DoninLasVegas has left 14 comments

DoninLasVegas comments on American Gof Hotel or ?????????

American Golf Hotel Jay1234 pretty much sums it up. I stayed at the hotel back in December 2005. It's in a nice part of town so for the price I considered it a bargain. The second floor room I stayed in was too close to the lobby so at times I could hear "out in the lobby" noise. The restaurant is adequate. The pool was too small to exercise in (smaller than most backyard pools), but was large enough to cool off in.

When I wrote the manager prior to my decision on where to stay I asked if there were any discounted rates available. Since I stayed about one week he discounted the daily rate by about 10%.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Buying Avianca tickets online for travel within Colombia?

Been there had "problems" I tried to purchase tickets on the Avianca site for my finacee's flight from Barranquilla to Bogota about 2 months ago. I went to the "colombia" portion of the web-site & got a great price & tried to pay with my credit card (VISA). I received a message that I would receive an e-mail to confirm my credit card had been charged & the seat had been reserved. Instead of getting an e-mail I received a phone call that the price would be different if I used my VISA -- almost double the price quoted in pesos. I was told that to receive the lower price that someone in Colombia would have to go to an Avianca office in person & pay in pesos. I sent my fiancee the pesos & she paid in person in Barranquilla.

The moral of the story is that there are two prices. One for those who pay with credit cards from outside Colombia and a second for someone who can pay with cash in Colombia.

Don (in Las Vegas)

DoninLasVegas comments on Fiancee had K-1 Visa approved today

To answer carlosmariotorres Hi Carlos,

The California processing center handled our paper work. The processing center received our paperwork on 10/17/05 so the total time required from time of receipt to date of receiving the visa in the Bogota embassy was 5-1/2 months.

Other questions asked in the interview were:

1) What is your fiancee's birthday? (In her answer my fiancee was off by one day & one year in her answer to the interviewer).
2) Do you plan on having kids?

Regards,

Don (in Las Vegas)

DoninLasVegas comments on My Wife Says Goodbye

My comprometida s/b in Las Vegas in about 3 months This is not of immediate help, but my fiancee should arrive in Las Vegas in 3 or 4 month if our visa process continues as "normal."

When she arrives, she too, will be looking for new friends & contacts in Las Vegas. Maybe your wife & my fiancee could become good friends. Send me a note with your email &/or phone number and I'll get in contact with you.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Juice

Fruit

DoninLasVegas comments on Is it common for a colombian boyfriend to financially support his girlfriend?

I will admit I have not asked her why she needs my $$ I will admit we have not had the conversation of why she needs me to send her money. I talk with her on the phone almost every night 30 - 45 minutes. I'll ask her the question tomorrow & will post her response here so inquiring & suspicious minds will have an answer from the perspective of a colombiana receiving the $$.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Is it common for a colombian boyfriend to financially support his girlfriend?

Thanks for all the input!! Thanks to all for the input!

Just to put some minds at ease my financé & I are in the process of applying for a K-1 (fiancé) visa. Our relationship is the real deal. I consider it more important for her to attend English classes at this stage & consider that to be her full time job. For actual employment she is a self employed architect. There are a lot of dry spells inbetween clients. She works as time permits & when she has clients. She has always been careful when spending my money (for instance with the english school she chose to attend) so she has passed the tests I put in place to earn my confidence.

She is 30 years old & of course goes out with friends periodically. I encourage her to get out more. She is very much a home body & enjoys spending time with older more mature people. Having fun with friends outside of the house is a great part of life.

I admit I have never given any money to any girlfriends I dated in the USA. If one would have asked me it would have been our final date. That's the reason I generated this thread with my question. Although I am happy to help my Colombian girlfriend financially, it still feels strange. Everything in my upbringing & general philosophy of life would tell me not to send $$ to a novia. Yet I am going counter to my upbringing -- I must be in love.

I spoke to her about 30 minutes ago on the phone for about 45 minutes. We came to a general agreement that I would send her about $600 each month. That seems reasonable to me as we went down her list of expenses.

Thanks again to all.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on What do Colombian telephone companies charge for incoming long distance calls?

Thanks to all for your input! Thanks for all of your input. I obviously have to talk about this subject again with my gf. Calling her cell phone is 2 or 3 times more expensive than calling a land line.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Help with Flight pls: Las Vegas to Barranquilla

I live in LV & my advice is Hi Tzion,

I live in Las Vegas & have made the trip to/from Barranquilla about 7 times in the past 2 years. If you follow the above advice you will either have to drive to & from LAX + incur parking fees or you will have to pay for another round trip ticket between LAV & LAX.

On my past 4 trips I have purchased 2 roundtrip tickets. The first is between Miami & Barranquilla. In the later half of January you can get trips for a total of $447.15 on Avianca. The second round trip ticket to purchase is between Las Vegas & Miami. There are a lot more options between LV & Miami so I always buy the first round trip ticket first. Doing this may involve a hotel stay in Miami on the day of departure or a long wait in the Miami airport waiting for the one flight on Avianca to Barranquilla for the day. It all depends on what is most important to you - "best," "easiest," or "cheapest."

Go to travelocity.com to look at options. They always have lower cost trips than expedia.com. Must have something to do with the "add on" fees at expedia.com.

Hope this helps.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on What is the appropriate context (& meaning) of the words "manda huevos"?

I was told that in la costa manda huevos is un poco groseria Some people told me the phrase "manda huevos" is considered a bit of a groseria amoung people of the coast but can also be used between friends & loved one's with affection or in a joking manner.

My girlfriend's mother definitely likes me and has said she looks forward to seeing me & her daughter getting married in the church.

It was probably a joke I just didn't (and still don't) understand.

Any other comments are appreciated.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Fabric source in Medellin

Did my friend in Barranquilla get in touch with you? Hi Jujubee,

Did my friend in Barranquilla ever get in touch with you? If not I can take a more direct approach in contacting him for you or give you his email address.

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Gifts for Family in Colombia

Two Ideas I've traveled to Barranquilla twice in the last three months. Both times I brought about 10 small containers of Altoids cinnamon flavored mints. The response both times was amazing. Now every time I go back I've been told one of the requirements is to bring mints. The second suggestion is to bring as many of the yellow "Lance Armstrong" wrist bands as possible. At the moment they are very popular in Colombia and the available supply is very limited (or non-existent).

DoninLasVegas comments on Need telephone number and Address of America Golf Hotel in Barranquilla - TIA

Thanks for the insights! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I arrive in Barranquilla this Thursday. I'll be sure to say "hi" to Fernando for you.

Best Regards,

Don

DoninLasVegas comments on Need telephone number and Address of America Golf Hotel in Barranquilla - TIA

Muchisimas gracias por su ayuda!!

Don