Cartagena Reports

[MongerHunger]

If it was daytime you were overcharged.

OK. How much do was I overcharged because I'm not going to quibble over a few cents. According to my prior research it was in line or close to the mark. I still think that it was worth it over walking there.

[Summer2016]

Folks,

I will be in Cartagena from 11/29 to 12/06. This will be my first time and thinking to stay closer to Clock Tower. Do you have any airbnb or hotel recommendation that are chica friendly possibly in the Gestemani or closer to clock tower? If you have the name at airbnb.com, I would appreciate it. I am trying to get my full access here and it will take about 8 days to clear my bit coin for the subscription.

[YippieKayay]

When you arrive at the airport, walk 1-2 blocks away and you will be charged much less. They upcharge tourists.

No. Don't "walk" blocks away. It's 25 k to get to Bocagrande. That's about 8 USD. So you're going to save 2 bucks by walking several blocks away hauling your luggage?

Don't do that.

[Summer2016]

Hey,

I am also going there about the exact same dates. I am trying to buy the membership with bit coins but it will take about 8 days to activate my account. Please check your inbox so I can update you then. Thanks brother.

Ryan.

I'll be in Cartagena Nov 29 - Dec 5. Anyone going to be there around those dates? Maybe hangout grab a beer. I'm a 30 Hispanic so Spanish won't be a problem for me LOL.

[NeilGeorge]

If it was daytime you were overcharged. :P

When you arrive at the airport, walk 1-2 blocks away and you will be charged much less. They upcharge tourists.

[JjBee62]

That might explain why my hot water heater in my Medellin apartment was so subpar. I am no expert in water heaters so I can't tell by looking if a water heater is tankless or if it is a mini tank. After experiencing the water going from acceptably warm to fucking cold after being in the shower just long enough to soap up everyday for like 3 days, I finally located the Bosch small suitcase sized gas water heater in the apartment mounted on the wall in the laundry room, while doing laundry I noticed the sound of the water heater turning on when I switched the setting to hot water, then I went to the shower and turned the water knob all the way to the hot position and then turned the water on, I heard the water heater kick on. So I realized the hot water heater burner unit was activated by turning on the hot water. regardless though the water would turn cold again long before I could finish a quick shower. I do not know if it had a defective thermostat or what but once the water ran cold again. I would have to turn the water off, then turn it back on in the extreme hot position to turn it back on. So I had to adjust my system taking a shower, wash hair then rinse then get the fuck out, turn water heater knob off turn it back on, wait a minute get back in shower wash upper body then rinse then get the fuck out, repeat for lower body..

What you're describing is an inline water heater. There is no tank. On the outside there should be 2 knobs. Some models have 2 knobs combined into 1, with an inner and outer knob. Like an old car stereo with the volume knob and the balance knob combined.

One knob controls the temperature. The other controls the flow rate. Reducing the flow rate increases the temperature. The problem is, they are difficult to set up properly. If the unit gets too hot, it shuts the gas off to prevent a fire. The unit will relight once the temperature comes back down.

I had 1 unit that I couldn't get adjusted. I could get about 3 minutes of hot water, before it shut down. Or I could get 10 minutes of barely warm water. I finally found a compromise. Turn on the shower, wait for hot water. Get wet, wet my hair and start washing my hair. When the water started getting cold, turned the shower head to the wall and let the water run while I finished washing my hair. This speeds up cooling down the unit. Then turn the water off for a few seconds and turn it back on. This will restart the heater. Rinse the hair, begin washing the body and repeat until finished.

If you want to take the time to adjust it, start by increasing water flow to max and temperature to minimum. Turn on the shower, all hot water and run it. If it makes it long enough for a shower, but isn't hot enough, increase the temperature by about 20% and try again. It might take 5 or 6 tries to get it adjusted right.

You probably won't be able to get unlimited steaming hot water, no matter how hard you try.

[Black Page]

I caught a cab from the clock tower to Bocagrande (Hollywood Beach) for 8 k. That is less than $3 USD. Totally worth it.

If it was daytime you were overcharged. :P

[Mojo Bandit]

If you look closely at the water heater, dryer, and washer (laundry) in the apartments many of them have English warnings on them. They're not sold locally. These are used appliances shipped to Colombia and fixed there then resold. This is why you'll see a state of the art water heater in an apartment but it barely works.

That might explain why my hot water heater in my Medellin apartment was so subpar. I am no expert in water heaters so I can't tell by looking if a water heater is tankless or if it is a mini tank. After experiencing the water going from acceptably warm to fucking cold after being in the shower just long enough to soap up everyday for like 3 days, I finally located the Bosch small suitcase sized gas water heater in the apartment mounted on the wall in the laundry room, while doing laundry I noticed the sound of the water heater turning on when I switched the setting to hot water, then I went to the shower and turned the water knob all the way to the hot position and then turned the water on, I heard the water heater kick on. So I realized the hot water heater burner unit was activated by turning on the hot water. regardless though the water would turn cold again long before I could finish a quick shower. I do not know if it had a defective thermostat or what but once the water ran cold again. I would have to turn the water off, then turn it back on in the extreme hot position to turn it back on. So I had to adjust my system taking a shower, wash hair then rinse then get the fuck out, turn water heater knob off turn it back on, wait a minute get back in shower wash upper body then rinse then get the fuck out, repeat for lower body. So I am pretty sure it was a mini tank. I have read on these forums that energy is very expensive in Colombia so maybe that is part of their calculation when they put these things in, but seriously think that a tankless water heater would be more be more efficient than my having to take 3 showers to get clean, and I believe that the added marginal cost to the rent would more than pay for itself in satisfied customers. It was a very nice studio apartment except for this major flaw, I would not rent that same apartment again because of this.

[YippieKayay]

I have experienced cold water in Cartagena and I like a hot shower, not a lukewarm shower. not a warm shower, a hot shower. I only experienced it once and every other building I stayed since has had hot water.

If you look closely at the water heater, dryer, and washer (laundry) in the apartments many of them have English warnings on them. They're not sold locally. These are used appliances shipped to Colombia and fixed there then resold. This is why you'll see a state of the art water heater in an apartment but it barely works.

[Mojo Bandit]

Hot water is not a necessity in Cartagena. Its super hot 10 months of the year. The water is already hot just sitting in the pipes, probably 95 degrees.

I have experienced cold water in Cartagena and I like a hot shower, not a lukewarm shower. not a warm shower, a hot shower. I only experienced it once and every other building I stayed since has had hot water.

[MongerHunger]

Hi all,

Would anyone have recommendation as to where I should stay when in Cartegena that is guest friendly and somewhere close to the Clock Tower, hotel or Airbnb? I will travel there during the middle of the week, how does it compare to the weekend? Is Electra or LDV any good during the weekday? What about Clock Tower scenes? Any info would greatly appreciated.

When searching Airbnb be sure to read the "house rules" in every listing. It will be mentioned if you can't bring outside guest and others will not mention it at all. I suggest that you check out the ones that don't restrict guest in the "house rules'.

[MongerHunger]

I'm a mde vet going to ctg for the first time soon. Just curious how far bocagrande is to clock tower? And I'm assuming the clock tower is in the old town?

I caught a cab from the clock tower to Bocagrande (Hollywood Beach) for 8 k. That is less than $3 USD. Totally worth it.

[NeilGeorge]

Most places rented by cheapskates who stay in poor houses. In my apartment in Bocagrande I had hot water, and it's not a luxurious penthouse. Just a normal apartment.

Hot water is not a necessity in Cartagena. Its super hot 10 months of the year. The water is already hot just sitting in the pipes, probably 95 degrees.

[Black Page]

Hi all,
Going to Cartagena soon. Is it common for places to not have hot water? I read online that most places don't have hot water.

Most places rented by cheapskates who stay in poor houses. In my apartment in Bocagrande I had hot water, and it's not a luxurious penthouse. Just a normal apartment.

[John Clayton]

... nobody would consider to go on foot.

Well, I've done on foot at midday (hot), and at night (unbelievably dangerous traffic, crappy sidewalks with gaping, unmarked holes), several times. It is a stupid walk, and only a stubborn idiot would do it more than once.