Colombians have small feet and random thoughts on MDE

I´ve been living in Patio Bonito, Medellin for 4 months so far...and here are some random observations.

- Yes, Colombians have small feet. I wear 10.5 or 11 2E (Wide), EU 45. I have looked at quite a few Colombian made shoes and many of them do not go beyond European size 42. None of them have wide sizes. If there are any labeled wide, they aren´t the same 2E wide I expect.

I have found New Balance (What I buy in the US) 2E but they are a bit more than in the US, and alot more than the Colombian made shoes. So...must be some genetic thing I guess.

Does anyone know differently?

- How does one make a living selling CHICLETS? Is Colombia the #1 per capita consumer of Chiclets?

- BILLIARD halls are very common

- The JUGGLING ACT that kids perform in front of waiting cars is always an eye opener. Yes, the CIRCUS comes to you. I think i´ve seen this in Brazil, but I don´t remember.

- SELLING STUFF by giving you the product ahead of time (On a bus), or dashboard of your car while waiting at a light is odd. I have never seen this anywhere else. I been to 50+ countries.

- PARQUE ECOLOGICO in Evigado is totally cool and relaxing. unexpected getaway close to city. Only a metro and bus away 1600 COP!

- Palmahia (and presumably Mangos) charged my group 95,000 COP for an Aguardiente that costs 15,000 COP at the supermarket. Ron media goes from 20,000 ----> 70,000 COP! Outrageous!

- The new La Strada and San Fernando Plaza are amazing!

- Before taking a bus in MDE-BOG I recommend ear plugs and motion sickness pills. So many curves.

- Santa Fe de Antioquia is very warm compared to MDE.

- Parque Lleras seems to have an endless list of restaurants to try out.

- You can buy fresh BAGELS at Bagels & Bunch in Parque Lleras. Although some Pomonas carry some imported bagels.

- A small CASINO seems to be everywhere. Thankfully, I don´t have a casino fetish.

- If you are like me and eat a lot of TOFU, you can´t find it at supermarkets. Some Chinese restaurants will sell TOFU CRUDO -- RAW TOFU. Try Restaurant Asia on Las Palmas. It can be delivered. 8.000 COP for 1 lb. Not cheap, but hey...

- I have withdrawn up to 700.000 COP from a Citibank ATM before. I think the limit is even higher. Doesn´t matter to me, my ATM card is a flat 1% regardless of how many transactions.In other words 3 x 300.000 or 1 x 900.000 is the same total fee.

- If you want GRANIZADO sin leche, the only JUAN VALDEZ that makes it this way I have found so far is in Parque Lleras. All the other places are with milk. (Exito Poblado, San Fernando Plaza...don´t remember CC Oviedo)

- Unless you are at peak hour 5-9 PM, buy the GENERAL MOVIE TICKET, and not the PREFERENCIAL (Assigned seat) Cheaper, and you can just change seats.
* CC Oviedo and CC El Tesoro movie tickets are pricier than other places.

...well lots more..but that´s a start.

By circusoflife on Sep 4, 2007, 21:04 in Friendly Talkzone.

coffee beaner says on Sep 4, 2007, 23:45:

ohh thats one thing I hate about Medellin, when you go to the movies they assign you seats.... it should be first come first serve =/

Medellin Traveler says on Sep 5, 2007, 03:24:

Circusoflife,

It sounds like you are having a good old time exploring Medellin.

Enjoyed your obsverations, keep 'em coming.

Medellin es una chimba! www.medellintraveler.com

Atrevido says on Sep 5, 2007, 06:09:

It´s wierd isn´t it? There are plenty of big Colombians but never shoe sizes for Euro/gringos. X-large t-shirts are barely US large. I wonder where they shop.

ColombianoGringo says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:07:

He's right about sizes. I am 100% Colombian, but I'm 6' 2", weigh about 190lbs and have a pretty big foot (US 11 wide).

I have a major hassle buying clothes in Colombia. The only brands that fit are US brands like Kenneth Cole that are cheaper in the US. I went into Villa Romana not too long ago to check out some suits. Even their "long" sizes left me looking like I have monkey arms because the jackets are too short. My wife has a bad habit of buying me t-shirts despite the fact that Colombian XL sizes fit me about as well as a kid's size.

I have had better luck with shoes. I have found some stores in Chapinero that have bigger sizes and good selections. I like to bring my grandmother along as she knows all the stores and will haggle like a pro.

I do like shopping for leather goods in Bogota. My grandmother took me to a district in north Bogota that has a bunch of leather store on one street. They have some really spectacular deals on some nice jackets, coats, etc.

Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:13:

Good thing for big guys that tailoring and custom shoes are so cheap

ColombianoGringo says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:27:

Actually, I have stopped buying shoes in Colombia since I found a Danish brand that I really like. These are Ecco shoes. Not that ghetto rat Ecko garbage they sell in the malls.

They are extremely comfortable and well made. The prices are pretty reasonable($120-$250) for a quality shoe.

http://www.ecco.com

ColombianoGringo says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:33:

That really depends on the shoe. I have had some Colombian dress shoes last a lot longer than than some brands I bought in the US. The one thing I noticed is that the leather does crack faster on some cheaper Colombian shoes.

ColombianoGringo says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:43:

In any case, clothes and shoes have gotten so expensive in Colombia that it almost isn't worth shopping there. All my life, we bought tons of clothing and shoes every time we went to Colombia, but I rarely go shopping there anymore. I can often get better deals here in the US. I still buy stuff for my kids as that is still relatively cheap.

panthdave says on Sep 5, 2007, 09:59:

Spent 92 Mil for a pair in San Diego Size:43 no problem...There great....Yes the fancy clubs or up scale clubs will nail you for booze..same as Miami 30 Dollar Absolute in a night club in S.Beach probably is 220.00 Dollars so thats the same everywhere...

Okay I am still stuck on finding any decent Chinese in Medellin..I have found one spot for Pizza and that took awhile..Delivery Food sucks unless you ordered from the grocery store and cook it yourself..

Anyways..Good observations...

panthdave Miami

john_stark says on Sep 5, 2007, 19:11:

Sounds like you haven't been to any Mexican border towns. More chiclet sales there than anywhere.

circusoflife says on Sep 6, 2007, 05:30:

Tijuana, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo. Good to know. They must have avoided me --- I only went late at night to suck blood!

goin_south says on Sep 7, 2007, 02:31:

nice photo, circusoflife.
Is that you?
(which one?)

and, thank you.

RussianFred says on Sep 7, 2007, 08:42:

Colombia has worst food, it's almsot as bad a London. I should open a good resturant in Medellin. Russian, America, Mexican and Jamaican foods.

Annual Drug Deaths: Tobacco: 395,000, Alcohol: 125,000, 'Legal' Drugs: 38,000, Illegal Drug Overdoses: 5,200, Marijuana: 0. Considering government subsidies of tobacco, just what is our government protecting us from in the drug war?--Ralph Nader

ColombianoGringo says on Sep 7, 2007, 11:01:

Fred,

Did you just wake up and feel like trolling today?

circusoflife says on Sep 10, 2007, 07:28:

goin_south,

I am the large blue Napoleon Wrasse fish. That is my human friend. I´ve waddled ashore in Colombia. I live in a lake just outside of Medellin. The girls dig my scaly skin. I´m half-fish, half human. Amazing things one can do when you know the secrets to evolution. You could become a fish like me!

circusoflife says on Sep 13, 2007, 09:22:

Quite possibly, the cheapest place to have an IMPORTED BEER at a nice atmosphere is HAPPY HOUR from Monday to Friday, 4pm to 7pm at El Corral Gourmet in CC Oviedo. Amstel Light or Heineken for only 3.000 COP! Great prices on all other drinks and snacks too.