Medellin Reports

[Vern2020]

I'm staying very near the estadio metro stop. Any good short time motel recommendations? Thanks.

[Villainy]

Don't trust the ATMs at the MDE airport. Twice I've had my Schwab card canceled mid-trip because of attempted fraud after I used the ATM at the airport. Since then I've made the habit of always keeping enough COP with me when I leave Colombia to get me back into town and to a more secure ATM when I return.

This might not apply to you, who knows. But Schwab says that if you are traveling abroad it is a good idea to set a travel notice. It will lessen the chance of a transaction being declined because of potential fraud. Now this should not apply to withdrawing from an ATM but it might. When I first started coming to Medellin I religiously set the travel notice to avoid any potential problems. It takes a few minutes and who knows how much time it will have saved you if you have a problem while you are out of country.

[Knowledge]

Maybe you experienced the impact of recess week. It ends today. Colombian schools and universities have an annual vacation this week. It's basically similar to the European summer school holidays and the North American Spring Break.

Wtf is up with online? I messaged a bunch of girls most don't respond. When they do respond they respond I try to confirm the time or the place they don't respond.

I had two girls tell me send me the money for the taxi and I'm like no I will send you the Uber paid. They either don't respond or charge me 60 k for taxis. I live right next to this girl BTW. I legit went to her spot for another girl and it was 7 k from my spot.

I went to see the only girl that would actually confirm that I could go there and they bait and switch me with another girl. And then they do the usual o sorry she's not here she's doing a domicilio I can show you the only other girl that is here I'm like whatever this better be the hottest girl I've ever seen because I'm not tolerating this garbageass service. Girl is also ugly. That's why they're don't get picked. Hire better girls. So I leave.

Wtf is happening? Can I get a decent girl to show up and or respond? Wtf.

[Knowledge]

Another tip is to always travel with a backup card, preferably from a second account. It can save your vacation.

Haven't had your experience, but one tip for foreign travel with any card. Try to make your FIRST transaction a card insert with pin, NOT a 'tap to pay'. The higher security insert with pin will validate the card and you as being there (knowing the pin), thus marking you and the card as in-country. If your first transaction is a tap-to-pay (like buying a coffee before the ATM) then you may get flagged as potential fraud. Since they can only validate the card and not yourself, then a generated security call may not reach or ring you out-of-country (since you 'just' arrived, cell phone company may not be forwarding calls properly yet), and your card will get disabled. Using an ATM (even the one right by the exit) with your PIN will count as a card insert with pin. With this approach even my local credit union ATM card has worked reliably in Colombia and many other countries (including Morocco).

[Combo]

The foreigner from the USA and a Colombian National were held hostage at the home in Las Palmas where they were kept since Friday October 6th by the criminal group Los Pachelly from Bello. The victims were tortured, gave up code for the safe, the valuables were taken from the home, while held hostage at home, other members of the criminal organization went out and emptied bank accounts over the days.

https://www.elcolombiano.com/antioqu...lin-PF22637080

We are targets. Best advice is to always keep a low profile.

[MoonShot]

I've been reading the forum a little obsessively.

I looked at AirBnB, but some say "no sex tourism" some say nothing, so I'm not sure if saying nothing means OK. Some say 24 security guards.

Thanks for the help.

You should always message the host and remove all doubt. Saying nothing doesn't mean ok. You don't have to mention girls. You just have to ask about the guest policy and they are more than happy to tell you what they allow. The hosts are very good in getting back to you. There are many great Abnbs that I do not stay at because they do not allow guests or they only allow one registered guest for the whole stay. Now it is possible that you can sneak girls in but I don't like to play that game.

[Fun Luvr]

Something very annoying that you learn living here is there isn't much organized customer service. Colombia businesses and government are very good at presenting an image of organized procedures and regulations but the reality is you can ask five employees and officials a question and get five different answers. It's especially bad with the banks. My advice is to seek a second or third opinion until you find an informed and motivated employee. The answer you described sounds to me like an employee who said what she thought would get you to go away quickly.

I agree with your evaluation of customer service. Last month, I had to buy a new cell phone in Medellin (previous phone's battery got pregnant). I bought the phone at Ktronix. I asked the sales lady if they could register the phone. She told me no, that I needed to go to Claro, which is the carrier I use. The lady at Claro told me they could not register it until 20 days after I purchased it. I knew that didn't sound right, but there was nothing else I could do at the Claro store. I then went to the Mi Claro app and finally got it to accept my passport number. I was able to register the phone through the app the day after I purchased it. I also learned on the Claro site that the phone may be locked after 21 days of when usage starts. I still can't get the Mi Claro app to accept my credit card, so I can't add data through the app.

Another tidbit of information. If you use Symantec VIP authentication with your Schwab account, it will not work if you change phones, even though it transfers all the information in the app to the new phone. You need to call Schwab to register the new phone with the app.

[JohnnieCash]

The foreigner from the USA and a Colombian National were held hostage at the home in Las Palmas where they were kept since Friday October 6th by the criminal group Los Pachelly from Bello. The victims were tortured, gave up code for the safe, the valuables were taken from the home, while held hostage at home, other members of the criminal organization went out and emptied bank accounts over the days.

https://www.elcolombiano.com/antioqu...lin-PF22637080

[Knowledge]

Those guys pass by my apartment. It seems like the group gets bigger every year.

Anyone gone on the unofficial moto ride around Medellin on Halloween. Where everyone dresses up and tricks out their bikes?

I'd love to go this year.

[Knowledge]

That really is excellent advice. Another option is uber or didi. You can pay them by credit card via the apps. There is free wifi at the airport.

Excellent advise, I always forget about that Davivienda ATM on the 2nd floor. This will save you the extra $5 the ATM at the immigration exist charges as an additional fee. Goes without saying, always remember to DECLINE their conversion, let your own bank do the conversion.

[Knowledge]

Those aren't terrible rates for an airport exchange booth. The ATMs will always give better rates.

Airport BOG.

USD exchange rates.

4200 to buy.

4000 to sell.

Hooters.

The had at least 3 games on plus the chicas were nice eye candy.

[Carrib]

Airport BOG.

USD exchange rates.

4200 to buy.

4000 to sell.

Hooters.

The had at least 3 games on plus the chicas were nice eye candy.

[BbqMushrooms]

Anyone gone on the unofficial moto ride around Medellin on Halloween. Where everyone dresses up and tricks out their bikes?

I'd love to go this year.

[Haxagonus]

Does it take two to have a match?

Who has time to vet whether or not they are trans. I just swipe right in everyone and see who bites.

[MoonShot]

Wtf is up with online? I messaged a bunch of girls most don't respond. When they do respond they respond I try to confirm the time or the place they don't respond.

I had two girls tell me send me the money for the taxi and I'm like no I will send you the Uber paid. They either don't respond or charge me 60 k for taxis. I live right next to this girl BTW. I legit went to her spot for another girl and it was 7 k from my spot.

I went to see the only girl that would actually confirm that I could go there and they bait and switch me with another girl. And then they do the usual o sorry she's not here she's doing a domicilio I can show you the only other girl that is here I'm like whatever this better be the hottest girl I've ever seen because I'm not tolerating this garbageass service. Girl is also ugly. That's why they're don't get picked. Hire better girls. So I leave.

Wtf is happening? Can I get a decent girl to show up and or respond? Wtf.

I am not sure what you mean by online girls. Are you referring to prepago websites or Seeking girls or Facebook girls? These are all online girls.

Here is my take on Facebook girls. Some girls are flaky. Some girls will not respond to you. Some girls will take their time in responding to you. If you chat with enough girls, it doesn't matter. Follow up with the ones with respond promptly and agree to your terms.