Markaveli has left 14 comments

Markaveli comments on Salvador da Bahia

Bahia I've been to Salvador twice. And it has a love/hate relationship with people from what I've found. Some people I found, sold their homes in their home country and relocated there. Others can't stand it there. Depends what your preferences are.

Personally I love it there, it's a beautiful city that's not too commercialized towards tourists a la Rio de Janeiro. There are dozens of beautiful beaches in this city.

I've heard it's dangerous there, I would think moreso if you're a "gringo" as they call it, because I heard tourists from Europe complain of attempted muggings during the carnaval. I am black and I was held at gunpoint by 4 cops down there, just for walking in the upscale Ondina neighbourhood at 1am.

People here are right, the beggars are annoying and it's best to avoid spending too much time in the Barra district of the city as they can follow all over the place. And in the historical district of Pelourinho too.

Markaveli comments on Salvador da Bahia

Bahia I've been to Salvador twice. And it has a love/hate relationship with people from what I've found. Some people I found, sold their homes in their home country and relocated there. Others can't stand it there. Depends what your preferences are.

Personally I love it there, it's a beautiful city that's not too commercialized towards tourists a la Rio de Janeiro. There are dozens of beautiful beaches in this city.

I've heard it's dangerous there, I would think moreso if you're a "gringo" as they call it, because I heard tourists from Europe complain of attempted muggings during the carnaval. I am black and I was held at gunpoint by 4 cops down there, just for walking in the upscale Ondina neighbourhood at 1am.

People here are right, the beggars are annoying and it's best to avoid spending too much time in the Barra district of the city as they can follow all over the place. And in the historical district of Pelourinho too.

Markaveli comments on Meeting up in Barranquilla

BAQ Thank you, that would be very much appreciated. I will PM you my details.

Markaveli comments on Meeting up in Barranquilla

Accomodations High Energy....what is wrong with getting an apartment for a few weeks? I'd like to stay in B'Quilla if possible for 3 weeks to a month. I think an apartment would be cheaper, and also more private as well. I want to arrive 2 weeks before carnaval and maybe leave a week or a week and a half after carnval is finished.

Thanks for the website. I'll look at it, although I'd rather try to meet women when I'm there.

Markaveli comments on Meeting up in Barranquilla

Count me in BAQ......I intend to come there for the carnaval. I'd like to party a lot and perhaps meet a woman (non-pro/hooker) or two during my stay. I'll probably be rolling solo, so right now I am looking for an apartment in Barranquilla. Cheers

Markaveli comments on What´s Baranquilla like?

Wow BAQ.......Where can you meet these women in this town? You have to go to Disco's? At the malls or just walking on the streets coming home from their everyday routines? I intend to go to some nightclubs there and party like crazy.

Markaveli comments on Barranquilla Carnaval 2006

B'Quilla 2006 So the place to stay is in the North of the city? Is that where all the nightclubs are located? I'd like to hit a few nightclubs down there during the Carnaval. Do you recommend the clubs down there as a place to meet women, or is it better to meet them in the streets or the malls?

When would you recommend a good time to arrive before Carnaval? I was thinking maybe 2 weeks before carnaval, and leave to come back here 2 weeks after carnaval is finished. Thanks for your input

Markaveli comments on Barranquilla Carnaval 2006

b'quilla 2006 Can you participate with the parade itself? I know nothing of the physical geography of B'Quilla, but I guess it's best from what you're saying to look for somewhere in the north of the city right? I'd prefer a apartment to a hotel personally.

Are the nightclubs packed leading up to carnaval? Do you need a to travel by taxi's a lot or are buses available as well. About the chicas part....you really perked my interest :)

Thanks for your input, without PBH it would be virtually impossible for me to know anything about B'Quilla carnaval.

Markaveli comments on What´s Baranquilla like?

BAQ Thanks for the input, I am emailing someone from PBH about accomodations. About the women aspect, yes I did encounter one or two of those Pu**'s in Brazil, but I'd just like to meet some females and do some serious partying as well. Save the "freak" fest for Brazil. I'm not trying to compare the two, I just wanted to know if you can participate in the street festivities and not just sit on the sidelines watching.

I wanted to interact with Colombians (especially the "anas"), moreso because I rarely come across Colombians in my city. I think it's good to experience new things, (Note: most of my friends are scared for my life at the mere mention of going to Colombia) and not always go to those tourist places where you just sit on a beach in some resort.

Markaveli comments on What´s Baranquilla like?

Humm Do you mean being black will be a disadvantage in this town with regards to interacting with people or meeting chicas? Is this what you're implying?

Markaveli comments on Barranquilla Carnaval 2006

Need help Can anyone that's attended Barranquilla carnaval answer this question about the parade? I am finding it a bit difficult to learn more about Carnaval in Barranquilla compared to other festivals that take place at the same time.

Markaveli comments on What´s Baranquilla like?

Barranquilla, me too. Wow, are the women that good in Barranquilla? How are they during carnaval? Or how is the carnaval there in general? How are the clubs/discos there. I want to go there for carnaval and meet some women hopefully. I'm 30, black and 6'5" 200 lbs. I don't speak Spanish, but I can speak Portuguese in addition to English which is a bit similar in some aspects.

Markaveli comments on Barranquilla Carnaval 2006

rjstuff........Thank you for the photo's they are very interesting. May I ask, is this Carnaval along the lines of Rio de Janeiro where you watch the big trucks go from the sides like the O Sambodromo. Or can you participate in it, like in Salvador, Brazil.

Again, I have experience travelling to places with limited to no knowledge of the language that weren't exaclty tourist mecca's so I am not so put off by not knowing Spanish. I have 9 months beforehand, so I indeed intend to learn some.

Markaveli comments on Barranquilla Carnaval 2006

Barranquilla carnaval 2006 Thank you for your input. I finally have a foothold on what goes on down there. I am more a traveller than a tourist, I am more for embracing people and learning more about how and where they live rather than sitting on a beach a umbrella sipping Pina Colada's.
I've read that you must go to Cartagena/Santa Marta for beaches, because there are none in Barranquill, is this true?

Can you join Carnaval bands and party with people, or do you just watch it go by from the sidewalks? How is the nightlife in this city during Carnaval?

About safety I read once on a website that I can't remember that there is only one road in, and also one road to exit the city, and there are searches of cars coming in and out of Barranquilla.