Need to Revisit BOG with CL & Rio with RW
IMHO Lido was the worst ripoff joint I have EVER seen in Colombia (not that I stayed long). Casanova and Extasis are hit or miss, but you can find gems there for reasonable cost. I have not spent much time mongering in BOG though, typically just one night here or there while on my way elsewhere) and perhaps need to give it another try. The value is there too, but NOT in ZonaNorte. Clubs in Centro/La Candelaria area have some hotties, but NOT for the faint of heart (especially at night).
That being said, CL you really should spend more time in Medellin & Cali. IMHO both are SO much better than CTG or BOG. I brought a hottioe from SAntander when I went to San Andres so cannot comment, though I have read a couple recent reports saying there is more (and better) action than everybody THINKS.
RW: I like that same kind of stuff, but IMHO it is MUCH harder to arrange in Colombia (a conservative, Catholic, country) than in Brasil (or even Peru). WAY less Colombianas are bi than Brasileras. My "lifestyle" friend who went to the swingers clubs in Cali said it was pathetic; hideously old and ugly patrons, NOTHING like in Brasil or Miami. I will PM you.
Z -You are gonna have a blast in CO
Hey Z –
Shoot, I would love to hang out with you in Bogota, but its not a stop on my December travel itinerary. I was just there and probably won’t be back again until sometime in January. I’m very sorry we won’t be there at the same time – that would have been a lot of fun.
You have my deepest sympathy about Raphaela. I had a similar experience not long ago with a beautiful Colombian woman who I fell in love with. She ended up marrying someone in the US. We are still good friends and write to each other all the time. She is not very happy with her situation because the good life he promised her ain’t what she’s living today. Since I am the only other person she knows in the US, I have become her sounding board and we write and talk several times a week now. But its not the same as when I had very strong feelings for her, and the depression I went through when I realized it wasn’t going to work out as I hoped it would.
So all things considered, all that is the BEST reason for you to go to Colombia and have yourself a blast.
Sometime soon, I will try to write you up some reviews of the places I know in Bogota and Cartagena. I feel a certain responsibility to make sure you have a good time in Colombia. That is, I feel a certain responsibility up to a certain point – information – yes, dinero – no.
Have fun down there buddy and I will be in touch with you soon.
Zona Norte vs Centro (Should this be moved to Bogota thread?)
Surfer –
Lido is not that different in price from Casanova and Extasis if you do your negotiating right. What I have found is that all of the zona norte clubs – Casanova, Extasis, Copacabana, and Lancaster – are all hit or miss and it seems that they go through distinct phases where one is hot and one is very cold. There have been times that each one of those clubs was red hot for several months at a time, and other times when I would go in and drink my Club Colombia as quickly as possible to get the heck out of there. There was a long period of time when Lido was THE place for finding the best looking chicas in any of the zona norte clubs. I haven’t been back there in about a year because there is someone there I don’t really want to run into just yet, so I am laying low for now. Maybe 2 years ago, Extasis was the best zona norte club around and Casanova was just overpriced and not very interesting. But my experience last week at Casanova guarantees that I’ll return next time to check it out again. And as I am sure you already know, Lancaster is an after hours club and doesn’t get hopping until the other clubs close and the chicas start heading over there.
There are also the discos in the zona rosa that might be interesting for Zidaho to check out for non-, semi- and full-pro action. Charlottes, Mister Babilla’s, and the various clubs on the west side of the zona rosa pedestrian walkway may have some interesting possibilities, especially on weekends.
On thing is for sure though Surfer – I stay OUT of the centro after dark and don’t’ recommend any one go there, especially on their own. I speak fluent Spanish and I am not a wussy – I’ve had rifles pointed at me and have been in all kinds of tight situations in lots of different countries in South and Central America. I don’t’ take needless chances, and going to the centro after dark is one of those. More power to you if you have the balls to do that, but Ill stay in my nice safe uptown clubs.
Unlocked GSM Phone with SIM and number prior to arrival
Can someone help me with this? I want to establish a cell phone number before I arrive in Cartegena. Is there a way to do that from the USA on my new unlocked GSM phone?? I could email and Wire money with a copy of my passport to Juan Ventura. He is handling my apartment rental. So the question is can a cell phone number be established in Colombia prior to arrival?? If so is it relatively safe to do so??? Thanks