Cartagena Reports

[Travel Doc10]

In November I noticed 2 places with beds with canopy on ther beach, red ones at the end closest to laquito and white ones about midway up the beach. Are these connected with a hotel, and available only to guests, or are they available for anyone who is willing to pay? Has anyone used them? What do they charge? I'm thinking it might make for a nice day at the beach with a friend, especially if there is very good food / drink service assoc. With it.

Thanks for your help.

[MiamiHeatLuver]

My Novia Bday is coming up and I would like to send her some flowers. I know. I know. I know. What can I do I'm a romantico LOL.

So any of you know a reliable service or local establishment where I can call get the flowers delivered to her house.

Or a web site?

Thanks in advance

Www.wersternunion.com Or www.moneygram.com

Just kidding, LOL. Use this place, never had a problem http://1vende.com/

[Sobaje]

My Novia Bday is coming up and I would like to send her some flowers. I know. I know. I know. What can I do I'm a romantico LOL.

So any of you know a reliable service or local establishment where I can call get the flowers delivered to her house.

Or a web site?

Thanks in advance

[Strickjb]

Just made my first and second trips to Cartagena recently. Both short business trips.

First trip stayed at Santa Teresa. Expensive for my taste, but I wasn't paying for it. Glad to be staying in the old town area, very cool place. And thanks to Hillbilly69's map. It came in very handy. First night went to Isis and had some beers, but just didn't hit it off with any of the lovelies. Maybe I was tired. Next day walked around a bit, spotted a couple of potential locations to check out later but couldn't for the life of me find Queens. Anyway, went up on the old wall by the hotel just to relax and check out the scenery. A tall, young, beautiful Afro-Colombiana walks by, we exchange hellos and she keeps walking. At this point I just stay where I am and finally after 50m or so, she turns around to see me still looking at her. She walks back toward my location and stops about 10 feet from me like she's talking on her phone. After she puts her phone away, I make my way over to her and in my best gringo spanish strike up a conversation. It's more comical than anything, but I get her number and we agree to meet later at the hotel for a drink. A couple hours later we meet in the lobby of the hotel and she looks stunning. Red dress showing just enough cleavage, perfect skin, sweet as can be. We have a couple of beers in the bar, then head out and grab a bite to eat. She asks me if I want to go to a club. Of course! So she takes me to. Wait for it. Queens! I couldn't believe it. Seems they put their sign away during the day. Pretty funny. So we're in Queens drinking and having a nice time, she is getting frisky and let's me know how much she loves to kiss. DFK. A freakin' wrestling match! Very nice. After a while it's time to go and I ask her if she would like to join me in the hotel. She answers by ramming her tongue down my throat again. Let's go! Entering the hotel, security directs me over to reception and I know what's about to happen. Yup, I get charged for an additional person in my room. I could have argued it, but it was late and I was very horny at this point. So I told them just charge it to my account. Up in the room we hit it off great. Total GFE. Her skin is just perfection, tall with a great body to match. DATY, missionary, doggie, cowgirl. But she did not initiate BJ and I did not push it. I was enjoying everything else! Anyway not a lot of sleep that night. Next morning, I slip some money in her bag and send her on her way as I have to go to work. Not once did she bring up money. Did not see her again this trip but kept in contact with her in preparation for follow-on trips.

Second trip stayed at Santa Clara. Again expensive for my taste, but I'm not paying for it. I have stayed in contact with Jan in hopes of seeing her again. This time I confirm with hotel my reservation is good for two people and I let them know my novia will join me. Day of arrival, Jan texts me and asks if I want her to pick me up. I pass as I have to go straight to the office. We agree to meet later in the afternoon at the hotel. When she does arrive at the hotel, again she is a total knockout. White dress against her dark skin is just amazing. I take her to the front desk and check her in on my account and give her a second room key. I can tell she is very excited about this. She has just figured out where she is going to stay for the next three nights. Get to the room and she jumps me this time. Even taking charge and going down on me for a while. I can tell she's inexperienced in that artform, but that's something we'll work on. It's a great three days. I go to work in the morning after the perfect wake up call and she goes back to sleep. I get back to the hotel after work and we go at it again, rest, then go out to dinner, and start all over again. Lather, rinse, repeat. She showed me some great restaurants, even took me to the boarding house where she stays and got to meet some of the other girls living there. Mental note, a couple of hotties. Went to the beach out in front of Hotel Caribe. Hung out in one of the cabanas and had a few beers and some food. Didn't get bothered too much, and met some of her other friends. More hotties! All in all a perfect four days. Like the first trip, not once did she talk money, but I slipped some in her bag each day.

Here's a couple of pics. She deleted the adult pics while I wasn't looking. I'll get some next trip and share them.

BTW. I'll be in Cartagena next week. Always up for a beer if anyone is interested, just PM me.

J

[You Can]

There is no smoking in LDV or for the most part any place inside. Its a no smoke place other then outside.

I don't like cigarette smoke, is there in LDV much or not much smoke? Is there in Cartagena pick up point outdoors or smoke free?

Thanks

[Hillbilly69]

I don't like cigarette smoke, is there in LDV much or not much smoke? Is there in Cartagena pick up point outdoors or smoke free?

Thanks

Sit outside on the bench. Also RTFMAP. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?vps=3...06d2b411420a83

[Hillbilly69]

hey guys,

i'm heading down for my 4th trip feb 15-20, and want to take an amiga to playa blanca for a day. for a change of pace, do you go directly to the docks in the am and hook up with them (transportation / speed boat) , or is it equally effective using any of the touts near the hilton.

thanks for the help.

doc

go to docks at 7am or so, make sure you know what boat you are getting they vary alot. it could be like taking the slow boat to china, also those little boats on the east side of laguito and south side of the hilton you could charter yourself which would be quicker i would think avoiding rosario and coming and going on your own terms rather than the boats agenda, not to mention if the weather sucks you didn't buy a ticket in advance. also consider going to playa de punta arena just across from laguito, you could rent a jet ski and head over there for few hours or get little boat in laguito, not as nice as playa blanca but quick if the weather isn't cooperating.

[Travel Doc10]

hey guys,

i'm heading down for my 4th trip feb 15-20, and want to take an amiga to playa blanca for a day. for a change of pace, do you go directly to the docks in the am and hook up with them (transportation / speed boat) , or is it equally effective using any of the touts near the hilton.

thanks for the help.

doc

[Alexsandro]

I don't like cigarette smoke, is there in LDV much or not much smoke? Is there in Cartagena pick up point outdoors or smoke free?

Thanks

[Black Page]

Nothing to add, except I do not know if in other countries an identity card in addition to the passport is standard. But one may use any identification type document that shows a photo I guess (driving license). At least this works when paying with credit card which does hardly work in Colombia without an identification document. It also works with the polce or military check points. I noticed that there are a lot of strange recommendations on this board: Do not use ATM, do not use credit card. Having family in Colombia and thus spending a lot of time there I wonder why one should behave much differntly like one does in the home country. I use ATM, I use credit card and I never run around with my passport in my home country. But what has all this to do with Cartagena? Seems to be a general topic.

1) I recommend to take your national picture I'd with you, plus a photocopy of the passport, only as a surrogate of your original valid passport, which under no circumstances you should take around the streets. It's precious and it must stay in your room.

Although our national I'd has no legal value in another country, it works enough well to let me have NO problems in my 25+ visits to Colombia in 5-6 years (and, believe me, I've been searched and frisked in very questionable areas).

2) About debit and credit cards, I repeat what I wrote already countless times. Skip all paranoic recommendations here and in other forums:

- you will use ATMs (debit card) to get cash, more convenient than all other ways to change money;

- you will use credit cards freely as you do in your home country (only small places do not accept it).

I NEVER got my cards cloned, or blocked by the bank for suspicious use, after many many hundreds transactions in Colombia. It's possible, but not so likely as someone says here. I got my card blocked by the bank after use in Turkey, USA and some other country, never in Colombia.

[You Can]

I frequently use my ATM card and never had a problem. Never carry my passport in Cartagena and have been stoped but never had any problem moving on once they did a quick search. Pretty simple. Never used a credit card, but my one buddy does all the time.

QUOTE=TuDueno; 1233193]Nothing to add, except I do not know if in other countries an identity card in addition to the passport is standard. But one may use any identification type document that shows a photo I guess (driving license). At least this works when paying with credit card which does hardly work in Colombia without an identification document. It also works with the polce or military check points. I noticed that there are a lot of strange recommendations on this board: Do not use ATM, do not use credit card. Having family in Colombia and thus spending a lot of time there I wonder why one should behave much differntly like one does in the home country. I use ATM, I use credit card and I never run around with my passport in my home country. But what has all this to do with Cartagena? Seems to be a general topic.[/QUOTE]

[TuDueno]

The typical story is that they stop me, they ask me what I am doing there, from where I come from, to show my passport. After that, at times I am also asked to empty my pockets and even frisked with care. After all that, when they have verified I am OK, the fierce look of police agents rapidly changes to an open smile: pat on my shoulder and "buenas noches".

Nothing to add, except I do not know if in other countries an identity card in addition to the passport is standard. But one may use any identification type document that shows a photo I guess (driving license). At least this works when paying with credit card which does hardly work in Colombia without an identification document. It also works with the polce or military check points. I noticed that there are a lot of strange recommendations on this board: Do not use ATM, do not use credit card. Having family in Colombia and thus spending a lot of time there I wonder why one should behave much differntly like one does in the home country. I use ATM, I use credit card and I never run around with my passport in my home country. But what has all this to do with Cartagena? Seems to be a general topic.

[Vitrea]

Folks,

PS: I cannot say the same positive things about police in various other countries, including Mexico, Panama, and some African countries, where I had to leave some money as bribe for having done nothing bad.

Agree with you and MHL. My comments are just that. No arguments from me.

I have travelled to more countries than I can remember. I also fully agree Mexican cops are worst in the world.

[MiamiHeatLuver]

MHL, not to contradict you, the Yoda here (no sarcasm) , but making high quality copies closely resembling your original passport and laminating is illegal in the USA unless it says "copy" on it. As a matter of fact Kinkos would not even allow color copies of passports. Kinkos goes overboard with the federal law as per law, that is most commonly interpreted, if you make a color copy it should look like an obvious copy. Don't ask my what I do for a living but trust me on this.

Thanks for the kind words but I am far far from any kind of Yoda on Colombia, more like a guy who has been going since 05 and makes good mental notes an observations of the people and his surroundings.

About the copy, I'm talking making a good copy from your home color lazerjet printer and then I laminate it. It still looks like a copy, obviously it has NONE of the security measure an actual passport would have in it like holograms, embedded actual photo or most importantly the RFID chip. If some of you have reservations with making a copy then don't do it. Do whatever works for you. If you do make a copy and bring it to Colombia with you but have reservations with bringing it back with you then burn it before you leave but I for sure am not going to walk around with my original passport for fear of it getting lost or stolen.

[Black Page]

Folks,

Here I am reading various comments and claims about IDs, passports and the Colombian police, which surprise me quite a bit!
Please note that:

1) I am European, I entered Colombia maybe 25 times in the last 6 years (I write maybe because I really cannot remember and I don't have the time to count stamps on the passport) , for visits each lasting from 5 hours to 10 days.

2) I have been stopped, checked, inspected by Colombia police agents countless times in various places, including Santa Fe Bogota, Cartagena, El Centro Medellin, at all times of the day and of the night, including from 0am to 5am. I understand well that when police sees someone looking foreigner in such places at night time, they want to check the ID and also the pockets, because many people like me buys or carries drugs (no, I don't, so I feel always very comfortable with police checks).

Said all this, these are my (solid) experience and recommendations.

1) Never bring with you your passport (what do you do if they steal it or you lose it?) or an expired passport (don't you think the police agent may be then curious to check if you really have a valid one?).

2) Bring your national picture ID (should you lose it, you'll have all the time to get a new one at home) and a plain photocopy of your passport, just in case.

3) All the times I have been checked by the police, at any hour and in any questionable place, I have been interrogated and my items at point 2) above have been checked, even scrupulously, but nobody ever made me a problem for not having the original passport with me. They know why you don't have it with you. They are looking for criminals and for illegal items, not for making needless troubles to a foreign visitor.

4) Finally, I really want to say that my experience with the Colombia police (and I collected quite a numerous samples of experience, in all these years) is extremely positive. NEVER I have been asked a bribe, NEVER I felt in trouble during a night check.

The typical story is that they stop me, they ask me what I am doing there, from where I come from, to show my passport. After that, at times I am also asked to empty my pockets and even frisked with care. After all that, when they have verified I am OK, the fierce look of police agents rapidly changes to an open smile: pat on my shoulder and "buenas noches".

PS: I cannot say the same positive things about police in various other countries, including Mexico, Panama, and some African countries, where I had to leave some money as bribe for having done nothing bad.