jctripp has left 24 comments

jctripp comments on "Paraiso Travel" Showing in New York at Tribeca Film Festival

You can always just type in the website: ricolombia.com That should work fine.

jctripp comments on Medelin is now infested with gringos :(

When I lived in Medellín (2003-2005) I went to Mangos a couple of times and caught the vibe of the place which is meat market and nothing more. It's an overdone, tackily designed, expensive and sleazy pickup joint. I got sick on aguardiente both times I was there since I was so bored I had no choice but to get drunk. The music mix switches songs every 30 seconds and it feels like some tropical-themed bar at Disney World. Why anyone would go there to experience the true Medellín is beyond me. It'd be like going to New York City and hanging out on 42nd Street and thinking you're experiencing the real thing. But, if it keeps all of the sleazoid sex tourists in one place, great. That leaves the rest of the city for those that want to taste the real thing, and there's plenty of it. Try Parque Periodista and its surrounding bars if you are the backpacker/hippie type. There are plenty of areas you can go and experience the true Medellín, just be cool and not a fool and everything shoud be fine.

jctripp comments on Ricolombia.com, a blog on Colombian tourism, culture and living

You have to type it in, I guess PBH doesn't allow URL addresses. I have been a member here for several years, so I figure it's OK to plug it here.

jctripp comments on Ricolombia.com, a blog on Colombian tourism, culture and living

Here's the URL: http://www.ricolombia.com

jctripp comments on Helping Colombia is in our national interest

Pimpin' for the Man Anyone ignorant to what this dude represents would be advised to read Greg Palast, Noam Chomsky, etc. He's not a nice guy. His last gig was running the show in Iraq.


Think global, act loco

jctripp comments on GRINGOS LIVING IN COLOMBIA

A Nice Place to Visit I lived in Colombia for a couple of years, getting a cedula was a nightmare. The Colombian government will make it very difficult and expensive for you to live there. And then there's the fact that if you are tall, fair, etc. you will stick out like a sore thumb. If you like feeling like an exotic species, great. Additionally, you will have to prepare yourself for the inevitable confrontations over your being a foreigner. Some of the most progressive Colombianos (college professors that I met through my wife) are rabidly insular and hateful of "Yankee imperialists".

Of course, the savings might make it worth it but in my opinion Colombia is like a lot of places: nice to visit but not to live.

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jctripp comments on I almost got shot! be careful out there!

giving papaya Giving papaya is a Colombian aphorism for handing over an opportunity to someone with bad intentions. Basically being stupid about the economic realities of the country. For example, leaving your wallet on your hotel bedside with money in it would be giving papaya (giving fruit). At least, that's my take on it. I used to think it was about getting laid since everyone was talking about it, LOL.



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jctripp comments on Cartagena Luxury

oh, the irony Does anyone see the irony in discussing luxury hotels on a website called Poor But Happy? I thought the rich stayed rich by being cheap. Maybe that's why we on this site are poor? Anyway, it's funny ;)

In any case, I like smaller hotels that have some personality and are off the beaten path. The hotels listed are sooo pretentious it hurts and Sofitel still feels like the convent it was. I found a little hotel in the old city called 3 Banderas that was quite charming and very reasonable. Here's the web site:

http://www.hotel3banderas.com/





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jctripp comments on ‘Colombia! The Golden Age of Discos Fuentes – the Powerhouse of Colombian Music, 1960-1976’

It is a press release It's a press release from Soundway records in London. Sorry if it is a shameless plug but I though it would be of interest to readers of PBH. Most of the time I write my own posts, this time I got lazy.

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jctripp comments on How to receive mail from U.S. on a regular basis safely?

Mail Boxes Etc. Use Mail Boxes Etc., they have offices in Medellin and Bogota. You get a U.S. address to receive your mail and it is forwarded to you in Colombia. They insure everything.

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jctripp comments on What is needed to obtain Colombian residency or work permit?

Getting a cedula Getting the spousal visa was very tedious for me. First of all, you cannot get it in Colombia, you have to be outside of the country. My wife and I had to fly to the Colombian consulate in Panama to get mine. I had tried to get one while in Miami but the people at the consulate there are of absolutely no help. You really need a lawyer in Bogota to take care of it, I wouldn't advise you to try it on your own. I will get the name of the lawyer we used, they took care of the various documents that were necessary. In the end, I don't think it is worth the trouble. You're better off just staying on a student visa, unless you really intend to stay there permanently.


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jctripp comments on Where to find large shoe size in Medellin?

Exito or Carrfour? I wear size 12.5 and was able to find shoes at Exito and Carrfour if I dug deep enough. There are a number of malls near the Fotbol Stadium that carry alot of imported athletic shoes, maybe you should check them out? I remember a lot of Nikes, Addidas, Converse and more expensive designer shoes like Kenneth Cole.



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jctripp comments on Hangovers in Colombia

Hangovers pt. 2 I guess I made the fatal mistake of mixing my alcohol and thinking I could handle aguardiente like a local. Of the times I was sick from drinking, the fire water always played a part. I taught my wife's friend his first English words - muthaf* - while vomiting in the sink for two hours as he helped me aim straight. Another time, on a trip to Jardín, we met up at with an old friend of my wife's and proceeded to drink a quick number shots of aguardiente. Then we headed to another bar and drank rum. A couple hours later I was writhing on the floor in agony. So, I guess I learned the hard way about mixing things. It was only after a year that I learned to stick to beer or wine and absolutely no aguardiente or rum. I also had the misfortune of getting "gastritis" while I was there, which is another subject worthy of discussion since it seems so common.

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jctripp comments on best ways to Send money to Colombia

Paypal Debit Card Set up a Paypal account and then get a debit card for it. It's the same as opening a separate bank account with some added control.

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jctripp comments on Need some help over here

Positive thinking I married a Colombian woman in New York, she spoke no English at the time. She had been living with the Colombian commmunity there, working for a friend for a Spanish-only publication. She didn't learn English until we moved away from New York, and her insular life there amongst Colombianos. Still, it was her perogative not to learn English. There are millions of Latinos living and working in the U.S. with little or no English. So, for one to lash out at someone for wanting to go live in Colombia with out Spanish, well it's a little unfair to say the least. I was in a similar situation when I decided to live in Medellín with my wife. My Spanish was horrible and I hoped to find work, although my background is graphic design and DJing. Well, guess what? I learned basic Spanish quickly and found work DJing, getting paid 80,000 pesos a week for 2 nights of work. Now, that's considered pretty good money in Colombia. Also, I quickly realized there were many opportunities for exporting Colombian goods to the States (nothing illicit) and ended up making great money selling on eBay and Amazon and using Mail Boxes Etc. to ship. So, if you are flexible and creative and see opportunity where many just see poverty you will do just fine. It's all a matter of perspective and attitude.

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jctripp comments on Sex Mongers in Medellin

A Nice Massage I tested the waters in Medellín and was always respectful in how I handled myself. There are plenty of massage parlors downtown where you don't have to harrass girls on the street. You go in, you have a nice massage and you leave. Every one is happy. And it's entirely legal. The main thing is, be nice and don't act like a pig. Also, bring a nice gift like some perfume or a bracelet. That'll get you an extra nice massage. In my book this is perfectly fine and I noticed that most of the clientele were Colombianos, not gringos. We all need the same thing.

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jctripp comments on Calling plans

Skype If you both use Skype it's free. You can also create a "local" phone number, meaning your girlfriend can have a Toronto phone number even though she's in Colombia and vice versa. So, you can dial that "local" number and get the other person without paying long distance.

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jctripp comments on Country side around Medellin.

Countryside During the year I lived in Colombia we drove all around the country side to places like Jardín, Sante Fe, Rio Negro, El Peñol, San Jerónimo and other points. Sometimes there were miltary, sometimes not. One night, going to Jardín, we got lost on a dirt road and I was nearly *&# at my pants (while my wife laughed), wondering what lay around the next bend. Nothing. Suerte? Maybe. But, it's no different than hiking in the wilderness, maybe you'll run into a bear. Odds are you won't. You take a chance no matter what you do.

As for keeping Colombia beautiful, wouldn't the right kind of tourism contribute to maintaining its natural splendor? As oppossed to cutting down forests for coca cultivation? I bet a lot of Colombian people would be all for a lot more tourists there. Except those who want to keep it their own little secret.

As for "female companionship" et al, isn't prostitution legal in Colombia?

jctripp comments on Country side around Medellin.

Countryside During the year I lived in Colombia we drove all around the country side to places like Jardín, Sante Fe, Rio Negro, El Peñol, San Jerónimo and other points. Sometimes there were miltary, sometimes not. One night, going to Jardín, we got lost on a dirt road and I was nearly *&# at my pants (while my wife laughed), wondering what lay around the next bend. Nothing. Suerte? Maybe. But, it's no different than hiking in the wilderness, maybe you'll run into a bear. Odds are you won't. You take a chance no matter what you do.

As for keeping Colombia beautiful, wouldn't the right kind of tourism contribute to maintaining its natural splendor? As oppossed to cutting down forests for coca cultivation? I bet a lot of Colombian people would be all for a lot more tourists there. Except those who want to keep it their own little secret.

As for "female companionship" et al, isn't prostitution legal in Colombia?

jctripp comments on Country side around Medellin.

Countryside During the year I lived in Colombia we drove all around the country side to places like Jardín, Sante Fe, Rio Negro, El Peñol, San Jerónimo and other points. Sometimes there were miltary, sometimes not. One night, going to Jardín, we got lost on a dirt road and I was nearly *&# at my pants (while my wife laughed), wondering what lay around the next bend. Nothing. Suerte? Maybe. But, it's no different than hiking in the wilderness, maybe you'll run into a bear. Odds are you won't. You take a chance no matter what you do.

As for keeping Colombia beautiful, wouldn't the right kind of tourism contribute to maintaining its natural splendor? As oppossed to cutting down forests for coca cultivation? I bet a lot of Colombian people would be all for a lot more tourists there. Except those who want to keep it their own little secret.

As for "female companionship" et al, isn't prostitution legal in Colombia?

jctripp comments on Country side around Medellin.

Countryside During the year I lived in Colombia we drove all around the country side to places like Jardín, Sante Fe, Rio Negro, El Peñol, San Jerónimo and other points. Sometimes there were miltary, sometimes not. One night, going to Jardín, we got lost on a dirt road and I was nearly *&# at my pants (while my wife laughed), wondering what lay around the next bend. Nothing. Suerte? Maybe. But, it's no different than hiking in the wilderness, maybe you'll run into a bear. Odds are you won't. You take a chance no matter what you do.

As for keeping Colombia beautiful, wouldn't the right kind of tourism contribute to maintaining its natural splendor? As oppossed to cutting down forests for coca cultivation? I bet a lot of Colombian people would be all for a lot more tourists there. Except those who want to keep it their own little secret.

As for "female companionship" et al, isn't prostitution legal in Colombia?

jctripp comments on Medellin Day Trips and Restaurants

Ideas for trips There are many, many other diversions but these are my favorite

Things to see in the city:

- Botero Plaza and MuseoAntioquia
- Other museum: La Castilla in Poblodo
- Cerro Nuti Bari for great views and a charming pueblo
- The "Intelligent Building" and its adjacent plaza
- Parque Lleras in Poblado and its surrounding cafes
- Metro Cable (north park of the city with a spectacular view)
- For shopping: El Hueco for great prices and a beautiful old building

Day Trips:
- Rio Negro (near airport)
- El Penol, a massive freshwater lake with an enormous rock that you can climb
- Sante Fe de Antioquia, the original capital and a classic of Spanish architecture with cobbled streets and an air of romance (and partying).
- Jardin, a few hour drive but another charming pueblo with a beautiful church on its square.


Restaurants:
My favorite is actually an Italian restaurant called El Forno. It has two locations, one near Parque Lleras and one further up the moutain near Tesoro. I prefer the latter setting which is set in the vegetation and has a great open air atmosphere.

jctripp comments on Colombia- USA Bank Account

Paypal? You could set up a Paypal account in the States and create one for your family (using a US address). Then they can send you money using their credit or debit card. May work, worth checking out Paypal.com

jctripp comments on MODA EN MEDELLIN

Moda A lot of lacy tops, tight pants with buckles. Pants seem to rule, it is rare to see a dress. Street wise it is your basic hip hop style for guys and half shirts with bellies exposed for girls and super tight jeans (not much for the imagination). Trendier fashion is on the electro-punk mode with messy hair and punkish tees. Nothing terribly innovative or inspiring sadly.