PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

MOVING TO COLOMBIA

I will be moving to colombia for a couple of years in February. Was last there 3 years ago and Taganga made a good impression on me, so it will probably be the place I'll call home base.

I've been on the road for quite some time so have no experience setting up house. I've been relying on cybercafes for internet & phone calls and whatever the hotel and local bars supply for tv.

I was wondering about the communications situation in Taganga. Is it possible to sign up for satelite tv? get connected to internet? get a phone?

By diabloblas on Dec 20, 2007, 12:36 in Friendly Talkzone.

untreated says on Dec 20, 2007, 13:14:

Are you out of your mind?

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guacharaca says on Dec 20, 2007, 14:19:

Tigo has service in Taganga within the last year while Comcell has always had a signal there.
Satellite TV is available anywhere these days as long as your dish can see the satellite above you. High band Internet exist in Taganga through the telephone lines, but it is not cheap. I had to sign a one year contract.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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diabloblas says on Dec 20, 2007, 15:11:

Thanks guacharaca. How long ago did you live there? Did you have any problems getting a land line for the internet?

untreated...I don't understand the focus of your comment.

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Gator says on Dec 20, 2007, 15:26:

Taganga for a couple of years? What are you going to do? Write another chapter to "Cien Años de Soledad."

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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diabloblas says on Dec 20, 2007, 15:53:

I don't understand gator. I stayed in Taganga for 2 months and enjoyed it. Small beach community with a big city a short collectivo ride away. Lots of trekking opportunities nearby.

Be interested in hearing what you might have against it other than their love of loud music and oversugared coffee.

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Gator says on Dec 20, 2007, 18:46:

Two months is a little DIFFERENT than TWO years. Your last paragraph about sums it up other than there is very little there to amuse one, or in out case two. Over the hill to the "big"city" does provide a needed respite. As I said, ": "Cien Años de Soledad. Second question is where do you expect to live?

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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diabloblas says on Dec 20, 2007, 20:59:

Gator...I was thinking about looking first around the south side of town close to the beach area,

Do you have any other beach town recommendations? I'm open to any suggestions anywhere in spanish speaking america between the tropics. But i favor Colombia at the present time.

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john_stark says on Dec 20, 2007, 22:15:

Depends on the person. I lived in a beach town for several years but then I was a surfer and obsessed with surfing. For anyone else it was probably a pretty boring place.

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Gator says on Dec 21, 2007, 06:41:

For a little more of "civilization" along with some degree of solitude I might be inclined to checkout Riohacha, the capital of the departmento, up the Guajira about 165 km from the area you are thinking about. We looked long and hard at El Rodadero (on the Barranquilla side of Santa Marta) for a permanent move but found the same problem as Cartagena-just to hot and humid so remained in Bogotá.

If you have the time, say a couple of months I would recommend you do a little exploring first. Many of the areas outside of the main cities are a true third world experience-but YOU are the one who must make the decision.

Good luck.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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diabloblas says on Dec 21, 2007, 08:19:

Thanks for that advice. It's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.

As I said earlier I was in Taganga before and thought at the time that it deserved a closer look later. So I returned in early 05, and stayed a couple of months and was not dissuaded. However at that time I still had some full time travel left in me.

I understand your hot & humid remark gator. There are times to run away from everyplace. That's my experience so far. But I'm going from actively looking for that place to.... I'll keep my eyes open

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untreated says on Dec 21, 2007, 12:27:

Taganga's main beach, Playa Grande = Playa Vaca is at present full of "pica pica", so anyone who goes swimming or diving there should be prepared for lovely red welts all over their body, what fun!

At present, Taganga is absolutely the worst place to visit or live, unless you are an Israeli IDF veteran or like filth, noise and beggars.

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diabloblas says on Dec 21, 2007, 21:00:

What is pica pica?

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aztec says on Dec 22, 2007, 05:10:

diabloblas (newbie) says on Friday December 21st, 2007 21:00:
What is pica pica?

"Reasons behind "pico y placa"

The reasons that made the operation of Pico & Placa necessary during the current administration include:

Approximately 140 cars per 1,000 habitants, relatively low compared to some European cities where the average is 469 cars per 1,000 habitants and North American cities where the average is of 650 cars per 1,000 habitants.
22,000 buses and 55,000 taxis transport 82% of the citizens.
95% of the streets are used by private cars and the express ways are exclusively for automobiles.
An annual inflow of approximately 70,000 new cars.
The number of daily trips made is over 8 million.
Average distance between home and work is 8 km.
Average velocity is 19 kilometers per hour.
Average Bus velocity during peak hours is 10 km/hr.
The average duration of daily trips in public transportation is 2 hours and 20 minutes.
30% of the trips are made in the expanded downtown area, creating congested corridors.
70% of the trips made in private cars cover a distance of less than 3 km.
At 2,600 meters of altitude there is 27% less available oxygen than at sea level, which means that contaminating agents are the largest component of breathable air. Approximately 60% of the contamination in Bogotá is caused by automotive vehicles, of which 50% alone is attributed to private cars.
Bogotá, with 200 people per hectare, presents a high population density, which makes the use of private vehicles as a means of transportation less feasible since there are fewer square meters available for roadways.

Peak and License Plate ("Pico y Placa")
Pico y Placa is a measure that restricts 40 percent of vehicles from traveling during peak hours in the entire urban area (32 000 hectares) to promote the use of public transport and reduce traffic congestion. The restriction on private vehicles runs from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, according to the last number on the license plate. Pico y Placa's short-term objective is to raise awareness of the benefits that vehicle reduction on the roads brings, and in the long-term, to reduce car dependency.The only viable alternative in the short term was the drastic reduction of the number of circulating vehicles. It would imply less congestion, greater average velocities and shorter periods of travel."

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pedro says on Dec 22, 2007, 07:07:

Never heard of pica pica before... sounds like stingers in the water.

The ones we have in Australia are transparent. You don't see them until you get right in the middle of a field of them. If they brush against you in the water you get a painful sting. Pretty much puts the beach off limits unless you dress in a complete wetsuit.

que nota!

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diabloblas says on Dec 22, 2007, 11:17:

I stepped on a sea urchin in Taganga bay. Que pena for a week afterwards.... but the batch that unceremoniously drifted into the bay one nite disappeared just as mysteriously a week later

STill would like to know what pica pica is

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Gator says on Dec 22, 2007, 12:32:

pica pica is a plant that gives you the same type of reaction as poison ivy. Local remedy (Cali) is to rub with lime juice and salt.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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aztec says on Dec 22, 2007, 13:07:

Sorry thought he was asking about pico y placa!

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bill230 says on Dec 22, 2007, 13:07:

Pica Pica are also the offspring of thimble jellyfish. They cause itching. Here is a link about an outbreak of them in Belize. It says they usually appear in the spring in Belize.

http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/picapica.html

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diabloblas says on Dec 22, 2007, 14:32:

Thanks for that info... Those jellyfish types seem to get around pretty much anywhere there's warm water

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diabloblas says on Dec 22, 2007, 21:52:

WELL I guess you better look out for pica pica and the Israeli IDF veteran or like filth, noise and beggars.

Otherwise I guess you will be ok

I'll be there in a month or so and hope you have everything ship shape for me

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robi666 says on Dec 23, 2007, 13:09:

As I wrote in another thread, Taganga should be nuked with all the tagangeros in.
Then maybe in 100 years our grandsons will have a better place.
Live in Taganga? If you're not an hippy or a pseudo intellectual european kind... good luck.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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diabloblas says on Dec 23, 2007, 18:29:

Sounds a little harsh robi666

You've obviously been around colombia for a couple of years. What beach areas would you recommend on the caribe?

You are not alone with you views on Taganga from what i've experienced. The swiss owner of the Casa Blanca in Taganga lives in Santa Marta when in colombia & not in his favorite country of Nepal...abandoning the apartment he made for himself at the casa blanca because of the loud music.

Incidentally I am an aging hippie in some people's eyes but never been accused of being an intellectual and I always appreciate being wished good luck.

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2008, 11:13:

Yes, I was exaggerating... :-)
But, frankly, I see so many downs about living in Taganga. Visiting is different from living.
Beaches?
The coast from Parque Tayrona to Palomino, at the border with the Guajira, is beautiful. A paradise.
When we'll meet I'll take you there and show you some places...

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diabloblas says on Jan 5, 2008, 11:43:

no thank you...you have a little bit too much know-it-all in your postings

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2008, 11:45:

Ok... i don't really know it all, but good luck again!

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diabloblas says on Jan 5, 2008, 12:07:

is that why you exaggerate?...

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Chelesupercono says on Jan 5, 2008, 12:08:

I was there last July for a few days and that was o.k. Lots of loud music at night and Euro Trash everywhere......the beach is full of fishing boats so not much for enjoying....the beaches up north are fantastic!!

It is not a place for a sensible person to live....period

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2008, 12:30:

You were asking, I've answered. I always try to be helpful. That's it.
Yes, Chele, you got it right. Beaches up north are fantastic.

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diabloblas says on Jan 5, 2008, 13:30:

on Sunday December 23rd, 2007 13:09: robi666 says...

As I wrote in another thread, Taganga should be nuked with all the tagangeros in.
Then maybe in 100 years our grandsons will have a better place.
Live in Taganga? If you're not an hippy or a pseudo intellectual european kind... good luck.

says robi on Saturday January 5th, 2008 12:30...You were asking, I've answered. I always try to be helpful
yeah sure robi....i think i'll pass on your help

...colombia doesn't have the best beaches in the world for recreation...great for scenery & trekking on the north coast though....taganga has some good diving for an excellent price...but it does get noisy on the east side of the beach...beach on west side stays clean most of the time..

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2008, 15:17:

You seem to know more than what you wanted to show, so why ask?... true diabloblas? or should I call you differently? ;-)

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diabloblas says on Jan 5, 2008, 16:46:

errr i don't know...sometimes i just like being an asshole..today was just one of those days...maybe tomorrow i'll feel differently

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robi666 says on Jan 5, 2008, 19:51:

No, keep being like this. You're too good!

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diabloblas says on Jan 6, 2008, 10:11:

perfect asshole...being an idealist i always sought perfection

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robi666 says on Jan 6, 2008, 10:15:

Buenos Dias Diablo, como te sientes hoy?

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diabloblas says on Jan 6, 2008, 10:46:

well i'm 2 & 0 on nfl... ahead on 3rd...have new stash of chronic, fresh ground vietnam coffee...warm & toasty on a stormy day....

...however

.adventure absence...melancholy 's playground

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