Just got back from my second trip to MDE. Seems like this trip was even better than the last one. I'll write a report later, but all I can say is wow. I should have returned to MDE sooner.
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Just got back from my second trip to MDE. Seems like this trip was even better than the last one. I'll write a report later, but all I can say is wow. I should have returned to MDE sooner.
[QUOTE=Manny51; 1479202]Hello everyone!
I am thinking of coming to Medellin for the first time at the end of the month. Pretty sure that I am going to stay at the Mansion. Actually, the punting options are pretty solid.
My question is actually on other stuff. I wanted to go to places like the Coffee region in the South, or the Pablo Escobar ruins in the east. I look at a map, and these things are like 100 miles away. And yet, the bus rides are all listed as like 5 hours! Why? Are the buses slow? Is traffic bad? Are the roads twisty mountain roads that you drive 10 MPH on? Would it help if I bought a car?
Thanks![/QUOTE]Prepare to spend 4++ hours on the bus each direction for these far away excusions. The roads are mountainous and winding. It is better to do the coffee region when you have 2+ days and check out Manizales, Periera, Armenia, etc. For a guy staying at The Mansion this would not be recommended.
I would recommend Lake Guatape. If you leave in the morning you can be back for the evening. Guatape is only 2 hours by bus out of The North Bus Terminal.
Based in San Javier,"Comuna 13", x-paramilitarians and "campesinos" without ability or will to integrate into the normal social life now has become a plague for Medellin. My friend that works for the MDE Municipality told me that even Exito and big companies pays for "protection". Police and military fights on, but getting rid of the problem would almost be to start a strong military offensive amongst civilians. Behind a frontline in San Javier the power is the Gangs, well trained and with long experience of military service, the FED, Police and militaries can't beat them.
I have friends that runs small business that had confirmed this in confidence. Pay or get wacked!
So the award "The Most Innovative City In The World" by Wall Street Journal / Citicroup didn't do them homework to well. There are still a lot of fear amongst people and gang criminality is rising rapidly again in MDE.
The Maniacs that runs those criminal gangs will never adapt to society. During an half-informal peacetalk between with a group of gang-leaders and represants from the authorities, one gangster just pick up his gun, shot the guy next to him, put down the gun, all in a blick on an eye, and then continued the conversation that nothing had happend. This is part of the real life in MDE that tourists know little about, but once accepted as more than a tourist, people has started telling me thing that are horrible that goes on in a scale that we foreigners from the 1st world can not imagine.
A human life is still not worth much in Colombia.
Extreme inequality in incomes and possibility are the 10th worst in the world, only is it worse in 9 African countries according to cia. Gov / factbook. In spite of the "success" with Plan Colombia" and Uribe's huge popularity, he or his generals authorised the killing of peasants and nameing them FARC-member, in Colombia commonly known as "falsas progresivas".
Medellíand has now the reputation of being an super-innovative and business friendly city, the best in Latinamerica. But it is still very dangerous.
Respect for a human life is still on a 3 world level.
[QUOTE=Vegas Jeff; 1479247]Prepare to spend 4++ hours on the bus each direction for these far away excusions. The roads are mountainous and winding. It is better to do the coffee region when you have 2+ days and check out Manizales, Periera, Armenia, etc. For a guy staying at The Mansion this would not be recommended.
I would recommend Lake Guatape. If you leave in the morning you can be back for the evening. Guatape is only 2 hours by bus out of The North Bus Terminal.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the replies everyone.
So if its the roads, I presume that renting a car wouldn't help much. And visiting Zona Cafetera would have to be an overnighter. If that's correct, then that's too bad.
As much as the nightlife is in Medellin, it doesn't seem like there is much to do in the daytime. I bought a conventional Lonely Planet tourist book, and its zippo.
BTW, what's the best way to get to the Mansion from the airport. Taxi? Subway?
Thanks,
[QUOTE=Manny51; 1479488]Thanks for the replies everyone.
So if its the roads, I presume that renting a car wouldn't help much. And visiting Zona Cafetera would have to be an overnighter. If that's correct, then that's too bad.
As much as the nightlife is in Medellin, it doesn't seem like there is much to do in the daytime. I bought a conventional Lonely Planet tourist book, and its zippo.
BTW, what's the best way to get to the Mansion from the airport. Taxi? Subway?
Thanks, [/QUOTE][url]Http://www.colombiaconnects.com/[/url]
[QUOTE=TweedleD;1479497][url]Http://www.colombiaconnects.com/[/url][/QUOTE]Thanks for the response, but $45 seems a bit steep. Is there a better value option? I am assuming that a cab costs more. No train? No buses?
It amuses me when "some" guys complain off bad sessions and or its the girls fault, when in fact the guys "carnt fuck properly" smell, got shit all up there back, are over weight and are just gross pigs.
Aussie Greg.
Take a ADA flight from the airport in town, your in Pereira in 35 minutes and then taxi to Chinchina "the center of the coffee in Colombia" and after lunch go to the Termales at Santa Rosa de Cabal, you will be back in Medellin before dark.
Most of the guys here on this board have not been outside of Poblado! To scared!
A. G.
[QUOTE=Manny51; 1479202]Hello everyone!
I am thinking of coming to Medellin for the first time at the end of the month. Pretty sure that I am going to stay at the Mansion. Actually, the punting options are pretty solid.
My question is actually on other stuff. I wanted to go to places like the Coffee region in the South, or the Pablo Escobar ruins in the east. I look at a map, and these things are like 100 miles away. And yet, the bus rides are all listed as like 5 hours! Why? Are the buses slow? Is traffic bad? Are the roads twisty mountain roads that you drive 10 MPH on? Would it help if I bought a car?
Thanks![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Cali Hentai;1429671]Staying at a low end Motel in Mayorista or living it up at the Mansion. It's all good.[/QUOTE]Would you please give me some information about The Mansion?
Aussie, looking forward to my stay at the mansion mid October. I too wonder how someone can post how terrible the woman are yet the vast majority of guys are amazed?
Orgasmo: Any recent info you can provide with a report would be great timing.
For the curious, I started fb about 3 months ago and have 100+ contacts. Will report how the fb thing goes compared to Mansion girls. Most know of the Mansion, but glad to report there are more pickings to be had then what shows up at the Mansion.
My bad for calling it the Mansion, just known it as that for all to long on these boards.
Liquid lounge should have strip club open within weeks. Just passing on what I heard.
Jet
[QUOTE=BlancoVikingo; 1479349]Based in San Javier,"Comuna 13", x-paramilitarians and "campesinos" without ability or will to integrate into the normal social life now has become a plague for Medellin. My friend that works for the MDE Municipality told me that even Exito and big companies pays for "protection". Police and military fights on, but getting rid of the problem would almost be to start a strong military offensive amongst civilians. Behind a frontline in San Javier the power is the Gangs, well trained and with long experience of military service, the FED, Police and militaries can't beat them.
I have friends that runs small business that had confirmed this in confidence. Pay or get wacked!
So the award "The Most Innovative City In The World" by Wall Street Journal / Citicroup didn't do them homework to well. There are still a lot of fear amongst people and gang criminality is rising rapidly again in MDE.
The Maniacs that runs those criminal gangs will never adapt to society. During an half-informal peacetalk between with a group of gang-leaders and represants from the authorities, one gangster just pick up his gun, shot the guy next to him, put down the gun, all in a blick on an eye, and then continued the conversation that nothing had happend. This is part of the real life in MDE that tourists know little about, but once accepted as more than a tourist, people has started telling me thing that are horrible that goes on in a scale that we foreigners from the 1st world can not imagine.
A human life is still not worth much in Colombia.
Extreme inequality in incomes and possibility are the 10th worst in the world, only is it worse in 9 African countries according to cia. Gov / factbook. In spite of the "success" with Plan Colombia" and Uribe's huge popularity, he or his generals authorised the killing of peasants and nameing them FARC-member, in Colombia commonly known as "falsas progresivas".
Medellíand has now the reputation of being an super-innovative and business friendly city, the best in Latinamerica. But it is still very dangerous.
Respect for a human life is still on a 3 world level.[/QUOTE]This pretty well known information and yet another reason that the danger in Colombia is exponentially higher for the average Colombian than it is for a tourist. The "duros" come in many forms, but one way or another you've got some form of organized crime running the neighborhoods in ways that governments cannot or at least do not. You also have a lot of chickenhawking going on with younger kids and preying on women. Many problems remain, which is another reason to bring only good energy.
[QUOTE=BigAl838;1479557]Would you please give me some information about The Mansion?[/QUOTE]This is why this board has so many wasted pages and it's hard to find the good field reports.
To many off topic subjects and redundant questions.
[QUOTE=TellAll; 1479645]This is why this board has so many wasted pages and it's hard to find the good field reports.
To many off topic subjects and redundant questions.[/QUOTE]Uh, yeah. I suppose I could've just Google'd it.
But a couple sentences about it was really too much for me to ask, huh?
[QUOTE=Jet69;1479605]I too wonder how someone can post how terrible the woman are yet the vast majority of guys are amazed?[/QUOTE]Recently witnessed two guys at the Mansion arguing about just that.
One was saying that a particular chick was great in bed and the other was saying she was terrible.
They tried to get me involved in the discussion and to take sides. I simply said that I didn't know the chick well.
But don't you think that varying expectations and the chemistry that each of you had or didn't have with the chick had something to do with it.
My advice is if you find a chick attractive. Just chat her up and if you get a good vibe. Go with that rather than listen to other guys.
I have met guys that have absolutely nothing good to say about any of the Mansion chicks. Yet sing the praises of the casas where there is some what of a guaranteed minimum performance. Personally I find them depressing. Your mileage may vary.
[QUOTE=Manny51; 1479488]Thanks for the replies everyone.
So if its the roads, I presume that renting a car wouldn't help much. And visiting Zona Cafetera would have to be an overnighter. If that's correct, then that's too bad.
As much as the nightlife is in Medellin, it doesn't seem like there is much to do in the daytime. I bought a conventional Lonely Planet tourist book, and its zippo.
BTW, what's the best way to get to the Mansion from the airport. Taxi? Subway?
Thanks, [/QUOTE]Taxi is $38 (70, 000 pesos) with tip. Buses are obviously cheaper and doable if you are travelling light. International Airport is far from town and there is a toll for vehicles, hence the cost. $45 is not bad for a private transfer but Mansion will arrange for a pick up for 70 or 75 K pesos.