PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

CASA KIWI

Since my old thread is getting sidetracked (see “Colombia and the hostals thereof�?) I’m starting a new one on my experience in Casa Kiwi and why I don’t recommend the place, in this thread, and it can be discussed as you wish.

I wasn’t going to elaborate on my experience there, but, I suppose I should if, as another reader pointed out, I’m going to recommend another hostel (black sheep for example) over this one.

First impressions of the place were good. One night, as I was kicking about the hostal, the owner and his girlfriend got into a huge fight. It was terrible. The girl is called Monica, and some on this site may be familiar with her. I later met her in lleras many months down the road, and I have stayed friends with her to this day, a very sweet and kind girl. Anyway, the fighting was really terrible, I heard it, and they made no effort to hide it. Later on, I saw Monica by herself, crying. I went up to her and asked her if there was anything I could do for her. She said no. She seemed really distraught. There was another English bloke in the hostal and he later told me that he wasn’t sure, but he thought that the owner had hit her.

He hit her?

I was appauled, and was hesitant to believe it at first. Poor Monica. I was disappointed that this Colombian woman was exposed to that, especially since the man who hit her was American, and supposedly in our society (western… let’s face it, North Americans and British/European have many values in common) that is looked down upon more strongly. I mean, no matter how ugly a fight, you should never hit someone, well, never hit a woman at the very least. I never truly believed it until months later when I met up with Monica and we talked about that night. She confirmed what my mate had told me.

Now, I may seem to be over-reacting, but, in my opinion, I think such an act is disgraceful. So, basically, if I can give business to another hostal in an equally great location, same prices, same product, etc… then I will.

For my recommendations and to hear about my experiences in Colombia, see my main thread: Colombia (and the hostals thereof).

By manu1999 on Jan 21, 2007, 14:05 in Friendly Talkzone.

Giann says on Jan 21, 2007, 16:24:

Hey Do you have another link to this to your other thread.Hitting a women is the lowest of low.

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morphus says on Jan 21, 2007, 18:17:

Bullshit post!
LOL
Bullshit post!

LOL

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Jebediah says on Jan 21, 2007, 18:38:

Hmmmmmmm Morphus...why do you think it is bullshit?

Ive stayed at Casa Kiwi and i remember monica working there. When i stayed however the owner wasnt there so i comment on that as i never got to meet him. I do remember Monica being kind and helpful, and seemed like the type of person who is fairly easy going.

Its not my place to comment as to what manu said, however it is definately a serious incident and i am hoping that if someone posted that then they would not do it as a joke.

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morphus says on Jan 21, 2007, 18:54:

"Morphus...why do you think it is bullshit?"

Theres a lot of jealous cats out there. I know the owner. He does'nt seem like that kind of guy. Personally, i don't care what goes on in the house. Room #2 upstairs is a good place to crash on short notice. I don't care if everybody beats everybody up or sniffs piles of coke. As long as they don't bother me. I never had a problem there.

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Jebediah says on Jan 21, 2007, 19:01:

hmmmm So if you heard a guy hitting a girl in the next room you would turn your head and walk away?

Nice work.

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morphus says on Jan 21, 2007, 19:05:

I never heard anybody hit anybody there.

"So if you heard a guy hitting a girl in the next room you would turn your head and walk away?"

Of course i would help. The last time i was in Miami, Florida i saved a hooker from getting choked to death by a German guy. Maybe she deserved it but i could'nt ignore her cry for help.

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Jebediah says on Jan 21, 2007, 19:34:

Right Power to the people my brother.

Just because you never heard anyone hit someone, doesnt mean it never happened.

I dont know the owner from a bar of soap, and whether he allows cocaine on his premises or not is up to him, however hitting someone is something that should not be tolerated. Women are already treated as 2nd class citizens in alot of countries around the world, and hitting them should not be tolerated.

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manu1999 says on Jan 21, 2007, 20:51:

Hindsight is 20/20 Well Rubito, you raise a good point. I regret that I didn't take more action (such as calling the police) but hindsight is 20/20. As I previously stated, I didn't really believe that he hit her that night until I spoke to Monica months later, and that evening when I asked monica if there was anything I could do, she said no. To be honest, whining and moaning are fairly disingenuous descriptor words, but your point is well-taken nonetheless.

Oh, and Giann, here's the link for the other thread that spurned this one.

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/22143

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Jebediah says on Jan 23, 2007, 15:03:

Im sorry! Speaking of Casa Kiwi

I was resting up there for a few weeks after getting Dystenary. I was in a private room but unfortunately i soiled the bed many a time.

Dystenary is definately not something i would want to get again. Quite embarresing having to tell the cleaners whats going on.

Which room is it i hear you ask? Well.....ill let you play the lotto and guess that :)

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Atrevido says on Jan 23, 2007, 16:17:

Does the owner of Casa Kiwi have a name?

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manu1999 says on Jan 23, 2007, 19:59:

haha, Sure I know it, out of curiosity, why do you want to know?

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Strobers says on Jan 23, 2007, 20:55:

I Think... that before you post anything like this, you get two sides to the story. I met Paul and he seems like a very mellow dude. Why would you just listen to one person without talking to both? As in most situations, each person is telling the truth as they see it, but the real truth is in the middle of them.

I had posted my experiences with Kiwi back in October and I had nothing but good things to say. The price was great, lodgings were fine for our needs, the place was clean, and most important it was safe. I purposely left money out one time to see what would happen and every peso was there when we came back to our room. What's important to remember is that it's a HOSTEL, not a HOTEL. There is a huge difference between the two. People in Kiwi party, there is a lot of noise at night and there isn't a lot of privacy unless you have a private room. However, it still suited our needs. I slept with ear plugs and paid for a private room. The place served its function.

"Life is too serious to be taken seriously"

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Jebediah says on Jan 23, 2007, 21:11:

Strober - The point that the place served its function is totally irrelevant. It could be a 5 star property for all i care. The point i think Manu is trying to make is that whether the hostel be in a good location, have good facilities etc, which we all know it does. The fact that he has been advised first hand of physical assault on a female makes him not want to stay there, and he is simply voicing his right to freedom of speech and letting other people what he experienced.

There is NO excuse for hitting women. I think it is a cowardly act.

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Strobers says on Jan 23, 2007, 21:52:

I'm Not Saying... there is, but how do you know it happened? Did he see him hit her? Like I said before, everybody has a version of the truth. I've lived long enough not to take anything anybody says at face value until I check all the angles out and then come up with a conclusion. If a guy told me that you were gay and he saw you at a local gay bar wearing leathers, I wouldn't automatically believe you're queer. I'd investigate things myself and then make my own judgement based on hearing everything. That's all I'm saying.

Regarding hitting women, I agree it's disgraceful. This isn't about that thought, it's about getting to the core of the truth.

"Life is too serious to be taken seriously"

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goin_south says on Jan 23, 2007, 23:00:

stobers is right; and, Manu, you said you 'heard'? Why didn't you go see? SO YOU don't have to repeat ALL OF THIS ... HEARSAY. That's what it is in court: HearSay. Someone told you and you are repeating it. Out of court, we call it GOSSIP.

How do you know she had not stolen a ton of money, had his nuts firmly locked in a monkey wrench, and maybe with a Knife against his side, or gun against his head?

And, I guess most of you would simply say: Go ahead, stab me, bitch!

(There are in fact, a few women in this world, who physically assault men, and I think a man has every right to defend himself, if he has to, whatever the cost, if she is stupid enough and out-of-control enough, to pursue, chase, and assault.) And, since you didn't see it, you don't know that something like this wasn't happening.

Muerte; Los santos son no más.

Ciao! Gustav. Bienvenitos, Ike.

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Jebediah says on Jan 24, 2007, 14:35:

strober I actually enjoy the occasional leather wearing.

Care to join?

Dont be afraid...you might actually like it!

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manu1999 says on Jan 24, 2007, 17:35:

Strobers (and to a lesser extent Galecito), I can’t tell you how much I agree with you (however this is NOT gossip, a ridiculous thing to claim). You raise a very good point, and to be honest, upon rereading my thread, I would have a tough time taking what I said for granted (based on the evidence I’ve put forth). I, for one, also scrutinize things from every angle, and never take things at face value. I’m glad you raised those points. I also ASSURE you that I would never post something like this if I wasn’t 100% positive that it happened. I have a high standard of morality and ethics that I am proud of, and that’s part of the reason I feel idiotic not having done anything more than I did that night. I was NOT going to go into the whole story, but if you want to know how I KNOW he hit her, I will tell you, if you want to hear. I have pieced together many perspectives, and all of them lead me to conclude that he did actually hit her. It’s not only my conclusion. Everyone else involved is sure of the same fact. It was ugly though, and, as hostals go, the whole scene was completely disgraceful and unprofessional. Even a cab driver was involved. If you want to hear the story, I’ll tell it. If you have already closed your mind to the possibility of anything ‘unthinkable’ or ‘bad’ happening at this place, I won’t waste my time. Let me know, because it will take a while for me to write. Perhaps upon hearing my full experience there, you won’t judge me for recommending other places over this one.

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morphus says on Jan 24, 2007, 17:51:

So she got hit, who cares? If somebody hits you, you just leave the relationship. Anyway, is it not common to hit your wife or girlfriend in Colombia? A guy I know here in New York got punched in the face by his Colombian wife the other day. She asked him why he did'nt hit her back? She was shocked by his passiveness.

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manu1999 says on Jan 25, 2007, 11:36:

whatever you say buddy And from my experience (Colombianas, back me up here) it is not "common" to hit/punch your novia/esposa in Colombia, at least the educated, well-spoken and interesting class of people that I associate myself with in Antioquia.

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morphus says on Jan 25, 2007, 16:01:

? "at least the educated, well-spoken and interesting class of people that I associate myself with in Antioquia"

Like the people in Casa Kiwi? HA!

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manu1999 says on Jan 25, 2007, 16:57:

That's the point Morphus... UNlike the people of casa kiwi, not that I have anything against the travellers who go there (other than the bastard who stole my nice book). Casa Kiwi is a foreign entity, hardly what I'd classify as a typical Colombian enterprise. If, supposedly, Colombians are more 'prone' to physical violence against women, then it makes the fact that a 'westerner' did it even less condonable

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morphus says on Jan 25, 2007, 17:53:

I like meeting all kinds of people in Colombia. I know both rich and poor Colombians. It does'nt matter to me.

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manu1999 says on Jan 25, 2007, 18:16:

So do I bro, so do I, which is why I have lots of exploring yet to do in this great country...

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Jebediah says on Jan 26, 2007, 04:24:

Morphus I dont understand how you can say "so she got hit...who cares?" Obviously there are some people who when they know someone that has been affected by violence are able to speak up about it.

Thats possibly one of the most moronic answers ive ever heard. Give yourself an uppercut.

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Alma del Norte says on Jan 26, 2007, 09:52:

Mind your own Listen up, Manu, I don't know who you are working for, or exactly what your problem is,(who the hell would waste so much time on this?). I know both the people you refer to, consider myself friends of both, but people are people, and in the moment we all do and say things that aren't exactly 100% honourable. Back off, and use your time in a more constructive way. Oh, and watch out for lawsuits. Listo

La vida es una rutina

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martine says on Jan 26, 2007, 12:15:

Im sorry you are wasting time reading this... Hahahahaha dont you think that this message is directly from Monica.... she is a perfect writer.... and the guy that met her doesnt exist hahahaha nice try Monica.... what she said it is a lie, she is just saying that because she is vex.....

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manu1999 says on Jan 26, 2007, 12:28:

Hello Alma del Norte Let me first of all start by saying that I respect your post. If you are indeed friends of the owner, I applaud you for sticking up for your friend. I would do the same, indeed it would be dishonourable not to. Now, what I urge you to do, if you are still friends with Monica, is talk to her about it. I’m sure she’ll appreciate your concern and support, and that’s what friends are for. Don’t trust me, I can recount my version of events in detail, which I have not yet done, but I’m sure you’ll get a better picture of what happened after talking to them both.

Now, I know it may seem that I am working for a rival hostal (Black Sheep for instance) but that is not the case. I know it sounds trite, but it’s the truth. The only reason I recommended Black Sheep (in my previous thread which no one seems to care about) is because I stayed there. I can’t speak for Palm Tree or the one up the road from Casa Kiwi, I have not been. I stayed once in a cheap hotel in el centro, and it was fine, just not as safe after dark, perfectly recommendable though. To be honest, Black Sheep is just a hostal, no more, no less, take it or leave it. The best thing by FAR to do in Medellin is rent an apartment and stay there as much time as it takes para disfrutar la ciudad. Meet friends and get to know the culture. You won’t necessarily do that at Black Sheep, nor any other foreign hostal.

And while I know I’m within my rights posting about my experiences in Colombia on a Colombian feedback/discussion website, if a lawsuit did happen to waste my time even more than this thread does, I would win it, because there were plenty of witnesses there that night who saw the evening unfold, including one who saw the incident itself. Perhaps if you were in my shoes and neutral to the owner/hostal, you would resist recommending it to the rest of the world, and walk away disgusted as I have. I know that everyone has dishonourable moments, but the line crosses with physical violence towards a woman, and that’s not something to ignore.

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manu1999 says on Jan 26, 2007, 12:32:

Oh and Martine... What a absolutely ridiculous suggestion, if you knew her, you'd know that she didn't have the capacity to write like this in English.

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martine says on Jan 26, 2007, 12:39:

Thanks to help her!!!
Thanks to help her!!!

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 26, 2007, 13:47:

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhornne Clemens] (1835-1910)

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

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 26, 2007, 13:49:

I think this is enough for now You guys go fight somewhere else,
Cheers,
Desi

Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhornne Clemens] (1835-1910)

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

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jan 26, 2007, 13:49:

use the p.m. and quit wasting our time Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Mark Twain [Samuel Langhornne Clemens] (1835-1910)

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

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