist?

Yes, I know there may be a fine, but how much and for how long an overstay? Grcs!

The only person I know who overstayed was on a different visa. He was only a few weeks late renewing it and they initially told him he would be banned from Colombia for 5 years. He ended up paying a fine and got the visa renewed, but I don't know how much the fine was.

[LatinaLover#1]

I've had a few experiences with this and I would never pay up front again. , yours may be different than mine but I've had enough to dissuade me from doing so again. Every mistake I've made prepared me for the next chica.

I only pay after, and if they demand money upfront I just give them 20 K pesos max for taxi and tell them to leave.

My first experience was in DR where she demanded payment up front. She looked super hot, we were already in the apartment drinking so I didn't mind. When we got to the bedroom she demanded the money before she got undressed. She kept saying "dinero first pappi, dinero first".

Ok. I pay. She get undressed and starts BB Chupa, her teeth is scraping all up and down my joint so I stop her. I tell her perito, grab my condom and the smell that came from her box was out of this world. I tell her go tot he bathroom to wash up. She comes back, it still smells bad. But she already got my money and can't suck good. I told her this is my first leche off the plane and I want it to be good, took a loss, told her to leave.

Colombia. A week before I flew I matched with this chick on Tinder, all her pictures looked hot and we been talking almost daily on whatsapp. Then the day before I'm supposed to land I'm unmatched from Tinder and her profile photo disappeared from whatsapp and she's not responding to any of me messages. I head to the clock tower and surely enough I see her there and I approach her, she remembers me and I asked why she blocked me and she says allot of gringos just bullshit to get free pics and never actually come to Colombia. So since she see I'm for real she's sorry and will go with me, I didn't even have to negotiate even though she knew I was American she didn't give me the gringo price. We get back to the apartment, I'm excited, been waiting all week for this, she say pay upfront. Ok I pay, then tell her go shower. She comes out wrapped up in a towel. I go shower come out and all the lights are off, she's on the bed wrapped in the towel and under the covers. WTF!? So I turn on the lights pull all the covers off the bed, pull the towel off of her and she had this nasty black and blue mark going down her stomach that looked like a botched surgery and the skin is rottin. After seeing that I couldn't even get hard. So I just went for Chupa until I finished which took her about an hour. Even though I paid for TLN but it wasn't a crazy price I took the loss and told her to leave.

Colombia again. I matched with a girl on tinder again. I message her on whatsapp and she agreed to meet with me but it has to be early morning or late night and she can only do ST. I agreed. First night she shows up, 30 minutes late, I don't care, she's all natural and hot. Sucks me dry BBJCIM I didn't even get to hit but she took all my energy, I pay she leaves. Next day I hit her up she tell me she can't that night but she can see me in an hour. I agreed. She shows up late again, I don't care, I get to hit, its tight she's good, and when I was about to finish she caught all the leche in her mouth. I pay, she leaves. Third day I hit her up for same deal, she says she can't that day but she can the next day. No big deal, I head to the clocktower to get a fresh face, found one and decide to Cafe Del Mar for a few drinks and there she is with a gringo but she didn't see me. So I message her and let her know I see her on the wall in a joking way. She replies back the guy paid her to be with him for the week. So I asked her how were you seeing me then? She said she would just tell him she had an emergency at home and she have to go make sure everything is ok but will be back in an hour or two. So long story short she was with him told him a BS lie then come see me then go back to him. Meanwhile I'm watching him kissing her all in her mouth taking selfies. SMH. Gringo GFE ignorance I suppose. She shows up next day at my place same deal.

Is a big no no. I can count on one hand in 30 years of travel, how many times I paid in advance and every time the service sucked. . If they demand payment up front, I broom them. These working girl types are like buses, another on comes along every 5 minutes.

99.9 % of the time the reason they demand you to pay upfront is because the service is going to suck and you have no power or control of the session. You have to think with the big head and don't give in to pay upfront and tell them your no longer interested.

Give them 5 or 10,000 cop and get rid of them. You will save yourself a headache.