Guilam,
Isis is very close to Tu Candela you say, but how far is Divas and Las Chicas from Tu Candela, are they all in the old city in same area?
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Guilam,
Isis is very close to Tu Candela you say, but how far is Divas and Las Chicas from Tu Candela, are they all in the old city in same area?
Heading to CTG next month and thinking about renting a apartment in this buildings? Can anyone give me a rundown on the building and it's location in Laguito?
Thanks
[quote=davidb3069]i agree. other than an occasional trip to the mall to see a movie and just walk around, there's pretty much everything you need in laguito. the old city is good for a trip every once in a while too.
david b.[/quote]
this is truly unbelievable. it is hard to conceive there is people so narrow-eyed. david, sorry, but i am speechless.
why to take a flight to ctg, if you can find what you seem to like also in tulsa's roads and malls? (tulsa is an example)
(i apologize if i am too direct, david, but i cannot refrain; i am not a "serial antagonist"...)
for everybody who may not know (if any):
- el centro of cartagena is rated by unesco as one of world heritage beauties; it is a dream walking around and watching people and buildings;
- el laguito has nothing except overpriced hotels and restaurants (and ldv, which however is not a destination i recommend for mongering, because full of "gringoes" and overpriced girls); the only reason to go there is the beach, where you may meet especially on weekends semi-pro's or non-pro's that cannot be forgotten;
- in el centro there are the best discos for mongering at night, the best restaurants (for ambient and food) and even the best hotels (some 5starts are among the most charming ones in the world).
however, it is always good to notice how much people is different. we all have different tastes, point of view, interests. that's why we dont crowd all together in the same places. that's why the world is interesting!
ps: i am going to post a long report on ctg in next days.
i am just back after one week spent there (my second time).
[quote=black page]this is truly unbelievable. it is hard to conceive there is people so narrow-eyed. david, sorry, but i am speechless.
why to take a flight to ctg, if you can find what you seem to like also in tulsa's roads and malls? (tulsa is an example)
(i apologize if i am too direct, david, but i cannot refrain; i am not a "serial antagonist"...)
for everybody who may not know (if any):
- el centro of cartagena is rated by unesco as one of world heritage beauties; it is a dream walking around and watching people and buildings;
- el laguito has nothing except overpriced hotels and restaurants (and ldv, which however is not a destination i recommend for mongering, because full of "gringoes" and overpriced girls); the only reason to go there is the beach, where you may meet especially on weekends semi-pro's or non-pro's that cannot be forgotten;
- in el centro there are the best discos for mongering at night, the best restaurants (for ambient and food) and even the best hotels (some 5starts are among the most charming ones in the world).
however, it is always good to notice how much people is different. we all have different tastes, point of view, interests. that's why we dont crowd all together in the same places. that's why the world is interesting!
ps: i am going to post a long report on ctg in next days.
i am just back after one week spent there (my second time).[/quote]
i lived in ctg for 4 years and spent the vast majority of my time in el laguito. i am sorry if my lifestyle is not acceptable to you. i never gave a shit what happened in centro after dark. i am not a night person.
[QUOTE=Jobair]Guilam,
Isis is very close to Tu Candela you say, but how far is Divas and Las Chicas from Tu Candela, are they all in the old city in same area?[/QUOTE]
I found Isis overpriced, the chicas wanted over 200K for Short time. it is more of a strip club. Divas is practically beside Tu candela, I do not think there is a place called Las Chicas, he meant the the girls go to Electra at the end of the night.
Giro matto was asking 10K to get in and 10K for drinks, when they got competition (electra, no entrance fee, drinks cost less) they closed.
[QUOTE=Tom 33]I lived in CTG for 4 years and spent the vast majority of my time in el Laguito. I am sorry if my lifestyle is not acceptable to you. I never gave a shit what happened in Centro after dark. I am not a night person.[/QUOTE]
Sorry Tom if I have been a bit too direct, frank, unpolite, or how you want to define it. It was and it is not my intention to argue or to have useless discussions. I respect you and all points of view.
Said so, my aim is to remind occasional readers of this forum that El Centro of CTG is reputed one of the most beatiful towns in the world (UNESCO's word, not only mine).
It is rich of history, colonial style architecture, fancy restaurants, hotels, high-end discos and bars, etc, for all pockets.
Laguito looks like a neighborough of a town in Florida, on the other hand. Good if the primary need is a plasma screen where watiching US football with a pint of beer.
I prefer El Centro, more stilish, but I respect who does not want to go there at night....
Since we talk about mongering, I also believe that best places are discos in the center.
My personal, very personal experience. Everybody feel free to disagree. I have to write a full report. I will in the next days.
In LDV, we find gathered all "gringoes" mongering in CTG. This raises competition and makes all prices higher, not to mention that if I travel to Colombia I prefer a place where there are not many tourists (US or European like me, it is the same).
To go to El Centro, basic skills of Spanish are certainly needed, on the other hand.
[QUOTE=Black Page]Sorry Tom if I have been a bit too direct, frank, unpolite, or how you want to define it. It was and it is not my intention to argue or to have useless discussions. I respect you and all points of view.
Said so, my aim is to remind occasional readers of this forum that El Centro of CTG is reputed one of the most beatiful towns in the world (UNESCO's word, not only mine).
It is rich of history, colonial style architecture, fancy restaurants, hotels, high-end discos and bars, etc, for all pockets.
Laguito looks like a neighborough of a town in Florida, on the other hand. Good if the primary need is a plasma screen where watiching US football with a pint of beer.
I prefer El Centro, more stilish, but I respect who does not want to go there at night....
Since we talk about mongering, I also believe that best places are discos in the center.
My personal, very personal experience. Everybody feel free to disagree. I have to write a full report. I will in the next days.
In LDV, we find gathered all "gringoes" mongering in CTG. This raises competition and makes all prices higher, not to mention that if I travel to Colombia I prefer a place where there are not many tourists (US or European like me, it is the same).
To go to El Centro, basic skills of Spanish are certainly needed, on the other hand.[/QUOTE]
Fair enough. If you like to avoid Gringos, try Avenida Media Luna in Getsemane. But you may not want to get out of the cab.
More extranjeros on the Bocagrande Penninsula seem to attract more chicas. I havenīt been in LDV for at least a year and a half. But the chicas hang around during the day and are always looking for a few extra pesos. I have noticed that some are not happy with 60K anymore. Some seem to want as much as 80K. Fucking inflation.
[QUOTE=Tom 33]Fair enough. If you like to avoid Gringos, try Avenida Media Luna in Getsemane. But you may not want to get out of the cab.
[/QUOTE]
Ahemm... Maybe you understimate me :-)
I went there walking one night to accompany a chica who lives in a hotel there. No, she's not a drug-addict. She's a stunner met at Tu Candela returning late at night. She's been there since 3 months, or so she told me.
The Calle is ugly, but not so unsafe as you seem to mean.
It is perfectly walkable at any time of the night. I did it more than once.
All these budget crappy hotels are full of student tourists from US and Europe. They have no money but a copy of the Lonely Planet in hand.
Said so, when I went there I hid my watch in the pocket and I divided money in two places. Credit cards always in the hotel safe.
PS: I like US people. Dont misunderstand my words. But, if I go to Colombia, I prefer to avoid bars where they gather (or also where people of my country gathers)
in these reports, i will try to summarize a bit of *my* experience in cartagena (one week this time, nearly 1 week one year ago) for the benefit of those who will follow. i will not talk only of mongering, since even the most excited pill-addicted mongerer needs some rest and to look at other things, i believe.
i understand that this is my personal point of view and that not everyone will agree with everything i will write, but on the other hand i am sure that many others will share my thoughts.
warning
this report is not suited for you, if what you seek in a vacation abroad is, first, a sport bar where to watch football on a megascreen, in company of many other tourists of your same country. just skip this post.
also, i believe this report will not find much appreciation by those who find laguito the most exciting destination of cartagena, or that do not see anything interesting in the area within the fortification walls of el centro. as i said, the world is good because varied and everybody finds something most suited to personal taste. let us all carry on this... :-)
do i speak spanish?
basic spanish-speaking skills are definitely recommended. without spanish, you have to deal only with those who are well used to treat tourists. this is a not good-promising, especially if she is a chica... or not??
in any case, not speaking spanish will limit your possibilities too much here, whatever you want to do.
most people in ctg does not speak english. also, their spanish is actually "costeņo" in most cases, rather hard to understand and different from other spanish dialects spoken in latin america.
should i stay in laguito or el centro?
this is the first question for all newcomers. i have been in ctg two times, the former (one year ago) i was in a hotel of bocagrande, the latter (now) in el centro.
bocagrande is a modern area, full of skyscrapers, tourist malls and restaurants, and all the like. being there, you will not notice you are in colombia, unless you dont talk to somebody or watch the look of most people.
hotels and restaurants, for the same level of service, are on the average more expensive than in centro. for example, compare the prices of hotels like almirante or caribe with those of 4/5-stars colonial-style luxury hotels of the centro (which non surprisingly are not quoted on expedia). they do not differ much.
if you stay in bocagrande, tough, you'll have the beach 5 minutes from your room. i understand this is not of deprived of value.
most restaurants here are very tourist-style, with standard menues and service, more tending to a fast food than to a restaurant where to taste delicacies to remember (there are exceptions, see below).
el centro is on the unesco's world heritage list. it exhibits an impressive fortification system (walls and a castle). all houses are in spanish colonial style.
there are hotels among the most charming ones of latin america (best roooms may cost from 300 to 1000 usd per night, though :-) ). i found a little but charming hotel (3 stars?), which costed me about 70 usd/night. there are also very-low-budget accommodations, good for youngsters who travel in group.
if you like to take photos, you'll be lost there. it is so nice to walk and just look people there.
there are countless good and excellent restaurants (they may cost up to 70 usd per person, warning!) for all budgets, to taste authentic costeņo, criollo or caribe food (comida paisa is also available everywhere here and in bocagrande).
moreover, best places for hunting or just dancing at night are in el centro.
safety issues? you can walk at any time of the night at bocagrande, even if you are a blonde gringo-looking. in el centro, i'd say *almost* the same, but some care should be taken. it is full of police at any time. if you dont feel confortable, or you are exhibiting a big wallet and expensive watch, it is better you avoid going out of the fortification walls at night or walking alone at night at getsemani (i did it happily more than once, but i understand it may be problematic for others).
the fame of getsemani as a dangerous place is however exhagerated: many us youngsters take low-cost rooms there and stroll at night with no problems.
my choice, this time, was lodging at el centro. however, a taxi ride from bocagrande to centro or back costs the standard fare 5000$ (at any time! do not pay more).
more safety issues
in addition to the above, be prudent, but do not be afraid to walk at day outside the walls. for example, go to the castle (el castillo) on foot, to see something different than the central square of the town. people is good and if you stop to drink in a bar they will talk to you very friendly.
obviously, you should not go walking in a poor barrio wearing a rolex, but this is common sense also in usa, and not only in colombia. be prudent and you'll be safe.
make a stroll also in el mercado or getsemani. you'll see people and situations very different from what you are probably used at home. this is why we travel, in most cases, right?
one night, i spent one hour in the bar at the beginning of calle media luna in getsemani, in front of the garden. i had a beer, i watched music videos with noisy people there, i chatted with 2 guys and then with a girl who wanted to offer me her company for few pesos. i paid beers for them and a prawn cocktail for her from the man selling food outside the bar. she must not eat "coktels" very often, so i became the hero of the bar, for everybody.
it was a nice experience. none of them is dangerous for sure.
at night, just avoid to walk outside walls, especially if you are wearing expensive clothes, except the arsenal (core of nightlife for many good-family young cartagenians). i did it many times, however, strolling around the clock square ("reloy") and beyond, but i was keeping a "low-profile" look.
dangerous places, to be avoided at night and at day if you are alone, are certainly the roads outside the walls where there are bushes and trees. it happens that criminals hide there, waiting for single persons to robber. it is a well-known problem of security.
basic precautions and common sense will avoid problems, here like anywhere else. consider that ctg is one of the safest towns in colombia, due to the high pressure by the police.
(end of part 1/3) (part 2/3 follows...)
(...follows from part 1/3)
beaches
basically, i am sorry to say so, but the beach in ctg (bocagrande and laguito) sucks.
it is wide, with good sand, with inexpensive bars (1 beer and seat: 3000$), women that sell good plates of fresh fruit (salada de fruta: 5000$), sexy girls at times.
but: on one side there are the skyscrapers of bocagrande, on the other the water of the ocean, which is not transparent and not very appealing.
to have good sea, you better head to nearby islands by boat (e.g., islas del rosario, playa blanca, etc.).
warning: if you go to the beach to meet sexy girls, you'll stay in bocagrande on weekends. one year ago, i met a dream of a life (semi-pro).
restaurants
in bocagrande, if you are tired of fast-food, burgers or arepas, try the restaurants on the last beach before the beach of hilton (they are separated by a line of unwalkable rocks). you go there from the little alley (a) that begins at laguito where there is the police station, or from the previous alley (b) just 50m before coming from centro.
the best restaurant is the big one with terrace on sea (i dont remember the name!), left side at the end of alley b. fresh fish (pescados) and seafood (mariscos). open at night too.
at daytime, you will enjoy also the small cheap restaurant called marciana (at end of a). it is the last one and offers fresh catch-of-the day fish (but do not look at the kitchen...)
in el centro, it is simply a gastronomy feast, even for high-demanding gourmets.
if money is not a problem and you want to impress a high-end chica, try la vitrola (50-70usd) near cafe del mar or la casa del socorro (arsenal).
i tried also others, but good ones are countless! i remember juan del mar in san diego and santisimo (in range 30-40usd), stilish and good. better these ones than la vitrola, for price/quality. all famous for fish.
bars for drinking, eating and listening to music
these two are very classy bars of el centro, where to enjoy the view of cartagena in good company.
1) cafe del mar, on the walls of el centro.
spectacular breathtaking view of the sea and bocagrande, fresh wind from the sea, good cocktails. the music is very good and well selected: ambient, electronic and trance. stunning girls on display (many rich tourists, also colombians, like to bring there their stunning beauties for a drink).
2) casa de la cerveza, on the walls at the end of arsenal road. similar to cafč del mar. it is possible to eat well and drink beer made by them. high-end ambient. the amazing view is on el centro, bocagrande and el castillo.
3) donde fidel, aside tu candela, almost in plaza del reloy.
it has tables outside, on the square. in spite of the place, it is inexpensive and good. there, they play the best salsa music in town. inside, a thick crowd of local and some tourists exercises dancing, mixed all together.
discos for music
these places are not primarily meeting points for chicas (forget the ldv style).
they are places where people go to dance and have fun.
1) joy slava, in el centro, close to walls, not far from cafč del mar.
good disco, well known in ctg, where "normal" people go to dance. two rooms. it is certainly possible to meet also pro's, semi-pro's and non-pro's.
2) discos along the calle on the arsenal. this road is the "zona rosa" of el centro. it starts from the big square in front of the reloy (outside the walls!) and goes till the casa de la cerveza (near the bridge to la manga and el castillo).
completely safe to walk, although it is the outer border of getsemani.
if you go to walk along this road on any friday or saturday night, after 12am, you'll probably have severe problems when you'll be back home and you'll compare to the girls of your home country. it is unbelievable how many beautiful girls live in this country and how sexy they like to dress..! :-)
(i am speaking about normal girls that hang out with friends)
(end of part 2/3) (part 3/3 follows...)
(...follows from Part 2/3)
HOTELS
Why so many guys are worried to know if the hotel is chica-friendly or not?
Are you all so willing to bring somebody you dont know in your room, where you keep all your private things?
There are so many cheap and satisfying alternatives....
1) For the lazy one in Bocagrande.
Plenty of almost-sleazy hotels offer their rooms by the hour. They ask about 20k. I do not recommend them, unless you are on the hurry with a SW met on a street of Bocagrande at late night. Safe, but do not expect luxury forniture and service.
2) For the lazy one in El Centro.
Here, hotels that offer rooms by the hour are really not attractive. Lower quality worse cleanness than in Bocagrande. I do not recommend it.
3) Where I go and I recommend to go.
The place where to go, if you have a good classy chica met at LDV or other discos at ElCentro, is a motel specialized for this business. There, you will relax in a good environment, at any time 24h/24h, for a very cheap rate, without worrying about your stuff or what the personnel of your hotel may say.
Try:
- JAIBA (pronounce: "haiva"), a motel in an barrio just after Crespo (the way from El Centro to the airport, at right), 5-10 minutes by taxi from the Clock Square (Reloy).
Rooms from small and cheap to luxury suites. Cost is about 14k or 20k per 2 hours minėmum (YES, 7-10 USD!). Time is counted automatically, so you can stay all time you want.
You arrive by taxi, the car enters the slot, you walk up and nobody sees you. At the end, you call the bill by phone and it is delivered on a small window.
The rooms of medium quality are large, very clean, with glass shower box, well furnished, even a "sex chair" for trying multiple positions (see it to believe). It is a deluxe environment.
I cannot believe it: I suggested it in a previous report one year ago, but nobody replied to my post or seemed to react. It is by far the best accommodation I could recommend for this business: cheap and good. Try it one time and you'll tell me.
- CANGREJO. On the same street of Jaiba, cheaper and less beatiful. I did not try it. Maybe if Jaiba is full.
- DUNES. Not far from Jaiba, in a close-by barrio. Deluxe accommodation, better quality than Jaiba, more expensive, but still very cheap for the service provided: 28k for min 2 hours!
Standard price to go there by taxi: 10000$ from El Centro (15000$ from Bocagrande). Ask before leaving, so you will be not overcharged. Leave 1000-2000$ tip.
The same to go back. The motel will call you a taxi to return.
Dont worry to get lost: just ask the taxi driver "haiva" or "dunes". They all know them. All girls also know these places. So, you may let her to talk to the driver.
DISCOS FOR GIRLS
Finally, we come to the point: Where to meet pro and semi-pro chicas?
1) "LA DULCE VITA".
It is close to the casino, at the first floor of the building near where the road after Caribe bends to left heading to Hilton.
It is the most acclaimed destination in this forum. Guys, dont jump on me, but I cannot agree with that.
LDV is the main destination of all tourists in Bocagrande who have money but are not willing to move their ass, even by taxi. As a result, if you go there you'll find yourself competing with several gringoes or other rich tourists from Europe. Girls are pricey, when stunning, and more used to USD than to Pesos. Here, the quality of girls is not better than in discoes of El Centro.
However, I understand that my taste is not necessarily the same as of others, so I am happy to see that others will disagree with me (at least, we do not compete for the same resources!).
2) Discos in El Centro.
The most expensive and advertised is ISIS, 1 block from the Plaza de la Aduana. I never went there, since I dont like to be pulled by all poor boys who get money for bringing people there. As far as I know, it is pricey, but girls are stunning.
The best places that I suggest are TU CANDELA and DIVA. They are two discobars, with doors on the Plaza del Reloy. Cover only on weekends, when there is a lot of people, not all necessarily hunting for a mate. Tu Candela is less expensive: cocktails around 7000$, Diva more pricey: cocktails 13000$ or so.
Action on the above floors for both.
There, I met many stunning girls, so sexy that are hard to believe they are real and not product of synthesis. Age range: mostly 18-25. They ALL ask from 150k to 200k, but since there were not many men hunting around (at least in these days), I always bargained down to 100k-150k, without discussing about time (I guess TLN was offered, although I prefer to be back home later to sleep). Provided that I cannot imagine how a girl could be better, in terms of body, sexy attitude, etc., I am satisfied of what I spent.
If you look at my previous posts, you'll see that I mongered in several places (plus others, but I did not write reports). Well, I never saw such sexy girls, and so many all together, as in CTG!
I am still in love with two girls I met in Tu Candela and Diva. I know it's stupid, but I think about them and I even called one from my country. Power of being a godness...
Another good place is ELEKTRA, 1 block from Plaza del Reloy.
It is the disco where girls go after all other clubs close (2.30am). It took the role of Giro Matto, if you know what I mean.
It is the place where they try the last chance to have a mate for the night. I guess it helps bargaining...
It closes at 5am or so.
3) Other Casas
I tried PLEYCLUB (written like that, yes). It is a well-known strip club, with rooms and standard legal full service. It is in El Bosque, 10 minutes by taxi from Reloy.
About 12 girls, not bad but really one step down compared to what I was used to see in Tu Candela and Diva.
I asked the price: 150k for 20minutes! She told me this is the regulated price of the club, including the room.
Since I did not like the price, and the girl herself was attractive but not a goodness as I was starting to be used to (now I am back home and I feel drepressed), I decided to leave.
But, suddenly, lights on! Police ispection. Everyone checked for arms thoroughly. After that, smiles for everyone and music was back.
I waited 5 minutes and I left by taxi (too far and probably dangerous to attempt walking at night).
STREETWALKERS?
Yes, there are also SWs here. The quality cannot be the same as in clubs, but not bad, after all. In the following, I will talk only about SWs that can be met *walking* in places that are reasonably safe for a tourist.
A small group gathers each night at the corner of Plaza del Reloy, right-front entering the Plaza from outside through the Reloy door. Various kinds of, literally. Among several low-end women, one night I saw even a stunning black, club-type. Another night, a pregnant girl approaching 8 months or so. I just chatted a bit with the group, without investigating prices.
Others may be met on the benches in front of Tu Candela and Diva. They are different every night.
Another group meets all nights close to the bar in front of the Reloy, on the other side of the square, outside the walls, after the gardens, where Calle Media Luna begins (Getsemani). Along the Calle, there are others. At day, they are in the garden. Sometimes, they move to closeby streets.
They are not attractive, however, and they are mostly drug-addicted (I notice, however, that the same can be said for a few mongerers who attend this forum, so I would not blame them for this, since they live a hard life).
Many SW can be met in Bocagrande, night and day.
At day, some are available on the street that goes from the Police Station to Hilton.
At night, there, along the beach road and along the main road of Bocagrande (where there are all main shops).
Quality is not comparable to that of clubs. Prices are lower, though (I was asked 50k-60k).
(end)
[QUOTE=Otown51]Heading to CTG next month and thinking about renting a apartment in this buildings? Can anyone give me a rundown on the building and it's location in Laguito?
Thanks[/QUOTE]
I stayed in Mirador del Laguito last December. It's a nice building pretty much across the street from Playa Mar. Not far from Torre Centauro. Closer to the Hilton than to LDV. But everything's pretty close together in Laguito.
My favorite building in Laguito is Sol del Caribe. I stayed there the first couple of times I visited Cartagena, it's not as nice as MdL, but I have good memories of the place and you can just roll out of bed and you are in LDV (conversely, you can roll right back into bed without needing a taxi).
I stayed in 1205 MdL for a while, with a couple of sisters. Plenty of room. 1205 was in good repair. There's a small pool at the top of the building. The staff were friendly and helpful.
[QUOTE=Black Page]Ahemm... Maybe you understimate me :-)
I went there walking one night to accompany a chica who lives in a hotel there. No, she's not a drug-addict. She's a stunner met at Tu Candela returning late at night. She's been there since 3 months, or so she told me.
The Calle is ugly, but not so unsafe as you seem to mean.
It is perfectly walkable at any time of the night. I did it more than once.
All these budget crappy hotels are full of student tourists from US and Europe. They have no money but a copy of the Lonely Planet in hand.
Said so, when I went there I hid my watch in the pocket and I divided money in two places. Credit cards always in the hotel safe.
PS: I like US people. Dont misunderstand my words. But, if I go to Colombia, I prefer to avoid bars where they gather (or also where people of my country gathers)[/QUOTE]
The end of Media Luna furthest from Parque de Centenario is quite dangerous after 9:00 pm. Cartagena, outside of the tourist zone, is becoming more dangerous. Ten cuidado.
Thanks for your long write-up. You have some good info there. The very nice restaurant on the northern tip of Manga Island is Club de Pesca.
[QUOTE=Jelly Donut]I stayed in Mirador del Laguito last December. It's a nice building pretty much across the street from Playa Mar. Not far from Torre Centauro. Closer to the Hilton than to LDV. But everything's pretty close together in Laguito.
My favorite building in Laguito is Sol del Caribe. I stayed there the first couple of times I visited Cartagena, it's not as nice as MdL, but I have good memories of the place and you can just roll out of bed and you are in LDV (conversely, you can roll right back into bed without needing a taxi).
I stayed in 1205 MdL for a while, with a couple of sisters. Plenty of room. 1205 was in good repair. There's a small pool at the top of the building. The staff were friendly and helpful.[/QUOTE]Hey Jelly,
Thanks for the information, sounds like it will be a great spot. I have not been in CTG for a couple of years, but the rolling is the best part of the vacation. For what I have been reading on the board Cartagena will be a different exprience. The hunt begins in 27 days.
[QUOTE=Black Page] PS: I like US people. Dont misunderstand my words. But, if I go to Colombia, I prefer to avoid bars where they gather (or also where people of my country gathers)[/QUOTE]
If I go to any country I prefer to avoid where the gringos go. We have to be some of the most obnoxious people on the planet. Too many Americans have never been anywhere and haven't a clue how to behave in another land.