PBH Dissappointment...could be different.

RAAAY says on Nov 23, 2007, 07:29:

JimA................I'm not sure if you are referring to amazing dives in SA meaning South America or SA referring to San Andreas.......................but if you are reffering to San Andreas.........it is truly fantastic for diving....................I have dived in 27 locations around the world and San Andreas ranks up there with some of the best...................

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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slguy says on Nov 23, 2007, 09:49:

Interesting post.

The thing is, in my view PBH is more than just a place to post/receive info about what hotel is best in Cartago, or why or why not to rent a car in Bogota. All that stuff is easily available here, of course. But most of us regulars here view this board as more of a community than just a place to give/get typical travel info.

Peter works his ass off to provide a place that's easy to use, as long as basic rules of consideration for one another are followed.

All of the moderators here are wicked smart, and for the most part do a fantastic job with style and wit - especially considering they do the job for free, out of love for the community.

Like any community, it's a very diverse place. Meek and mild, blowhards, socialists, capitalists, oversexed, undersexed, doctors, lawyers, indian chiefs ;) - PBH has them all. If you're loooking for only Lonely Planet-style input, it's readily available- especially if one takes the time to use the search function. But depending on how seriously one takes the written word, you can also love, hate, cry and scream. It is whatever one wants to make it, within a framework that's pretty easy to grasp, if one is so inclined.

But rarely will you see anyone, from the freshest newbie to the oldest poster here, ask sincerely for help with something, and not receive it. This includes help online AND help in person. Pretty cool, in my book.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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Chelesupercono says on Nov 23, 2007, 12:54:

siguy....great post.....I might add that anyone who lives in or travels to Colombia are for the most part are, as some people say, "out of the box" Hence, you find the diversity as described above.....I have a great deal of respect for most of the PBH members.....

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

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Nov 23, 2007, 13:11:

Thank you, slguy, for the vote of confidence. Slowly but surely, we're getting there and PBH is certainly looking like a community more and more every day. We're basically a travel forum, of course, but I also feel that we've gone way beyond that and become also a sociocultural forum. We're not just for tourists but also for people relocating, people with an interest in Colombia, people doing research on Colombia, expats in Colombia.

For me, helping with this forum is a form of paying back a debt of gratitude I have with Colombia, for so much happiness it has given me, for so many things it has taught me, for making me the person I am today.

Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Man Tequila says on Nov 23, 2007, 13:37:

I hope you have a great time travelling in Colombia and hope the information you gleaned here is helpful. But doesn't it seem ironic for you to whine about the whiners? People are disappointed when their expecations aren't realized, but on the Web what expectations should you have?

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Noelito40 says on Nov 27, 2007, 07:29:

As a relative newbie, I have to defend PBH. I came here a few months ago from Celtic Tiger Ireland, to marry my Colombiana partner, and am now living in Bogota for a while. From the moment I decided to come to Colombia I was told about PBH and found it an excellent site for information on Colombia (especially useful as it has contributions from both gringos and natives).

The thing about a forum like PBH is that to me it is like a work environment, when you ask a question in a post, of course you get some sarcastic replies from people, but you also get really honest and insightful information from people who have direct experience of your situation, or who are genuinely trying to help. That’s the thing I like about PBH, you folks give your advice and experience free with the best of intentions, and for the most part you can always take the advice as being objective (apart from the guy who seems to have a stock answer to all posts namely “I have a great Colombian lawyer who can help you, mail me at…blah, blah�)

I’ve gotten spot on information here recently on the requirements for my conjugal visa and cedula de extanjeria, and I’m off to Cartagena next week so will print out a thread over the past few days on restaurants in Cartagena, so for me PBH is a site I visit everyday to get really good info, and I will continue to do so.

Mil gracias

Noelito

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RAAAY says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:01:

Noel............the Celtic Tiger appears to have gotten a little limp.............




Today's Indo


" ......By Shane Hickey and Dearbhail McDonald
Tuesday November 27 2007


HOMEOWNERS are resorting to abandoning their properties as they become unable to deal with the pressures of repaying mortgages.


Yesterday, repossession orders on six properties were granted by the High Court, mirroring a recent trend which has seen the numberof families losing their homes soar.

Marriage break-up has emerged as a feature in some cases where the banks have sought repossession as payments go unfulfilled.

In the last three years, repossession orders sought by banks and mortgage companies have more than doubled.

Yesterday Judge Elizabeth Dunne granted IIB Homeloans a repossession order against a home in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow which had been abandoned. "

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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Noelito40 says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:13:

I know Ray, everyday I keep up to date with www.breakingnews.ie!! I sold my house a few months ago when I could see that prices were only going one way, now I can have a couple of years in Colombia, and if I go back to Ireland, by the same house cheaper ;-)

Noelito

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RAAAY says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:17:

Maybe Biffo will come to the rescue..............

.........Its useless to argue with ignorance

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Noelito40 says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:33:

I'm not an FF fan Ray, as far as I'm concerned the soliders of destiny have wasted the chance we had to put money into infrastructure and let us have something to show for all the money that poured in in the past 10 years. But I don't blame Bertie and Co, I blame the people who voted for them, maybe a few years of humility, not being able to fly off to Europe every second week, play golf in the K club, buy foreign property, etc, will make the natives wake up and realise that when a country gets money, it should think of tomorrow not today, because today doesn't last forever...

Noelito

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msaucey says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:40:

JimA, take PBH for what you want.... But, for the most part this is a really great site... It's easier to get information about what's going on in Colombia on this site then from the on-line newspaper and real account of the struggles about relocating to Colombia...

Slguy has pretty much summarized everything we regulars feel about PBH.... You obviously did receive some good advice, so use that, you'll find that information found elsewhere is not as real.... We right from first hand experience, you may change your opinion after your trip and then realized that PBH was right....

None the less, we all love Colombia and our ultimate goal is to live there... Some have figured out a way to do it, others are working on their plan, and others are living in Colombia vicariously through PBH....

The great thing is that people can express their views.... as long as the listen to the monkey!....

BTW, I've been to Colombia many times, but because of valueable information I obtained on PBH, I was able to plan my trip more carefully.... I got a great lead on an eye surgery clinic.... Followed the lead, did my research and had my surgery.... Found out about extreme sports, got the lead and booked my side trip.... found out about some new hot springs, I'd never even heard of, researched it further, booked my trip and took the whole family for the first time!.....

Enjoy your trip....

PS, MODS do a great job.... Heck with as much stuff as people try to get away with, they're really on top of it.... Good Job....

The trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. - CS Lewis

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morphus says on Nov 27, 2007, 08:47:

"PBH Dissappointment...could be different"

Boo Hoo...

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