Cartagena Reports

[Hilltopper]

It changes night to night. I've seen it dead empty. I've been in there where you couldn't breathe properly at all due to the number of bodies. Last time was in June and they expected everyone at a table to order bottle service. This made it impossible for me since I'm alone and don't want to order an entire bottle.

The closing of Elektra means LDV just has more chicas in it. It's pretty much LDV and Space in the old city that are hooker joints. We need a third place to help move the bodies around.

I know it and other venues can change with the way the wind blows. Have reported such over the past 12 years of coming to Cartagena when guys want to say such and such night is no good or such and such month is no good. Have to roll my eyes often.

I went by myself, which is typically the case as I find most guys are too tight or too loud-mouthed or too-something, but I have no problem in buying a bottle and did so. If I don't want to drink alone or don't want to drink the entire bottle, I share the bottle with chicas (more often than not). Usually invite other dudes who are staring to have a shot, but damn if they aren't too tight and won't loosen up a little and try some guaro. Goodness, life is too short----sharing shots with Colombianas or Venezuelanas is a blast!!

Oh, and over the years I've heard guys report you have to buy a drink or you have to buy a bottle to get a table. Nonsense.......they only do that to guys who just want to come in there and benefit from the venue and not spend a dime. When they know you are a good guy who doesn't always come in there and not spend, you can have a table and not buy a bottle, etc. I'd force the tight wads to buy as well......how the hell is a place supposed to pay the electric bill if all the guys are cheap charlies?

You're in a bar that makes money from selling alcohol......patronize the place by buying what they sell or go elsewhere. It ain't always about being a "taker". One meets some odd, finicky guys during his travels.

[YippieKayay]

Just a quick note that I stopped-in LDV this past Monday evening. Lots of chicas, plenty of guys (which you need in order for the chicas to stay for the potential of a client); overall more chicas than dudes. Lots of dudes standing around acting like they are scared to spend pesos and blocking the view of guys like myself who don't have a problem grabbing a table and getting bottle service. Oh well, to each their own. I enjoyed myself and lucked into my selection being an absolute stellar performer who kept getting the Johnson revved back up for more!! So much fun when the chica wants and knows how to bring Johnson back to attention multiple times rather quickly for the over 55 crowd jajajaja!!

It changes night to night. I've seen it dead empty. I've been in there where you couldn't breathe properly at all due to the number of bodies. Last time was in June and they expected everyone at a table to order bottle service. This made it impossible for me since I'm alone and don't want to order an entire bottle.

The closing of Elektra means LDV just has more chicas in it. It's pretty much LDV and Space in the old city that are hooker joints. We need a third place to help move the bodies around.

[Hilltopper]

Just a quick note that I stopped-in LDV this past Monday evening. Lots of chicas, plenty of guys (which you need in order for the chicas to stay for the potential of a client); overall more chicas than dudes. Lots of dudes standing around acting like they are scared to spend pesos and blocking the view of guys like myself who don't have a problem grabbing a table and getting bottle service. Oh well, to each their own. I enjoyed myself and lucked into my selection being an absolute stellar performer who kept getting the Johnson revved back up for more!! So much fun when the chica wants and knows how to bring Johnson back to attention multiple times rather quickly for the over 55 crowd jajajaja!!

[Black Page]

I would like to set a few things straight.

Try Cuzco and Santisimo. Youl'll want to offer me a beer to thank me.

[Hotrod10]

I would like to set a few things straight. When I have dinner at a street stall I never choose a poor street stall I only eat at upscale elegant street stalls. Its hard to find good ANIMELLES at a regular food stall. Also, I very seldom order a steak when I dine at a restaurant. With that said there was the time when I was in the Loire Valley having dinner with a friend, who was a local and she insisted that I try a steak raised by a local farm of the Charolais breed. She claimed it was as good as, if not better than a Kobe steak. She was right it was delicious. I didn't have the hart to tell her that I have had Charolais beef many times as it has been raised here in the USA for many years. I was here in France waiting for a group of friends to take a barge cruise on the Nivernais canal. If you have never had the chance to take a barge cruise I would highly recommend it. I should mention I almost didn't get in this restaurant due to their dress code but finally they let me in although I was wearing a faded white t shirt, camouflage short pants and flip flops. Just something to think about.

[Black Page]

I have been to Peru several times and first of all my favorite pet when I was growing up was Harry he was my Guinea pig. I'm sure you know that grilled Guinea pig is normally the most expensive dish on a Peruvian menu. My first trip to Peru I learned to never order CUY or QUWI or CUYO.

With all due respect, I have the impression you have seldom traveled outside USA, or at least in South America. Your idea of Peruvian food seems something near poor street stalls. Nothing wronger than that. A Chinese may think that "American food" in NYC means having a burger at McD for 10 bucks, but that Chinese should learn that there is also Smith & Wollensky, and for a steak and a bottle of good wine the bill there could be 200 bucks for person.

First thing, in South America Peruvian and Peruvian Fusion is considered one of the most sophisticated and trendy styles. Of course, we are not talking about street food, but high cuisine.

Second, you will find cuyo only on Andes. In Lima, food means seafood.

Last, try to go to CUZCO in Cartagena. Dress well, because it's upscale and will not allow people to enter with shorts (I am not saying you would, but to give an idea). Do not try to tell them to keep cuyo away from your table. They will not even know what it is (staff is local). Wherever you go in Colombia, if a high-level restaurant shows "Peruvian", it means it is the place where to have seafood.

Another excellent place is SANTISIMO, but I have reported some other good restaurants in this thread already along the years. No hope to find a good one in Bocagrande. The only decent is maybe Carbon de Palo, for a grilled steak.

[JoeqNight]

Checking out the first 100 of 200 apartments available on airbnb in the Bocagrande area I found 11 possibilities and sent each a question (may I bring a friend to the apartment for a short time not all night). Out of the first 8 replies 7 said no number 8 said yes so I took it. In the house rules section one actually said no prostitutes. Some said all guests must be out by 10 pm or expect a charge. Reading the comments on this site was the only reason I sent the question. What a surprise. In all of my travels I have never asked this.

Went through the same thing as well. I asked alot of questions and found a building previous mentioned in this forum. The walled city probably is the most difficult but you can search in the El Laguito area.

[Black Page]

What a surprise. In all of my travels I have never asked this.

I know someone is surprised to hear this, and can hardly understand it, but Colombians do not like to see prostitutes mixed with their "real life environment".

They do go with prostitutes, but in places that are very well separated from where they live their normal life with friends and family. There are "zonas de tolerancia", there are love motels (think about Santa Fe and the love hotels in Chapinero, Bogota), but all this is separated from where high stratum people lives, has business, goes out for having fun and a drink with their friends.

No way you can take a WG to an upper class hotel. The hotel would be immediately discredited, and all good regular guests would complain, if a prostitute enters the lobby. It does not matter how is she dressed: people understands who is a bitchy girlfriend and who is a girlfriendly bitchh.

Same for condos. If a Colombian family pays the rent of an apartment to spend holidays, they do not want to see sex tourists with girls. Period.

Once a Colombian told me this: "we too like to go with prostitutes, but what we do not understand is why foreigners like to take them out to dinner!" I nodded my agreement (of course I did not reveale that I did the same, some times regrettably).

[Hotrod10]

I'm on my way back to CTG but I will be there before you. This will be my second time. My first trip was just a few weeks ago and was a disaster. I now think a visitor should have a nice room with a pool. For me the pool is mandatory. This city gets hot and I think it will be nice to spend the afternoon at the pool. The walled city is a place to spend a day maybe even a guided walking tour. Its like nothing I have ever seen. The wall covers a very large area and I'm told it has many nice restaurants. At night just find yourself a place to sit and watch. Many hookers of every size, color, and age. Have a great time.

Hotrod 10.

[Hotrod10]

Checking out the first 100 of 200 apartments available on airbnb in the Bocagrande area I found 11 possibilities and sent each a question (may I bring a friend to the apartment for a short time not all night). Out of the first 8 replies 7 said no number 8 said yes so I took it. In the house rules section one actually said no prostitutes. Some said all guests must be out by 10 pm or expect a charge. Reading the comments on this site was the only reason I sent the question. What a surprise. In all of my travels I have never asked this.

[YippieKayay]

While in Ctq I made 2 trips looking for Hollywood beach. After reading a few posts that mentioned chicas on this beach I thought it was worth a look see. I am still wondering if I made it to the right beach. The beach I went to on both trips was dirty with not very many people It had a drainage ditch down the center of the beach and had many tents for swimmers to block the sun. A taxi driver call it Bocagrande beach. It wasn't what I expected.

That's not drainage. The river opens up into the sea so all the water near the city has a slight greenish color. It's perfectly safe to swim in. Lots of people do with no issues including me.

That being said, if you want azure colored water one option is Playa Blanca. You can get there by a boat ticket, or private boat (more expensive). It's about a half hour by boat, and 1 hour and a half by bus. You can buy tickets at any of the tourist stores in Bocagrande or elsewhere. They book you, sell you a ticket, and tell you where to catch the boat or bus the next morning. It's all tourists and families going there so bring your own chica.

If you want something faster, I recommend Punta Arenas. It's across from Laguito. Go to El Muelle Restaurante Bar, in Laguito, and just ask where the boats to Punta Arenas are. You'll get on a boat with other people and a couple of guys will likely escort you. They are your servers when you get to the island. They will bring you drinks and food from the restaurant at whichever beach you land at. The water there has no greenish color and is more blue but not as nice as Playa Blanca. It is vastly calmer than Bocagrande.

Hope this helps.

[Mojo Bandit]

While in Ctq I made 2 trips looking for Hollywood beach. After reading a few posts that mentioned chicas on this beach I thought it was worth a look see. I am still wondering if I made it to the right beach. The beach I went to on both trips was dirty with not very many people It had a drainage ditch down the center of the beach and had many tents for swimmers to block the sun. A taxi driver call it Bocagrande beach. It wasn't what I expected.

Playa Hollywood is almost at the end of the peninsula You have to go down past where Carrera 1 passes in from of Hotel Caribe, go barely past the next building and the entrance to Playa Hollywood is in across the street (once inside this entrance I'm fairly certain you want to go to the left). These are directions from Bocagrande, If you are staying in El Laguito, then you just go straight north (as the crow flies) on the outer road (Calle 1 B) that starts at the Hilton hotel that leads from the out along the coast, when this road forks, go right a short distance and it ends / merges to Carrera 1 and the entrance is about 260 feet on the left.

Playa Hollywood is labeled on Google maps with a pink marker, but I think the marker is off a little to the northeast, so I put an X nearer to where it is behind the area of the Hotel Dann. There is a supermarket near the entrance called "Supermercado La Estrella" that might help a taxi driver know what you are looking for.

[Hotrod10]

While in Ctq I made 2 trips looking for Hollywood beach. After reading a few posts that mentioned chicas on this beach I thought it was worth a look see. I am still wondering if I made it to the right beach. The beach I went to on both trips was dirty with not very many people It had a drainage ditch down the center of the beach and had many tents for swimmers to block the sun. A taxi driver call it Bocagrande beach. It wasn't what I expected.

[Hotrod10]

Black Page,

Regarding your comments about my report on Ctg. When I'm traveling with a friend I like nothing better than a great dinner in a new city. My first trip to ctg was not good. But, now that I have been home for a week I'm thinking about a return trip within the next 2 weeks. I have a good Idea of what to expect and how to deal with it. This time I will look for a nice apartment with a pool. And no I didn't get a refund from AIRBNB as it turns out it was my fault. Enough said. Also you mentioned a Peruvian restaurant in the walled city. I have been to Peru several times and first of all my favorite pet when I was growing up was Harry he was my Guinea pig. I'm sure you know that grilled Guinea pig is normally the most expensive dish on a Peruvian menu. My first trip to Peru I learned to never order CUY or QUWI or CUYO.

[JoeqNight]

I am excited to go to CTG for the first time. I been to Medellin a few times so this will be a cool change of pace. If any vet will be there the 3rd week of September, let me know. I am of Hispanic origin and Semi Fluent in Spanish.