Medellin Reports

[GreenBud]

Not true. I was in Colombia for less than a week and my both phones got blocked. And just today I already got a message from Tigo regarding my phone blockage. It has been just 4 days.

How do register with your passport. Can you please explain?

This is for Claro.

You need to go to an OFFICIAL Claro company store, such as the one inside the Andino Mall. You need your passport (or a copy), and the salesperson will register your passport with the SIM on their computer. Then you go to the cashier and pay for a package. It is then official.

Warning: if you go to an unofficial store or corner kiosk, and if you buy and use a SIM, it is not official. I had a bad experience once. I mistakenly thought a phone store was an official Claro office. The MFer salesperson lied to me; he BSed something like that the passports were invalid. He wanted to sell me his phones for sale with a preloaded SIM. I'm assuming it would have worked since he would have made a profit on the phone. I mistakenly bought a SIM from him (of course I was overcharged). I loaded it, but only Social Media worked. No minutes or data. I was told by Claro that the SIM was "unauthorized". Be careful if you go to an unofficial store.

It seems the SIM has to be registered to someone. Either your passport at the official Claro store, or a SIM from the street that is registered to a local; but that can be dangerous since that person can cancel / change.

Some people here are reporting that their phones gets locked when using an unauthorized SIM. Don't really understand that. Of course the phone company (such as Claro) can lock you out of their system, but can they lock your phone with ALL phone carriers, including inside the US? Don't know.

Either register your SIM legally, or get the SIM from a person you can trust 100%.

Note: you can get a legal SIM when you exit El Dorado Airport baggage area; it's right in front. But price is more than triple for maybe one third the data. It is priced in US dollars, so obviously it's a rip-off. But it might be worth the convenience for some.

[Nounce]

Not true. I was in Colombia for less than a week and my both phones got blocked. And just today I already got a message from Tigo regarding my phone blockage. It has been just 4 days.

How do register with your passport. Can you please explain?

That makes you an exception too. LOL. I try not too be too assertive on these things as my only goal is to share information. If I said it otherwise, someone may jump out and start another debate which I try to avoid as it is useless in my view.

The only way I have done it is take my passport to a company store to have them register it. There are other ways to register it like via a link that was mentioned but I have never received a link or done it.

[Oterri]

It did not take long for me. Claro asked me to purchase an expensive plan to unblock my SIM. My phone was blocked after I already registered with another carrier. It was the registered carrier told me who blocked my phone. Now I always register with my passport to avoid the possible hassle when I get a new SIM despite my phone has been registered before.

I think my example is an exception. The phone usually will not be blocked for a short usage like 1 week like mine did.

Not true. I was in Colombia for less than a week and my both phones got blocked. And just today I already got a message from Tigo regarding my phone blockage. It has been just 4 days.

How do register with your passport. Can you please explain?

[Nounce]

I have also heard that now a days unblocking can take 2-3 business days!

It did not take long for me. Claro asked me to purchase an expensive plan to unblock my SIM. My phone was blocked after I already registered with another carrier. It was the registered carrier told me who blocked my phone. Now I always register with my passport to avoid the possible hassle when I get a new SIM despite my phone has been registered before.

I think my example is an exception. The phone usually will not be blocked for a short usage like 1 week like mine did.

[Oterri]

I assume this is after you purchase a Colombia SIM and your phone was locked after you use it. For Claro, I was told you need to go to the one inside LOS Molinos. You will need to pay for it too. For Movistar, you probably can find out from a store. The SIM needs to be registered with your passport. My SIM was locked despite that I only had it for less than a week. That is my experience anyway.

Yeah, I have got two phones blocked in Colombia now. Running out of phones. Thanks for replying.

You need to register your IMEI with some telecommunications department (I forgot the name of it). It costs 20 mil. I did it twice, the first time online using the link provided by Movistar support, and the 2nd time at Movistar store. However it took a couple of weeks or so for my phone to start working. Interestingly enough, I was able to use DATA the entire time, but could not make calls or send text messages. After a few weeks, it finally got fully unlocked.

Couple of weeks. What a mess. I will have to contact movistar support to see if they can help.

[Oterri]

Thanks a lot for posting one of the most important piece. That it has to be unblocked by company that the SIM was bought from.

I wish there was a website where one could go and register the SIM as well as request the unblock. It is way too cumbersome to even find out how to get the IMEI registered.

I have also heard that now a days unblocking can take 2-3 business days!

Had the same thing and had to go to the actual company store for the company that my original Colombia SIM was from. Took me a while to figure out as it was a year or two earlier on a previous trip. Find the nearest company store for the SIM you originally had, and the phone number you had. Google location. In my case it was in San Diego mall.

I was told only the original company you got the SIM from (that resulted in you getting blocked) can have it unblocked.

[JjBee62]

I've been posted here in a while but I've been here for over 10 years and the same reoccurring theme. We can have three pages of people arguing over 10,000 pesos for a taxi ride from the airport. These girls are dirt fucking poor they don't have hot water. Have you ever seen the inside of their houses? Why brag that you got them for cheap offer free. I always give them money because $50 is nothing to me $100 is nothing if a girl truly wants to hang out with me. I will tell her I'm not paying you for sex if we have chemistry and we have sex. Of course I will help you. There's plenty of regular girls or semi pro is whatever you call them, but those Facebook girls are ruined for life. The young ones everybody just takes advantage of them they eventually get smarter. Why do people brag that they got them for free or for $40 when you're making 50 to 100,000 a year you could change their life forever with $1000 but instead you come out here and you brag, how are you manipulated and took advantage of some dirt poor barrio girl who is future is nothing but fatherless children death and robbery. Why'all got a wake up.

99% of them, if you give them $1000 USD, will be broke again within a month. Many will be broke within a week. The only ones whose lives are changed forever by $1000 are the ones who get killed by whoever steals the money from them. That is the reality.

Yes, I've been in their homes, and I've seen how they live. I have no problem with handing out something extra. However, if you think giving them more money is going to somehow fix their crappy situation, you're the one who needs to wake up. The issues are a lot deeper than that.

[JohnnieCash]

you could change their life forever with $1000

More like for a week.

Have you ever seen the inside of their houses?

It might surprise you but a lot people do not mind living the way they do, e. G. There is a lot of improvement they could do with some effort but they don't, because they simply don't care. It's only you that couldn't imagine living in such conditions. Same with hot water. Not a big deal.

Some people that have never been poor and seem to think these people live in constant state of suffering while in fact many if not most of them actually lead a happier more relaxed and socially fulfilling life than many rich folks. Especially when everyone around them is in similar situation more or less. Poor but happy.

There are exceptions of course but in most cases money will be spent on 6th pair of shoes, clothes and other throwables, plus a big screen TV repayment. 1 kg of rice is 5 mil COP in exito.

Money saved on hookers better give to a real charity, all the starving and homeless children fed already? Although whom to help is always a moral dilemma.

Besides, posters writing about the free sex here are mostly after 'she's with me for me not for the money' thing. I'm sure they spend on their GF plenty indirectly, just don't like to be charged by the hour.

[Que Rico]

I've been posted here in a while but I've been here for over 10 years and the same reoccurring theme. We can have three pages of people arguing over 10,000 pesos for a taxi ride from the airport. These girls are dirt fucking poor they don't have hot water. Have you ever seen the inside of their houses? Why brag that you got them for cheap offer free. I always give them money because $50 is nothing to me $100 is nothing if a girl truly wants to hang out with me. I will tell her I'm not paying you for sex if we have chemistry and we have sex. Of course I will help you. There's plenty of regular girls or semi pro is whatever you call them, but those Facebook girls are ruined for life. The young ones everybody just takes advantage of them they eventually get smarter. Why do people brag that they got them for free or for $40 when you're making 50 to 100,000 a year you could change their life forever with $1000 but instead you come out here and you brag, how are you manipulated and took advantage of some dirt poor barrio girl who is future is nothing but fatherless children death and robbery. Why'all got a wake up.

[TjBrazil]

Why do folks always make a disingenuous argument when people say free? Free means no payment or 'gifts" to the chick. It does not mean you did not spend any money at all. Hell it is not free to live. You have to buy food, buy a car or pay for Uber or even the bus, unless you walk every damn where. When Denny's gives me a free meal on Veterans Day then it is not actually free because I had to put gas in my car to drive there to eat the meal? Be fucking serious. You know what people mean by free or no payment to the person.

Eating at dennys is definitely no free after you vomit.

[Knowledge]

I agree the Plaza Botero / Parque Berrio quality was better a couple of years ago. Now that some of the girls ask for 40,000 the casas are worth another look. I think the barrier (especially the part that cut off the back of the church from the plaza) is one of the reasons. The other two reasons are economic improvement in Venezuela that brought girls back there and slowed down the flow of girls coming here (LATAM is about to resume operations in Venezuela) and groups of girls who move down to Poblado to work. My sense is the barrier had the biggest impact.

I expect the barrer will be breached or gone by Christmas once Mayor Quintero is voted out. Without getting too deeply into local politics, the facts are Quintero is way behind in the polls, he was recalled once during his term, he faced accusations of sexual harassment and rape, and he has not been able to answer questions about the source of his increase in real estate holdings and cash since he was elected. He had been allied with President Gustavo Petro during the presidential campaign that Petro's son was recently locked up for allegdly helping fund with laundered narco funds.

So many tourists taking so many pictures of the fat statues. Listening to the tour guides speaking English versus Spanish it seems as if 60% are Colombians and 40% are foreigners. Either way the hotels are a lot more full. Many police are keeping the beggars, vendors, young punks, and women for rent wearing revealing clothes out of the fat statues areas.

No pregnant girls at this time.

Sorry to say but quality is down from 2 years ago.

Midget = proportioned. Dwarf = not proportioned.

There is a dwarf available for anyone who needs to check that off their bucket list of somebody they just have to F. Walk down the alleyway on the side of the Vero Cruz church to Carrera 53 (aka bar street). Cross the street and she is in one of the two hotel entrances across from D1. Sorry guys but she is fugly.

A group of guys own Hotel Botero Real on the side of Vera Cruz church. I met them when they bought the place and kicked the overnighters out for short time only. They also own Hotel Brisas Del Jardin which is the one when you walk down the alleyway on the side of the church to bar street. There is a casino on the left and the very next entrance is the hotel. I know because (once or twice) I saw one of the owners there talking to the employee in the office area and said Hi on my way to screwing a girl. If you walk from the Botero Parque under the metro heading toward the Prado metro station. They also own the one on the left side with the really big balcony (forgot the name). I walked with one of the owners to that hotel. He had business to do there and showed me two rooms. OMG! Nasty! Cockroaches everywhere.

There are three Mandala hotels. I am only interested in the Botero street girl area. That one is Hotel Mandala Botero. I stayed 3 nights. To bring in a girl for a few hours is 35,000. Here is where I get a little mad. I do not have to stay there and I can still get a room for 3 hours for 35,000. If I stay there I should get a discounted price right? This is by far the closest cleanest hotel for short time. The shower can fit 4 people. I was surprised this 3 star hotel has F-ing rooms available. Sadly, no A / see.

Hotel Casa Botero (prior Premier Plaza) is owned by Hotel Mandala Botero. They cleaned it up a little but no major work done. 60,000 per night now. I know because Mandala Botero has Hotel Casa Botero cards on their counter and I asked just to be sure. I also stayed at Casa Botero for a few nights.

Surfer you always mention Hotel Deseos but never the sister hotel. You need to learn the street better. The sister hotel is Hotel Soberano. The yellow hotel just around the corner from the airport bus drop off behind Nutribara. I stayed at Soberano my last trip for 2 weeks 2 years ago. They had remodeled everything. New flooring, paint, toilet, sink, shower. The best rooms are 310,410 maybe some others. The elevator does not work and looks as if it never will. I learned they are sister hotels when I had a problem with the cleaning lady they recommended Deseos. Also, I saw employees working both hotels.

Hotel Nutribara on Agoda.com they show pictures of a swimming pool, sauna, and steam room. None of the three exist and have not for many many years. I was going to try them for a few days but lying to customers like that pissed me off so the hell with them.

[ElPapi]

There is a huge increase in number of American and European tourists in Medellin that speak English. This should correspond to some increased availability of English speaking ladies but I am having very hard time finding them. Have you come across any?

If anyone can share a number or two, I will really be thankful.

There are a not English speaking ladies but you have to search and might find some. Some will speak little bit but not enough to hold conversation. I also always go for English speaking girls and found few. Look for girls that go to college / universities. But depends on your need love / sex language will do the trick for you.

Send me a PM and will share you one contact.

[Zeos1]

I was under the impression that buying the sim from big movistar shop means they will automatically register my sim and imei info. However to my dismay, my phone IMEIs are completely blocked in Colombia.

I checked some old posts but could not find a working website on which I can try to have it unblocked.

Can someone please point me to the place. Is there a website on which I can appeal or do.

I need to go to an actual claro or movistar office to get it unblocked?

If the latter is an option, please let me know any claro or movistar office near unicentro mall area in Laureles where I can get it unblocked.

Thank you for any guidance.

Had the same thing and had to go to the actual company store for the company that my original Colombia SIM was from. Took me a while to figure out as it was a year or two earlier on a previous trip. Find the nearest company store for the SIM you originally had, and the phone number you had. Google location. In my case it was in San Diego mall.

I was told only the original company you got the SIM from (that resulted in you getting blocked) can have it unblocked.

[Zeos1]

Need more info about your phone, where did you get it, are you still paying for it.

If you got it from a major US carrier and you own the phone, you can call them and ask for an unlock code, assuming that the phone has never been reported and your IMEI is actually not listed in a blacklisted IMEI database.

If it's blacklisted, you will prob have to root the phone or get a third party to do it for you.

PS if your IMEI is blacklisted or phone is locked to your home carrier only, it is not just Colombia

Not what is happening with Colombia. These are being blocked by the gov't of Colombia.

Nothing to do with your phone or carrier in the US. Colombia blocks phones that have not been registered with them (them being the government of Colombia). Buying a SIM does not necessarily register your phone. I have learned from experience. So when you bring a phone into Colombia that is not on their central registry system you have about a month to get it registered with their system, no matter where you got your Colombian SIM from. The major carriers, if you get the SIM from them, will or can do this properly at the outset. But buying a SIM from a store that sells and installs them may not. It will require your passport and a little process at the same time as you get your SIM. Best done directly with the company stores for Claro or Movistar or whoever, not a little store that just sells and installs the SIM. The country will have your phones IMEI registered when you are done. Regardless of what Colombian phone company. Otherwise you will be blocked in Colombia, no matter what company SIM you get. You can get this unblocked, but it will take a day and only by the carrier of your original SIM that you started with that got you blocked (generally the previous trip).

[LoveItHere]

So many tourists taking so many pictures of the fat statues. Listening to the tour guides speaking English versus Spanish it seems as if 60% are Colombians and 40% are foreigners. Either way the hotels are a lot more full. Many police are keeping the beggars, vendors, young punks, and women for rent wearing revealing clothes out of the fat statues areas.

No pregnant girls at this time.

Sorry to say but quality is down from 2 years ago.

Midget = proportioned. Dwarf = not proportioned.

There is a dwarf available for anyone who needs to check that off their bucket list of somebody they just have to F. Walk down the alleyway on the side of the Vero Cruz church to Carrera 53 (aka bar street). Cross the street and she is in one of the two hotel entrances across from D1. Sorry guys but she is fugly.

A group of guys own Hotel Botero Real on the side of Vera Cruz church. I met them when they bought the place and kicked the overnighters out for short time only. They also own Hotel Brisas Del Jardin which is the one when you walk down the alleyway on the side of the church to bar street. There is a casino on the left and the very next entrance is the hotel. I know because (once or twice) I saw one of the owners there talking to the employee in the office area and said Hi on my way to screwing a girl. If you walk from the Botero Parque under the metro heading toward the Prado metro station. They also own the one on the left side with the really big balcony (forgot the name). I walked with one of the owners to that hotel. He had business to do there and showed me two rooms. OMG! Nasty! Cockroaches everywhere.

There are three Mandala hotels. I am only interested in the Botero street girl area. That one is Hotel Mandala Botero. I stayed 3 nights. To bring in a girl for a few hours is 35,000. Here is where I get a little mad. I do not have to stay there and I can still get a room for 3 hours for 35,000. If I stay there I should get a discounted price right? This is by far the closest cleanest hotel for short time. The shower can fit 4 people. I was surprised this 3 star hotel has F-ing rooms available. Sadly, no A / see.

Hotel Casa Botero (prior Premier Plaza) is owned by Hotel Mandala Botero. They cleaned it up a little but no major work done. 60,000 per night now. I know because Mandala Botero has Hotel Casa Botero cards on their counter and I asked just to be sure. I also stayed at Casa Botero for a few nights.

Surfer you always mention Hotel Deseos but never the sister hotel. You need to learn the street better. The sister hotel is Hotel Soberano. The yellow hotel just around the corner from the airport bus drop off behind Nutribara. I stayed at Soberano my last trip for 2 weeks 2 years ago. They had remodeled everything. New flooring, paint, toilet, sink, shower. The best rooms are 310,410 maybe some others. The elevator does not work and looks as if it never will. I learned they are sister hotels when I had a problem with the cleaning lady they recommended Deseos. Also, I saw employees working both hotels.

Hotel Nutribara on Agoda.com they show pictures of a swimming pool, sauna, and steam room. None of the three exist and have not for many many years. I was going to try them for a few days but lying to customers like that pissed me off so the hell with them.