Colombian robbers vs. Venezuelan
[QUOTE=Aureliano16;2691316]Yes, this is unfortunately true and more common in the latest days in Colombia. In the old times when you got mugged / kidnapped, if you cooperated and gave them all the money they wouldn't shoot you. The last sentence sounds like a dystopian world now that I think about it, but it was true, you could even negotiate with the thieves about not taking the whole wallet for example and letting you keep the ID and documents. These were Colombian thieves. I was once robbed like this one guy with a gun another with a knife, I was totally scared and didn't move an inch. They thought I was going to fight back and hit me in the head with the back of the gun which made me wake up and give them promptly my cellphone and all the money I had. But they let me keep my ID. And most importantly, they didn't shoot me.
Nowadays I don't know what is going on but even if you cooperate it seems they are stabbing / shooting for no reason. It's unbelievable and my theory is that Colombian justice is so bad that the Venezuelans criminals know the maximum that can happen to them is to be deported back to Venezuela. When they should be jailed for life for murder.
In conclusion I'd be very careful about going to random places found in mileroticos. The best for security reasons in my opinion is basically to not hire any "independent" prepago. Just stick to the reputable casas, massage parlors and to Santa Fe of course, as I've said earlier thieves go to Santa Fe for vacations not for work. And there is always so many people there that I can't imagine something like the story in the link happening.[/QUOTE]For the last few years I have been trying to warn guys on here that Bogota is not the same old Bogota and is very dangerous now. Anyone that tells you this area is very safe or that area is safe is either ignorant of the dangers or so far has had good luck in avoiding problems, having a cavalier attitude in Bogota is going to get you hurt, sooner or later. The current crop of robbers are both Colombian and Venezuelan with the latter being the most dangerous. They will shoot you first and rob you after. You will never know what girl is working with the robbers, what front desk clerk at the hotel is connected to the robbers, or bank clerk who will give a heads up to the robbers that you have money. TRUST no one. We all have this feeling that we are safe in crowds. Forget it! If you have what they want they will shoot you in the middle of the afternoon in Andino mall as they did a few weeks ago. Be especially wary of the waiters in restaurants, front desk clerks in the hotel, bank clerks, cashiers in the casino taxi drivers etc. Etc. They will all sell you out for a few thousand pesos. You can stay safe in Bogota and have a good time but you must be vigilant.
Bogota is safe. Santa Fe is safe
[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2691778]But people have always said it was dangerous, at least in the 17 years that I have been going. It is like 5 years ago people saying Bogota is a dangerous place. Then today yes it was dangerous back then, but now it is really dangerous. I guess in 5 more years the saying will be yes it was really dangerous before, but now it is really really dangerous. And 10 years from now the saying will be if you step foot in Bogota you will surely die.
You sound like some super spy movie or something where people must run from the evil and get to the magic whatever the hell to save all of humanity. Serious it is commonplace for desk clerks and waiters to be setting customers up? Why the one customer versus the hundreds of others they see every week? Or is it they set up 25% of their customers? Maybe 10%? How does the desk clerk or waiter know what I have? All they usually see is this Amex Platinum come out. Who is whipping out a 3 million peso bankroll for a 25,000 peso lunch or when checking into a hotel? To me this sounds like fantasyland. I have been to Bogota at least 150 times, but I guess my cavalier attitude will be getting me hurt later since it has not happened sooner..[/QUOTE]I am in Bogota for business every month and always visit Santa Fe. Bogota including Santa Fe is one of the safest cities in South America. I do not drink alcohol and I always maintain a confident posture. The streets are crowded and one should have no problems. If a tout tries to grab you, just laugh and slap his face. I always bring my Leica M-10 and take photos. I had one problem about 5 years ago.
When a tout objected to my taking photos. Sadly a kick to his knee cap ended the argument. Never be afraid and enjoy.
Bogota TR 4/27 - 5/3 !!Attempted Robbery!!
Because I got sick of arguing with posters who have shit for brains who believe impossible shit like Uber is illegal in Colombia (read more on Stupid Shit Medellin subforum) and how Hong Kong Tijuana imposes ficha quotas for their putas.
But I decided to post a TR because I want to keep even the dumbest mongers safe from harm. My first 5 nights in Colombia, I was victim of attempted robbery 3 times. Twice in Cartagena (read my TR there) and once here in Bogota. I'm writing this post from my room at NH Bogota Royal World Trade Center. I have two more nights here in Bogota before I return home. For those that aren't familiar with me, I've been an ISG senior member since around 2010. My mongering base is Tijuana. I've been there a thousand times and I am one of, if not the most, knowledgeable Tijuana monger to ever exist. Another thing, I never lie, I never embellish, I never exaggerate. I simply state the facts and my opinion to the best of my recollections. My word is gold.
I booked a 5 star room on Hotwire at Bogota Royal WTC in north Chapinero for $224/5 nights with a "10% download Hotwire app" discount. I wouldn't classify it as 5 star though. No pool, spa, lacking amenities. Lobby is tiny. Free guests until 7 pm and then after a $100 k charge I've been told. My room is big and nice. I have no complaints. The neighborhood is quite safe. Street cameras everywhere and office buildings and apt towers. Walking distance to Parque 93 but long walk. Traffic in Bogota is bad. Took over an hour to get to hotel from airport. Here, Uber works in conjunction with taxi's. Taxi's work as Uber as well. The only difference is that with UberX you are quoted a set rate. With Uber Taxi you are quoted a range, with the UberX rate usually located in the middle of that range.
First night in Bogota, me and my wingman decide to hit Sante Fe. We are both obvious foreigners. We pull up in Uber and are immediately accosted by around 15 meseros / touts who are pleading with us to visit their respective bars. The street was well lit, and there were people everywhere. But still, I had a very uneasy feeling. The vibe of this place, it just had me very uneasy. Couldn't ever relax. And this is coming from a monger who regularly walks in and out of Zona Norte Tijuana on foot in the wee hours. There were like 8-10 bars right next to / across from each other. Paisas, Venus, Troya, Fiebre, Atunes, and a couple others I can't recall. We visited each, one by one. I felt uneasy the whole time. This is not my type of place. I've mongered in Tijuana, Chihuahua, Nogales, Mexicali, Los Algodones, San Luis Rio Colorado and Medellin so I'm familiar with 3rd World Latin American RLD's. And I've never felt uneasy like this.
We were standing outside Venus and these two chicas came out to talk to us for like 15 min. One was Ruby, a Vennie. Skinny, ok face, decent personality. Smiles a lot even though her life is crappy. Made the mistake of giving her my Whats. It was one sob story after another. The thought of tossing her a single peso never even crossed my mind though. Anyhow, got sick of talking to her so we headed across the street to Fiebre.
Ordered two Poker beers. I was standing against the back wall of the club, facing the stage and entrance. Wasn't talking to anybody, just completely minding my own business. Then somebody motions to me that the guy on the second floor above me wants my attention. So I look up. And there's this local, white shirt, trying to say something to me. I can't hear nor understand so I just blow it off. I thought he was trying to communicate with someone else since obviously I know no one in the whole city. So a couple minutes later, I'm standing right in front of the stairs, a few feet from where I was previously standing, and I feel a hard blow to my back. Somebody hit me as hard as they could. Didn't knock me down though. I turn around and it's the same guy from upstairs. I go up to him to say WTF and he's shouting things at me I can't hear / understand, then he puts his hand in my front pants pocket in an attempt to steal what was in there. I immediately grab my pocket with both hands to secure its contents and turn away. I was surprised at how little he resisted and he let go rather easily. At this point I didn't know how many friends he had or weapons or what not, so I immediately headed for the exit and across the street to Venus. I was extremely agitated and trying to collect my thoughts as putas kept on approaching me. I was paranoid watching every customer enter the establishment, thinking that it was him returning with a weapon or with friends. I had enough and just hopped in the first taxi and headed back to my hotel.
I'm as hardcore and seasoned Tijuana monger as they come. And this Santa Fe place made me uneasy as hell. I ended up going to other clubs outside Santa Fe such as Pussy House and Mora Mora Pole Dance. At Mora Mora, the customers seemed like normal guys with honest jobs just going out to have a good time. The customers in Santa Fe, I can just tell that a lot of them are hardened violent criminals. I have no desire to ever go back there. Skanky, lowest class ugly putas are all that area can attract.
Pussy House is in Chapinero but kinda rough neighborhood. Long stage right in the middle. Bottle required for table. Just stood around for about an hour sipping my Poker. Maybe 70 chicas on a Friday night. Mostly 3-5's, didn't spot anything over a 6. Went across the street to Diva's. It's kinda an underground puta bar. Small, ocuppied the 2nd and 3rd floors. Maybe 5 ugly putas total. Stayed 5 minutes then took an Uber to Mora Mora who has the same owner.
Mora Mora Pole Dance takes every customer's ID and writes their info on a clipboard. Decent sized club. The patrons seem like normal, decent guys out for a good time. Totally different vibe than Santa Fe. I felt completely secure there even though there were no other foreigners. Maybe 80 chicas. Talent was mostly 5-6's. Maybe one or two that would top out at 6. 5 on their best day. Stayed about an hour then tried the place next to it. Can't remember the name but it sounded Italian. Sucked bad. Like 3 chicas. Left right away and retired for the night.
On Thurs night, a tout directed me to Lido. I had no idea what it was, was bored, so I went it. It was around midnight. It's a big-ass converted mansion turned puta club. Honestly, it felt pretty high class, well about as high class as a puta club can be. Well lit, you can see all the putas from far away too. They keep this place clean. The mop lady comes around every 15 minutes to clean the bar area. Beers were pricey, $50 k but they were charging $60 k claiming VAT. I didn't want to argue so I just paid it. Probably around 50 chicas. Most of them dressed normally. A stage in the middle with topless dancer who would later go around and ask for tips. There was one kinda hot one, an 8, and lots of 6's and 7's. I don't even want to know how much the putas were charging. I just nursed my Heineken for an hour and half before I left. I returned the following Saturday night, it wasn't quite as busy. It was the same thing though.
Saturday night, went to Loutron before Pussy House. I had always thought that Loutron was a massage place. But in Bogota it is an underground puta club. It is a converted house. Not nearly as grand of a mansion as Lido but it was a nicer house that was converted. There were about 15 putas present at 7 pm. There was puta karaoke going on, a dark skinned one belting out her favorite tunes. They all form a lineup every time a new customer enters. All very average looking. Beers were $50 k, water / Gatorade $20 k with no VAT. Stayed for 45 min, got bored and left for Pussy House as described earlier.
Not interested in going to any more clubs in Bogota. The only good one, Lido, is prohibitively expensive. Santa Fe is just a thug's paradise. Pussy House ain't great, neither is Mora Mora. Been working on some SA chicas. One sweet 18 why / o came by yesterday to eat. Supposed to come by again. A couple other really hot SA chicas I've been in constant communication since two weeks before my arrival. Then as soon as I'm here they start flaking out, which should surprise no one. Got some responses on Tinder in Cartagena, but none so far in Bogota.
For those of you that are on the fence about going to Colombia, think about what I just wrote. A seasoned monger of Latin America jolted by the amount of crime. I wouldn't say don't go, but I certainly wouldn't go solo. Cartagena was the funniest mongering destination I've ever been to. Bogota, well, fuck, if you're an obvious foreigner in Santa Fe, you're going to get eyeballed and sized up. I dunno if it's the Venezuelans or Colombians in my case because I can't tell the difference. But be extra careful out there, don't take any chances.
Santa Fe last Wed-Thur-Fri and Sun (yesterday)
I will write more about our good times later-- Luckily all survived no one robbed, stabbed or killed, LOL. I was with new guys who enjoyed the High Quality girls.
