Medellin Reports

[Member #4398]

Done the usual: casas, two strip bars on calle 53, fase dos, Mayo & so on.

Nothing different to add, really.

So, if anybody in Medellin now wants to go paragliding, I'm going Sun weather permitting. Plan be: Monday.

Leaving 9 am from el centro. Hour drive to San Felix, around Bello. 70 k cop Round trip divided by up to four.

80 k cop For 20 min. Cheaper per min for more time.

PM me for more details.

(couln't think of another thread to put this in, if you do, please suggest. Also any goofy wording thanks to auto incorrect).

Can you shared more about the casas, the strip clubs you went to? The other names what was the line up like, the experience overall and price? That info does not need to be private and some will find it useful.

[Member #4398]

A) Is mid December- mid January a good time to be in Medellin considering that most of mongering in Latin America is dead during this time.

B) Is it worth taking a subscription on Colombia cupid? Are girls real there?

C) How to meet Medellin girls (pros or non pros) on facebook?

Thanks in advance.

1) Anytime of the year is good. The weather is Spring weather all year long. In mid December is good cause women need more money for Christmas and new year. In mid January is good because they spent all the money in Christmas and new year.

About the other questions on meeting pros and no pros in Facebook and Cupid, I don't know. I only visit the casas, the strip clubs, and try to get non pros by trying to make new friends socializing with locals in the community, at gyms when I find one to work out and other venues, whenever eating out in restaurants and bars etc.

[Midwest]

Done the usual: casas, two strip bars on calle 53, Fase Dos, Mayo & so on.

Nothing different to add, really.

So, if anybody in Medellin now wants to go paragliding, I'm going Sun weather permitting. Plan be: Monday.

Leaving 9 am from el centro. Hour drive to San Felix, around Bello. 70 k cop Round trip divided by up to four.

80 k cop For 20 min. Cheaper per min for more time.

PM me for more details.

(couldn't think of another thread to put this in, if you do, please suggest. Also any goofy wording thanks to auto incorrect).

[Member #4398]

Based on the most recent unrelated to pussy posts, I think that some new forums should be added like:

1) Gringos that have been robbed or killed in Medellin.

2) Members that are pissed for having to read shit like in this forum that have nothing about pussy.

3) Members that are pissed by angry members that don't appreciate the Beauty of the useless posts.

4) Members that are bored out of their mind like myself and have nothing to post other than anther useless posts like this one.

[TellAll]

I started carrying a debit card when visiting Thailand in January and February of 2014 after reading about foreigners being captured and taken to an ATM to make a forced withdrawal. Reports of severe beatings when little cash or no ATM cards produced. It was only after reading a guys blog that writes about Bangkok and suggested carrying an ATM card that I changed my way of thinking. I agree El Centro is probably a fast hit and run and 10 k satisfies, BKK is a different story with a totally different culture, think 10 thais on one farang and that thais have no respect for non asian foreigners, farangs. IMHO MDE way safer than BKK. I use my same cash ATM card system for all countries.

If you are going to use a strategy like that, you should set up a seperate account for the ATM card and limit the amount of money in it.

I don't carry any credit cards or ATM card. I don't want to give a criminal a reason to detain me longer then necessary. The longer they have you, the more chance of something going bad.

I have never been robbed in Colombia, Thailand or anywhere I have traveled. Never felt threatened. Always realize it could happen so I take precautions.

[Tomasb]

I knew the guy briefly as well. He was not really a monger either but just enjoyed traveling around Colombia. When I met him for coffee a few years before his murder, he was with an older Colombian woman who he introduced as his girlfriend. Not attractive and not someone most of us would transfer continents for. He was a decent middle aged fellow who taught English on the side and was just trying to live his life in a different way.

There are still rumors that he was set up by some ne'er do wells but it's an old story now.

Link to the incident: http://colombiareports.co/police-inc...llin-shooting/.

I knew the guy briefly. Seemed like a nice guy.

[Member #4287]

I just remembered what happened several years ago in poblado, 2 guys and a chica entered a well known hostal late at night, I have been in the place, the night clerk had only 20 k, in the lobby was a gringo using the lobby pc, they demanded his watch, he refused, bang, one shot in head. I do not wear a watch, so if it were me and a pistola pointed at my head I would gladly say would you like my wallet and by the way if you find that insufficient would you like to visit a bancolombia ATM with me so were could make a withdrawl.

Link to the incident: http://colombiareports.co/police-inc...llin-shooting/.

I knew the guy briefly. Seemed like a nice guy.

[Member #4287]

I started carrying a debit card when visiting Thailand in January and February of 2014 after reading about foreigners being captured and taken to an ATM to make a forced withdrawal. Reports of severe beatings when little cash or no ATM cards produced. It was only after reading a guys blog that writes about Bangkok and suggested carrying an ATM card that I changed my way of thinking. I agree El Centro is probably a fast hit and run and 10 k satisfies, BKK is a different story with a totally different culture, think 10 thais on one farang and that thais have no respect for non asian foreigners, farangs. IMHO MDE way safer than BKK. I use my same cash ATM card system for all countries.

I would hope that my cash would satisfy any robber because I would hate to be kidnapped because I had an ATM card on me. Being robbed is bad enough. If I was taken at knife or gun point to ATM's, I think I might lose it.

I think I'll take my chances with a cash offer. LOL!

[Bart1]

I started carrying a debit card when visiting Thailand in January and February of 2014 after reading about foreigners being captured and taken to an ATM to make a forced withdrawal. Reports of severe beatings when little cash or no ATM cards produced. It was only after reading a guys blog that writes about Bangkok and suggested carrying an ATM card that I changed my way of thinking. I agree El Centro is probably a fast hit and run and 10 k satisfies, BKK is a different story with a totally different culture, think 10 thais on one farang and that thais have no respect for non asian foreigners, farangs. IMHO MDE way safer than BKK. I use my same cash ATM card system for all countries.

I just remembered what happened several years ago in poblado, 2 guys and a chica entered a well known hostal late at night, I have been in the place, the night clerk had only 20 k, in the lobby was a gringo using the lobby pc, they demanded his watch, he refused, bang, one shot in head. I do not wear a watch, so if it were me and a pistola pointed at my head I would gladly say would you like my wallet and by the way if you find that insufficient would you like to visit a bancolombia ATM with me so were could make a withdrawl.

[Bart1]

I am not really folowing your debit card logics. Thieves in centro would be content if they steal 10 k from you. Your debit card is likely to reduce, rather than increase, your security.

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I started carrying a debit card when visiting Thailand in January and February of 2014 after reading about foreigners being captured and taken to an ATM to make a forced withdrawal. Reports of severe beatings when little cash or no ATM cards produced. It was only after reading a guys blog that writes about Bangkok and suggested carrying an ATM card that I changed my way of thinking. I agree El Centro is probably a fast hit and run and 10 k satisfies, BKK is a different story with a totally different culture, think 10 thais on one farang and that thais have no respect for non asian foreigners, farangs. IMHO MDE way safer than BKK. I use my same cash ATM card system for all countries.

[Combo]

Britisher.

I've been in MDE both right before Christmas and right after New Year's and there was plenty of action. I can't speak for the week between Christmas and NY, but my guess is that it will be relatively dead.

FWIW, in any mongering destination where Christmas is celebrated (so all of L. America but not some parts of Asia), the month or so before Christmas is generally a good time. The girls are frequently quite motivated to make some extra money to buy presents.

[MedellinGringo]

I simply don't believe it's possible to live in Medellin for 5 years and not get robbed. I was there for most of 2013 and both my flat mates got robbed, one twice in two weeks! I was lucky and nothing happened to me (touch a lot of wood). Most people you meet, both gringos and Colombians will have some pretty scary stories to share. I would take 'ColombiaJake' advice with a pretty big pinch of salt as his business is entirely reliant on gringos visiting Medellin. Obviously they are not going to do so if they feel it is too dangerous.

Having said all of the above I love Medellin and it's people but anyone who tries to convince themselves or anyone else it is a safe city is just plain wrong.

I have been traveling to Colombia for over 20 years and spent well over 5 years in Colombia and I have never been robbed but it could happen tomorrow you never know. I have had plenty of friends that have gotten robbed. All where walking around at night or got in a bad cab. I never do either.

Before I got my own car I used to have a list of cabbies that I knew and trusted to pick me up at a moments notice. Now that the EASY TAXI app is available to anyone with a smart phone there is no excuse to hale a cab off the street.

I always take my cash out in the day at either a mall or inside of a bank never ever on the street.

I only carry cash at night and no debit cards to avoid the possibility of "paseo millionario". That is where you get in a cab and they the cab stops and lets someone in to rob you. If you have debit cars they will take you at gun point to ATMs until you can't take anymore money out. If it is close to midnight they will sometimes hold you until the next day to see if they can get more money out of you. I have had this happen to three friends of mine over the years. All of them in Cali. Doesn't seem to be as popular in Medellin.

I have been to el centro couple of times during the day and walked with guys that knew where they were going so no problem. And I have gone a couple of times to Mayorista at night in my friends car. No random walking around and in a group of friends.

I would never go there alone walking around trying to hale a taxi at night. Just plan on getting robbed at some point if that is your MO.

Almost all robbers will get shot and killed by someone they are robbing well before they are ever caught by the police. So these guys are nervous as hell and being with just one other person that doesn't look like a push over is a good deterrent to crime.

Bottom line is. If you stay in a nice building with armed guards. Take private transportation. And go to nice places in nice areas your chances of getting in trouble are pretty slim.

[Britisher]

AA) Is mid December- mid January a good time to be in Medellin considering that most of mongering in Latin America is dead during this time.

BB) Is it worth taking a subscription on Colombia cupid? Are girls real there?

CC) How to meet Medellin girls (pros or non pros) on facebook?

Thanks in advance.

[Combo]

I am not really folowing your debit card logics. Thieves in centro would be content if they steal 10 k from you. Your debit card is likely to reduce, rather than increase, your security.

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I would agree. For a quick hit, they'll likely be content with 50 k or less. That's not a trivial sum of money for a poor Paisa.

Keep in mind that we're talking about Centro here. Most guys stay in Poblado, which is much safer (though shit occasionally happens there also).

[Member #4394]

I am not really folowing your debit card logics. Thieves in centro would be content if they steal 10 k from you. Your debit card is likely to reduce, rather than increase, your security.

I do not go the minimum cash route that so many talk about. I always carry 100 k in my wallet in a front pocket, and 200 k in a thin pouch that is inside my pants and attached to my belt. The last few years I also carry one debit card in the pouch. 2 other debit cards and credit cards are left in hotel safe. My reason lately for the debit card is what is my life worth? Surely 600 k at a debit machine if the bad guys were not happy with just a hit and run for the 100 k and the other 200 k in the pouch if they searched me. I spend 4 to 6 months of the year in MDE and always in el centro. I travel alone and have never been robbed even in the so called no go zones of el centro you read about on this site since 2010.

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