Medellin Reports

[Zeos1]

4,193 at 11:49 am (XE rate).

Just to make sure people understand. The XE rate is like a stock market quote. You can't get that rate at this moment. But if the exchange rate closes at that level you will be able to get it a day or so later.

I think it is the mid market rate, roughly midpoint between buy and sell rates, So true, you will never get that rate at that time. You may get something close to the buy rate if you are buying pesos, minus whatever the bank doing the exchange charges as a commission. And yes, even with a Shwab card there is a commission.

[MarquisdeSade1]

Too much posting from people that have the urge to be the "town crier".

Ala the boneknot.

[Knowledge]

There is plenty of room for everybody in Centro. I don't see a reason for sniping about it on the Internet.

I and a few gringos have been in Centro for more than two decades- many years before you elected yourself for Botero tour rep. You are not very popular among us.

[LoveItHere69]

He's talking about Pattaya which his backyard, so how would you know if the prices are too low, or the girls aren't going for those prices.

Pattaya? No shit? Would have never guessed it. Obviously, I have been there a few times. Those street prices are lower than Angeles City, PH. How many times does a person run into a lawyer, doctor, or teacher in our mongering areas? Yet he does but never mentions hotel staff, restaurant staff, or shopping employee hook ups which a monger would run into on a daily basis. That does not make any sense thus I call BS on it. Oh, and he is paying some Thai girl the same price from ten years ago. Seriously? Even if that were true that is so cheap of a person.

[Osteoknot]

Have you ever been to Pattaya in Thailand, and know the venues.

His comparison was akin to what girls are asking for between Parque Lleras and Centro who work both venues, but in this case, between what the girls charge on Beach Road, which I would call the "Centro" of Pattaya, and freelancers in Pattaya, like in Lleras.

Sho' nuff have been all over SE Asia and Thailand.

I know you don't pay no never-mind to haters like Mr. Bill and Senile Turtle and whoever "they" think they represent. They come across here as part of that group who subsist here on their measly social security check and blame others for there lifetime of misery. Hey, I don't fault anyone for wanting to get their freak on here with whatever resources they have available, especially when it's their last shot. But when they start to project the results of their situation onto others, I will stand up and take notice. No one cares how long someone has been or not been here. As my dear old mongering dad used to say, what do you call an asshole when he turns 65 years old? An old asshole! Jajajajaa.

[Bill]

That's precisely what you have been doing against. For the last 5 years, you have been calling for mongers to come to Medellin. You gave the description and instruction everyday. You couldn't stop writing a post for a day. The result is the increase in the price and decline in the quality in Centro and Poblado.

Too much posting from people that have the urge to be the "town crier".

[Silver Turtle]

Well, I guess you wouldn't be in Medellin unless you hadn't been reading my daily posts for the last five years, and followed my advice to come to Medellin. LOL.

I and a few gringos have been in Centro for more than two decades- many years before you elected yourself for Botero tour rep. You are not very popular among us.

[Surfer500]

Wow you are so cheap. Those prices are too low. Those girls are not going for those prices. If anything you must be using that I am poor tactic like the guy that was just posted begging for food.

He's talking about Pattaya which his backyard, so how would you know if the prices are too low, or the girls aren't going for those prices.

[Osteoknot]

This used to be the case and it was a pain in the ass.

You can get a Civica card at any Metro Station or Bus Line Station, but they cost I believe 6,000 Pesos for the card, and then you can load it up at kiosks or at the ticket offices at the Stations. The Civica card will be green and say Al Portador in the lower right hand corner. I also have a grey Civica card, this was one that I registered at San Antonio and it says Eventual on it. You cannot use either card to make purchases at say an EXITO, they are used solely for transport.

You will also see some riders using Bancolombia debit cards which are enabled to use the Medellin transportation system.

So anyone thinking of riding the Metro can get one at any station no ID required, just the fee they charge, and it took them awhile to figure out they could make money selling the cards..

I could've sworn I used one of my Civica cards at an Exito but that was just as likely damaged brain cells.

Yes, the lines at the ticket counter can be frustratingly long, but the recharge machines are easy to use and surprisingly underutilized.

Plus, you don't need to know much Spanish at the ticket window. You pay per ride on by the number of stops. So for a round-trip to one location that is two stops or two rides and all you need to tell the person at the ticket booth is "dos viajes" or "two trips" and hand her a ten or I thing a 20 mil COP note covers 4 rides but don't quote me on that, I may be off on those prices. And the "deluxe" card or the one that is tied to your identity gets you a significant discount per ride on already amazingly cheap fares.

P.S. I really don't think you are as pathetic as I made it sound in my previous post to Senile Turtle. I was just making a point with extra emphasis at your cost. You bring a ton of value to this forum. I write fast and emotionally, at times. I try to temper my actions by telling myself not to hit the Upload Report button while I am still feeling so emotional, but it feels so damn good at the time. Ostee Out.

[Knowledge]

60 or older are entitled to a senior citizen discount. You still have to present ID to get one of those. Excellent advice about loading the card for multiple trips. It still makes me shake my head how often people at the height of rush hour block the turnstiles while they fish for their civica then swipe it to find out they don't have enough to pay the fare. They will then finally get out of the way and go wait on a line to recharge their card, something they could have done at any number of places on the way to the station. I never let my civica get below 50 k pesos so I can recharge it at my leisure and never have worry about being that guy waving a 2,000 peso note and asking somebody on line to swipe me in.

This used to be the case and it was a pain in the ass.

You can get a Civica card at any Metro Station or Bus Line Station, but they cost I believe 6,000 Pesos for the card, and then you can load it up at kiosks or at the ticket offices at the Stations. The Civica card will be green and say Al Portador in the lower right hand corner. I also have a grey Civica card, this was one that I registered at San Antonio and it says Eventual on it. You cannot use either card to make purchases at say an EXITO, they are used solely for transport.

You will also see some riders using Bancolombia debit cards which are enabled to use the Medellin transportation system.

So anyone thinking of riding the Metro can get one at any station no ID required, just the fee they charge, and it took them awhile to figure out they could make money selling the cards..

[Surfer500]

Jajaja, just kidding. Your reasoning is faulty. If you were willing to pay her $28 where you met her, what she gets or doesn't get at a different venue is irrelevant.

In your case, too much knowledge created an artificial conflict in your own noggin about perceived value. But hey, your call. With what you supposedly knew about her kept you from pulling the trigger because then you would not be able to enjoy yourself. You mind-fucked yourself, which is different from mental masturbation, jajajajaja. If you were saying that you did not believe she was worth $28 under any circumstance, then your behavior would be consistent, but I don't think that's what you meant.

Have you ever been to Pattaya in Thailand, and know the venues.

His comparison was akin to what girls are asking for between Parque Lleras and Centro who work both venues, but in this case, between what the girls charge on Beach Road, which I would call the "Centro" of Pattaya, and freelancers in Pattaya, like in Lleras.

[Knowledge]

The 1st and 15th of each month are payday for many here. The so-called informal economy means rent and many monthly bills are paid in cash. Also, Colombians pay bills via the ATMs, so they tend to conduct several transactions at a time compared to the quick withdrawals foreigners usually do. After I am in and out of an ATM in less than one minute, I'm often asked if the machine is working because the Colombians don't understand how anyone can complete their business so quickly. Long story short, you should avoid the 1st and 15th so you don't waste vacation time waiting on lines.

My god, what's up with the ATM run today? Or is that considered normal in el Centro? I couldn't find any without massive queue and lots of them were just straight out of money. I assume this is due to pay day and Friday? I sure hope so. Will try tomorrow.

It's my second day in Medellin (and Latin America in general). On the first day I was stunned by the amount of foot traffic, loudness and chaos in el Centro. Honking, vendors yelling on speakers, whistling, motorbikes coming from every direction but sky. The the amount of near miss traffic accidents I saw so far is mindboggling. I learned I should always expect incoming motorbike, even on the sidewalk behind me. It feels like I need to have all my wits about not get run or stepped over while walking around. Hopefully I'll get used to it after a while. Oh and the traffic lights are just a suggestion. Haven't seen so many sneaker shops at one place too...

[Osteoknot]

Wow you are so cheap. Those prices are too low. Those girls are not going for those prices. If anything you must be using that I am poor tactic like the guy that was just posted begging for food.

For him to admit that he pays anything for poontang is an accomplishment. We have to give him time and be patient. Baby steps. He brings value to this forum.

[Surfer500]

If you want to get the Civica card, you need to go to San Antonio station with your passport, on the second floor, enter the station, it's on the left. There is always a line.

This used to be the case and it was a pain in the ass.

You can get a Civica card at any Metro Station or Bus Line Station, but they cost I believe 6,000 Pesos for the card, and then you can load it up at kiosks or at the ticket offices at the Stations. The Civica card will be green and say Al Portador in the lower right hand corner. I also have a grey Civica card, this was one that I registered at San Antonio and it says Eventual on it. You cannot use either card to make purchases at say an EXITO, they are used solely for transport.

You will also see some riders using Bancolombia debit cards which are enabled to use the Medellin transportation system.

So anyone thinking of riding the Metro can get one at any station no ID required, just the fee they charge, and it took them awhile to figure out they could make money selling the cards.

Also, when buying a Civica card, you should load it up with more than a couple of rides worth.

Sometimes the lines to reload the Civica can take several minutes, especially at the Poblado Metro Station during rush hour.

[JjBee62]

Imagine you are a solid 9 or 10 in Colombia.

All you need is OnlyFans or an FB account where you advertise "private" videos for $$.

Parque Lleras doesn't even compute for you.

It takes a little bit more than that, but you're essentially correct. It's not difficult for a good looking girl in Colombia to make 5 million cop monthly online.