Printable View
Blourghus,
This is an excellent response. Thank you so much.
Can you tell me if atm's are readily available in each of those towns?
I'd like to see Cali before I decide where to go next. I was thinking of hitting a few towns on the way back to Medellin.
I assume 1 or 2 days in each town is sufficient?
Thanks Again,
Artisttyp
[QUOTE=Artisttyp]Blourghus,
This is an excellent response. Thank you so much.
Can you tell me if atm's are readily available in each of those towns?
I'd like to see Cali before I decide where to go next. I was thinking of hitting a few towns on the way back to Medellin.
I assume 1 or 2 days in each town is sufficient?
Thanks Again,
Artisttyp[/QUOTE]ATM's are readily available in all of these towns,I probably don't have to tell you this but as a fellow monger it is my duty,watch your back while using ATM's and don't use them at night.
I am planning on being in Manizales from December until March with the exception of a week or two back in the states so if you decide to go through there hit me up.
I thought i'd share this 11/10/09 travel warning from US Dept. of state:
[url]http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_941.html[/url]
Still plenty of oppurtunity for a good time. just have to stay alert at ALL times. stakes are too high for complacency.
[QUOTE=Manizales911]ATM's are readily available in all of these towns,I probably don't have to tell you this but as a fellow monger it is my duty,watch your back while using ATM's and don't use them at night.[/quote]
[QUOTE=Blourghus]IMHO, this is whole area is more interesting and much more beautiful than Cali or Medellin.[/QUOTE]Hi,
You are confirming what I have always thought. I know Colombia is a wonderful country and the best land is Cafetera Area. But never I have gone there because I have always read very few news about it. Now I am again more demoralized because I am reading these wonderful lines without any indication about fucking.
[QUOTE=Blourghus]IMHO, this is whole area is more interesting and much more beautiful than Cali or Medellin.[/QUOTE]Hi,
You are confirming what I have always thought. I know Colombia is a wonderful country and the best land is Cafetera Area. But never I have gone there because I have always read very few news about it. Now I am again more demoralized because I am reading these wonderful lines without any indication about fucking.
[QUOTE=Artisttyp]I was curious to know if anyone has done MDE to Cali by bus and can somebody refer me to a bus company with executive class seating ? I would be happy to pay whatever it costs.
*A bathroom on board is a must have for me.
Are there any towns along the way worth a stay over as far as mongering or photography is concerned ?
Also can anyone tell me if there is a "centro" in cali like in medellin ? I am asking this in hopes of locating economic hotels. In medellin's centro you can walk around and find several of these hotels.
* Does somebody not recommend staying in economic hotels in cali due to extreme heat and the need for a good AC ? What are you thoughts ?
Thank you for your time.
Artisttyp[/QUOTE]I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade as there has been a lot of good info put out here but just let me put this out there for the record.
Allthough most of the country side has been pacified and the road system is secure and I know Robert & Aussie Greg and thousands of others travel these roads routinely parts of the Department of El Valle are still hot. In particular. And I know you're not interested in this leg. The corredor from Cali to Buenaventura would be extremely foolish to travel overland, IMO.
News reports come out from time to time of skimishes between the Army & the FARC from various parts of El Valle, including the northern part.
I've done the tour of the Eje Cafetero. Armenia, Pereira, Manizales and can attest that this IS secure but they are only about 60 70 kms apart so the stretches are much shorter.
I also think although I've never done it, that the roads between Medellin and el Eje Cafetero are secure. I'ts when you start venturing into El Valle that I would get extra cautious.
Just my two cents and for the record.
Schwmm
[QUOTE=Schwmmr]I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade as there has been a lot of good info put out here but just let me put this out there for the record.
Allthough most of the country side has been pacified and the road system is secure and I know Robert & Aussie Greg and thousands of others travel these roads routinely parts of the Department of El Valle are still hot. In particular. And I know you're not interested in this leg. The corredor from Cali to Buenaventura would be extremely foolish to travel overland, IMO.
News reports come out from time to time of skimishes between the Army & the FARC from various parts of El Valle, including the northern part.
I've done the tour of the Eje Cafetero. Armenia, Pereira, Manizales and can attest that this IS secure but they are only about 60 70 kms apart so the stretches are much shorter.
I also think although I've never done it, that the roads between Medellin and el Eje Cafetero are secure. I'ts when you start venturing into El Valle that I would get extra cautious.
Just my two cents and for the record.
Schwmm[/QUOTE]I rented a car at the airport in Medellin and drove to Manizales, Periera, Armenia, and many smaller cities, pueblitos, and termales all last week. Verdict: SAFE. and my spanish isn't that great. Doing it again, I'd definitely get the GPS though. for 11.000 pesos per day with Localiza. The countryside south from Pintada to Pereira is some of the most beautiful I've ever seen (been to 60 countries) equal to world's finest. HIghly recommended, just need patience with the slow trucks on the mountains, hills and curves. And it is a toll road. Also drove around Cali last summer, main roads only and within about an hour of the city. Plan to go from Cali to Pasto next time,
[QUOTE=FoxesHunter]Hi,
You are confirming what I have always thought. I know Colombia is a wonderful country and the best land is Cafetera Area. But never I have gone there because I have always read very few news about it. Now I am again more demoralized because I am reading these wonderful lines without any indication about fucking.[/QUOTE]I think everybody has contributed something of value. As far as "fucking" is concerned my guess is periera would be the best bet. Why? From what I've read it seems to be more of a city than armenia and manizales. Meaning that it attracts more of a business crowd. The other areas thread seems to agree with this. One post that stuck out to me was a member mentioning something like "go to the centro and you will see them all over". IMHO this is a good sign. The other towns seem to need a cab driver or someone to direct you to the right places.
Also worth mentioning is periera is very close to both armenia and manizales which makes it a good base for day trips to those towns. If I like what I see somewhere else I might stay there. These days I never limit myself to little "quaint" towns. I usually only last a few hours.
This is all speculatiing. If I am wrong or if anyone else can add something feel free.
Just going 30 minutes out of Medellin was a huge change. Usually the MDE trips I take are hardcore monger trips. I'd like to get a little more out of it this next trip. What to do in the country side when there are cities full of cheap women. Catch 22!
[QUOTE=Zingadoon]I rented a car at the airport in Medellin and drove to Manizales, Periera, Armenia, and many smaller cities, pueblitos, and termales all last week. Verdict: SAFE. and my spanish isn't that great. Doing it again, I'd definitely get the GPS though. for 11.000 pesos per day with Localiza. The countryside south from Pintada to Pereira is some of the most beautiful I've ever seen (been to 60 countries) equal to world's finest. HIghly recommended, just need patience with the slow trucks on the mountains, hills and curves. And it is a toll road. Also drove around Cali last summer, main roads only and within about an hour of the city. Plan to go from Cali to Pasto next time,[/QUOTE]Very good to hear.
Regarding driving from Cali to Pasto: For me, no way. The departments of Cauca, Narino y Putumayo are constantly in the news as hot spots.
You'll probably make and I'm sure you'll have a great time but, IMO, why risk it?
Despite the great strides made in the Uribe era, some areas of Colombia are still "fly in. Fly out only" zones IMO.
All the best, Schwmm
[QUOTE=Schwmmr]Despite the great strides made in the Uribe era, some areas of Colombia are still "fly in. Fly out only" zones IMO.
All the best, Schwmm[/QUOTE]Yep. "A country of islands accessible only by plane", as a friend once described it to me.
I'd rather my passport wasn't stamped with CTG airport entry and exit stamps.... you know for, ahem, personal reasons.
Is this possible?
I'm planning 2 weeks trip to Colombia: 1-2 days in Bogota only if necessary and the rest split between Cartagena and Medellin. How do I optimize where to fly into from YYZ (MDE, BOG or CTG) and the order of the cities? Which local flight to take? Should I buy local flights in Colombia or before the trip?
Please add your suggestions.
[QUOTE=Questner]I'm planning 2 weeks trip to Colombia: 1-2 days in Bogota only if necessary and the rest split between Cartagena and Medellin. How do I optimize where to fly into from YYZ (MDE, BOG or CTG) and the order of the cities? Which local flight to take? Should I buy local flights in Colombia or before the trip?
Please add your suggestions.[/QUOTE]BOG is great to use as a hub. You can reach every city in the country from there. Try Aires me and my buddies recently used them for a round trip MDE to CTG. They were very reasonably priced and had excellent service.
[QUOTE=Biffa]I'd rather my passport wasn't stamped with CTG airport entry and exit stamps.... you know for, ahem, personal reasons.
Is this possible?[/QUOTE]Enter through another port and fly internally.
The below article relates to a discussion a few posts back of overland security in some places of Colombia, particularly the southwest. It is pasted form the Latin America Herald Tribune. It was all over the Colombian news reports on Fri & Saturday.
I post it just to illustrate the type of attack that can happen in some parts of the country that, IMO, would be foolish or at least not worth the risk to travel overland. This is just one example. I't not an isolated incident.
[quote]Six Die as Colombian Rebels Set Bus on Fire
BOGOTA – Six people were killed Friday when leftist FARC rebels waylaid and burned a bus in the southwestern Colombian province of Nariño, a regional official told Efe.
“We know about four adults and two children who burned to death,” provincial government secretary Fabio Trujillo said, adding that the death toll could turn out to be higher.
The incident took place on the road linking Pasto, the provincial capital, and the Pacific port of Tumaco.
Citing witness accounts, Trujillo said the driver of the first bus to pass the spot where the rebels were laying in wait sped past despite the shots fired by the guerrillas.
When the driver of the next bus to come along did pull over, the rebels set the vehicle ablaze without first ensuring that all of the passengers were safely out, witnesses told authorities.
Trujillo said the attack was mounted by “guerrillas from the Mariscal Sucre column of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (known as the FARC) that operate in that region.”
Police and soldiers subsequently engaged the rebels who took part in Friday’s assault, Trujillo told Efe by telephone from Pasto.
Nariño, which borders Ecuador, is plagued by strife involving the FARC, Colombian security forces, right-wing militias and common criminals engaged in smuggling.
The FARC has battled a succession of Colombian governments since 1964. Once numbering as many as 20,000, the FARC is now thought to have around 9,000 combatants. EFE[/quote]