RonDubya has left 26 comments

RonDubya comments on Safety of Cartagena-Medellin and Medellin-Pereira buses?

Amy, wife and I have taken Pereira-Medellín buses many times (going on Monday to Medellín by bus). The first time was a little scary, but fortunately if you take the big buses (we use Flota Occidental Super Emperador - 32,000 Pesos, sometimes in a Mercedes) many of them don't let you see out the front so you don't see all the passing on curves, etc. Now we are quite comfortable (with the driving, not so much with the endless curves), and usually enjoy the views. Traffic can be heavy on Fridays, so the 120 mile trip at 5 to 6 hours seems endless. And as docwilliam says, it could be your time. You could step off the bus after a safe trip only to be flattened by a taxi as you try crossing the street. Hope this helps.

RonDubya comments on Maverick Colombian senator risks her life

Hey DodgerDogs, looks like you ar a fan of the Weavers. I thought I was the only one old enough to remember them.

RonDubya comments on

Does anybody remember Pogo from the Sunday comics? He was very wise, and years ahead of all today's Internet "experts". I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast, so I hope I remember correctly enough what he said: "We have met the enemy - and it is us!"

RonDubya comments on Thanks Chavez!

Anybody think Chavez has enough money to pay for the rest of the hostages?

RonDubya comments on When did FARC Change?

joshhyman: Just a slight correction - it is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil - not money itself.

RonDubya comments on Bid to kidnap Uribe sons 'foiled'

Back to the subject at hand.... I am wondering why those FARC folks in prison get to use the telephone. Does the warden think they are going to cal the local cine to find out what is playing tonight? If they get to use the telepnone, all calls by any of them should be monitiored.

RonDubya comments on "Very Interesting," COLOMBIA: Door ‘Definitively’ Closed on Chávez’s Mediation

Sorry, not only did I get this off subject, I was also misinformed. Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

RonDubya comments on "Very Interesting," COLOMBIA: Door ‘Definitively’ Closed on Chávez’s Mediation

Oh yeah, when I mentioned fruitcakes did I forget to mention Chavez? How could I forget something so obvious? And I don't know about that trailer park in Florida. Some of those folks are really sharp. Did you read about the developer who wanted to buy one of those ancient trailer parks and make everyone that lived there millionaires? It didn't happen - the majority didn't want to move.

RonDubya comments on "Very Interesting," COLOMBIA: Door ‘Definitively’ Closed on Chávez’s Mediation

"If we can't negotiate with groups like the FARC..." How is our "negotiation" going with Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, and that fruitcake over there in Iran, to name just a few? The answer is that we can't negotiate with those groups, period. When we talk negotiation we think about people who can listen to reason, or have the ability to help us understand their position. Can any of that take place with "groups like the FARC"? They do not put any value on their own life, and therefore do not value the life of anyone else. As far as Uribe is concerned, I apologize for not being better informed. My Spanish is very poor, so I have a difficult time understanding much of the politics in Colombia (not that I really understand the politics in the US). My limited understanding leads me to say that he is doing a pretty good job, but I could be wrong about that.

RonDubya comments on "Very Interesting," COLOMBIA: Door ‘Definitively’ Closed on Chávez’s Mediation

Now, I am thinking a couple of things: 1. If I am a kidnapper, murderer, rapist, thief, and who knows what else I do do support my "cause", do I really have any credibility when it comes to so-called negotiation (I say so-called negotiation, because how can you hope to actually negotiate with such a person)? I think I have zero credibility. And if these things were not against the law there would be no problem, would there? But these things ARE against the law - not only that they are against almost every moral standard in any society and against every moral thought in any decent person's mind. So how could you have any faith in anything I would say or agree to? You absolutely could not have the least bit of confidence in a single word I say. 2. Think about AFTER a hostage exchange. If you do "negotiate" with me and I agree to release my high-profile hostages, what do I have left? Not much. So what will I do? I will have to go and kidnap some more important people, and start the agony all over again, won't I? And so it goes in perpetual motion. So in conclusion, the only thing you should negotiate with me is this: In which manner would I prefer to die?

RonDubya comments on best method of travel between medellin, pereira, ibague

I have traveled from Pereira to Medellín (and back) twice. It was 5 and a half to six hours. I recommend Flota Occidental - their big buses are Mercedes, very comfortable, and have a toilet (not easy to use what with all the curves - but if you gotta go it's there!).

RonDubya comments on It's official: Colombia is run by morons

Not all are morons. Some are fruitcakes.

RonDubya comments on Nice guy and Colombian Girls

Ah, yes - love. It's that human relationship where the man hopes the woman never changes, but she does; and the woman hopes the man changes, but he doesn't. I agree, women are women - and the same for men. Whatever you do and whoever you fall in love with - wait until you see those changes starting before you make any promises or commitments.

RonDubya comments on Visa Question

It looks like the original question got lost - getting a visa. I recently renewed my spousal visa, and while waiting I saw several people who had many troubles because they either didn't know what was required, or hadn't followed the proper procedures. I actually know very little about the process, but my advice is to talk to someone at your closest Colombian embassy before coming to Colombia. I see from other posts here that coming with a tourist visa and trying to change it to another type can cause problems.

RonDubya comments on condominio near Pereira

Oh, our house comes with 2500 sq meters of land, it is a condominium with porteria and good security, paved streets (all the way from the main road). It takes about 20 minutes to get to Pereira. There are about 95 other hoouses in the condo. :)

RonDubya comments on condominio near Pereira

buggy: We are selling mostly because of the drop in the exchange rate. When we came to Colombia 2 years ago it was over 2300 to the dollar, and even went as high as 2600. Last nite it was 1966 - our limited retirement income is being squeezed. So we want to sell and buy a less expensive place. Our house was built by a reputable builder from Pereira. That's not to say everything is perfect, but it is a well built house. In many cases here when you buy a house you just get the shell - no windows, doors, floors (concrete subfloor only). You get basic plumbing and electric. The finish is up to you. So in addition to what poco says you have to find good materials and contractors to do the finish work - not an easy task.

RonDubya comments on condominio near Pereira

buggy: This is to the southeast of Pereira, on the way to Armenia. I don't know exactly where that is - the web site says 8 km from Pereira. My wife and I have a 200 sq meter house for sale in Campiñas de Combia - a few km on the opposite side of Pereira, toward Marsella. If you are interested, let me know.

RonDubya comments on Is the juice worth the squeeze?

timefor.. - You forgot to mention the food! I think I could stay just for the food arepas, buñuelos, pan de queso, on and on... I have been living in the suburbs of Pereira for almost 2 years, after living in the US for 66 years (that makes me kinda old, don't it). Anyway, for me living here is different. I wouldn't say better, or not as good - just different. I am still cautious about where we drive in the car. I don't particularly like having to go to the city every month and stand in 4 or 5 lines to pay my utility and other bills, and my command of the Spanish language is little more than nothing - but I get by. On the other hand, the climate here is just about perfect - I have lived in New York State, Massachusetts, California, Georgia, and North Carolina and the closest thing to good weather was San Jose California. Sometimes I do miss the US, but I know if I were to move back, I would miss Colombia. We are planning to move to Medellín in a few months, and fortunately the climate there is just like here - beautiful. As in other things in life, each person will have his/her own experience. I am experiencing retirement in Colombia, and I am sure I would have a different perspective in another situation. Why not try it for a while, then decide?

RonDubya comments on Direct Deposit of Social Security Checks

I tried it for a while. One of the problems is that the S.S. deposits all the money for Colombia into a single account at the Bank of New York. Then the Bank of New York sends your bucks to the banks in Colombia. Someone at Bank of New York contacted S.S. and changed the account number for my deposit. My money went to someone in Cali I think. Took a month to get it into my account - the person withdrew the money and had to be coerced to give it back. Bancolombia wouldn't give it to me until they got it back - it wasn't their fault, they said. The next month the deposit went to the same person. Fortunately for the second one I had a contact at Bancolombia in Medellín, and he was able to get it into my account before it actually was deposited in the wrong account. My money now stays in the U.S. Trouble with that is my bank increased the international fee from 1% to 2%, and I'm sure the "not my bank" ATM fee will soon go from $2 to $3.

RonDubya comments on Renew Spousal Visa

Called the notary, they said it takes 2 days. Ouch.

RonDubya comments on Renew Spousal Visa

Thanks, Gator. Yes, the consulate in Miami did the Colombian regristration, and sold me 2 official validated copies of the certificate. So.... I am hoping to arrive in Bogota early in the morning, go to the notary, go to MRE, and have it all done the same day. Perhaps Murphy's Law has too many opportunities with that plan, so I will be prepared to stay one night in Bogota. When everything gets done, I will tell the complete story - beginning with the first visa and finishing with the renewal of the cedula - if anyone is interested. I realize that every situation is different, but some may benefit from my experience. Thanks to all who helped.

RonDubya comments on Renew Spousal Visa

Thanks, folks, for the input. Guess I should have given a little more information with my question. We were married in the US before we came to Colombia. The marrige was less than 90 days old, so the Colombian Embassy in Miami completed the "Registro Civil de Matrimonio" to make it legal in Colombia. That document apparently got sent to Bogota (to the Notary 1 office, I assume). I am told that I must have a copy of that document, made less than 90 days prior to my application for renewal. In Miami I purchased 2 official copies of the certificate, but they are no good - the copy must be less than 90 days old. What I am trying to find out is exactly where that Notary #1 is. Maybe I will have to spend another hour and a half trying to contact MRE again (my own fault - of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most).

RonDubya comments on Did you purchase cocaine from Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe? It's possible if you have bought cocaine in the past...

My father was a sheet metal scupltor; not famous, but known a little bit. One day in his retirement the local newspaper sent a "reporter" to get his story. The reporter then went and published the "truth" about my father. I would say that the story was at least 30% WRONG. How could this happen after a one on one interview? The truth is that "reporters" don't report the facts, they report their spin on the facts, or worse they write their opinion and present it as truth - maybe to make it more interesting, or whatever. So do I read something by a reporter and believe it 100%? NOT! In everything there are always 3 stories - your story, my story, and the real story (which no one may ever know).

RonDubya comments on Renew Cedula Extrajaneria de Conjuye

I would emphasize contacting the consulate to request information - maybe even talk to different people there - on what the requirements are. When I got my my original spousal visa in Miami I was told that I HAD TO renew it in Miami (not true, of course). When I called Bogota this week about renewal, I was told that I must first go to Notaria Primero in Bogota and get another copy of the Colombian 'Registro Civil de Matrimonio', and the only thing to be notarized is the letter from the spouse, but only if the spouse does not accompany you.

RonDubya comments on Renew Cedula Extrajaneria de Conjuye

In 2005 I came to Colombia with a spousal visa. I got my cedula at DAS here in Pereira. It is now time to renew my visa, so I stopped by DAS to verify that I had to do that in Bogota (yes I do). But they only said to be sure to return to DAS here in Pereira within 15 days of getting the new visa to renew the cedula. They said nothing about needing to renew the cedula in Bogota, so I am assuming I will be able to do it here. Hope this helps.

RonDubya comments on Renew Spouse Visa

Thanks, gator and car1. I will be sure to call and get the requirements. car1, thanks for the offer - there would be two of us old folks. Will let you know later about the need for stay over.