Medellin Reports

[QUOTE=Queens35;2035659]
Regarding Centro and Mayorista. Those are not places for gringos to be. It's scraping the bottom of the barrel. You will rarely find a gringo that isn't counting every peso. If you can afford a trip to Colombia, do you really want to look through a sea of 4-5's to find the occasional 7 while putting yourself in harm's way?

I have gone once on my first trip just to see what it was like but haven't been since and don't plan on ever going again, unless maybe some newbie asks me to show it to him once.[/QUOTE]Speak for yourslf amigo.

Centro or Mayorista may not be for you, however, for others, yes.

Really, I've done the high and low in Medellin, for many years.

Met some babes in the high end of course, however, the true gems, the most humble beauties, I've met either on the streets or in the Centro clubs.

Takes some filtering, definitely spanish skills, however, I enjoy it.

My 2 favoritas now in Medellin are a beautiful 18 year old flaquita I met in Centro a month or so ago, and this past trip I met a beautiful sexy chocolate from the pacific coast in one of the Centro clubs.

Both total GFE plus. I "pay" them whatever I feel like as well, and because they take care of me, I return the favor to them.

Take precautions, don't be stupid, keep your eyes open and you'll be fine.

[QUOTE=Knowledge;2035159]This was not such a good ad for the Mansion. I can't say you made me want to check it out.[/QUOTE]Wasn't trying to advertise for the Mansion, they stay full constantly anyway, just an observation.

Centro and Mayorista aren't for rookies, nose pickers, or monoglots. Mayorista is a lot safer than centro, though. Although, anyone who does not know what 'mayorista' means might have a hard time figuring out what its main purpose is.

[QUOTE=Dickhead;2036371]Centro and Mayorista aren't for rookies, nose pickers, or monoglots. Mayorista is a lot safer than centro, though. Although, anyone who does not know what 'mayorista' means might have a hard time figuring out what its main purpose is.[/QUOTE]I expect most here who aren't in Mensa would do better with "monolingual".

YMMV.

I just posted this to the CTG Reports but I'll put it here as well & most of you already know this.

Just a heads up here guys, when in the CTG last week I brought mostly cash & exchanged at an exchange house near Torre Centaurio in Laguito & got 2700:1. In El Centro I got 2750:1. I just checked my Schwab statement & got 3153:1 on a 200,000 COP withdrawal & 2965:1 on 2 seperate 300,000 COP withdrawals. Note to self, carry as little cash as possible, use the F-in Schwab card at the ATMs!

El Mechanico.

[QUOTE=ElMechanico;2036414]I just posted this to the CTG Reports but I'll put it here as well & most of you already know this.

Just a heads up here guys, when in the CTG last week I brought mostly cash & exchanged at an exchange house near Torre Centaurio in Laguito & got 2700:1. In El Centro I got 2750:1. I just checked my Schwab statement & got 3153:1 on a 200,000 COP withdrawal & 2965:1 on 2 seperate 300,000 COP withdrawals. Note to self, carry as little cash as possible, use the F-in Schwab card at the ATMs!

El Mechanico.[/QUOTE]If I had a dollar for every time I posted about that, I'd have about 50,000 COP. You get the average of the bid and the ask for the day. I like E-Trade a little better because the transaction posts immediately, whereas with Schwab it posts the next business day. Both reimburse all ATM fees worldwide (but not foreign [b]transaction[/b] fees such as are charged in Panamá).

[QUOTE=Dickhead;2036420]If I had a dollar for every time I posted about that, I'd have about 50,000 COP. You get the average of the bid and the ask for the day. I like E-Trade a little better because the transaction posts immediately, whereas with Schwab it posts the next business day. Both reimburse all ATM fees worldwide (but not foreign [b]transaction[/b] fees such as are charged in Panam).[/QUOTE]I know, sorry to repeat. Beating a dead horse, I know. I was posting because I didn't realize there was such a difference. I knew the ATMs were a better rate, but I didn't realize it was that much of a difference.

Also, schwab has never charged me ATM fees (like you said) nor have they ever charged me foreign transaction fees.

El Mechanico.

[QUOTE=ElMechanico;2036434]Also, schwab has never charged me ATM fees (like you said) nor have they ever charged me foreign transaction fees.[/QUOTE]The ATM fee would not be from Schwab. It would be rolled into the money that you withdrew and charged by the bank whose machine you used. Mine is always refunded around the 27th of each month. I have only had foreign transaction fees from making purchases with credit cards and never from using an ATM with a debit card.

[QUOTE=Dickhead;2036371]Centro and Mayorista aren't for rookies, nose pickers, or monoglots. Mayorista is a lot safer than centro, though. Although, anyone who does not know what 'mayorista' means might have a hard time figuring out what its main purpose is.[/QUOTE]Speaking of Mayorista, some excellent, cheap food on the third level of Centro Comercial Mayorista. Spent 11 k for soup, salad, plus meat, rice, potato, yuca, avocado, juice and an arepa. Several places to choose from.

[QUOTE=Dickhead;2036371]Centro and Mayorista aren't for rookies, nose pickers, or monoglots. Mayorista is a lot safer than centro, though. Although, anyone who does not know what 'mayorista' means might have a hard time figuring out what its main purpose is.[/QUOTE]1) I guess there is a number of people, over the thousands who read your post today, who are trying to imagine how a "monoglot" looks like (must be something near a Monolophosaurus?

2) [I]Mayor[/I]ista... ?? It must be where [I]menores[/I] are not allowed?

[QUOTE=Queens35;2036116]I'll call BS on the "half the locals didn't tip". I have been to centro strip clubs a dozen times at least, and never have I seen more than a couple locals not tipping, and they didn't tip any girl, not just the "ugly" ones. Probably cheap charlies who expect to see pussy up close for the price of a beer they nurse for 4 hours. They exist everywhere.

And I'm not advocating throwing tips around to anybody with a hand out, but when it's deserved. I would never tip a bouncer at these places, which some guys do (because he let you in or because he calls you his amigo? LOL) but a chica who gets naked on stage deserves it.

Honestly, the only guys that I hear the "act like locals. " mantra from are guys who always follow that up with "locals don't tip".[/QUOTE]Totally agree with you. Unfortunately there are guys who get a bang out of grabbing as much as possible for as little as possible. These same scumbags complain about others messing things up for them. How ironic!

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2036442]The ATM fee would not be from Schwab. It would be rolled into the money that you withdrew and charged by the bank whose machine you used. Mine is always refunded around the 27th of each month. I have only had foreign transaction fees from making purchases with credit cards and never from using an ATM with a debit card.[/QUOTE]Excellent point about the FTFs on CC purchases and not ATM withdrawals! However with those exchange rates, if the bank who owned the ATM did take a cut, I say Let them Have it! Those rates were 200 - 400 COP better than the Casa de cambios!

El Mechanico.

[QUOTE=ElMechanico;2036473]Excellent point about the FTFs on CC purchases and not ATM withdrawals! However with those exchange rates, if the bank who owned the ATM did take a cut, I say Let them Have it! Those rates were 200 - 400 COP better than the Casa de cambios!

El Mechanico.[/QUOTE]I think you are thinking about it in the wrong way. Those cambio casas are offering shitty rates that are far below market rates. In any case, Bancolombia was not charging additional fees. Banco de Bogota was. So was Davivienda.

EDIT: The way I save the most in this mess is by always using my credit card where I can (and always picking pesos when it prompts for which currency avoiding the dreaded 3.5% fee). I then only use cash for the casino, hookers, and small stuff :)

[QUOTE=Dickhead;2036183]That ad says she is on vacation, so that is why there is no contact info. 'On vacation' most likely means getting fucked to death in Curacao or Panam.[/QUOTE]Curacao? I keep hearing about this place.

[QUOTE=YippieKayay;2036476]I think you are thinking about it in the wrong way. Those cambio casas are offering shitty rates that are far below market rates. In any case, Bancolombia was not charging additional fees. Banco de Bogota was. So was Davivienda.

EDIT: The way I save the most in this mess is by always using my credit card where I can (and always picking pesos when it prompts for which currency avoiding the dreaded 3.5% fee). I then only use cash for the casino, hookers, and small stuff :)[/QUOTE]Until your card gets cloned. At least using an ATM you can check it for the skimming equipment, if you use your card in restaurants it is only a matter of time before your card is cloned, cloning is rampant in Colombia. Use a no fee debit card from Schwab or one of the other banks at ATM's.