POOR but happy, guide to colombia, but you all talk of hotels, apartment suites,...............................

elmodefoque says on Nov 12, 2004, 07:16:

Dude, if you want cheap places to stay, man, do I have some places for you. If you go to barranquilla, tell the driver to take you to el barrio “la chinita” “el bosque” or “el barrio abajo” he’s going to look at you and think that you must be a suicidal nut or just plain loco, but don’t paid him any mind. They’ve got really cheap hotels, maybe $2.75 dollars a night, but the chances of you returning home (USA) in one piece is zero to none. I especially like one in “el barrio abajo” near what used to be “el teatro ayacucho” is called “culiadero por hora” nice bar right next door, maybe a bit noisy but great vallenato all night long. Everybody will try to sell you stuff to put up your nose; I suggest you don’t do it. They will take your money and not even give you a sample hit and if they feel in a jolly mood will let you live.

I'll get there, when I get there!

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Mr. Hollywood says on Nov 12, 2004, 07:40:

Buh, bye Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out, Max.

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nomad unpopular says on Nov 12, 2004, 07:49:

jajajajajaj cabron, WOW a real rogue traveller?
i have been to barranquilla and stayed in a pension, of paseo bolivar. been to clubs in the area, bought coke, had sex with woman who asked for money in the morning, no problems, apart from crabs.
and for your information i am not a gringo.
well thanks for your advice, how about some of mine.
SALITRE MAGICO, and the AQUA PARKE, diverter cabron(s).

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elmodefoque says on Nov 12, 2004, 07:53:

paseo bolivar, eso es el centro, is like barranquillas, times square or fifth avenue. la chinita is very close to the bus station, very far from there.

I'll get there, when I get there!

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nomad unpopular says on Nov 12, 2004, 07:58:

NO ES CERTO calle 70 is central, marked by the church,
calle 34 is near paseo bolivar much further away,

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Roncita says on Nov 12, 2004, 08:11:

Where are from then Max?

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elmodefoque says on Nov 12, 2004, 08:12:

my man, for the people with money el centro is la 72 and up but for most poor ass barranquillero(del sur) el centro es paseo bolivar. i grew up in el barrio abajo and paseo bolivar was north of us and the only time i made it to la 72 was to sell my butifarras at age 5.

I'll get there, when I get there!

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Miguel says on Nov 12, 2004, 08:13:

Digame Max Ha estado en La Troja antes? Si no concoce ese lugar, Senor Elmo puede ayudarle...Staying at a hostel, buying coke and getting the crabs---pretty impressive if you're talking about the late 70's or early 80's. Like Mr Hollywood said, watch out for that door.

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British Paisa says on Nov 12, 2004, 08:55:

I agree I was just about to comment on the increase of sad loners that you see on the site posting about thair lack of ability to get a woman in the states and therefore having to go to a third world country to make the most of the exchange rate and buy a woman...
jajajajajajaja.......

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Peter (Moderator) (Trustee board) (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 12, 2004, 13:23:

Dionysus says on Nov 12, 2004, 13:24:

British Paisa, the joke is on you jajajajajajaja.......

If you had read more carefully, you would have noticed that nomad_max has not told us where he is from. You must know him really well since you answered for him, telling us he's from the "states."

Watch it BP. You have enough ammo to knock people from the "states" even when it is not clear where the guy is from. Loosen up! If someone who is actually from the "states" or even from another country (although it sounds like you're partial to knocking guys from the states who travel to Colombia) writes something that bothers you, call them on it when it happens. That's called hitting your target. That's why you've never seen me write here about some guys who happened to be British, in my hostel in Salvador, Brazil who were after young whores. Yes, this is a Colombia guide website. But that does not give you free range to classify a guy writing about his sex and drug experiences in Colombia as being from the "states"..... unless you know Max personally. But if you don't know him, your post is lame. Even if you know him, get specific about the guys you're talking about from the "states".

Yes, nomad_max is a cocky nomad who likes to think that he knows what it's like to rough it. There are far worse things than getting crabs on the road, max. Max even tries to challenge elmodefoque on the barrios of Barranquilla! YOU'RE the loser here, know-it-all_max!

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British Paisa says on Nov 12, 2004, 14:26:

Not necessarily!... I was agreeing to max's first post in my comment where he comments about the nature of posts on the site, so I can't really blame you Dionysus for trying to turn it around as "buying a woman" could have been mistaken for using whores, that is if you CAN'T READ!..., if you could read you would see it refers to mail order colombianas and green card chasers.

******************************************************************
My comment was simply based on the people who have posted on this site regarding finding love (catalogue style) in Colombia, as all of them are based in the USA or states, or at least all the posts I have seen are.
Also I don't really mind if people make generalizations about "Brits"...

About someone trying to challenge elmodefoque on slumming it, I agree that anyone would lose as he if the slum king!...(in a nice way).

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BxUnika says on Nov 12, 2004, 14:58:

Ok! You were going to delete a post because it used the word "losers" in it but allow people to talk about where to score drugs and hookers? Alrighty then!

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 12, 2004, 16:03:

elmodefoque says on Nov 12, 2004, 16:08:

BP, I been called many things in my life, in many languages, but I always wanted to be called a King. I wanted to be chief of my tribe once but the sonamanbiches thought that I was too freakin Americanize, I then told them to go f—k themselves. Slum King sounds damn good to me. I know I could out slum everybody here hands down. So I will take that well deserved title with great pride.

sorry isaac, but i'm not going to shoot my nuts off, my wife told me that if i do, she's going to smash the phone on my head.

I'll get there, when I get there!

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Dionysus says on Nov 12, 2004, 17:24:

BP, thanks for being specific But it's still silly. There are 8 posts between Max's first and yours. "Buy a woman" are your words. In another post of his, before your first comment, he says that he gave a woman money after he had sex with her. A mail order bride, no. A traveller paying for sex, yes. It's just ironic that you're agreeing with a non-gringo traveller guy who paid for sex in Colombia (who thinks he can outsmart Elmo) to say that the gringos who come there to marry are sad loners "who make the most of the exchange rate."

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nomad unpopular says on Nov 12, 2004, 18:19:

Okay maybye i was out of line. mmm... all very interesting,
okay elmo i only spent two days in barranquilla, and they were blurry
, i didnt pick up these woman knowing they where going to ask for money, they looked normal, acted normal, etc. obviosly i was played.
and i am half swiss half isreali,
i wasnt making a dig at you elmo, but your first post was offensive.
i am only 19, so as for the 70's and shit,yeah.
i just thought elmo that you were maybe a fake, so i rocked your boat, and it turns out your not, just playing.

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caslug says on Nov 12, 2004, 18:21:

slumming and luxury... in my college days i did a lot of slumming because of finance. ALL travel was on a budget, i remember staying at a crappy hotel in NYC with all the other poor euro tourist. Sure there's a certain romanticism of being poorbuthappy. But as my financial condition improve, i started enjoying life's luxury(nice restaurants, hotels, going to theater, etc.,). Now i rather have a room that is clean, quiet, safe(because I have more to lose now) than staying at a youth hostel sleeping dormitory style(did that in college). Have money/resource allows you to have more options. I don't think i have heard anyone on this board put anyone down for being a budget traveller, so why put people down for traveling in comfort. to each his own...

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nomad unpopular says on Nov 12, 2004, 18:23:

TRUE but POOR but happy i am confused, need more forums....................

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Sam Salmon says on Nov 12, 2004, 18:54:

Max-the country is Poor But H Max-the country is Poor But Happy-the people who post here love it.
However much of a jewel the country is there are many many facets-as Peter says it depends 'who's shining a light where'.
Looking forward to reading your input in future-been to Leticia?


' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

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nomad unpopular says on Nov 12, 2004, 19:15:

ala orden tambien, thankyou for your kind post sam salmon,
i can see this different perspective, that its the country that is poor but happy, this is not directed at us the forum users, ahhhhhhh, thanks, guess i was a little narrow minded. or looking for an arguement.
con gusto- especailly to my allies, above.



(elmo gusta la chorizo) ---broma broma....

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Bill1243 says on Nov 13, 2004, 20:54:

BP As to your comment about mail order brides, BP, if you knew our laws (U.S.), you would know that you just can't pick up a catalog and order one up!!

And as far as seeking women in other countries, just what is wrong with that.?? Is there some international law that says men should marry only within their own borders?? I think not.

And if you were from my town, where 60% of the women are overweight, that doesn't leave much for us single guys. And come to think of it, last time I was in Britain I wasn't too impressed with the "birds" there either. So maybe you should get off your highhorse a bit, and come join us .... you'll have the vacation of your life, as have many British men I have met there....

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 14, 2004, 03:18:

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Nov 14, 2004, 04:43:

atrevido now I understand your choice of nicknake when you wrote to caligringo:)
cheers,
Desi

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

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British Paisa says on Nov 14, 2004, 07:34:

Bill1243 Couldn't agree with you more Bill...
By the way I have lived in Medellin since 1994 and have only been in the UK for the last year studying, returning to Colombia again on a permanent basis in April, but going home (Medellin) over xmas.

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adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 14, 2004, 19:49:

kernow62 says on Nov 14, 2004, 20:17:

Prices are all relative for example I chose Hotel Dann Norte in Bogota because it was a fairly nice hotel in an area that I know to be good. It was within walking distance of 3 places we wanted to visit and very convenient for walking to eateries etc. At $50 a night including all you can eat breakfast it is budget to me, but to a backpacker staying long-term it would be costly. My wife and I would not feel comfortable in a hostel, those days are behind us now. Our budget was up to $100 USD a night, so this was economical for us. We too have family in Bogota, but we prefer to stay in our own digs.

In Cartagena we spent $33 USD a night. For most visitors from USA or Europe any hotel in Colombia is a comparative bargain. The exchange rate also helps us out a hell of a lot.

Poor is a relative term, a poor American still has much more than a poor Colombian, and the same goes for poor Western Europeans. However everyone knows you don't need money to be happy, it sure helps, but often it can be a curse. Luckily I am not cursed with excess money.

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bubba_jones says on Nov 14, 2004, 22:54:

Prices Platypus in Bogota is OK. Cheap and cheerful, with a pretty young crowd, but useful for meeting people and having a laugh and whatnot. I suppose the equivalent in Santa Mart is the Miramar, which really is a dump. Casa Vienna in Cartagena which I've never stayed at, but plenty of cheap hostels in the same area. Hostel anto Domingo in the old town near Plaza Dominigo is about 30K pesos p/night which is nice, but basic.

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 15, 2004, 05:13:

adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 15, 2004, 13:07:

Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 15, 2004, 16:17:

utopiacowboy says on Nov 15, 2004, 16:50:

I guess I can't do any more posting because I never stay in a hostel in Colombia. Stay at my wife's house when in Medellin. Stay at my mother-in-law's when in Monteria. Stay at my sister-in-law's when in Bogota. Stay at my other sister-in-law's when in Cali.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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kernow62 says on Nov 15, 2004, 20:05:

Atrevido you are wrong about European travelers. If you compared prices of hotels in Bogota to those in London or any major city in Europe you would realise that $50 USD is quite inexpensive. In fact I challenge you to find any 4 star hotel in a major Western European city for $50 USD. When you also factor in how inexpensive it is to eat in Bogota versus London etc. well.... there is no comparison in terms of cost.

I am British by the way, not that it matters either way, I've been called worse things than American. :-). Europeans do however tend to be more adventurous travelers than do the majority of folks from the US, but I have met quite a few free spirits in the US too. You must remember that in the US people are brainwashed into believing that the outside world is dangerous and everyone is out to do you harm, it is also instilled from an early age that there is no place in the world as wonderful as the good ol' US of A, so many have no desire to travel outside of her borders, after all it is all at EPCOT. Not all think this way of course but plenty do.

On a different note. When I visited London last we stayed in a small budget hotel near Victoria Station, I think it was $150 a night. Oh and the receptionist was from Bogota! That $150 was one of the cheaper places too. When I visit other parts of Britain I stay in what are called self-catering accomodation, I travel in the off-season to further extend my budget, in fact I found a lovely cottage about 1 mile from the beach in Cornwall for only £100 a week. However if I were to even stay in a Bed & Breakfast it would cost me a minimum of £20 a night, per person! So £40 in the off-season in a Bed & Breakfast would still be a lot more than Hotel Dann Norte.

Perhaps if I was travelling on my own I would be a bit more willing to stay in a hostel.

Just curious where are you from Atrevido?

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kernow62 says on Nov 15, 2004, 20:07:

Never mind Atrevido. I see you are "American". I assume from the USA, but American is a rather vague term, it might mean someone from Colombia or even a Canadian. ;-)

Just messing with ya.

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adrimm (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 15, 2004, 22:20:

Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Nov 15, 2004, 22:27:

expensive here too last summer we took a trip to the Arctic Ocean and stayed a couple of nights at very rustic accomodations (cabin with no inside toilet or water) in the middle of literally nowhere (6 hour drive to the nearest town of any size) at 45 euros a night (about 50 dollars). It was considered a bargain, even at off-season.
A hotel room in Stockholm can be anything between 120-180 dollars a night.
Any Scandinavian tourists would think 50US$ a very affordable price.

Cheers,
Desi

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

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 16, 2004, 04:12:

brunito says on Nov 16, 2004, 04:33:

There are other factors As in taking 5 hours to get from Santa Marta to Carthagena to save $4,000 COP against taking 2 hours for the same ride with another bus company...

Staying in an hostel meant for paisans in downtown Baranquilla and all you have as a bed is a slab of cement covered by a towel. Cockroaches are part of the decoration...

Renting an appartment near Hilton Hotel in Laguito for 50,000 COP, arriving there at midnight from the airport with every amenity closed. Wanting to go to the bathroom with no toilet paper in the bathroom.

You'll excuse me now if I go to the Portofino in Cartagena and to an all inclusive for 3 days when in San Andres. Unless someone has found something equivalent to the Portofino in
San Andres. If so, please let me know, so far all I've found in San Andres is quite expensive.

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kat1 (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Nov 16, 2004, 04:55:

PORTOFINO Brunito can u tell me more about the portofino building,is nice? are the apartments nice.somebody told me that the building has a gymnassium an a sauna is that true.

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kernow62 says on Nov 16, 2004, 05:03:

San Andres is expensive. Compare a taxi ride to one in Bogota. Need some sun block, forget it, you might have well asked for caviar. I only wanted to go to San Andres because I am a scuba diver, so it was not a priority on my Colombia visit. My wife however wanted to visit, she had always heard how wonderful it is, so we planned for just a short 3 day visit. I really did not care for San Andres, I think Providencia would be more to my liking. Lots of people seem to really like it in San Andres, especially paisas, every tourist we met seemed like they were paisa. Most of the merchants seemed to be from the middle-east or from Cartagena, the locals we met were very nice.
We talked about cricket, apparently the locals still have an interest in the game. Not sure if it is still played, anyone know?

The beaches are nice, the water is fantastic, breathtaking & Colombia is starting to spend some money on the island to improve the main town.

Stick to bottled water, and if the hotel has juice at breakfast, make sure it isn't watered down drink mix, and no ice. I didn't heed my second warning and paid dearly when I got back to Bogota. In fact my last three days in Colombia were spent planning my days around bathroom facilities. I can recommend Lomotil, it really works, better than shoving a cork up the ol' back passage!

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brunito says on Nov 16, 2004, 05:18:

Monteria, your questions about Bocagrande Hi!

There is a pool, but even though I've been there 3 times I don't remember seeing a sauna or a gym. I might be wrong.

The appartments are quite nice and clean. I have to find the time to learn how to post multiple photos in the image gallery.

If you want to get in touch with my friend in Cartagena in order to help you out with Portofino or other things, write me at

bforcier at videotron.ca

Thanks

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Atrevido (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 16, 2004, 17:47: