Where are some good places to hang out in Medellin besides Poblado?

tomtom33 says on Aug 25, 2007, 04:23:

The areas on this map in blue are safe: http://www.medellininfo.com/maps/medellin2.jpg. This site is owned by a PBHer, Jim Bone.

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john_stark says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:00:

The map is idiotic. He's got places on there like Belen LaPalma that are perfectly safe not in blue.

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gbeckler says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:01:

We visited Medellin in July and stayed in El Poblado. We met a local from the U.S. who ended up being our tour guide. We had a great time. If you would like to get in touch with him you can email me directly at gbeckler at comcast.net. I didn't sense that people were arrogant and unfriendly but we were there only three days.

Gary

Thanks for the map Tom.

Gary

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ozgringo says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:05:

I live in Laureles which is safe, and less sterile than Poblado. People here are friendly and helpful and not the least bit stuck up. Can't speak for Poblado since I haven't lived there but I do go shopping there and drive through there regularly.
Poblado is a very busy place with loads of traffic, even weekends are busy there.

I do regularly venture outside the "blue" areas on the map into the city centre and on the Metro, and never had cause for alarm in the 6 months I have spent here. Take the usual precautions and enjoy your visit.

may a thousand mangy wombats shit in your billabong

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ozgringo says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:09:

None of Laureles is in blue either, apart from the Uni of Pontificia Bolivariana.. crazy..
I think perhaps this is the paranoid version..

may a thousand mangy wombats shit in your billabong

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panthdave says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:10:

Many places to visit in Medellin...You will know if your venturing into the wrong neighberhood and even if you do not like the States people are friendly...Be adventureous you will have fun go thru each barrio.....

I have done many just don't go alone at night maybe that is one good idea...

Enjoy Medellin Paisas are the Best..

panthdave Miami

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robi666 says on Aug 25, 2007, 08:43:

Oh Jesus, I live in a danger area and I didn't know it! Now I am afraid to walk outside my building...

"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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pedro says on Aug 25, 2007, 11:02:

To begin with, try la 33. Good nightlife (my first choice is El Carboncito).

La 70 for smaller, quieter bars including vallenato.

Las Palmas.

Sabaneta.

Envigado.

Really too many to list. Get local advice.

que nota!

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nine inch nails says on Aug 25, 2007, 14:09:

I didn't think they were stuck up in Poblado. The security guard at the McDonalds (Oveido) even when he toted a shotgun helped me empty my tray into the garbage. That's pretty darn nice. Encountered a couple servers in a restaurant (Lleras) who weren't the friendliest but by and large most people really nice.

get down, get down. are you afraid of the boogie monster?

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junkyak says on Aug 25, 2007, 14:40:

Arite thanks guys, maybe just a few bad apples. Im gonna dress as poor as possible lol

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junkyak says on Aug 25, 2007, 14:43:

arite thanks guys, maybe those people I talked to just had some luck of the draw bad experiences.

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john_stark says on Aug 25, 2007, 19:33:

Here is something that you can actually use to judge the relative safety of Medellin barrios: statistics on homicides by barrio. http://www.medellin.gov.co/AdmonContenido/EstadisticasGobierno/Documen...

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bartolo_colon says on Aug 26, 2007, 00:42:

I cant read that map for shit, maybe gettin old. Anyhow, are is this a serious question, go where ever you want in Medellin, just conduct your self in a way that keeps you safe, just like any other city. You ask were else besides Poblado? Everywere else. Just trust your gut, if it seems sketchy keep it together. Its, fucking Medellin man, have fun and get out, you will be fine, if you end up in a shit neigborhood, you probably there for a reason.

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

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bartolo_colon says on Aug 26, 2007, 00:55:

I agree with PathDave "You will know if your venturing into the wrong neighberhood and even if you do not like the States people are friendly...Be adventureous you will have fun go thru each barrio....." Thats pretty much the way it is. There are barrios in Medellin that are fucking beyond coprehension dangerous, but I have no idea how you would get there by accident, so take it easy, the worst neighborhoods in South America are in Venezuela and Brazil.

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

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junkyak says on Aug 26, 2007, 01:00:

Thanks for the link John, from looking at the stats, laureles doesnt look all that safe like people say.

Bartolo, yea its a serious question. I dont know where your from, but I wouldnt be telling tourists to come to LA and go down and visit compton to say hi to the bloods and crips. I dont care how you conduct yourself, if you walk into the wrong hood from compton to rio, your gonna get hit up regardless.

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panthdave says on Aug 26, 2007, 05:25:

Like I said the poor barrios of MDE you cannot compare to the ghettos of major cities in the States. Paisas are friendly but at night if your in a bad barrio I would advise don't be alone but even then probably nothing..Talking for Medellin though. Bogota or cities of Colombia cannot talk for..

Also if your drinking heavy go with of couple buddies use the same rules you have here in the States or anywhere....Example: if your in Centro at 2AM Shitfaced hey percentages are higher that somebody might fok with you..but you know Medellin Paisas are friendly..

Just examples use your street smarts..

panthdave Miami

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panthdave says on Aug 26, 2007, 05:28:

Like I said the poor barrios of MDE you cannot compare to the ghettos of major cities in the States. Paisas are friendly but at night if your in a bad barrio I would advise don't be alone but even then probably nothing..Talking for Medellin though. Bogota or cities of Colombia cannot talk for..

Also if your drinking heavy go with of couple buddies use the same rules you have here in the States or anywhere....Example: if your in Centro at 2AM Shitfaced hey percentages are higher that somebody might fok with you..but you know Medellin Paisas are friendly..

Just examples use your street smarts..

panthdave Miami

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tomtom33 says on Aug 26, 2007, 05:35:

Jim's map is not perfect, and it is too small to read for me. He put it together from interviews with Medellin taxi drivers. My guess is that the safe areas are safe. No where does he say that anything not marked safe is "no go."

I frankly have not scrutinized the map because I live here and know where I can go.

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tomtom33 says on Aug 26, 2007, 05:36:

Crime stats? Give me a break.

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morphus says on Aug 26, 2007, 08:26:

In Poblado, you will meet people from all over Medellin so don't get discouraged. You should hang out in Parque Poblado. Little by little you will get to know more people. Not everybody that lives in Poblado is stuck up. I met some rich Colombianos from Poblado. They invited me to hang out and treated me to drinks.

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panthdave says on Aug 26, 2007, 08:49:

Watched a concert there during Festival de Flores GF and I took walk to see the concert..and only thing was there was only Pilsen so walked over the Ponoma to get Brava's and aguila and snuck them in behind the gates in my GF's purse..


Parque Llares alittle stuck up some of the waitresses but not bad..but don't let me judge use to that shit here in MIA>..

panthdave Miami

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john_stark says on Aug 26, 2007, 20:28:

What's wrong with actual crime statistics? The trouble with PBH is all this anecdotal crap or some guy who made a stupid map after talking to a few cab drivers. That's better?

As for Poblado, I never go there and I never want to go there. You want to see the same crappy designer stores in the same kind of crappy malls you left back home, fine, go to El Poblado. Knock yourself out but don't come back and then tell me that you experienced anything close to the real Colombia.

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manINred says on Aug 26, 2007, 20:42:

Very very disconcerting news concerning a friend of mine who got into a horrible motor accident because the dude on the motorbike behind him was shot dead and the killers made sure my friend wasn't to tell what happened.... ugh, makes me sick thinking about it. happened in las palmas.

anyway... Belen Fatima, near the pueblito paisa up on the hill is a nice neighbourhood. Near Unicentro... those areas seem safe and nice, there are always people coming up to talk to me. The best method is to just get out there and meet people. Talk, learn the language and culture,, you'll figure it out... I did.

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tomtom33 says on Aug 27, 2007, 05:34:

The problem with actual crime statistics is that they do not tell any kind of realistic story. How often are crimes actually reported? How are the statistics gathered? Are they gathered and reported in the same way in all areas?

There seems to be much less uniformity in even understanding laws and directives in Colombia. How does that translate to statistical methodology?

Liars figure and figures lie.

I will grant the anecdotal evidence is not, in fact, evidence. However, enough anecdotal stories combine to form evidence better than flawed statistics can provide.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Nice edit button, gracias.

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john_stark says on Aug 27, 2007, 05:56:

I would agree that there is probably some inconsistency in reporting but I still believe that the city of Medellin's statistics are better than nothing. After all, it's based on those same statistics that everyone crows about how much safer Medellin is. The anecdotes run like this, "I just feel so much safer blah blah blah..."

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tomtom33 says on Aug 27, 2007, 07:00:

Better than nothing, certainly. Better than interviews with local taxistas?

I do get a chuckle out of comparisons of Colombian and US crime stats. Can you say apples and martians?

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manINred says on Aug 27, 2007, 08:28:

Yeah, I wonder if the assassination that my poor friend was witness got reported. It almost definitely didn't. He didn't tell anybody important, and the dead body beside him on the ground was carted off by the assailants before any police came. My friend was told to keep his mouth shut. He didn't see anything...

and another one bites the dust.

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morphus says on Aug 27, 2007, 13:09:

John_Stark, the malls and crappy stores are all over Medellin. Not just in Poblado. Who cares about experiencing the real Colombia? Most of us are there on vacation blowing our money. Theres nothing real about that.

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morphus says on Aug 27, 2007, 13:28:

John_stark, were'nt you one of those guys that got picked up at the airport by a Colombiana? I want to hear the whole story por favor.

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panthdave says on Aug 27, 2007, 17:51:

Junkyak try Sabineta there in the park some cool little bars and for a fact was there a couple of weeks with my GF and friends and I seen some of the most amazing girls roaming around there at the little bars in Sabineta..ofcourse the GF watched me..played off a few times while going to the bathroom....seemed not prepagos but you know can never tell by site in Colombia..very difficult.sometimes..Try Enivagdo and go around to other barrios...to see different places..I go to Parque Llares for only thing now like this Sushi joint and there is fish restaurant off the beaten path which the same owners have a place in Centro which I didn't know they had the same place in Parque Llares but it is on a side street and now only have to go Parque Llares to get my fish chowder or soup which I get all the time...

panthdave Miami

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tomtom33 says on Aug 27, 2007, 18:48:

Dave, those girls are very friendly in Sabaneta. And there are some grillas as well. Nice balance.

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manINred says on Aug 28, 2007, 18:25:

Which sushi joint in Lleras panthdave? There was one i went to a lot, one of the only reasons i'd be in lleras :) Perhaps we've crossed paths!

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robi666 says on Aug 28, 2007, 18:28:

The one in Lleras is a good Sushi restaurant indeed! Also the small carrito of "Sushi to go" en la transversal inferior is good.

"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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john_stark says on Aug 28, 2007, 21:54:

Usually a member of the family picks me up at the airport or one of the guys.

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morphus says on Aug 29, 2007, 17:11:

Where did you stay? How long did you wait before you played hide the salami?

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john_stark says on Aug 29, 2007, 17:35:

I always stay at her apartment or a house or finca owned by a family member. As for hiding the salami, she is muy caliente.

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morphus says on Aug 29, 2007, 19:36:

I had a muy caliente Colombiana and if I did'nt give her the salami at least 3 times a day she would complain that I have impotencia :)

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john_stark says on Aug 29, 2007, 22:59:

She was having salami for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I like a woman with a good appetite.

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