Guide Or Person To Show Me Around Cartagena

EMAN says on Aug 5, 2007, 16:32:

This was posted last week. Bruce spoke highly of this guy!

http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/recommending-a-good-contact-in-c...

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Azul says on Aug 5, 2007, 16:40:

I never understand why guys go to Colombia of all places without being able to speak even a little Spanish. I guess it doesn't take knowing much Spanish to throw some money around and get laid.

las cosas caen por su propio peso

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popchulo59 says on Aug 5, 2007, 17:53:

Azul,

No offense but if you cant get laid dont take it out on me. Im sorry that I want to explore a foreighn country were I dont speak the language. Is that some kind of crime or something. Im not sure if you are in the United States or not but in my country (USA) we accept people from all over the world even if they cant speak the language.

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EMAN says on Aug 5, 2007, 18:11:

popchulo59 -

I was in Cartagena 3 weeks ago and had a blast!!!! You should be OK with no spanish, it is a tourist town and they have some English guides to assit. You can take different tours and most will have bilingual guides if you request that. Their are several big tour companies that can assit or go the HILTON in Laguito and they have a Tour Agency that has city tours and tours to Isles De Rosario and other excursions.

School is out in colombia and lots of nice eye candy walking around!! Check out Mr. Babilla in the old city - great high energy disco, probably on the same level as Mangos in medellin. Probably best ot bring a date and go in a group. You and your buddies can always find a date at LDV - next to La Perla Casino in Laguito.

BEST OF LUCK!!!!!

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tomtom33 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 5, 2007, 18:22:

YankeeInMDE says on Aug 5, 2007, 18:29:

Dates. Is that what the kids are calling it these days?
I would not recommend giving anyone money to serve as a guide.
99.99% would not have good intentions and would try to take advantage, the nicer you are, the more they try to extract.
You will get by without the spanish. Stay in tourist areas and you will be fine.

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Azul says on Aug 5, 2007, 18:34:

hmm....explore another country or as you originally said "party"? If you're going to learn about the culture and see the many beautiful sites in Colombia, lo siento. But if your one of those guys who is going because it is cheap, and a relatively easy place to get chucha for a gringo, then I'll stick with my original comments. By the way, the "but in my country (USA)" attitude won't get you very far in Colombia....or it will but not in a way you want to go.

las cosas caen por su propio peso

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popchulo59 says on Aug 5, 2007, 19:55:

I have changed my post to clarify what I would like to do in Cartagena so future posters are not confused but I will not respond to your post or justify my visit to what I have read is one of the most beautiful citys in the world.

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starferrer says on Aug 6, 2007, 05:15:

Hello, I own an apartment in el Laguito and rent it to people from USA for bussiness purposes and turistic purposes like you. We understand the need of having a trustable english speaking guide to ensure that our clients are safe and don't miss the beauty of Cartagena. If you wish you can contact me at the following e-mail address and I will be more than happy to give the informacion you need.
Starferrer at yahoo.com
You can also call me for free from any phone (except cellphones) at the following number
1 8000 11 33 30 COL
Ext. 42390

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tompower says on Aug 6, 2007, 06:58:

Have a good time, you deserve it.
Don't be put off by the negative feed back, none in cartagena is going to make you feel unwelcome. Especially welcoming will be those who make a livelyhood off of tourism. I would avoid an english speaking guide or a special arrangement with one particular taxi, the reason being that always these arrangements never benefit you, you wind up buying drinks for your new rent-a-buddy and as you get closer to him you'll feel more obligated to tip him, all the while you're really only doing stuff that doesn't require a guide,... clubbing, sitting on the beach eating at restaurants is not too complicated.
I remember the first time I went to cartagena me and a friend stayed at the Decameron Hotel in the boca grande. When we were on the beach we met a guy we just called him Jimmy he was the typical beach vendor sometimes he rented out chairs, sometimes he made cocolocos with fresh coconut he picked from the coconut trees in front of the decameron and mixed with a little blender they let him plug into at the drink shack out front. Turns out jimmy speaks perfect english because about 15 years ago the decameron was a big charter tour destination for canadians. I guess jimmy grew up talking to canadian tourists and now that so few english speaking tourist go to cartagena he's kind of in a slump. Anyway just like "AZUL" accuses we gringos were there for NO GOOD Jimmy helped us out by taking us to a brothel in Manga. When we arrived as far as I can figure out a poor guy entered with us and it's usually the way,... these places sort of pay guys to bring in clients. This poor guy was trying to cut in on Jimmy's action and a fight broke out and jimmy had this guy in a choke hold for a few seconds,.. we had to go. Then one evening we were up at the cafe del mar a nice elegant outdoor cafe that's on top of the old wall very nice. For some reason they had the back half of the bar roped off and for some reason jimmy walked into it and the owner came out yelling and screaming at him that who let this bum in,... we had to go. We finally bit the bullet and explained to jimmy that he would just have to be our beach guide from now on he just wasn't cut out for the other kind of guiding. So for the rest of that trip jimmy sat with us at our tent at the beach drinking our beer smoking our smokes beggin' for cash and as far as helping us out,.. after that anytime a vendor came buy old jimmy was loathe to try and haggle for us because all the vendors know him and it would be like he was stabbin' them in the back...
The process of removing the pesos from your wallet in the beautiful city of cartagena is tried tested and true ,.... you don't need a personal translator/guide/taxi to help speed that process up.
Remember, we're all in this together
Tom Power

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nine inch nails says on Aug 7, 2007, 06:38:

I want to go to Cartagena now. Med. 2X, Bogota, next CTG!!!!!! Heard it is a fun time.

The Hedge funds have all gone wild on us!

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