Medellin Reports

[Fun Luvr]

I think you might be using the term customs differently. Customs agents inspect passengers as they enter countries. Immigration agents inspect passengers as they enter and as they leave countries.

Customs agents inspect goods, not people. They do not make a determination as to the status of a person. That is the job of immigration agents. My experience has been that I hardly ever see a customs agent when entering the US. The immigration agent makes the determination as to whether a passenger needs to see a customs agent or not.

[NutMegs]

Back in Medelland!

A quick tip: never select "accept conversion" at the ATM. Always choose "decline conversion. " This morning, I saved about 35 bucks on an approx $480 withdrawal. I took out 2 million COP, and the fee for using a Davivienda ATM was 26,000 COP.

Absolutely true. I learned it the hard way. Also, many of the local ATMs have a 600,000 COP withdrawal limit with transaction charges attached to each and every withdrawal.

[ChikSika]

Hi STL,

I've visited a few of the spas in Rio Sur and always had a positive experience. They offer light massages and happy endings. However, I've had full service a few times. One small spa there (I think closed now), I had a MILF type 'therapist' that started out massage and transitioned on full on full service, great time! In another popular spa, one of the therapists and I took a liking to each other and I engaged in full service with her 2 x. I actually took her out on a date one time, that was fun too.

As mentioned, its a pricier option, but I like the more professional atmosphere.

I was reading a report about the massage services at the Rio Sur Mall. There seem to be a few options. Anyone have any experience or recommendations on which place to go with?

[Knowledge]

A point to consider that I hope the ACLU covers is refusal to allow inspection of electronic devices routinely results in the agents seizing them. The devices will be inspected and later returned to you. I think the ACLU verbiage about delay and further inspection. My practice is to not have anything on my devices I would not want to be discovered.

I hadn't thought about this before this thread appeared and reminded me that something similar happened to me. A few months ago arriving in Miami, a handful of customs and immigration agents were in the corridor leading to passport control. A passenger near me was stopped and asked to show his passport. I remember noticing the passenger during the flight because he looked like the Gary Oldman character in the film True Romance. He had dreadlocks and a bohemian style of dress. I've seen the agents profile passengers before in that situation over the years. Flashy jewelry and rasta style hair and clothing seems to be a red flag. About a year and a half ago I took the short lived American direct flight from Medellin to JFK. The entire flight was diverted to secondary inspection and everyone's luggage was searched.

I think you might be using the term customs differently. Customs agents inspect passengers as they enter countries. Immigration agents inspect passengers as they enter and as they leave countries.

Knowledge, I just went through this in Lauderdale. It is not random. Everyone with Global Entry I saw was placed in a line. I assume they were doing a more thorough background check than usual because of Trump being in office, and our bags were put through a scanner. It added an hour to the usual process. I hope this is a one time thing and once the thorough background has been performed things go back to usual. Maybe after the political spat, USA customs was told not to trust Colombian customs and their screening process.

In the USA, the agents and the passengers were both very respectful.

As for searching a laptop and telephone, I would offer to turn the devices on but I would refuse to let the government look at the content of the devices. https://www.aclu.org/know-your-right...ports-entry-us.

[Orgasmico]

Seems to me tourism to Medellin has increased about one thousand percent since the pandemic. Before covid there was no long waiting line in immigration that I can recall.

Def sucks. The youtube vids did a lot of damage. Then when I see American women traveling to a spot that began as a mongering destination, I know its a wrap.

[Elvis 2008]

Border controls have always been random because there are so many more travelers than there are control resources. Part of the strategy has been deterrence through unpredictable risk of capture. It has never been a good idea to travel with contraband. Perhaps even more so recently. Reminders from time to time can be helpful to avoid undesirable situations.

Knowledge, I just went through this in Lauderdale. It is not random. Everyone with Global Entry I saw was placed in a line. I assume they were doing a more thorough background check than usual because of Trump being in office, and our bags were put through a scanner. It added an hour to the usual process. I hope this is a one time thing and once the thorough background has been performed things go back to usual. Maybe after the political spat, USA customs was told not to trust Colombian customs and their screening process.

In the USA, the agents and the passengers were both very respectful.

As for searching a laptop and telephone, I would offer to turn the devices on but I would refuse to let the government look at the content of the devices. https://www.aclu.org/know-your-right...ports-entry-us.

The government believes this authority to search without individualized suspicion extends to searches of electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones, but that is a contested legal issue. A federal judge in New York said that a warrantless search of those items violates the 4th amendment. So instead of telling the customs agent to get a warrant, I would say a federal judge ruled you need probable cause to search those items, what is your probable cause?

Keep in mind that: Officers may not select you for a personal search or secondary inspection based on your religion, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, or political beliefs. So if I am an agent unless I have a really good reason to detain the passenger, I am going to be like fuck it and leave the guy alone because it is so easy to accuse an agent of profiling.

And this is from the website: USA Citizens have the right to enter the United States, so if you are a USA Citizen and the officers' questions become intrusive, you can decline to answer those questions, but you should be aware that doing so may result in delay and / or further inspection.

[Fun Luvr]

Hi guys, has anyone here gotten a refund back from the Mansion for cancelling your reservation yet? Geraldine told me late November last year that the refund will be processed in a couple weeks. I sent them a follow up email in early January and never got a reply back. It is now February and I still haven't received it. It was not a lot of money but still, it's the principle of it. At this point I'm guessing they're going to stiff me. BTW, anyone knows if they opened up M2 yet? TIA.

I heard they will not open M2. My guess is they have taken everyone's deposits and disappeared. It's now probably too late to dispute the charge with your credit card company.

[LvZooMan211]

Hi guys, has anyone here gotten a refund back from the Mansion for cancelling your reservation yet? Geraldine told me late November last year that the refund will be processed in a couple weeks. I sent them a follow up email in early January and never got a reply back. It is now February and I still haven't received it. It was not a lot of money but still, it's the principle of it. At this point I'm guessing they're going to stiff me. BTW, anyone knows if they opened up M2 yet? TIA.

[Knowledge]

We will have to agree to disagree that it's nonsense to avoid traveling with anything that can get you into legal trouble if discovered.

That's nonsense I have been traveling internationally for years to several countries. When you arrive to the Philippines it says something to the effect that people who are involved in the drug race are put to "death. " That comes from a nearly 3rd world country.

If that's what's going to happen then it should be posted. I don't even drink just posted to let people know what's happening.

[Knowledge]

I meant random in the sense that it does not happen to all flights. It's worth mentioning that personal electronics are also subject to inspection and seizure. It's best not to travel with anything on them that would be inconvenient to share with agents.

It wasn't random everyone on the flight was forced into this. It's lazy!

[Bernikle]

Visit to Loutron and unfortunately a disappointment. If this is a place with top girls in Medellín and, I expected girls who look similar to the porn actress featured in films shot in these hills (BTW, Thorze girls often travel around Europe). Meanwhile, I was shown about 10 girls in the range of 4-7. To be fair, one might have been a stretch to call an 8. I stayed for about an hour and a half, paid 30 k just for looking. For the record, the price per hour is 440 k.

[KeviKev68]

Border controls have always been random because there are so many more travelers than there are control resources. Part of the strategy has been deterrence through unpredictable risk of capture. It has never been a good idea to travel with contraband. Perhaps even more so recently. Reminders from time to time can be helpful to avoid undesirable situations.

It wasn't random everyone on the flight was forced into this. It's lazy!

[KeviKev68]

Spot on, you have to expect this and be prepared. Or stay home.

That's nonsense I have been traveling internationally for years to several countries. When you arrive to the Philippines it says something to the effect that people who are involved in the drug race are put to "death. " That comes from a nearly 3rd world country.

If that's what's going to happen then it should be posted. I don't even drink just posted to let people know what's happening.

[Lucky Nuts]

Damn, that sucks. I've heard others say they haven't had any issues returning so maybe it is random. Trump is talking about returning 5 K to taxpayers. If that happens, we will probably see an uptick in passport bros and mongers traveling to places like Medellin and Sosua. That could potentially increase the wait time entering Medellin from the USA and also perhaps entering the USA from Colombia. Someone on one of those Youtube videos made the assertion that travel through MDE had already increased 260% since before the pandemic.

I got escorted into the back room in Miami in November and again in January. No problem arriving in December. In November he told me he worked for Homeland Security and he searched my phones and laptop. Wanted to know why I travel to the places I do which are mostly eastern European countries, Cuba and Medellin. I told him the truth. He wanted to know if I was traveling to Venezuela from Colombia. I told him I'd like to but think it's probably too dangerous.

In January I told him hey I was just taken back here a couple months ago. He checked in the computer and let me go quickly. I've been going to Medellin for ten years and only recently has there been issues like this coming back.

Seems to me tourism to Medellin has increased about one thousand percent since the pandemic. Before covid there was no long waiting line in immigration that I can recall.

[Knowledge]

Spot on, you have to expect this and be prepared. Or stay home.

Explanation? That is their entire job sir. Global Entry is not a skate through Customs without being checked card.

LOL. Customs is not new. It was around way before Trump was even born. It is not an additional layer. It is a normal thing to be searched by Customs in any country.

This is nothing new. This information can be found on their website.

Of course. You have to be cleared before entering any country. You do not get to decide how fast it will be.

So you are never leaving the country again?