General Info

Yep Surfer ... no charge for incoming calls ... I've been a Comcel guy for years now.

My computer geek was in the office today setting up some stuff. He said he is getting (tomorrow) a broadband box that works anywhere in the world. So for about $150.00 I could buy the box (that uses a local number), and the cool thing about his box, it can be configured to work on a lap top and be a video phone at both ends. There is no monthly fee like there is with Vonage. I think that sounds cool as hell. In fact he says the box can also be configured to work as a wireless device (wherever there is a network connection) so like at the airport, coffee shop, hotel, I could make phone calls from my laptop/box though a little microphone and ear piece. That is a trip . . . I can't wait to go to his office and check it out.

I can really see myself doing business on a beach somewhere in the not too distant future. He thinks it's just a matter of time and cost (not long) before these devices are integrated in laptops. I LOVE this stuff!!! Almost as much as I love those gorgeous women who are amused by my nasty habits!! I hope I can live another 50 years, this just keeps getting better. Z

I have to ask, because I can't find any experiences, or information. Is it more difficult, or more dangerous, for non-whites to monger in Colombia? My experiences with Colombianas is all in Costa Rica, and it seems that upper echelon of ladies can be tough to crack.

located 3 hours by bus from Cali.. no problem with safety here .didnt here 1 gunshot the 8 days here. my second day here the best thing happen.. luis a local guy teacher of english in ARMENIA.. took me places that national geographic mag would love the adventue from will jeep ride in the coffee regi6n. white water raftig paragliding 70k for lovely ride,, sl6w ride down.. .. yes the chicas are here looking for gringos for fun, talk w/ luis every few days as my girlfriend wants him to translate.. the girls are cute here. if any1 here headed to armenia.. contact luis and lucy.. lucy owns s5lver gold store in the park area,, lovely place to chill ,watch lovely latinas coloombians contact me if you need nice crib for your lady weeklly daily rates, in apartment 1 ..2 bedroom.. cheaper then hotel p3us chia friendly,,,, h4ge place

For what it's worth!
Be EXTRA CAREFUL at Cordoba Airport in Medellin!
Take this as First Hand Information.
Ladrones in Quanity are all over, Especially at Avianca Departures.
A stranger will tap you on the back, tell you in Espanol, you have Cream on your back (Actually Elmers Glue) show you, because he rubs your back and then proceeds to show you the cream.While he's doing that another Colombian, proceeds to ask you questions. They'll be persistent, maybe 10 -15 minutes. If you turn your head you've had it. It makes NO difference whether you have a "Baggage Man with a cart" or not. Your Bag or Bags are GONE ! They operate in Teams of three to four indivudals, A driver, most likely a waiting taxi and two to three Ladrones in the Airport itself.
There have been a rash of baggage thefts there. All by "Highly Experienced & Well Trained Gypsy Ladrones." November and December are High Theft Months . I've traveled the World for over forty years and NEVER had a problem up until now.
For What it's worth. . . .Take it from One Who got Burned.
Happy Holidays!

One of our twin engines failed about 45 minutes in the air out of Miami yesterday. We turned around spent the night at the Don Shula Hotel (Nice) and recieved one free RT ticket to anywhere Avianca flies (free) for the next year. That problem gave me an opportunity to chat with some interesting people. One extremely hot blond from Miami, I am pretty sure she's a hooker, (though she frequently referred to her fiance in Cartegena) I didn't buy it, we were hanging out together I don't know for certain but I did get a vibe from her that she was accustomed to close contact, I couldn't get her into my hotel room, though I believe her fiance story was a ruse, I gave it the old monger try. Also, met an attorney from Cartegena, her sister lives in Tennesee. She was interesting she also teaches English, otherwise the two of us wouldn't have much to say since my spanish is as yet, pretty much useless.

Met a fellow monger as we were waiting in the long slow lines, he recently bought a 2 bedrm in the same building I am staying. He and friend of his paid about 50K US for the 2 bedroom condo (about 1,000 sq ft) association dues about $65.00 per month. Just now came back from his apartment having a beer. Wow, great value and nice place for only 50K, on the street side but on the second floor with common pool and huge common deck right out his front door!! He comes here every few months to get a way from the USA. Anyway I am staying at Marinare building in Lequito, (just down the street from Hilton) per Juan Ventura. Nice modern apartment $55.00 per night. Though the HS internet not working that well with my Vonage equipment, calls are spotty as though the connection is too slow.

Took my new NEC quad band phone to Comcel this afternoon, bought SIM chip for about $20.00 and a bunch of minutes for about $100.00 which amounts to about 96 minutes of calling to the USA, or about 333 minutes to other Comcel cell phones in Colombia and about 175 minutes to other Colombia cell servers such as OLA. Hopefully I'll get this VOIP equipment working better so I can be on the phone and work here, playing like I am in the office deligently working, though actually deligently mongering.

My intial take on Cartegena is that it has deeper poverty than Copocabanna. I'll check out the monger talent tonight at LDV though my recent monger acquaintance said Monday is generally slow.

[QUOTE=Dzlkdd]I have to ask, because I can't find any experiences, or information. Is it more difficult, or more dangerous, for non-whites to monger in Colombia? My experiences with Colombianas is all in Costa Rica, and it seems that upper echelon of ladies can be tough to crack.[/QUOTE]


This moreno right here has never had a problem stretching out many a colombiana in the motherland. Just go and enjoy yourself.

I'd just like to expound on my impression of the danger factor in Bogotá and Colombia in general, and how I think it compares to Central America and México.

First of all, Colombia is certainly one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and without a doubt the most violent in the entire hemisphere. They love war even more than we do. However, as is the case more times than not, people tend to take one or two examples and make them representative of a whole group. This isn't to say that crazy shit doesn't happen in Bogotá or elsewhere in Colombia because it does, but like most places, if you lay low and don't look for trouble, you won't find it.

For example, if you want to be the guy who rolls in Armani or other fancy duds and sports a Rolex-like watch, newfangled shoes, or any type of fancy jewelery, real or fake, you're just asking for it. If you want to be ostentatious or flamboyant, then you're going to get the attention you desire, not just from chicas, but from everyone, which means homeless vagabonds, gluesniffers, pandilleros, drunks, desperate taxistas, ect. And this is in addition to the attention you're automatically going to receive for being a foreigner, and there aren't a whole lot of them in Bogotá. If you've never been to a developing country, your best bet is to be modest. You don't need to pack the bling bling or wear easily identifiable designer duds to look good and put out the vibe. Moreover, if you think we're obsessed with brand names, imagine what people who live in poverty identify with Polo or Tommy, those hollow yet prodigious symbols of power and style? When you can't find gainful employment or put food on the table, the only chance you're going to have designer clothes is to steal them. They eat up American culture like we eat up the lies fed to us by our politicians. There's a reason all the school kids wear uniforms in these countries - because they used to mug and kill each other over Nike sneakers and Polo shirts when they were allowed to don them in the classroom.

Second, don't do stupid things. DON'T stay in a bad neighborhood just to save 20.000 pesos on a hotel. Don't go wandering around at night after slurping down a bottle of rum, especially if you're alone. Don't hop in an unmarked taxi or one with a passenger riding shotgun. Don't wander the streets with a travel guide in hand. And don't trust the dame you just met with great tits when she asks you to head out of town or to some distant local. Bottom line, do your research and just use common sense, and don't fear everything. God knows people do enough of that here in the US.

Sadly, I'm somewhat of a hypocrite, as I wandered around El Centro at night by myself without incident, and walked to and from the area around La Piscina and El Castillo to my hotel on 8 con 24 without any problems, but I also have friends from Colombia who told me the real deal before I went. In my opinion, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa and San Salvador are WAY worse than Bogotá. Of course, I didn't go near the most notorious barrios in Bogotá, but that's because I'm not crazy. I wandered all over, especially in the daytime, but took more caution at night, and didn't go anywhere I didn't need to. It's just like Mexico City - stay within the limits outlined by the metro, don't be an ass, and you won't have any problems. (I know this sounds stupid, but when you're alone, walking briskly, looking kind-of mean, and appearing sure of where you're going has an effect on people.) I spent a month in Teguc under marshall law because of the gang problem, and heard gun shots EVERY night where I lived in Guatemala City, three blocks from the US embassy. The gang violence was all over, but if you knew where to stay away from, it wasn't a problem. From what I ascertained, there really aren't any big gang problems in Bogotá, at least not like Central America. I'm not recommending doing what I did, but I've spent years in Latin America and have seen much worse than Bogotá.

Anyway, as stated earlier, there are real problems in Colombia, but unlike Central America where the violence pervades the cities, it is the campo that is the real danger in Colombia, and many of the bus routes which traverse these regions. It is a Latin species of the Wild West for sure. But so long as you don't go wearing your best clothes or most expensive trinkets and gadgets, assuming you don't wander aimlessly into a bad neighborhood or some dive frequented by drunken mafiosos, there's no need to fear thieves, kidnappers or murderers - again, given that you know where not to go, especially at night. And of course, don't go hitting on a colombiano's chava or getting tough with the locals after having one too many, because they know better than you do how far away from home you are. Use the buddy system and respect local laws and customs!

When I arrived in Bogotá at 8:00 PM, I got through customs in 15 minutes, changed money, and was in a taxi driven by the most informative dude you could ask for five minutes later, who even took the circuitous route to give me a tour of the capital while pointing out landmarks and suggesting places to see, things to do, areas to avoid. It was great. And I didn't even know where I was staying my first night, though I'm glad I had done my research because they insist you give them the name of the hotel where you're staying. I utilized my taxista and found a nice place after discussing my options and explaining my game plan, got some eats and then hit the ground running. Bogotá es una ciudad bien vigilada. (I have to add that I didn't see a single American during five days in the capital, and very few Europeans, which made the nocturnal excursions all the more fun, as you can get the girls to vie for you if your game is good.)

Though I have read a few posts here relating some serious predicaments people have found themselves in down there, you should also realize that as far as a kidnapper or thief is concerned, if you look like you have money, you're going to be targeted. That's the deal anywhere. And if you stay in a five-star hotel, well, then you're a more appealing prize to someone who stays in a three-star joint. Hippie backpackers don't get kidnapped in Bogotá. Business men in suits and ties do. And as always, there is safety in numbers.

No need to wear sweatpants and baseball hats, just tone it down and keep it real and put on your charm. The chicas will smell what you're cooking and you'll have a blast. Do bring something warm though, it gets cold at night. And if you're fair-skinned, wear sunblock even on cloudy days, you'll be glad you did.

Party on.

[quote=zidaho]one of our twin engines failed about 45 minutes in the air out of miami yesterday.

though the hs internet not working that well with my vonage equipment, calls are spotty as though the connection is too slow.
[/quote]

hate etops. best not even to think about it.

for voip problems try [url]http://myspeed.visualware.com/voip/index.html[/url]

Wassup Fellow Mongers:

I am flying into Baq Friday but need to get to Cartagena. Can anyone shed some light on my options. Is there a shuttle, bus or should I take taxi? Please advise and how much I should pay. Also, how long is that ride if anyone knows?

Thanks.

LL7

Hello fellow mongerers,

I have some questions for the veterans of Columbia. I am so close to booking a trip to Bogota (my first time) for February 18-26, 2006.

I am in my mid-20s, Asian, and I speak fluent Spanish. I would like to think I am decent good-looking (by Asian standards) and have good game, too. I would be traveling alone because my friends prefer "safer" destinations. I have had great times in TJ and Rio, and I have already booked a trip to Buenos Aires in March 2006.

1. Would a week solely in Bogotá be too long for a first-timer? Would it be worth my time/money to stay maybe 4 days in Bogotá, and maybe booking a domestic flight to go to anther destination (e.g. Cali) for for 3 days? The reason is that the airfare roundtrip to Bogota is so much cheaper than any other city ($620 from midwest), and I looked into open jaw prices and multicity prices.

2. Is Columbia/Bogota affected much by Carnival (prices jacked up/overcrowding with tourists)? I would be traveling in the week before Ash Wednesday and leaving Sunday morning of the weekend before Ash Wednesday.

3. I've read that Sundays are pretty dead in Bogotá (actionwise and tourism stuff). I may potentially fly in on Saturday night. I am considering flying in on Sunday night... and starting fresh on Monday morning (with mongering/tourism stuff).

4. I did various searches and couldn't find an answer. I really like my BBBJs, is this service offered more often than not (like in Rio)?

5. Is getting a cell phone helpful/worthwhile (certainly very helpful, if not considered essential, in Rio)? I have unlocked GSM phones.

Thank you for any advice that you may be able to provide.

Team Stream

I looked at a multicity trip, and I could fly to another city (e.g. MDE, CTG) for an additional 25$. So this is close to a no-brainer, I believe.

flying in to BOG on Saturday/Sunday night
can fly to another city (MDE, CTG, and I'm open to other suggestions) on Tues / Wed / Thurs night. Fly back to USA on Sunday morning

I am leaning towards CTG because it'll be beach town, and I can hang/relax on the beach at least for a portion of my vacation.

I thought about going to Barranquilla for the other city, but I just thought it'll be too crazy/costly (weekend before Ash Wednesday/Carnival main weekend) for a first-timer to Columbia who is traveling alone.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Agree 100%.

Don't be an arse. Live longer, its that simple.

I understand there is a tax if $USD is changed in Columbia. Can $EUROS be cashed in Columbia without a tax?

Lover,

I took the Invertours shuttle from Barranquilla to Cartagena last spring. It took a little over an hour.

Not only was it on time, but arrived 15 minutes early. Hotel door to hotel door for $25.

It gets you right through the traffic stops on the highway in no time, as the military is used to waving it through five times a day.

Plus, you can meet some interesting fellow travelers.

Definitely the way to go. Contact:

Invertours del Caribe (servicing Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta, & Valledupar)

[url]www.invertours.com[/url] (or invertours dot com)

BAQ - Cra. 47 No. 75-07 tel: 5-368-2990 cel: 300-810-5686
CTG - Calle 70 No. 2-35 Crespo tel: 5-656-3757 cel: 315-712-3683
Santa Marta - Cra. 4 No. 13-61 El Rodadero tel: 5-422-3344 cel:300-816-1601

DB

[QUOTE=Latina Lover7]Wassup Fellow Mongers:

I am flying into Baq Friday but need to get to Cartagena. Can anyone shed some light on my options. Is there a shuttle, bus or should I take taxi? Please advise and how much I should pay. Also, how long is that ride if anyone knows?

Thanks.

LL7[/QUOTE]