Timba has left 226 comments

Timba comments on Chinese product sources?

If you are doing business in china, then buyer beware. You need to check your product before you pay and before it ships. You might get lucky without doing these things but you are taking chances. ...yes I have imported many a product from China. I have people on the ground there but if they are not diligent you get burned and are out. ....alternatively, Taiwan is a higher quality source and a little more reputable.

Timba comments on Cuban Blogger Yoani Sanchez Detained and Beaten

Should you wish to read the version from Reuters, it offers a different version than Miami. http://www.reuters.com/article/mediaNews/idUSN0620636520091107

Timba comments on Cuba uses sniffer dogs to track down crooks, dissidents

They are Cuban dogs now which means they are only sniffing around your luggage for food.

Timba comments on chinese currency for sale

I had a cab driver in Cali ask me the same thing. I would think that you would have better luck at a currency exchange in North America.

Timba comments on Long-Term Visas - Relocation???

Ex-pat from what country ? Canada 90 day 90 day renewal Rest of the world 30 day 30 day renewal. Student visa, can stay as long as you are taking courses/lessons.

Timba comments on The Devil’s Excrement Can oil-rich countries avoid the resource curse?

Hey......look at Canada, specifically Alberta. The province collects less money (per barrel) now than it did under its former Premier, Peter Lougheed ($15 oil). It was Peter Lougheed that made this point and indicated what a crime it was.

Timba comments on Expensive Cat Litter

Another thing...............what kind of dude has a cat ?????????????????

Timba comments on Expensive Cat Litter

Have you guys seen the price of Colombian coffee lately ?? .......well, the stuff they export anyhow.

Timba comments on Sim Card in Medellin

You can buy official or unofficial sim cards. Unofficial ones, you take the chance that they may be cancelled when discovered. Official ones, you need i.d. and to be fingerprinted. There was not much difference in the cost

Timba comments on Flights to Pereira in January

I think Jet Blue is also flying/offering Miami - Bogota. You could get a domestic flight from Bogota to Peirera easy enough

Timba comments on

The financial crisis can be laid at the feet of the past Chairman of the Federal Reserve (Greenspan) and the the current Secretary of the Treasury and former head of Financial Regulations Enforcement....Tim Geitner.

Timba comments on Cuba - Long Term Visa??? Possible Relocfation

Since no one has replied. 1. What do you know of Cuba ? 2. Cuba is an island nation. Like all island nations, goods are expensive, that is unless you are going to live a lo cubano and starve. 3. You can stay indefinitely as a student (on a student visa). If you are Canadian, you can get a visa for 6 months at a time (3 3 month renewal). 4. It is a communist nation and as most communist nations, there are frequent product shortages. 5. As a pensionado, I would assume that doctors are important. Most Cuban doctors are in Venezuela but you can go to the hospitals for foreigners where you pay cash for treatment, get decent doctors. Medicines may or may not be available.

Timba comments on

Why would'nt you send them to Venezuela ?

Timba comments on Best coffee in Colombia?

The new no name Starbucks experiment was to test the concept of licensing their cafes. 8 O'Clock was well rated for a grocery store coffee. The Colombians are the best marketed and consistent above average coffees produced from year to year. They have entrepreneurial farmers who are have broken away from the system in order to produce higher end specialty coffees which obviously take much more work but bring higher rewards. All of this class of coffee is sold internationally as per the coffee competitions held in Peirera last March. One of those is Mesa de los Santos, which also sells domestically in the grocery stores.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Colombia?

Take a look for something like Mesa de los Santos in the grocery stores. At least they have a good reputation. It is a Bucaramanga coffee.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Colombia?

The best Colombian coffee is already in the U.S., Most of what is left in the domestic market is second rate. You need to look up specialty coffee in the U.S. as the chains buy alot of second and third rate shit at low prices as a blender for sale in your local supermarket. The freshness of the coffee can be a factor, the roast of the bean, the size of the grind and the amount of coffee used. For example, industry standard is for 50 cups to be extracted out of a pound of coffee. Alot of shops may extract 80 cups out of a pound.

Timba comments on Exporting from Colombia

I was informed that if aduana wanted to be pickly, they could force you to have paperwork for the logs listing type, origin etc. Having the right broker was important. I too thought logs and other untreated wood products were an issue, given the threat of infestation. I have not kept up with this issue but do have a friend in a company that manufactures 'plastic shipping slips' for this reason.

Timba comments on possible business

You mean you can import lollipops from the U.S. cheaper than one of the world's largest candy producing countries, Brazil ?

Timba comments on Getting Married in Canada while on a student visa?

Its Canada. Get her here, marry her and then deal with the paperwork....though, you do have to sign that you will repay any social services she may use if you separate/divorce within a certain period. My cousin just went through this but did it outside of Canada and then did the sponsorship thing. I think it was a little more than a year to process paperwork for legal entry.

Timba comments on Importing from Colombia to the USA.

Here is the problem. You will need to find a broker who will piece together a container. Otherwise, people I know have found the cheapest way to just lug it with you and pay the extra freight/weight charges of the airline. FedEx is really not an option, given the costs.

Timba comments on Hardwoods???

From what I understand, that stuff is a nightmare of bureaucracy unless you have someone with connections. Bottom line is that every piece of wood has to be documented as to origin.

Timba comments on EasyFly from Medellin to Armenia- help

I've done that and used a mini bus to get to Peirera. The Colombians warned me that if I had luggage that I could not attend to, to not take the regular bus.

Timba comments on hostal buisness for sale - 4 million pesos

$350. Is there anything going on out there

Timba comments on

What happened to smoke more, drink more and drive faster ?

Timba comments on Colombia coffee production drops by one third

How would people in Miami know ? Cafe Cubano in America is made with Colombian coffee

Timba comments on Colombia coffee production drops by one third

This could have been predicted as when you toured Armenia and Manizales last year, the farmers were desperate (increasing input costs and constant selling prices) and many were shutting down.

Timba comments on Sushi?>

Bogota. ....but as a Latino told me, no Latin is eating anything that isn't cooked. No off coloured comments please!

Timba comments on VERY NICE RESTAURANT FOR SALE IN PARQUE LLERAS..

The restaurant business is a tough business at any time in first world countries, never mind Colombia. As discretionary drops, restaurants take a kicking as evidenced currently in North America. Now we have Park Ileras. You cannot own the property, only the business as a tight group of property owners control most. Is the lease up ? If I sat across the street on Thursday, would I see anyone in the restaurant ?

Timba comments on counterfeit pesos

It happened to a friend of mine in Medellin (cheated by a cab driver)

Timba comments on Club Colombia

You want a beer trip ? Go to Prague where some of the best beers are available for $0.50 for 1/2 litre

Timba comments on

Was having a similar discussion with someone about latin america and how Costa Rica is now what Mexico was 25 years ago and Colombia is what Costa Rica was 25 years ago.(without the beaches).

Timba comments on Club Colombia

haha............it is like that shitty Colombian rum. Everybody in Colombia thinks that it is great. Compared to what is available around the world, it is pretty bad.

Timba comments on new cheap daily tours around Medellin

Wow............does that even pay for the gas there and back ?

Timba comments on For a small business would you pick Bogota, Cartagena or Barranquilla?

If friendly and abusive are mutually exclusive then where does the phrase, "hold your friends close, and your enemies closer" come from ?

Timba comments on Jack Russell Terrier

Jack Russell is a fox terrier with the legs bred out of them. Fox terriers are pretty sedate in the house, but once they get outside...look out rodents, chickens etc.

Timba comments on buying small stuff, e.g gizmos and minor electronics, on the internet-any importtax or hassles?

Wait until they see what shipping charges to Colombia are. Where in the world can you ship electronics and not pay taxes ? Best to just take it all in your suitcase. Paying airline baggage fees is far cheaper than shipping to Colombia.

Timba comments on Questions for Canadians

or why don't you ask the Canadian Embassy in Bogota what is acceptable ?

Timba comments on Bucaramanga

I think it was two years ago that Colombia, specifically Bucaramanga was #1 on the UN list for landmine deaths. I guess you take solace that it was not tourists but farmers that happened onto the mines.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

Kopi Luwak ? I would'nt drink that shit! My pedestrian spanish skills keep me from doing the same....that plus I need to run a business up here. Would love to talk after you have a look. Would love to buy some micro lots from there. Currently attempting the same in Guatemala but much further ahead.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

Now the big question is, " When are you getting into and selling micro-lots?"

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

PM sent

Timba comments on If Cuba Travel Ban is Lifted, what Travel Repercussions for Colombia?

The whole cuban economy works the old communist way. It will take a generation to change that attitude. The infrastructure is also not there. Any deals will only be between the Cuban government/military and large corporations...leaving you and me out in the cold.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

Anyone go to the just completed Cup of Excellence competition in Peirera ?

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

I was boarding a plane with a guy from New York who was loaded down with Colombian coffee as you could'nt get it in NYC. Could'nt stop laughing.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

I'd love to get my hands on some of that fruity coffee. Problem is (for me) unless you can afford to visit all the small fincas and find those special coffees, the get sold and pooled reducing it to the commonality. Best coffees (well, my favourites) come from Guatemala, though I am loving the MDLS Reserva del Patron. If you like Yrgacheffee, there is a dry process one Idido Misty Valley out there that is like drinking blueberries.

Timba comments on Looking for a Job in Colombia (Pereira)

I know two gringos in that area. One does nothing, the other started a business at great expense which he is trying to get out of. His employees were robbing him blind.

Timba comments on Best coffee in Medellín

I think you can get Mesa de los Santos (from Bucaramanga) in some of the grocery stores down there.

Timba comments on The most corrupt countries

I could have sworn that Pakistan was in the top 3 or 4 as far as most corrupt. Isn't Chile supposed to be the most international and transparent country in Latin America ? Citing Canada for corruption is like the UN report that cites Canada for Human Rights abuses of its aboriginal peoples...........this from China/Cuba/Nigeria and such.

Timba comments on Whats a fair price for 4 cows?

If she is pretty, one woman.

Timba comments on Looking for a CPA in Bogota

Go ask a lawyer that does incorporations. I believe (I was told/sold this) any corporation has to have an accountant to do all your financials.