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retiring in columbia
Looking for some honest feedback
I am canadian and my wife is Columbian. We are considering retiring in Columbia in a few years time and are considering Santa Marta or Cartenga.
Are these areas safe for a Gringo or are there better areas in columbia.
Relatives tell us it is safe, no different then the big cities but a few people on this forum pretty well indicate this is a bad idea.
Looking for some more feedback on this topic.
Thanks
Canadian Gringo
By trillium on Sep 25, 2009, 14:12 in Friendly Talkzone.
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makopp5 says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:14: Who knows how it will be in several years when you retire and Chavez is still in power.
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theflatline says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:16: Go see several other places before you decide on the heat and dirtiness of the coast. Legaleez for Complete Morons - A book for gringos in Colombia for who think they understand the nature of the law in a country where they cannot speak the language. 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:16: Dont know much about retiring in Columbia nor Catenga.......sorry, cant help ya. =) "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 2 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:29: hmmmm...in the co-ed dorms? "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Desi1 (Moderator) says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:30: You guys cut it out. A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:33: Ok, ok......Sir Trillium, it is Colombia, and Cartagena......please locate it on the map, and if your destination is in South America, we can probably help you out, Please list what questions you would like answered. "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Desi1 (Moderator) says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:35: Much better Clavo. A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:38: i would rather have the Tshirts with a photo of either Monporri or Simon on it....i need to replace the shredded bullseye target in my office, and i was thinking "what better place for a photo of monporri or simon......." ...jajajja "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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tlop says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:38: How can you marry a Colombian and still not spell it correctly?
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Brian858 says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:40: I live in Barranquilla and wouldn't recommend anywhere on the coast unless you like extreme heat. We don't even leave the house most days between 9am to 5pm unless we must and then we take a car with the A/C blasting the whole time. I would recommend finding a place at a minimum altitude of 1,500 meters (about 4921 feet) . http://www.youtube.com/harringtonb 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:40: maybe he has a redneck Utopia, TX keyboard? "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 15:02: Ok, i retired to Cartagena and have been here almost 2 years fulltime. Cartagena is by far, the safest major city in Colombia. However, the climate is constantly hot and most of the time very humid (80% today). The coast has two dry seasons, and two wet seasons. I have only had 2 problems here regarding the BAQ police trying to get money out of me. Never had an issue safety wise, and i slum it with the best of them. Exercise normal personal safety procedures and life here will be quiete normal. If you do things that mature adults should not do, all will be good. "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 1 funny, 0 helpful. |
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jman73 says on Sep 25, 2009, 15:21: tlop says on Sep 25, 2009, 14:38 (today): flag "Anyone who thinks that Colombia is a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." jman73 1 funny, 1 helpful. |
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Bill Turley (Moderator) says on Sep 25, 2009, 16:07: I retired to a small inland village at 1700m and have been totally happy and have never been threatened. It is away from the pollution of the cities and the heat and humidity of the coast. We have NO weather extremes, no severe storms, it never freezes, no hurricanes, no snow, no hail etc. I appologise for the harassment about the spelling but the only U in Colombia is in the US Mr. Bill Somondoco 1 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 16:09: Bill, dont applogise for it. People learn new things every day. Part of life. "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 1 funny, 0 helpful. |
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larryrn says on Sep 25, 2009, 16:10: Santa Marta is fine - I agree with the above comments about it being hot - but I find with time, I tend to tolerate it more. If it gets too hot I turn on the AC but the majority of the time there is a breeze. Barranquilla to me offers much more to do than Santa Marta - but the beach isn't as nice and it's more expensive. “Your source for Online Nursing CEUs” -- www.rn.org www.rnceu.us www.enfermeria.us www.enfermeriasite.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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Bill Turley (Moderator) says on Sep 25, 2009, 16:18: I Don't need a chain saw I have a little dog. Mr. Bill Somondoco 1 funny, 0 helpful. |
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charlysito71 says on Sep 25, 2009, 16:45: If you want to retire to the most enjoyable weather in colombia.Don't overlook the area around Fusagasuga and Silvania. The temperature remains at 72-78 at my condo, and same as stated above, no bad weather except a thunderstorm occasionally.Fresh mountain air and loads of flowers and fruit. We also have never had any problems.They are building and have some completed new homes and low rise apartments for sale,though I have not checked out the prices.The new four lane from Bogota will soon be complete and will cut the time to less than a half hour drive,but until they do something with the nightmare in Soacha it remains up in the air when the congestion will end. Good luck on your retirement!!
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rjstuff says on Sep 25, 2009, 17:33: Both Santa Marta and Cartagena are very nice and I love to visit them - but they are both very hot and of course touristy (read crowded). I am thinking of a moderate climate - my first choice is Bucaramanga; others include Medellin etc. What are you looking for in the place? Peace and quiet or party? Good Luck
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lampltr says on Sep 25, 2009, 17:47: "You guys cut it out." That was a riot Desi, still smirking about it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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span_colombia says on Sep 25, 2009, 18:07: best thing you can do is take an extended vacation, tour colombia and see what you like. I'd probably live on the coast for a while if it weren't for the heat.
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 25, 2009, 18:22: Desi, i will take a photo of Brian instead...he would make a nice target on my dartboard in my office...... "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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manchester says on Sep 26, 2009, 20:11: I have a house in el rodadero santa marta for retirement......it is safe......just normal precautions..
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Bluesdude says on Sep 27, 2009, 09:33: I've lived in Cartagena for almost four years, and it has it's ups and downs like everywhere. I like it because it's a very convenient city, easy and cheap to get around in, and safer than most US cities. You have the caribbean atmosphere and a growing infrastructure for shopping and getting things that you need to live a good life. It is more expensive than most other Colombian cities for basic needs stuff and housing, but I like being close to the beach and being able to walk to markets, shops, restaurants, and places of leisure. The down side? The street and beach people, con artists and hustlers that tourists attract, but I usually just ignore them and they me (now that they know I'm a local). Other places might be better like Santa Marta (and I hear cheaper too). I feel safer here than in many US cities. A guru once said, "the mind is like a drunken monkey." If that's true, then my mind is an orangutan on a binge 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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trillium says on Sep 28, 2009, 13:17: I really do appreciate the serious comments about retiring in Colombia, good information. really looking for a somewhat peaceful area, the heat is not much of a problem for me. closer to the water the better.
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Miguel_Clavo says on Sep 28, 2009, 13:30: you wont get the true flavor of the weather here during that time. Shitty weather begins in May and last until November. keep that in mind.... "So Many PBH Potatoheads.......So Little Time"......El Titiritero (The Puppeteer).....www.slapdoll.com 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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viajero123 says on Sep 28, 2009, 15:37: There is very little road safety in Colombia, if that is your concern. I don´t think this is exclusive to Colombian feature though, maybe it´s very similar in this sense in the rest of Latin American or the developing world?
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Atrevido says on Sep 28, 2009, 18:35: I have lived at 2100m (around seven thousand feet) outside Cali for about five years. Average daytime temperature is 65F. https://sites.google.com/site/colombianaturesite/nature-images 0 funny, 0 helpful. |
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span_colombia says on Sep 28, 2009, 19:06: good plan to come and travel around first.
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