Cartagena Reports

I was in CTG in January, my first time, and lamentably, before I discovered this excellent forum.

My pal and I took a chiva on a Friday night, and it finished at a 2nd story bar with a balcony directly in front of the clock tower. At the end of the official festivities, the guide asked us if we wanted to meet some women. We responded "of course."

He then took us to some standard looking bar, no more than two blocks pretty much straight down a street from the other bar. It also was on a second story, up a staircase with a 90 degree bend in it. That bar had a handfull of working girls, but also seemed to be hosting some regular groups of folks as well.

Can anyone tell me the name of the place where we were?

For the record, inside the guide introduced us to some english-speaking guy who would "take care of us." My pal quickly met a friend, negotiated a deal, and split. He had a fabulous experience.

I was not so lucky; long story short, 2 hrs later and after getting a bill for a 195,000 peso short bottle of Old Parr (or whatever it's called), I realized I was getting scammed and split alone. At least I got an eyeful of my pal's hot-bodied friend waltzing around the hotel room the next morning.

You were at La Tripletera.

The first place nearer the clock tower was probably Tu Candela, but there are several other clubs on the plaza that match that description.

I'm kind of playing devil's advocate, as I agree with some of your criticisms of my original post. But since nobody's taking the other side, here are some rhetorical questions.

1. Do you speak Spanish? If not, do you think you'd still be getting great GFE with chicas in Cartagena?

2. Do you like hot, humid weather? Sweating like a pig?

3. Do you like ugly beaches?

4. Do you like being molested about every 30 seconds by someone who wants money?

5. How fast can you get to Cartagena, versus San Jose? If you've got good connections to Miami from where you live, I guess it's not so bad, assuming you can travel on the 3 days a week when Avianca has a nonstop. Otherwise you're looking at overnighting in Bogota or Miami, spending many hours in the airport in Panama, or maybe if you're lucky and don't miss any connections you can make it in a day.

6. Given "5", does it make a lot of sense for a non-Spanish speaker to go to Cartagena just to bang the most attractive women there? That is, does it make sense to go there to have sex with women from Medellin, Manizales, etc., when you can have sex with women from the same places in San Jose or Panama? O.K., true, if you speak Spanish you'll probably have more GFE in Cartagena. But if you don't, there's not a whole hell of a lot you can do after you finish the deed.

7. Have you gotten sick from the water or food in Cartagena? I spent some time in the hospital there as a result. You can drink tap water in Costa Rica and Panama. I wouldn't try that in Cartagena.

8. Do you really think the regular women from Cartagena (not the hookers from other cities) are more attractive that the average Latina? (I don't.)

9. Are the regular women from Cartagena as likely to go out with you when all their neighbors are wondering what their sweet little friend is doing with an extranjero ( which = monger in Cartagena)?

10. And, with regard to the original question, about Cartagena vs. San Jose and Bangkok. This is addressed to anybody who's been to Cartagena and Bangkok and thinks Cartagena is better for MONGERING (not finding a girlfriend). Are you nuts?

Point taken and understood."I hope Americans stay scared" was not directed at readers of this board but mainly for the masses of gringos who have ruined CR.never read this forum and will never go to Colombia.Besides if I would have said "mucho peligro y chicas fea"no one would believe that!I have taken pains to speak some spanish and although not a must it surely has helped my trips.When I was in CTG a couple of weeks ago it was 3 days before I heard any english (minus Juan and the T.V.) Yes I realize that Cartagena is no secret but compared to San Jose it was awesome....YMMV..........mule

First, I find it very sad when others write comments like " I Hope American's stay scared." I mean places like Brazil, Colombia, etc... are going to change either way. If the economy itself improves it wouldn't take a bunch of gringo's to increase the cost of women in these countries. I for one haven't been to Colombia but when I visit soon I will pay what others here think is a fair and get the information I need from the regulars who visit the area.

Also I haven't been to Costa Rica, or Colombia as I just mentioned, but from the girls I have meet in person to the pictures I see here and other sites I can't see Costa Rica being close to Colombia. I am not into heavier girls and that is what I always notice about the CR girls, reminds of crappy Tijuana! I know everyone has there own preferences, like I think Brazilian and EE girls are the prettiest, so it is cool. At the same time though I believe there are certain features and qualities in women that represent beauty worldwide. I mean I am a semi-pro photographer and have shot some amazing women from all over the world and there are things you notice over and over with these girls. Still, maybe some people like fat chicks but I would doubt it is the majority of guys or else models such as Adriana Lima wouldn't be so sought after on every continent. Just my opinion :)

[QUOTE=MJG Dogs]where CTG is an hour and a half from santa marta which has very nice beaches.[/QUOTE]


If you plan to get to Santa Marta in and hour and a half you better be in an airplane. It's 4 hours by car and any flights to SM from CTG have to go to Bogota first.

[QUOTE=Beavis]If you plan to get to Santa Marta in and hour and a half you better be in an airplane. It's 4 hours by car and any flights to SM from CTG have to go to Bogota first.[/QUOTE]

My bad. BAQ is about 1 1/2 hrs to 2 hrs. beavis is correct.

[QUOTE=California Guy]First, I find it very sad when others write comments like " I Hope American's stay scared." I mean places like Brazil, Colombia, etc... are going to change either way. If the economy itself improves it wouldn't take a bunch of gringo's to increase the cost of women in these countries. I for one haven't been to Colombia but when I visit soon I will pay what others here think is a fair and get the information I need from the regulars who visit the area.

Also I haven't been to Costa Rica, or Colombia as I just mentioned, but from the girls I have meet in person to the pictures I see here and other sites I can't see Costa Rica being close to Colombia. I am not into heavier girls and that is what I always notice about the CR girls, reminds of crappy Tijuana! I know everyone has there own preferences, like I think Brazilian and EE girls are the prettiest, so it is cool. At the same time though I believe there are certain features and qualities in women that represent beauty worldwide. I mean I am a semi-pro photographer and have shot some amazing women from all over the world and there are things you notice over and over with these girls. Still, maybe some people like fat chicks but I would doubt it is the majority of guys or else models such as Adriana Lima wouldn't be so sought after on every continent. Just my opinion :)[/QUOTE] I find it sad that you form an opinion of places you have never even been!Believe me there are some smoking hot girls in Costa Rica as well as Colombia.Why not see them personally instead of judging from others pictures!

Hi,

are the apartments at [url]http://www.cartagenaapartments.com/[/url] chica-friendly?

And second, how likely are the girls to steal from my apartment? In Dominican Republic, the girls doubled as professional thieves, and I must say that actually they were much better at stealing than anything else...

I don't think that those apartments are for short-term rental. These are [url]http://www.zepelion.com/apartamentos/index.htm[/url], and they are chica-friendly.

I haven't had much of a theft problem. But I am vigilant. If you never tempt an honest chica, you will always have an honest chica.

[QUOTE=Tom 33]I don't think that those apartments are for short-term rental. These are [url]http://www.zepelion.com/apartamentos/index.htm[/url], and they are chica-friendly.

I haven't had much of a theft problem. But I am vigilant. If you never tempt an honest chica, you will always have an honest chica.[/QUOTE]

Thanks God,

It drove me crazy in DR. I busted them with their hands in my drawers, in my pants, everywhere. You had to specially prepare your apartment for their arrival, they would take ANYTHING...

Their favorite number is negotiating an all-nighter and then disappear in the middle of the night with the loot...one time in Sosua I was staying at a rather expensive place, and I heard knocking on my door at 4 am, it was the night guard that caught the girl trying to run for it with her pockets full...


Anyways...

Ok I'll try the zepelion. Still, I got off the phone with cartagena apartments and they were OK for one week. Would you guys know if I will have to do the walk of shame in case I rent from them?

I am in CTG now and need to know the best places to go. Please help.

Hoyaboy - RTFF.

Free - I know nothing about Cartagena Apartments. It would depend upon where the particular apartment is located. Also, each building makes its own rules. Some buildings will not allow guests.

I don't allow a chica that I don't know well to stay over night. And you cannot get out of my building at night unless the security guard unlocks the door and lets you out. Also, all guests are logged in and must show ID.

Freedick, it looks like cartagenaapartments.com rents a lot in El Conquistador. This is chica friendly. Although I've never been up the elevators, I've heard many of the apts. are dumpy. You do have to walk right by a bunch of people who hang around the entrance of the building and also some shops, but otherwise no walk of shame. If you'd be renting elsewhere I'd ask them -- you'd be taking a risk at their castillo grande properties.

Tom 33's recommendation, Zepelion, is a better bet. My recommendation would be to use Mery Salence -- she is agent for some primo apartments and offers great customer service. She babysat me in the hospital once when I was renting one of her apts. Mery's web site is [url]http://www.colombiarental.com/rentals/index.htm[/url]. Zepelion and Mery will have no problem finding a chica-friendly place for you.

Agree with Tom 33 regarding theft. But the only bad girl I've left unattended for long stretches had more to lose by stealing from me than she had to gain.

El Conquistador is no longer chica friendly. They will simply not allow any chicas of working age to enter, period. They may still rent to working girls. So you can do the deed if you find one who lives in the building. One friend of mine moved out of the building because of this change and lost a good part of the rent he had pre-paid. Another friend was asked to leave. The association is trying to clean up what has become a blight on Laguito. I wish them luck.

Mery is great as well.