Medellin Reports

[Combo]

Well, you can quote whatever you want to, but I'm here to tell you that DR customs officials at the airport charged everyone $80, and I had been warned when I stopped in Curacao that this would be the case. When is the last time you were in DR?

I was there three weeks ago and I was only charged the usual $10 on arrival. Certainly not saying you're BSing. The $80 thing just sounds weird.

[MiamiSammy]

In accordance with Dominican Republic laws, upon arrival at the customs and immigration desk in the airport you are required to purchase a 30-day tourist card (US$10 fee cash in only, no credit or debit cards). By Dominican law, there is also a US$20 departure tax, the cost of which is usually included in your airfare.

Well, you can quote whatever you want to, but I'm here to tell you that DR customs officials at the airport charged everyone $80, and I had been warned when I stopped in Curacao that this would be the case. When is the last time you were in DR?

[TweedleD]

I've been to the Dominican Republic 30+ times and was never charged $80. To leave, WTF are you talking about?

In accordance with Dominican Republic laws, upon arrival at the customs and immigration desk in the airport you are required to purchase a 30-day tourist card (US$10 fee cash in only, no credit or debit cards). By Dominican law, there is also a US$20 departure tax, the cost of which is usually included in your airfare.

[Manizales911]

Could someone give me the skinny on the dynamics of working girls in Medellin? From what I gather, most are working in the traditional venues, but what's the street girl situation? Also, are there safe ways indulge your inner 420 connoisseur in a safe manner? I'm heading to Medellin at the end of the month for the first time (long time traveler, first time in SA) and would love any and all info anyone would like to share. For example, the Dominican Republic charges $80 to leave the country- an unpleasant surprise. Any unpleasant surprises anyone would like to share? Also, I'm looking to stay in Hotel Normandie- any thoughts? All comments welcome.

SammyMiami

I've been to the Dominican Republic 30+ times and was never charged $80. To leave, WTF are you talking about?

[MiamiSammy]

Hey man let me answer your preguntas in reverse order. Normandie, where is that, on Maracaibo, Calle 53? I knew some Slovenian guy that was living in that place, said it was fine. I never went to visit him or stayed there. Options are plentiful, I don't know if a first timer would want to stay in the centro though. IMO el Poblado makes life a hassle. I only stay there when I have a live-in chick, otherwise I think renting an apartment in onquistadores or possibly Laureles is a better bet. You can get decent places for reasonable prices, I stayed in a decent sized one-bedroom with kitchen for 35K COP a night (just under $20 USD).

In Colombia they won't charge you to leave the country unless you overstay your welcome (you will see how many days you have on your passport stamp. 30-90). You have to stand in line at the airport (short line) and get a paper with a stamp on it, that takes the place of the departure tax which is otherwise something like $36 (or may have increased)..

Thank you for your info- I owe you one. My Spanish is workable, my accent better than average. I usually get mistaken for an Argentino with poor language skills. Jajajjaa I'm a good sized guy but pretty good at staying out of trouble, but then again part of that is making sure you're not where it's liable to start. I'd love more info on La Mayorista and San Diego- barrios- as well as more info on renting a place. I'm a better than average chef, so that can work in my favor. I was looking for something close to the action, as I don't want to rent a car. Is it hard to get taxis in those areas in the wee hours? Love to spend a few hours picking your brain, but many thanks for what you've already shared. I'll be keeping a journal while down there and will post upon my return. Again, your info was a slam dunk, Wilt. Let me know when I can repay the favor.

MiamiSammy

[Member #4244]

Could someone give me the skinny on the dynamics of working girls in Medellin? From what I gather, most are working in the traditional venues, but what's the street girl situation? Also, are there safe ways indulge your inner 420 connoisseur in a safe manner? I'm heading to Medellin at the end of the month for the first time (long time traveler, first time in SA) and would love any and all info anyone would like to share. For example, the Dominican Republic charges $80 to leave the country- an unpleasant surprise. Any unpleasant surprises anyone would like to share? Also, I'm looking to stay in Hotel Normandie- any thoughts? All comments welcome.

SammyMiami

Hey man let me answer your preguntas in reverse order. Normandie, where is that, on Maracaibo, Calle 53? I knew some Slovenian guy that was living in that place, said it was fine. I never went to visit him or stayed there. Options are plentiful, I don't know if a first timer would want to stay in the centro though. IMO el Poblado makes life a hassle. I only stay there when I have a live-in chick, otherwise I think renting an apartment in onquistadores or possibly Laureles is a better bet. You can get decent places for reasonable prices, I stayed in a decent sized one-bedroom with kitchen for 35K COP a night (just under $20 USD).

In Colombia they won't charge you to leave the country unless you overstay your welcome (you will see how many days you have on your passport stamp. 30-90). You have to stand in line at the airport (short line) and get a paper with a stamp on it, that takes the place of the departure tax which is otherwise something like $36 (or may have increased).

LOLatthe question about 420 in Medellin. The clock is broken. The small hand is just past the four and the big hand is right on it. Ask the girls. That's not all that's available either.

I think your first question can be answered by searching, but since digging through this forum has been complicated by a lot of nonsense posting, I'll say that you can find girls in numerous ways. 1) Massage Parlors, your cheapest and most day-friendly option. Range in price from $9 USD to $100 USD, most falling in the range of about $15USD to $50 USD. This is for a half hour to an hour, full service, extras you have to negotiate. 2) Strip Clubs, which are typically open in the evening and late night. These are numerous though not as numerous or cheap as the MPs, prices ranges from $20 USD to $90 USD typically for a 40 minute or hour session. 3) Escort services, which go through online personal ads, websites, word of mouth, Facebook, etc. You can also find a decent number of pros and freelancers just approaching girls, but I don't know how good your Spanish is. 4) Street action and La Mayorista. Various places in town where the street girls hang out but I'd only recommend the San Diego area as a somewhat safe place. It will take some Spanish and a little bit of balls, but you can come up on some sweet action for cheap. $10 USD to $50 USD for street action, typical range is $15-$25 though.

[Member #4244]

None of us know of the facts, but:

"Statistics compiled and published by the CBP in 2006 indicate that "[o]and a typical day, more than 1. 1 million passengers and pedestrians. Are processed at the nation's borders." Securing America's Borders at Ports of Entry, USA Customs and Border Protection. 2 (Sept. 2006) ,

https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=469950.n4

[*24] Using that figure, fewer than one in a million electronic devices were detained by the CBP. Stated another way, there is less than a one in a million chance that a computer carried by an inbound international traveler will be detained. Even in the case of a quick look and search of a computer, in which CBP officers simply have a traveler boot the laptop up, and look at what is inside, United States v. Arnold. 533 F. 3d 1003, 1009 (9th Cir. 2008) , as opposed to a more comprehensive forensic search that would presumably occur if a computer were detained, the number of USA citizens subject to such a search comes to approximately 4. 9 per day, or less than a five in a million chance that their computer will be subject to any kind of search. Even if both USA citizens and aliens are counted, there is about a 10 in a million chance that such a search will take place. See United States v. Ickes. 393 F. 3d 501, 506-07 (4th Cir. 2005) (rejecting as "far-fetched" the suggestion that "any person carrying a laptop computer. On an international flight would be subject to a search of the files on the computer hard drive[, ]" because "[see]ustoms agents have neither the time nor the resources to [*25] search the contents of every computer")"

Abidor v. Napolitano. 2013 USA Dist. LEXIS 181891, 23-25 (E. D. N. Y. Dec. 31, 2013)

Thanks, that was informative and makes the story below seem even less likely

[Vlg55]

i looked at all pf your posts before writing this and to be honest am a bit high, but i have been to mde about 30-40 times now. i have been secondary searched 5 o 6 times in la, once in houston and jfk on jan 10th of this year. never, never did they look at my ipad, camera or laptop. they were looking for drugs, money or other items. i think this post is kind of like wendy in miami, you can believe it, but if you do i would like to sell you something.

agreed, just came back from 2 trips-mde, sjo never got sent to secondary on those but i did get sent to secondary at sea coming from amsterdam, lax from hong kong never searched my electronics, just a 5min look through my bags and i, m on my way-think they were looking for drugs, actually the whole plane was met at gate on the flight from hong kong by cbp guy with a drug dog, still no issues dog just scanned all of us, guy thanked us for cooperation and left.

also there's no worries if you have pics or videos of your ladies you meet mongering as long as you don't go after ****d. i proudly have my 1st costa rica chica on my laptop desktop and my 2nd medellin mansion chica on background on my phone.

[MiamiSammy]

Could someone give me the skinny on the dynamics of working girls in Medellin? From what I gather, most are working in the traditional venues, but what's the street girl situation? Also, are there safe ways indulge your inner 420 connoisseur in a safe manner? I'm heading to Medellin at the end of the month for the first time (long time traveler, first time in SA) and would love any and all info anyone would like to share. For example, the Dominican Republic charges $80 to leave the country- an unpleasant surprise. Any unpleasant surprises anyone would like to share? Also, I'm looking to stay in Hotel Normandie- any thoughts? All comments welcome.

SammyMiami

[Hanshin Baka]

1 of My friends got caught with facebook text to young girls from Medellin they took the Laptop and charged him with solicitation of a minor he could got to Jail here in the US for 20 years so wipe

Your computers clean before you come back to the US

I looked at all pf your posts before writing this and to be honest am a bit high, but I have been to MDE about 30-40 times now. I have been secondary searched 5 o 6 times in LA, once in Houston and JFK on Jan 10th of this year. Never, never did they look at my ipad, camera or laptop. They were looking for drugs, money or other items. I think this post is kind of like Wendy in Miami, you can believe it, but if you do I would like to sell you something.

[Legal Tender]

On a side note I bring two 18 inch laptops through the airport every time I come to Colombia and have never been stopped or questioned about anything. I have made about 15 trips.

1 of My friends got caught with facebook text to young girls from Medellin they took the Laptop and charged him with solicitation of a minor he could got to Jail here in the US for 20 years so wipe

Your computers clean before you come back to the US

Also, whoa, optic guard, can you elaborate on this incident?

None of us know of the facts, but:

"Statistics compiled and published by the CBP in 2006 indicate that "[o]and a typical day, more than 1. 1 million passengers and pedestrians. Are processed at the nation's borders." Securing America's Borders at Ports of Entry, USA Customs and Border Protection. 2 (Sept. 2006) , https://www.hsdl.org/?view&did=469950.n4 [*24] Using that figure, fewer than one in a million electronic devices were detained by the CBP. Stated another way, there is less than a one in a million chance that a computer carried by an inbound international traveler will be detained. Even in the case of a quick look and search of a computer, in which CBP officers simply have a traveler boot the laptop up, and look at what is inside, United States v. Arnold. 533 F. 3d 1003, 1009 (9th Cir. 2008) , as opposed to a more comprehensive forensic search that would presumably occur if a computer were detained, the number of USA citizens subject to such a search comes to approximately 4. 9 per day, or less than a five in a million chance that their computer will be subject to any kind of search. Even if both USA citizens and aliens are counted, there is about a 10 in a million chance that such a search will take place. See United States v. Ickes. 393 F. 3d 501, 506-07 (4th Cir. 2005) (rejecting as "far-fetched" the suggestion that "any person carrying a laptop computer. On an international flight would be subject to a search of the files on the computer hard drive[, ]" because "[see]ustoms agents have neither the time nor the resources to [*25] search the contents of every computer")"

Abidor v. Napolitano. 2013 USA Dist. LEXIS 181891, 23-25 (E. D. N. Y. Dec. 31, 2013)

[Member #4244]

Also, whoa, optic guard, can you elaborate on this incident?

[Member #4244]

Carnival in Barranquilla is trash, anyway IMO. They love to hype it as the second biggest one in the world. By some measure, that is probably true. But compared with the shit that pops off in Brazil (I also hear Barbados and some islands have cool ones) it's fucking nothing. Bunch of families and shit, a lame ass parade. I did have a guy offer me a night with one of the Aguila girls for something like $1500 USD. I declined but I gave it a little thought LOL. Overall it's a crowded mess. I admit the clubs go off for that shit, but they are not bad on any given weekend. There is also a lot of crime during it, the most common racket is one guy acts like he is partying and having a good time, he blinds you momentarily (either with foam or flour) and two other guys run your pockets real quick. Getting a cab is also typically a disaster at that time.

[SavePros321]

Really? I thought that Mardi Gras in Barranquilla is a huge celebration.

You are probably thinking about "Carnival" (pronounced "CAR-KNEE-VAL"):

"The grand parade, held on a Saturday afternoon each year just before the start of the Catholic feast of Lent, is the party’s culmination. You’ll realize immediately it’s carnival weekend because the minute you finish with Colombian customs at the airport, after the 2.5 hour long flight from Miami, the party is on - bands playing in the airport, models offering everyone drinks and a jammed arrival terminal full of excitement and anticipation for the weekend’s big party."

http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/c...quilacrnvl.htm

The only type event that grand in Medellin is the Flower Festival ("Feria de las Flores") held in August every year.

[Manny51]

Most likely no one in Colombia will have any knowledge of Mardi Grais. It's going to be just another day to them. I've never seen the Mansion do anything special for Mardi Gras either.

Really? I thought that Mardi Gras in Barranquilla is a huge celebration.