Medellin Reports

[QUOTE=SeizeTheDay;3030184]What kind of food are you looking for / missing? In what part of are you staying?

I stay 10 minutes east of Veracruz. Preferably I could go for candied yams, Mac and cheese, collard greens and smothered pork chops. But beggers can't be choosers. I will take anything good at this point. But nothing raw like sushi. Mr. E is right. Not a lot of vegetable options at restaurants. In Brazil you have carne or frango milanesa. But no option for fish milanesa. You can't even get a decent cheeseburger and fries. Although everywhere sells burgers, they all suck ass. I did get a great burger in Buenos Aires, but unfortunately it was my last day.[/QUOTE]Not walking distance but try these in Laureles: SkyBox or Aroma's BBQ (rumor is both have all-you-can-eat on Sundays, as of recently) or Sweet Georgia Cafe. If you have a stove, you can contact The Smokin Pit for delivered pre-made / vacuum-sealed goodness that just takes 10 mins to boil, in most cases. 301 425 2532. If you are really committed, try Big Boy Food & Bar in Sabaneta. You will have leftovers to enjoy later or the next day.

[QUOTE=BenjiGold1999;3030183]What's the best way to convert I've had a friend that's been and said he convert his money before he came and got a great deal with his bank not sure which bank tho but I was thinking in using a bank in Medellin are the conversion rates fair over there or hiked up? [/QUOTE]It is 2025, not 1975. Just go to the ATM.

The only places to eat that I can recommend in Centro are Pizzeria Centro, Cafe Simone, Lupita, and for breakfast or a light lunch Astor on Junin. Colombian food is pretty bad in general and everything else in Centro is even worse.

[QUOTE=Orgasmico;3030229]El Centro isn't the best for food, although CC El Camino Real and a few other places in Boston and Buenos Aires are decent. If you get out of El Centro, there are plenty of food options, including vegetables. Something as simple as going to Jumbo for lunch will usually have options like chicken, salmon (maybe even pork chops) and vegetables and even a modest salad bar. You also have places that specialize in salads, vegetables and healthier food options around Meddy. As far as soul food, probably your closest options would be places like Sweet Georgia Cafe and / or Restaurante Jamaiquita but you would need to take a the train or a $3 cab to these places. In general, any Mall will have some decent options, like Premium Plaza, for instance. Outside of El Centro will provide you with your best food options.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=SeizeTheDay;3030184]Not a lot of vegetable options at restaurants.[/QUOTE]Cheap freshly squeezed orange, beet, carrot, and sugar cane juice. From the church walk one street north to Carrera 53. Turn left. One block to Calle 50 and cross it. Left side. Look for sugar cane stalks. Walk half a block further and look across the street and you see the LOS Torres smoked meat place I mentioned before.

Govindas in front of the church, 3rd floor. Small entrance to the stairs. Normally they sell banana, carrot, and I think bran muffins at the entrance. Cheap daily specials plus regular menu. Their meatless burrito somehow the fake meat tastes like sausage. Great to watch the parade of people below.

[QUOTE=BenjiGold1999;3030183]What's the best way to convert I've had a friend that's been and said he convert his money before he came and got a great deal with his bank not sure which bank tho but I was thinking in using a bank in Medellin are the conversion rates fair over there or hiked up?[/QUOTE]The banks in Medellin do not do money exchange. There are exchange places, called cambios, in most shopping centers. Their rates are about 100 COP per dollar less than the rate established by the international clearing houses. Search for Visa and Mastercard foreign exchange rates to see the clearing house rate. You can search for "money exchange in Medellin" and see numerous cambios with links to their website. ATM's will provide the clearing house rates if you decline the bank conversion when withdrawing, but then you need to factor in the fees charged by the ATM bank and the bank which issues the card. I think most ATM banks have a set fee per transaction, so it's advantageous to withdraw the max allowed. Davivienda and Servibank allow 2,000,000 COP per transaction. If you do much international travel, you should try to get a debit card that doesn't have fees and reimburses ATM fees.

[QUOTE=FunLuvr;3030354]The banks in Medellin do not do money exchange. There are exchange places, called cambios, in most shopping centers. Their rates are about 100 COP per dollar less than the rate established by the international clearing houses. Search for Visa and Mastercard foreign exchange rates to see the clearing house rate. You can search for "money exchange in Medellin" and see numerous cambios with links to their website. ATM's will provide the clearing house rates if you decline the bank conversion when withdrawing, but then you need to factor in the fees charged by the ATM bank and the bank which issues the card. I think most ATM banks have a set fee per transaction, so it's advantageous to withdraw the max allowed. Davivienda and Servibank allow 2,000,000 COP per transaction. If you do much international travel, you should try to get a debit card that doesn't have fees and reimburses ATM fees.[/QUOTE]I've found using ATM instead of cambia can save up to 10%. Yes, I use Davienda & draw 2,000,000 at a time. Also use the Schwab debit card which refunds any ATM fees. Also always decline conversion rate.

Do you know if Govinda still has a spot on La Playa?

[QUOTE=LoveItHere69;3030332]Cheap freshly squeezed orange, beet, carrot, and sugar cane juice. From the church walk one street north to Carrera 53. Turn left. One block to Calle 50 and cross it. Left side. Look for sugar cane stalks. Walk half a block further and look across the street and you see the LOS Torres smoked meat place I mentioned before.

Govindas in front of the church, 3rd floor. Small entrance to the stairs. Normally they sell banana, carrot, and I think bran muffins at the entrance. Cheap daily specials plus regular menu. Their meatless burrito somehow the fake meat tastes like sausage. Great to watch the parade of people below.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Knowledge;3030284]The only places to eat that I can recommend in Centro are Pizzeria Centro, Cafe Simone, Lupita, and for breakfast or a light lunch Astor on Junin. Colombian food is pretty bad in general and everything else in Centro is even worse.[/QUOTE]I don't go to El Centro much because it's a slimy shit hole. I used to go sometimes to the gym there or to see concerts or the theater. I. ve been to Astor a few times to eat and also for pastries and coffee. Regarding Colombian food, I prefer the food on the coast and also ajiaco in Bogota, but in general I'm not a fan.

Also, the last 2 times I went to a casa I saw roaches so I can only imagine how many restaurants are in El Centro.

[QUOTE=HuskerDude;3030370]I've found using ATM instead of cambia can save up to 10%. Yes, I use Davienda & draw 2,000,000 at a time. Also use the Schwab debit card which refunds any ATM fees. Also always decline conversion rate.[/QUOTE]Ally Bank is a good option as well. Split your money across both, and you have a solid backup plan should you lose one of your cards. I once had a card get stuck in the ATM at Exito, and I would have been shit out of luck if I did not have the other account.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;3030152]Why is fucking a waitress so many guys' fantasy? It is just a job. I have fucked women with all types of jobs through the years and I can tell you that people are not their jobs; it is just how they make money to pay their bills.[/QUOTE]True, LOL! When I was there in May, I met two different girls who worked at a Panderia. But I only knew that because they told me. I also got a bit concerned because I thought they may have both worked at the same place! I also met a chica who worked in a call center. I didn't understand what she was calling it in Spanish, and after asking her to repeat it multiple times, she finally yelled "Call Center!" in English, hahaha.

[QUOTE=ElSexoChino7;3029711]So you're basically going December, from my personal experience I avoid going to Colombia in November and December as crimes goes up because of holiday. Airfare will cost more, the same as hotel prices and Airbnb's and chicas will be hustling more for the prices. Colombian celebrates Christmas the whole month of December, some people say it's fun to visit Colombia but be very careful and use your common sense so you don't get got. This is something you have to consider. That's my two cents.[/QUOTE]From my experience, it takes the chicas double the amount of time to arrive at your place during December because the traffic seems worse than any other time of year. That's been my main reason for never going back during that month. I flew out of there a week before Christmas.

Also, if you are there on November 30th going into December 1st, I would make it a plan to stay in for the night, as the place turns into a literal war zone with fireworks and celebratory gunfire all night.

[QUOTE=BenjiGold1999;3030183]What's the best way to convert I've had a friend that's been and said he convert his money before he came and got a great deal with his bank not sure which bank tho but I was thinking in using a bank in Medellin are the conversion rates fair over there or hiked up? Also TY to everyone that answered my last question.[/QUOTE]Search "ATM" and you will find hundreds of posts, all saying the same: NEVER CHANGE MONEY, USE ATMs.

How come there is still someone asking this?

[URL]http://www.internationalsexguide.nl/forum/showthread.php?583-Medellin-Reports&p=3028978&viewfull=1#post3028978[/URL]

[QUOTE=FunLuvr;3029640]I'm a little concerned because the Colombian president is wacky. While in New York last week for the UN General Assembly meeting, to spoke from the sidewalk to a pro-Palestinian group and said US soldiers should disobey President Trump. He also said he would introduce a UN resolution to create a UN military force larger than the US military. He is a former member of a Marxist guerrilla group. His US visa was revoked. My concern is will he retaliate, and how.[/QUOTE] Petro will be gone after next year, as I think he is constitutionally barred from seeking a consecutive second term. It will be interesting to see if the new president will have better relations with the USA and make transactions between the 2 countries easier.

Costeño food has more seasoning and variety of preparation. Paisa food is not much more than belly buster "bandeja" plate of beans, pork crackling, avocado and arepa. Everything else is fried and the lunch specials include watery soup. It seems like jail food. On the icky subject of roaches, I once saw a dead roach on top of pastry in the display case of the historical Versalles restaurant on Junin. Vesalles is one of those old school high traffic Colombian restaurants where the staff doesn't sweep the floor during service. It's so disgusting that the sidewalk outside is cleaner than the floor inside.

[QUOTE=Orgasmico;3030387]I don't go to El Centro much because it's a slimy shit hole. I used to go sometimes to the gym there or to see concerts or the theater. I. ve been to Astor a few times to eat and also for pastries and coffee. Regarding Colombian food, I prefer the food on the coast and also ajiaco in Bogota, but in general I'm not a fan.

Also, the last 2 times I went to a casa I saw roaches so I can only imagine how many restaurants are in El Centro.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Knowledge;3030411]Costeo food has more seasoning and variety of preparation. Paisa food is not much more than belly buster "bandeja" plate of beans, pork crackling, avocado and arepa. Everything else is fried and the lunch specials include watery soup. It seems like jail food. On the icky subject of roaches, I once saw a dead roach on top of pastry in the display case of the historical Versalles restaurant on Junin. Vesalles is one of those old school high traffic Colombian restaurants where the staff doesn't sweep the floor during service. It's so disgusting that the sidewalk outside is cleaner than the floor inside.[/QUOTE]For some weird reason I was walking around Centro a couple days ago and wandered into a Tostao at Avenida Maracaibo why Avenida Oriental.

And I was looking at the food in the glass case at my waist and the clerk was standing there, and there was a really massive roach crawling over the food.

And I was in grossed out total shock and I pointed to it and she grabbed a napkin and grabbed it and stuck it in her pocket or something and.

Then asked what I wanted and I was even more shocked and walked out, I lost my appetite for anything to eat for at least 2 days.

I feel so unhealthy when I'm here because everything is so repulsive, even Subway is nasty.

I feel like anorexia is setting in. If I had to live here I most certainly would slowly die of malnutrition.