Cali or Medellin for a foreigner?

pepster says on Nov 17, 2005, 12:02:

In my opinion Medellin..hands down...in all respects.


The Pepster

ColombianBlog.com

The Pepster ColombianBlog.com

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dwmte says on Nov 17, 2005, 15:39:

hell, the pepster's right... medellin, hands down. climate, culture, art, architecture, food, ladies (although, '...las calenas son como las flores...', music, atmosphere, education, y mas. sure, it's personal preference, but give me antioquia any day...over cali, rome, london, san francisco, miami, beirut, delhi, where ever... there's just something about medellin and it's surrounds that beats, hands down, everyplace i've ever been; and that's a lot of places.

dw

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dwmte says on Nov 17, 2005, 15:44:

by the way, joe... study spanish by speaking it exclusively and not seeking out english (or whatever other language). interact with the colombians. security, in reality, where ever you are in colombia, is what you make it. it requires you being on your toes, using common sense and not doing what you shouldn't do, where you shouldn't do it and with whom you shouldn't do it.

as far as i know, no place is really under government control. that changes daily. you're basically on your own and subject to your good choices and decisions. good luck.

dw

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ColombiaBoard says on Nov 17, 2005, 17:07:

MEDELLIN Medellin Medellin Medellin Medellin Medellin Medellin Medellin
for the reasons above mentioned plus some more....

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utopiacowboy says on Nov 17, 2005, 20:39:

I think you should go to the toll booth at Los Cedros about 15 miles west of Monteria. Just hang out with the vendors, the pigs, the toll booth attendants and people with nothing else to do but watch traffic. After a couple of weeks I bet your Spanish would have improved dramatically. Some of those toll booth attendants are pretty cute too.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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gorgonabob says on Nov 18, 2005, 09:47:

sd medellin use to be the murder capital of colombia.. no longer murders are down over 90% in the last ten or so years if my memory serves me, from over 6,000 a year in 91/2 to around seven hundred at current rates... kidnappings are also dropping like a rock...if medellin was any safer it'd be singapore.

you don't.. or i haven't, met many people who prefer cali over medellin....

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paisa29 says on Nov 18, 2005, 14:45:

Medellín of course

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 18, 2005, 14:52:

cali,

hands down, no question about it, all the rest is just loma.

Cheers,
Desi

Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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caslug says on Nov 18, 2005, 15:55:

I've spent lots of time in both cities.. EAFIT University in Medellin has a program of Spanish for Foreigners that is pretty well known. I don't recall any program like that in Cali. Plus the traffic in Cali right now(for the next 5 yrs) going from the north to south can be a MAJOR pain. Due to the Transmil construction, traffic takes LOT longer than usually especially during rush hour. While Medellin has the Metro that is very cheap and very fast.

In terms of safety, i give Medellin a little a slight edge. In terms of places to hangout AFTER class, i give Medellin a BIGGER edge. Most places to hang out in Cali is in the north, while most university is in the south.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 18, 2005, 16:12:

the south of Cali is virtually an unknown territory for the visiting gringos. They tend to hang out on Avenida Sexta and ChipiChape Mall (ChippyChappy for you gringos:)

The south of Cali is not unsafe, but maybe not as 'glamorous' as the North. That's where the university are located, that's where the caleño middle class live, that's where the 'normal' life goes on, the school busses pick up children at 7 a.m, people talk to each other, neighbors greet each other, maids and housewives sweep the front of the houses, the serenos get a cup of tinto in the early mornings, kids come home after school and meet their friends...but that's something that the average gringo visitor is totally oblivious about because that's not what they are looking for.

Yes, it's the normal day in the south of Cali; but then again it could be the normal day almost anywhere on this planet. Just because you've been in the bars and restaurants on the Sexta don't even think you know something about Cali.

Cheers,
Desi


Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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caslug says on Nov 18, 2005, 16:25:

desi, i've "graduated" from ONLY hanging out in the north.. I agree that the north is more "touristy" and for that reason "gringos" hang out there. i've been taking the Blanco&Negro bus several times a week for the past month to go down south to meet friend or other errands. Heck i've even walked around el prado! I've visit and walked around bunch of barrios down that area, so you're not the only gringo to venture down there.

I like the south more myself, BUT the problem is the traffic and transportation issue. It's a pain to take a non-A/C bus during the day, smelling the gas fume and dust because it's bumper to bumper traffic on calle 5 or aveinda 5 heading south. Large stretch of the roads next to estadio is torn up and you have ONE LANE of traffic each way. Imagine buses backed up for BLOCKS trying to move at snail pace. with smog and dust filling up the street.

Now imagine some first time visitor to cali trying to navigate the bus system if they decide to live in the north(which is where most of the hotels are). And if the university is not off the main line, you want to explain to some gringo which bus companies and routes run the closest? Pance, Azul Plateada, or which one? Heck my teacher who's lived here 20 yrs doesn't know the bus route himself. If they want they can take the taxi, but taxi every day, twice a day will start adding up, especially when your talking about going from north to south past plaza de toro. Ideally if the gringo lives near plaza de toro/cosmocentro, it's kinda of the midway point especially on the bus routes. but there's not lots of hotels in that area, at least not close to the main street where the bus runs.

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love2colombia says on Nov 18, 2005, 17:18:

Photos of Medellin Click on the image to enlarger it.



































More soon...

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love2colombia says on Nov 18, 2005, 17:21:

More













La Piedra de Peñol






More soon...

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love2colombia says on Nov 18, 2005, 18:15:

Cali Photos Comming soon ;-)

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 19, 2005, 03:50:

caslug, it's good that you have ventured out in the jungle and have even dared to take Blanco y negro Ruta 1 right down the Fifth into the Great Unknown:) A couple of more years doing that and you'll have graduated into a person who knows a bit about Cali. (Hope you know that I'm teasing you).

Yes, the area around Plaza de Toros and Cosmocentro is very central and yet way off the most traveled tourist areas in Cali. That's, BTW, the area where I stay when in Cali. I usually take taxis right off the Roosevelt or the Fifth when I go anywhere; I don't drive in Cali and think busses are dodgy. I used to take busetas from San Fernando to Ave. Americas daily but I have no idea how the routes are running in these days. I guess with the construction of MIO the city traffic has to be a horrible chaos. It was chaotic enough for me pre-MIO, especially the stretch of the Fifth between Unicentro and Avenida Colombia (that'd be almost all of it), especially at rush hours (almost all). I had to redirect the taxidrivers around a bit on less trafficked streets running in the right direction just to get from Unicentro to San Fernando or from Exito to the Roosevelt.

This new mall Palmetto(sp?), where exactly is it located?

Cheers,
Desi



Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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Plate says on Nov 19, 2005, 05:14:

Very nice thread Nice thread folks.
After seeing some photos and some discussion, I think Im going to venture down in Medillin along with cali in the future.
Im guessing temperature difference is Medellin is slightly cooler (by maybe 5 degrees or so) in comparison to cali, just a hunch from what peeps have said in Cali.

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Plate says on Nov 19, 2005, 05:22:

Ahh Yes, I love South Cali This post below by Desidaria is what I love about the simplicity and laid back nature of South Cali. I actually do agree that the average tourist may not find what they are looking for there in terms of 'visiting.' Its when you stay for awhile or attempt to live there is where its glory shine.

Im definately gonna give Meddelin a try, sounds VERY cool!

"The south of Cali is not unsafe, but maybe not as 'glamorous' as the North. That's where the university are located, that's where the caleño middle class live, that's where the 'normal' life goes on, the school busses pick up children at 7 a.m, people talk to each other, neighbors greet each other, maids and housewives sweep the front of the houses, the serenos get a cup of tinto in the early mornings, kids come home after school and meet their friends...but that's something that the average gringo visitor is totally oblivious about because that's not what they are looking for."

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caslug says on Nov 19, 2005, 12:09:

Palmetto is located 15 minute walk from Cosmocentro.. it's just opened this year in Aug, it's smaller than other mall but newer, it has a better kids area so many parents take their kids there instead of Cosmocentro.

Taking the bus is a good experience, it's not dodgy at all, it does pass thru dodgy areas, but it's safe. The only drawback is the lack of a/c, but then again taxi don't turn on their a/c either. a taxi ride fr avienda sexta to cosmocentro is 5-6k peso a bus ride is 1200 peso. To unicentro it's 9-11k peso, a bus ride is 1200 peso.

There are better destination for a foreigner to learn spanish than cali, while i'm sure cali is a nice place to live. I think BOG or MED are better city to study spanish and live/do the tourist thing than cali. If i was going to study spanish for a few weeks or months, i would go to BOG. If i was going to LIVE for a few years to work, i would go to MED.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 19, 2005, 12:21:

Palmetto, would that be around the Prolongación de Roosevelt or barrio Tequendama?

Sounds like I'll have a new hang-out in Cali this winter when I'll be showing up in Cali:) Do they have an internet café?

I'm sure you'll have your reasons for preferring Medellin or Bogotá for study and work, I have mine for preferring Cali.

Cheers,
Desi

Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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love2colombia says on Nov 19, 2005, 13:04:

Medellin, Rio Negro (Llano Grande) see you yourself ;-)

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 19, 2005, 13:09:

so? Where are the pics of Cali you promised?

Cheers,
Desi

Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

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love2colombia says on Nov 19, 2005, 13:18:

Patience Desideria, soon I will have them ready.

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CuriosJoe says on Nov 19, 2005, 15:04:

EAFIT University in Medellin Thanks a lot everyone (well, for the most part everyone) for replying. Seems like Medellin is a good base to stay and study spanish. Is EAFIT University in Medellin close to the actual University Campus? Thanks again.

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CuriosJoe says on Nov 19, 2005, 15:13:

caslug, why did you say "I think BOG or MED are better city to study spanish and live/do the tourist thing than cali. If i was going to study spanish for a few weeks or months, i would go to BOG. If i was going to LIVE for a few years to work, i would go to MED."?

!!Thanks for the photos, these are awesome!!

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caslug says on Nov 20, 2005, 16:05:

Joe..Medellin is smaller than BOG.. and has less traffic problems and congestions, but it has lots of area to chill and party. More than Cali. The weather is nicer, at least for me coming from SoCal. BOG, being the capital and largest city in COL will offer you many things to do during you short stay. and since you´re not staying long, you can just simply pay a little more to stay near your school. So you won´t have to deal with transportation issues of getting around town. I like the Metro MUCH more than Transmil, metro is faster and more conveincant, Transmil is just a souped up bus system.

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