My cartagena trip is a reality, now within 2 weeks, I have some questions...

markemarc1 says on Mar 12, 2008, 08:50:

Don't Go! I heard there is a war going on.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

nine inch nails says on Mar 12, 2008, 09:01:

5. Joyslava discoteca.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

alezzz says on Mar 12, 2008, 09:27:

what is LDV? pardon my ignorance

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Mar 12, 2008, 09:28:

1. Bring a minimum amount of cash, use the ATM-machines which are just outside the baggage claim/customs area. No real difference in the banks.

2. Shorts OK in the daytime, gringo wear them at night but what the hell-you are on vacation.

3. A Casio is what I wear anytime the wife and I are traveling in Latin America

4. Jeans are, IMHO, just too hot due to the material. Khaki would be better.

5. Hit the night spots in the Old Walled City (remember, In Colombia, activity starts late but goes on till late into the night) The crowd build up to the weekends. If you are going to be their over Holy Week,16 - 23 March ( Semana Santa) the crowds will be fierce.

Good food, and lots of female college students. Seriously consider a Rumba Chiva trip which can be booked all along San Martin Blvd. Take the local bus for transportation-safe and very inexpensive. The taxi drivers are rip off artists-make sure you establish the fare before you get in-no tipping. Ask the desk at the hotel what the fare should be-if you find a taxi driver you like get his cell phone number and use him. It will be hot and humid so plan on chaging shirts often.

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

alezzz says on Mar 12, 2008, 09:31:

Thanks for the info tomtom... :-)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

DodgerDogs says on Mar 12, 2008, 09:36:

LDV chicas will charge a gringo 100,000 to 200,000 pesos , while they will do a local for
50,000 . You are better of going to the casino next door and getting Mario or Ernesto to
hook you up with the LDV chica you want.

It is better to come to Colombia to enjoy the other things Colombia offers,
as if you just want cheap hookers you can do that in Mexico.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

0 funny, 0 helpful.

El Polo says on Mar 12, 2008, 10:31:

LOL. There is an ATM in the airport, if your cash starts running low during your stay, use an atm in hightraffic / tourist areas. Shorts are a must, casio watch is ok, shortsleeve button down / nice t shirts & jeans are good for nights out, (go casual not formal) most nightspot around la avenida arsenal are usually good, dont let the girls at LDV know you hit an ATM earlier that day & stay away from Tony, also be prepared to tell the mesage ladies on the beach NO!!! They are persistent and will still try to cop a feel sometimes :)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

dwr says on Mar 12, 2008, 10:53:

Reconsider Cartagena. Go to Rio

0 funny, 0 helpful.

poco says on Mar 12, 2008, 11:05:

Quote: Cheap watches are fine. I wear my US$10 Walgreen special.

Ha,, true. I saw them and bought two. Gave them away as gifts. Honestly, they were a good deal. Personally I prefer a name brand watch,, like my $20 day date Timex I got at Wal Mart. Keeps on tick'n if you get a lick'n.

Good advise about taking cash especially when going with a group. I take about $100 to cover the taxi in the US.

Colombian Chickens are crowing about the new President of the U.S. who will assure that From each according to their ability to each according to their need.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

dwr says on Mar 12, 2008, 11:06:

Man I wish I was in Santa Marta about now!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

nine inch nails says on Mar 12, 2008, 11:59:

"LDV chicas will charge a gringo 100,000 to 200,000 pesos"

And how much for that Spitzer?? (jajajajaja)

0 funny, 0 helpful.

nine inch nails says on Mar 12, 2008, 11:59:

12 millions pesos?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Saltador says on Mar 12, 2008, 13:42:

The locals aren't doing many LDV girls for 50,000 pesos anymore. I looked it up on urbanlegends.com...

0 funny, 0 helpful.

cali373 says on Mar 12, 2008, 13:49:

ALWAYS ASK HOW MUCH BEFORE YOU BUY OR ASK FOR A SERVICE!!!

It is hot in Cartagena. During the day just walk around the historic center "el centro". There are many intersting shops, cafes, restaurants in el centro. If you can try staying in el centro too. Bocagrande is modern and safe but no charm, nothing special about it, its like a Miami. ATM´s can be found in the airport or several banks in el centro and bocagrande.

Try all the plazas of the historic center especially for dinner, san diego, santo domingo, san pedro. Cafe del mar is kool but it is not for food.

Clubs are great along"la Calle Arsenal". Alte night clubs are Elektra, which had many prostitutes but many foreigner go there. It has pretty good music. dont worry you will not get bombarded by prepagos.

you will probably find out about ISIS, it full of whores, I though it was a strip club to my suprise HAHAHA.

I always wore jeans and a short sleeve button down shirt. Try a rosario island tour as well.

The woman seem to have gotten hotter in Cartagena this year.

Smile if you are a thinker!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Chriscan (☼Travelguide writer) says on Mar 12, 2008, 15:52:

El Polo says on Mar 12, 2008, 16:28:

Rob you forgot to mention 6) las aguila negras 7) the resurface of los pepes

0 funny, 0 helpful.

El Polo says on Mar 12, 2008, 16:37:

Hey Rob, what the deal with the 666 vaina?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Saltador says on Mar 12, 2008, 16:39:

This is what I hate about this board. A guy asks a serious question, and is bombarded with exaggerations, stereotypes, and misinformation.
Just the nature of PBH and it's members. It is what it is.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

El Polo says on Mar 12, 2008, 16:42:

In my humble and non-bias opnion, my advice was the best!!! and pretty straightfoward. I speak for myself.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

El Polo says on Mar 12, 2008, 16:45:

Una palenquera mas maluca grabbed my ass once while on the beach in bocagrande, that is why I added the last line in. At first thought, I assumed it was a stunning cachaca but it turned out to be to complete opposite, she managed to grab my ass while balancing a bowl full of mangos on her head

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mjordan2169 says on Mar 12, 2008, 18:11:

Thank you everyone who answered this post seriously. Like I said, the trip is booked, no need to tell me to go somewhere else.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mjordan2169 says on Mar 12, 2008, 18:45:

As for the Chiva bus...are there different companies? Is it totally random? Is the price negotiable or how much should I be paying? Which ones are best?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

DodgerDogs says on Mar 12, 2008, 19:25:

If you want to ride a chiva go wait in front of the Hilton hotel, many people will approach you
and offer what ever you want. Then haggle for the best price and get on the bus with best looking Chicas Sabado noches are best .....Good luck and use your wits, and dont let temptation ever set you up for a street con...... And if Cartagena seems not what you want then its 2 1/2 -- 3 hrs. and 20,000 pesos to better Playas and cheaper prices in Santa Marta.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.Martin Luther King:

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Gator says on Mar 12, 2008, 20:07:

Rumba Chiva is an old bus called a chiva with a small live typical band known as "conjunto vallenato" on board that tours the city raising hell.You also get a small bottle of rum free(tip buy a bigger one before you get on board) cost say 35.000 pesos.No real "best" most of the bigger hotels can get you a ticket or plenty of touts on the streets also sell tickets.

Couple of restaurants are Juan del Mar Restaurante, Plaza San Diego, Club De Pesca for sea food, try the Pargo Rojo, La Olla on San Martine Blvd., Restaurante Dany El Churrasco Argentino
Bocagrande on Cl 5 2-104-try their arequipe ice cream and right down the street in the Hotel Da Pietro on Cr 3, 4-401 is a good Italian restaurant

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Juanes says on Mar 13, 2008, 05:17:

- shorts are fine and if your arriving from a coldish place and you havent acclimatised then its still on to wear them at night cos its hot there. i wore them in the day and night most times but its a bit harder to hide your boner if ya want to try out some salsa or dance moves con una negrita especial por la noche.

- try to avoid them with flowery/hawai shirt....to look like u just come in off the cruise ship
- try to avoid them with.....white terry towelling socks pulled up high like a german/austrian

- ATM's...i used my two visa debit normal bank cards in the bank machines just outside the clock face entrance area outside the walled city....no charge o ni problema....a normal bank card can be used all over colombia frankly. the only place in all latin american or central countrires i had problemas was in Puerto Cortes in HOnduras.

- jeans and tshirt/short sleev t shirt is good to look more colombian and blend in and estoy seguro que tengas mas suerte con las mamacitas con esta ropa por la noche.

oh yeah, i bought my black plastic casioin manizales cos i lost me other going up in the snow at 5500 metres for 38 mil and it lasted me for ages so less blazey the better.

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Juanes/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Juanes says on Mar 13, 2008, 06:31:

''LDV chicas will charge a gringo 100,000 to 200,000 pesos , while they will do a local for
50,000 . You are better of going to the casino next door and getting Mario or Ernesto to
hook you up with the LDV chica you want.''

what the hell, there are people paying this kind of money to sleep with colombians around cartagena........if thats the case and you want that im telling you just hop on a bus to santa marta near the promenade and hang around the bars there and for no more than 30 mil you can complete your mission....cos i was the same negrita i paid 20 or 25 mil.........even around the bogota in the capital city i was in a place with a friend around carrera 9 or something that costs 30 mil........crazy........why have one when you can have a variety for the same price..........

oh and this is when i wanted this option, a lot of times i met girls naturally in the bars or on the net beforehad on friendsabroad.com, facebook,etc

seriously, i only paid more than 20 mil once in 3 months in colombia which is when i arrived in cali at nightime and i didnt know my bearings so i soon checked out of the 45 mil place and for the pleasure of a morena o negrita o rubia a veces nunca me he pagado mas de 30 mil pesitos. verdad

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Juanes/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Juanes says on Mar 13, 2008, 17:24:

not really tomatito. i still found girls not in the mom and pop brigade for 25 or 30 mil down in clubs zones in cali and medellin and bogota.....jus saying you got to have atm tattooed on your forehead to pay 200 mil for a hooker in ldv or wherever your khaki shorts take u, not even the street girls in rio who are just as nice if not better than colombianas charged me the equivalent in reales.

im sure people really notice the quality of paying that 175k mil more after youve had ten costenas and a half bottle of ron medellin o aguadiente.

chau papito de estados unidos

http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Juanes/

0 funny, 0 helpful.

mjordan2169 says on Mar 13, 2008, 21:38:

No more comments robi666

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Chriscan (☼Travelguide writer) says on Mar 14, 2008, 03:53: