john has left 37 comments

john comments on Help with graduate project!

To name a few.. -The Light figures used in the U.S. during x-mas for you front lawn , ie: Deer figures made with wire/wood and lights

-Awings with different colors.. i noticed to many "letreros de lata" they can change the look las calles....

-More automatic-flush toilets with sensors..
-Visible Street signs!
-Sally the sheep from Imclone!
- And finally and electric machete LOL

hope this helps :)


John

john comments on some thoughts on my last trip to Cartagena

[Chino, indio, gringo, latino/Hispano Americano, etc...] Leornardo,

Setled down your horses! Think outside the box, this happens everywhere. I'm sure it has happend to you many times in the US, and you probably thought that it would not happen in a nother country. Well it did, and it will continue to happen whether it's hometown, USA or anywhere in the world.

You mentioned that you are a well educated person right? how can someone be educated in trying to figure out an ethnicity just by looks?? in you case Korean.

Example:

1. Lets say you get pulled over by the cops in the US: they will describe you as an Asian/male
2 In colombia they will simple call you Chino which is often used for Asian decend.

By looks or color of their skin can you:
tell a hindu person from a Pakistani?
where a latino or hispanis comes from ?

Thanks for sharing your opiniion


John

john comments on Any cheap hotels in Cali?

Telecom Hello dear:

Get there now and pick up a phonebook from Telecom, and find your hostel in the green pages on the back of the book! I did this in B/quilla during carnaval season and found a place!!

good, luk;

John

john comments on cell phone while in colombia

Around Colombia = Bellsouth If you are gona be going from place to place i'll advice you get Bellsouth! I had COMCEL-- while my stay in Cali, B/quilla, Cartagena and Bogota bad reception. You will have less problems with Bellsouth (they have more antennas around the country compared to COMCEL)
#1 problem with COMCEL was getting drop calls
#2 phone calls from out of country would go directly to voicemail

there you have it--its your choice now.

John

john comments on Religion and Marriage

Religion. depending on the situation:
How religious are you ( and how religious is she) should be the answer to that question!!
Would u take her away from her family and gumbaya Gumbaya... or youll be willing to sacrifice some of yours for her and vice versa.

Both religions have very similarities when it comes to family!!

John

john comments on Cheapest Way to Buy Tickets to Colombia

Better safe than sorry!! If You are going to Cali, anytime after Feria season in january for $650.00 That's a darn good deal (AVIANCA -ida y vuelta none stop)----As far as the internet tickets if your are lucky you could get something less. keep in mind you could end up with la vaca that has more stops than the "Papagayo ruta 2" (public bus in Cali.)
Book it now dont wait Zuma it is!

John

john comments on Boob Jobs - what do you think?

E! just take her to *Howard Stern show*
John

john comments on

GGM Hey Gabo,
The feeling wont stop till you go back. I wonder how you connected the novel and the real life Exp. of your trip. Ive read many from GGM and its all surreal!! especially when you go to Colombia and see the beauty of it.

John

john comments on Cheapest Way to Buy Tickets to Colombia

cant get any cheaper than that! For that time of the yr flying to CLO is the cheapest!
so go ahead and reserve your seat.

John

john comments on cell phone signal

signal? What cell phone co. are u using?


John

john comments on Cali

6 more weeks.. Plenty of time to learn some good Spanish words and dance moves.
Enjoy your visit in Cali and have fun in Cartagena.


John

john comments on Immigration procedures at the Bogotá airport

He'll be alright. Were is the luggae going; straight to Bucaramanga? Otherwise, if he needs to pick up his luggage all he needs to do is tell DAS that he is taking a connection flight - they will eventually take him out of the line.
John

john comments on ? on carring passport when traveling within Colombia

Yes Notarized Copy. You'll be stop both ways - there and back by the Colombian Ejercito.
John

john comments on Shipping Container

Sealand. My family did it the opposite way. From U.S. To Colombia.
Good luck with U.S. customs!! (It took them a month to search everything inside the container.)
Also read any small font in the contract cus we ended up paying extra fees for stupid delays and taxes.
The whole process was supposed to take 2 mo. but it really took more than that.
Would we ever do it again? NO.
BTW - it was from: NYC to Buenaventura via Cali.

John

john comments on Cali/Medellin : current 'hip' bars and clubs

Lago Calima I Don't know if is still going on but there is this big concert over El Lago calima (Near Cali). The Concert is sometime in August.
last time I went to the concert was in 2001.

John

john comments on SAN ANDRES ISLAND A TRUE PARADISE

San Andrucho! I'll Second that.

Negritos in San Andres are more lay back. They are more polite than neritos in Cartagena. From my own experience, I think the ones in Cartagena are more aggressive. I guess is the Subculture from San Andres that separetes this issue.

John

john comments on Cartagena safety tips anyone?

Very low chances of that Happening! But, just in case - you need to make a photocopy of your passport and have that copy notarized. Youll be ok; Relax!!


John

john comments on Cell Phones & DSL?

CellPhones Hey Outta,
The answer to your q. is a YES. During my last visit, i got COMCEL but not to happy with their service. I don't know if it was the phone (SIEMENS) or them in General. The good thing about their precalling cars was that if you get a 100 mil pesos prepaid calling card you aoutomatically get free 50+ minutes. I was lucky enough to get 70 free extra minutes with the purchase of a mil pesos card at the Chipichape Mall.

Anyways, the problems i had were mostly frequency problems therefore i missed many calls.

I was told by friends in cali that Bellsouth was the best way to go simply because they have more antenna towers around the Country.


You won't go wrong by getting a Cellphone i Colombia, its a good thing to have not to mentioned that any incoming call is freeee!!!
John

john comments on Back from Colombia :(

Silvia Did you go to Guambia (town of the Guambianos)?
That was a big change to go from Silvia to Cali. Talking aobut weather and places to see.
Hope you took lots of pix!

John

john comments on Not sure which forum to ask this on and it may be a stupid question but...

ah? Where exactly are you going?
John

john comments on How to teach basic spanish?

#1. El Banyo and Cuanto vale esto.

John

john comments on Typical day in Cali

Sunday Go to "Chorro plata" swim and play soccer! or go to Ginebra and eat a nice Sancocho de Gallina!! :)

John

john comments on Cheap Apartments or Boarding houses in Cali.

Apartastudio. All you have to do is get to a Telecom, pick up a phone-book; Flip to the green pages and that will be the "zona hotelera info.
") There you'll find apartastudios...If anything, just find a nice taxista and they will refer you to it.

Good Luck!
john.


John

john comments on cartagena-going it sola?

Cartagena. Sola or with company you will be safe! Just navigate the city as if you been there done that. Negotiate with every street vendor. And if planing on going to St. Marta or B/quilla by car,travel during the day; The Colombian Army has these roads secured.
Cartagena is a beatuful city and its people will make you feel like home.
Have fun,
john

john comments on The US Army a bunch of clowns, or what?

Don't go there Buddy!! "Now we've just recieved news that an RAF jet was shot down by US forces by

mistake.

john comments on I bought the ticket

Avianca. have you all tried Allianza Summa?

john comments on Carnaval de Barranquilla, Dates

Carnaval Feb20 -24th 2004 Joselito???
I asked the same question while i was there but kept getting different answers. But I experienced it and i have to say it was very long. The best way to explain it would be many different fairs under one fair = Carnaval. I saw streets blocked and people dancing on their blocks with sings in front of their houses "300 to use my bathroom" and "500 to use the phone". They celebrate many things.
the have the battles of the bands (vallenato to its fullest and cumbia!) Funeral of Joselito who is one of the founders i believe.
Also flour wars all through out teh Carnaval!
Festial de la cerveza.

This is just a few of the many things that go around there!!
But its a party to it's fullest. It reminds me of the Feria de Cali but with out the Cabalgata and the Plaza de Toros.
john

john comments on Please recommend a hotel in Cartagena

Hotels. You want a nice hotel you can choose from the Hilton, Caribe to deCAmeroon (these are top notch hotels). From my own experience in Cartagena I recommend "Hotel El Dorado". It has two towers one is more stylish than the other. I was there in Feb. of this year and it was Low season due to the carnavales in Barranquilla. And yes me and my friends (Camachog incld.) spent a 90,000 pesos/night here.!!!
It had open bar (ofcourse domestic liquor) all the time.
Food was all included. Internatl break fast, lunch buffet and dinner at one of its restaurants.
Now, the provide you w/ unlimited # ofbeach towls and cabannas.
the beach is just 3 steps from the tower.
and by the way "there's a drug store across the street." wich was a plus!!
Hey - for a nice time in Cartagena i thought the place was good. Oh did i mentioned a pool?

On that note, if you bring guests back to your hotel, you have to know how to do it. It's not allowed to bring in outside people who are not check it!!
So there you have it. Hotel el Dorado - Simply a comfty place.

have fun with the locals: Chiva, chiva!!! sunglasses!! w__ed, girls!!! they won't stop shouting.

john comments on Trip to cali, cartagena and baranquilla

Arthall I was on the same boat you are now.. in a few days youll be in Colombia waiting for the adventure. A tip of advise:
To do b4 trip:
1. Sleep, sleep, sleep.
2. pack nice carton of Cigs (not a phillip morris one!)You'll see why when u get there.
3. I forgot.

When you get to Cali: A good rule of thumb; Girls ain't calling you so you better hit the phone. Oh what? Yes i meant you get urself a Callphone.. Yes Sir you get a prepaid cellphone. "OJO" make sure is BellShouth not Ola or COmcel. best way to keep in touch.
BTW any incoming callis free: that includes out of Col. too. So when you fam or firneds call you form you hometown you can tlak for Hours..


There is a Ncie hotel in the South but I dont have the name fore it. There are also nice hotels in the North which are very close to the best places in town- I Recomend Hotel Intercontinental! or Hotel Don Jaime.
For the party scene, youll have options up the wazoo. Remember Cali is full or suprises and even when u think you'va seen it all.
Email me:Sondgio at yahoo.com
nos vidrios.
John

john comments on Going to Colombia this weekend, looking for that special someone. Any tips were and how to find her? Agencies recommended?

Dear Floridian. I don't know of any agencies but i can tell you where you can meet some nice Girls. In cali - you can go to the malls i.e., Chipichape, Unicentro and stuff..There's always a good variety - or perhaps Flores frescas.. Diffent type of girls though..
Also - Go to The nice Bars like (La casa de la Cerveza make friends ans then shoot!) ---- If you are in Cartagena my advise to you is, wait till Septempber when they have the Colombian Beauty Pageants.. Im not implying that you are getting a model Im just saying that there are more chances of getting to know more women because of the season...If you can't wait till sept., go to Cafe del Mar, La Candela or for a different style of place go to La Dolce Vita!...
Cheers,
john
P.S. My best advise is to socialize with the locals and work from there...

john comments on Does anyone know a good website on finding travel tickets to cartagena..

Domestic flights Within Col. I think that the best deal anyone could get is to buy their tickets in Colomobia if you are traveling withing Colombia. however, Buy your International ticket from your point of reference. This is the way it work out for me and a few friends last month.
John

john comments on Casinos

Are u serious? how about Black jack?

john comments on Fiebre Amarilla.

fever.. Thanks for the help.

john comments on Colombians living abroad

Hey! One Nation full of surprises.

Poor but Happy! That's it ladies and genttlemen.

john comments on what is this?

john Hey Pete,
Do you have spnanish version of this website. Im sure our peeps in Colombia who don't speak or write the English would appreciated.
just wondering,
John

john comments on Colombian girls!!!!!!!!!

Colombian Colombian Girls are The Bomb. Nuff said.

john comments on Carnaval de Barranquilla And Cartagena

Yeah Its funny i also heard of the trou guide Miller. Where can i find this guy? and how saf is it to travel from B/quill to Cartagena?