How Badly would this freak you out?

[Lanny]

Hello: I received your PM and then when I got to your thread, the title of your thread freaked me out. :-)

 

One or two comments, before my other comments:

 

(1) Nobody who has *any* interest in any kind of illegal drugs should ever come to Colombia. If your daughter has ANY interest in illegal drugs, she should never travel to Colombia, or to any country in Latin America. We have a special section, in a prison in Bogota, that houses foreigners, who are very surprised by our laws, after they are captured. They would get a kiss on the rear in the USA and be released, but here, it is a much much different matter. Although primarily for export, illegal drugs are available here and any involvement with them is incredibly dangerous. Tourists from Europe, the USA and Canada are the ones who most frequently get into trouble with drugs here and then they spend some years in prison here, learning Spanish.

 

(2) The AirBNB thing really bothers me.  I saw something, probably on Fox News Channel, about some people who have had very bad experiences with AirBNB, either as the person renting, temporarily, or as the owner.  I would not want to deal with AirBNB.  I would much prefer to see them rent a room in a normal hotel that is well rated on TripAdvisor. Probably the majority of people who use AirBNB have good experiences, but I would rather stay in a normal property. One of my childhood friends was in a property in Las Vegas a few months ago and their room had bad issues. The property did not have another room for them to move to and they checked out at 2 A.M. and moved to another property. I doubt one can do that with an AirBNB reservation.

 

Before we went to Bogota last December, we read recent reviews (and made our reservation) on 

http://www.despegar.com.co/

READ the recent reviews of any property considering staying in!  Despegar.com.co is in Spanish but they can also read RECENT reviews on TripAdvisor.com

The hotel we stayed in was great and we will (hopefully) stay there again in October. It was almost perfect for us. I hope your DD will be as happy with any property she stays in as we were with that one.

 

Colombia is expecting approximately 4 million foreign tourists this year. The vast majority of them will have a wonderful time here and they will want to return to Colombia. A few of them will have a problem and they will bad mouth Colombia for the rest of their lives. They could have the same experience in another Latin American country or in the USA.

 

For foreign tourists, Bogota (a very high altitude city) and Cartagena are the most visited cities. Many cruise ships stop in Cartagena. If there are Cruise ships, in any city, that raises the prices in shops and in restaurants, because they are only there for one day and they  have tons of money to spend.  Avoid any area where Cruise Ship passengers are...

 

Cartagena is a very historic and touristy city.  I haven't been there since the early 90's, but my memory is that the beaches were not that great and that it was frequently windy on the beach.

 

I don't know about staying downtown in the old walled city. I would probably want to stay on or near the beach.

 

I very quickly glanced at some of the replies and was surprised by some of them, to say the least. In the U.S. State Department Travel Warning about Colombia, as I recall from the last time I read it, there is mention of the Corridor on the North (Caribbean) Coast. I believe between Santa Marta and Cartagena.  I believe that highway is considered very safe, even for U.S. Government employees, with regard to the possibility of crime and/or guerrilla.   I remember when I attended the meeting a few years ago, where the 3 people (including the Consul General) had come from the Embassy in Bogota, that the Consul General was planning to fly up there from Bogota with his family and drive that route. He was a high ranking U.S. Government employee.

 

Sure, we have lots of crime here. There is probably a lot of crime where you live in the USA.

 

That your daughter's friend has been in India is to me a *huge* plus.  That's an extremely dangerous place, especially for females, with all the gang rapes that occur in India.

 

I took a boat trip, from Cartagena to the Baru (spelling?) Peninsula and then to the Rosario Islands. There were a lot of  vendors at Baru and I think they were pestering us so much that we went back onto the boat. Where we live, in S.W. Colombia, if someone tries to sell us something we do not want to buy, we give them a  polite, "No, gracias" and 99% of the time they will lose interest in us, with courtesy.   There was an aquarium on the island we stopped at for Lunch in the Rosario Islands and I remember, to this day, the wonderful show they put on for us.  When we got ready to leave that island, to go back to  Cartagena, they were giving some kind of sea sick prevention medicine to the passengers as they boarded. The woman I was with and I didn't take that...  We should have!  If they give out that kind of medicine, take it!

 

Some people here abuse drugs, legal and illegal, but in general, you can go into a pharmacy and buy any (non narcotic) medicine you need, over the counter.  Unlike the day I got sick in Miami and after the doctor gave me a prescription and I took it to the pharmacy, I had to wait, about 6 hours, for it to be filled. My wife ("Colombiana") could not believe that I had to wait so many hours to begin taking the medicine...

 

I remember touring an ancient Prison in  Cartagena.  That was very interesting.

 

I have been a permanent resident of Colombia since February 1995 and had traveled here before that.

 

Your daughter should, certainly, read the U.S. State Department Travel Warning about Colombia. They put everything that has ever happened here in that Warning. 

 

People, especially tourists, should not just jump into a taxi. I do that all the time, but for a tourist, that could, in incredibly rare circumstances, be incredibly dangerous. We had a horrendous event, in Bogota, I believe early in 2013. A DEA agent who lived in Cartagena or is married to a woman from there, had temporarily been working at the Embassy in Bogota. He left a Sports Bar, where he had been watching NBA playoffs, by himself, at about 2 A.M.   Instead of having the Sports Bar call for a taxi (they all have radios in Cali and in Bogota and probably in Cartagena and other cities too), he walked outside and got into a waiting taxi. He was robbed. He resisted. He ended up dead.  He was incredibly stupid not to have had the Sports Bar call for a taxi that would be dispatched by radio and when they do that, they give you the number of the taxi and usually a code number (the last 4 digits of the phone number that called for the taxi, etc.).  The people who did this to him had no idea he was a DEA agent. Everyone in Colombia was extremely angry about this crime. Colombia recently extradited the seven (7) taxi drivers who were involved in this crime, to the USA. 

 

If your daughter and her friend are interested in a beach resort that does not have all of the historic things that are in/near Cartagena, then I would suggest that they consider going to San Andres Island (Isla San Andres) in the Caribbean.  There is a smaller island, nearby, Providencia, where the prisoners in the jail there go home at night.  Islands are usually safer places, since the only way out is by air or by boat.  Everyone who has ever been to San Andres says the water there is very clear, etc.  If they want to Snorkel, Scuba, etc., I would suggest they look into San Andres. 

 

My DD would like to go see the Yubarta whales.  I think they are in our Pacific Coast waters starting in July.  Before we can go there, my wife will need to check out if it is "safe" for 2 "gringos" (DD and me) to go there by ourselves.  My wife thinks that one of the places to see them from is where the U.S. Navy  built a school, under *very* mysterious circumstances, many years ago. They could have donated the materials and local men would have built it, but the U.S. Navy built it...  

 

As you can read in the U.S. State Department Travel Warning, there is, generally, no crime targeted at Americans here in Colombia. If someone does not keep a very "low profile", here in Colombia, as in any country in the world,  including the USA, they will be targeted for crime, because of their stupidity.

 

Before your daughter travels to any foreign country, she should, shortly before her arrival, or, immediately after her arrival, register with the ACS (American Citizen Services unit) of the U.S. Embassy. Here's the link for Colombia:

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/http/travel/travel/tips/registration/registration_1186.html

 

In the unlikely event that your daughter or her friend should get sick while here, the doctors are very good.  If they need any medical examinations that are not covered by your insurance in the USA, medical and dental services are usually far less costly here and the quality is excellent. 

 

This is the URL for the official Colombian government travel web site:

http://www.colombia.travel/en/

 

The U.S. Dollar has been extremely weak, for many years. Since my income is in U.S. Dollars, that has killed our family. The U.S. Dollar is a little stronger now, but nothing like it was around 2002. She should never pay for anything here in U.S. Dollars. First, I believe that is illegal and second, the exchange rate would probably be very bad. Changing dollars in a bank gives one the best exchange rate. Bancolombia or  Banco de Bogota, or some other bank, in a branch where they have a Foreign Exchange window.

 

Almost everything one might eat in Colombia is fresh. There are a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, some of them your daughter may not have seen before, unless you live in an area where there are a lot of Latinos/Latinas.  Almost any restaurant one eats in will have very good food. There are bakeries everywhere (I frequent one, for a Coca Cola and doughnut or something, almost daily...)    My rule, in any country, when considering whether or not to eat in a restaurant or bakery is that there should be people sitting at tables, eating and talking and seemingly happy. If they are not falling over and dying, you can safely enter and enjoy your meal. AVOID restaurants recommended by other tourists. They got there the day before you did and they have no clue.

 

Do not buy Emeralds from street vendors!

 

Do not give money to beggars. Especially, do not give money to children. Their parents sent them to the street to beg instead of sending them to school. It is very rare, where we live, that someone will beg, but if I am in or near a bakery and they look like they might be hungry, I will offer to buy them  some kind of roll. If they do not accept that offer, then I have confirmation they wanted the money to buy drugs or alcohol.  If you give them money, they will spend it on drugs or alcohol.

 

HTH

 

ETA: After I posted this, I glanced at the bottom of the previous reply in your thread. Yes, do not leave food or drinks unattended in a restaurant or bar. People can put things into that, I can't remember how to spell it, that will put you out and you will lose your memory. And, do not allow anyone to put something near your nose and mouth, that could put you out. That applies in the USA too. 

[Liza Q]

Oh Lanny - thank you so much!!

 

No, they are not into drugs at all. I know that some people say you never really know your child...but since they both live at home, that kind of thing would be hard to hide. And, if they wanted drugs, they certainly could get them easier around here!! But I will tell them what you said - always good to hammer home stuff like that.

 

Because we live in NYC, both girls are very accustomed to going out to eat or to a bar and not leaving their drinks, knowing which cabs are safe and which are not, etc. They stick with their friends/group, never dress "sexy" or drink more than a beer unless they are getting a ride home, etc. know that they would be doubly careful abroad.

 

They intend to exchange their money here and always wear money belts, wear cheap jewelry, etc.

 

I will take your specific advice...at this point we are not inclined to tell her don't go or else, but that we expect them to do a lot more to familiarize themselves with exactly where they are going, and encourage them to look for another place to stay, something with a better...track record, I guess.

 

Thank again!!!

[Eagle]

I loved reading your post Lanny. It is always great to hear first-hand experiences of a place from someone who lives there. I visited Cartagena via cruise ship as a young teen many years ago and it left a big impression. I remember the first part of the day being amazing, visiting lovely historical sights. But our last stop was very frightening to me as there were many people there armed with machine guns. I remember one guy absentmindedly flicking his finger against the trigger. We are from somewhere that you don't ever see guns -- it was eye opening to say the least. There were even kids my age with guns!

 

The local authorities had reason to suspect that someone on our ship had obtained illegal drugs while on shore. Every item we had on the trip needed to be brought to shore. They thoroughly searched every stateroom and went through all luggage. They were very serious about it, even breaking open children's toys, which is apparently a good hiding place.

 

As you said, there will be some tourists who have a bad experience and never return. It certainly wouldn't be at the top of my list of places I need to see again. I have always felt that I visited Cartagena in the safest way possible and it still put me out of my comfort zone for safety. But it is good to hear that other parts of Colombia could be different.

[Trish]

Well since she is *more likely* to be assaulted/molested by a family member, I guess statistically you have to let her go.

 

Unless you have family members in Colombia...

 

 

Tough one, I'm glad I don't have any adult children yet!

[Lanny]

I am going to begin reading all of the replies that were posted before mine now. One thing I see mentioned in the first reply is the U.S. State Department Travel Warning about Colombia. 

 

I was born and raised in the USA and lived most of my life there. I have lived here for 19+ years, since February 1995 (the Cali Cartel was destroyed several months after I moved here).

 

I believe that if those of you who live in the USA could read the Travel Warnings about travel in the USA, issued in the UK, Europe, etc., that you would have your eyes opened, quite a bit. 

 

What seems "normal" to one person, living in one place, can be very frightening, to someone who lives in another country. For most of his adult life, one of my childhood friends lived in Israel. We were afraid to go to Israel. They were afraid to visit us in Colombia. We spent a few days with them in Orlando, which is probably not a lot safer than Israel or Colombia.

 

One difference is that here in Colombia, and in many other countries,  you will probably see a lot more police on the street than you see in the USA. That does not necessarily indicate that you are so much safer in the USA, that there is no crime there, it is the result of few police officers on the street because it is costly to have them on the street.

[AlmiraGulch]

You are ABSOLUTELY subsidizing her trips.

 

For all those who keep saying "she's an adult", I'm sorry, but she's not. She's of age, but she's not an adult. Adults do not live off of other people and then use what little money they make to take exotic vacations. Adults support themselves and have earned the right to make all decisions in their life. Part of that is paying the bill, but also doing the hard, hard work of being able to pay the bill and having a real appreciation for just how tough it is. This girl hasn't reached that level yet. I'm sure she's wonderful and smart and I think it's great that her parents are willing to keep her on at home while she's going to school. But she isn't even CLOSE to being an adult.

This is a completely unfair assessment, based on what the OP has said about her daughter.

 

By her own account her daughter is perfectly capable of living independently, supporting herself, making wise decisions. The fact that she and her parents have made an arrangement that affords her the opportunity to not have to struggle financially is in no way indicative of her status as an adult.

 

She does not have the same number of years of life experience as the rest of us because she simply hasn't been alive as long. That does not make her not an adult.

[Lanny]

I'll be the voice of dissent.

 

While I think it's normal to have some concern, I do think you're overreacting.  Tens of thousands of people travel to Colombia, particularly the large cities like Bogota and Cartagena, for business and pleasure every year, without incident.  According the U.S. State Department's own travel advisory, no U.S. citizen has been targeted because of their nationality, and the biggest risks are in more rural areas, or travel by land between areas.  

 

It sounds as if your daughter and her friend are planning to travel into and stay in one city.  A cursory glance even at TripAdvisor shows how very many people do this all the time, without incident.  It is a major metropolitan area, your daughter and her friend are well-traveled, and as long as they have clearly established plans I think they'll be just fine.  

 

ETA:  From TripAdvisor:  Cartagena, a gorgeous fishing village on Colombia's Caribbean coast, has excellent beaches, a historic old town (that's entirely walkable) and beautiful colonial architecture. It's also one of the safest places in the country, so it's no wonder it's a popular port of call for cruise ships. Need a break from exploring the cobblestone streets? Stop at an outdoor cafe for excellent pastries and people-watching.

 

The blurb from TripAdvisor is, to me, extremely funny. Fishing village? Excuse me? It is a port city, it is a historic city, and it has beaches  (that I do not remember as excellent) but it is a very large city and I would not describe it as a "gorgeous fishing village".  

 

I believe the Colombian Navy has a base there, possibly their Academy, and they have an old Sailing Ship that goes around the world that is quite interesting, if it is in port.

[Slartibartfast]

I would be fine with my 21 year old visiting Colombia. It is much safer than it used to be. I would think some places in Europe would be more dangerous than Colombia.

 

I would insist they study the area and discuss with me different issues that they may need to be aware of but as long as I felt they were going to be savvy and conscious of the different concerns then I would not object.

 

I wouldn't use financial manipulation to enforce my opinion. If my kid was able to pay for a trip then I wouldn't say they should pay rent since they are paying for trips. I certainly would not do it just because they were going somewhere I did not like. I don't see that as a fair way to treat someone. She most certainly is an adult and while I would still be willing to offer shelter and financial assistance through school at that age I would also give them more leeway and understanding than a younger person.

 

I think Lanny has a great point, India would be much more dangerous IMO and I would think she would have the experience to keep herself out of trouble. I would talk to them about getting very drunk and I would talk to them about how people can drop things into their drinks but those things  can happen anywhere.

 

Dh's younger sister did visit Colombia about that age. She enjoyed it.

 

[Lanny]

She's 21 and it's a popular tourist destination among young people.  I'd fret about it, and encourage her to try Belize instead.......... but I wouldn't pull out the big guns.  Have her grab a Lonely Planet and make some memories.

 

You should talk with my friend (a Retired Overseas American, like me) who moved to Belize, years ago. He bought a house in a very rural area. His house was burned down (Arson). I believe he is back in Indiana now.

 

There is crime everywhere. Even in the USA.

[Trish]

It would be so much cheaper to rent Romancing the Stone.

 

That's what I did before I was on my own. Rented movies.

 

 

[Lanny]

With regard to inter city bus travel in the interior of Colombia that is something the U.S. Embassy discourages. I have done it, with my family, and by myself. Never has there been a problem. I remember once, on a bus with my wife and DD, there was at least one other American on the bus.

 

The highways here are excellent, but there could, it is incredibly rare, be a bus stopped by guerrilla where that would be a problem.

 

Based on an experience I had when I was in Bogota years ago and was in the U.S. Embassy longer than I expected and missed my flight to Cali (Avianca was very nice, but one can't count on airlines to be nice), my wife made me go by bus, from Cali to Bogota, during May 2009, when I was going to attend a concert.  There is a place on the highway, about 4 hours North of Cali, called "La Linea" (the line).  When the bus was near the top, it was about to make a left turn and stopped. After awhile, I looked out and in the other direction, a tractor trailer had flipped onto it's side and the container on the trailer dropped down the mountain. At that moment, I thought to myself, we could be here for hours and thank God this bus has a bathroom. There were vendors who came onto the bus to sell food and drink. Apparently, the accident had happened quite awhile before we got there, and after about 30 minutes a huge tow truck arrived and turned the tractor and the trailer onto their wheels and we were able to proceed. But, we could have been stuck there, for hours.

 

There were Colombian National Police and possibly Colombian Army personnel on the scene, so I suspected that there are frequent accidents there and that they know how to respond and clear the highway, ASAP.

 

As it turned out, my wife was correct, they gave us tickets for the 2nd concert and I had to change my return reservation twice and stay in Bogota 2 extra nights, to attend the 2nd concert. What an airline would have charged me, to change my return ticket, TWICE, I would not want to contemplate.

 

Renting a car here is not a good option. In the cities, you need about 10 eyes and we have large mountains  and driving long distances in them isn't easy, especially with all of the buses and tractor trailers using them. I would not want to drive from Cali to Bogota and if I had a car in Bogota I am totally lost there.

 

Our largest airline is Avianca. They have the most flights and are excellent. One can fly from Cali to Bogota in approximately 35 minutes (wheels up to wheels down). But, you do not get to see the beautiful country and this is a beautiful country. LAN is also very good but they have far fewer flights. We went on LAN, from Cali to Bogota, last December. 

 

@OP   Why did your DD and her friend select Cartagena? What do they want to do there?

[Lanny]

Guys, it's Colombia, not Columbia. 

 

;)

 

Bless you for this. This is a pet peeve of mine and of many Colombians. I think it is because of Columbia University and the District of Columbia. I have even seen drop down lists of countries, on web sites, where it is spelled Columbia, in error. I believe the majority of Americans misspell it for those reasons.

 

When we were in the Bogota airport last December, my wife bought me the T shirt in the photo. The next time we are there, I hope she will buy me the coffee mug they were selling in that store...

[East Coast Sue]

I haven't read the responses, but I would do everything I could to keep her from taking that trip! I have traveled to dangerous places, in some cases alone and sometimes with a few others- it is not a wise choice for a young woman to make. I thank the Lord that I made it out of some pretty bad situations without harm but let me be very clear- Women are not safe traveling to places like Colombia in small groups or alone! I can PM other details of my experiences, if you think it will help your daughter to understand.

 

BTW, I commend you for letting her travel and have adventures in other more reasonably safe places!

[Lanny]

I will add that my Spanish had not been used in a long time and I struggled, but I used it a lot while we were there.

 

I can't really imagine going without speaking *some* Spanish, but I know people do.

 

They will not meet a ton of people who speak English, FYI, especially compared to say, touristy areas in Mexico.

 

The quality of the English may not be good, but a lot of people here are trying to learn English. The Colombian government has made that a priority and the U.S. Government spends some $ to make that happen.

 

However, one must not assume that people  are going to speak/understand English, in any country one might go to where English is not the first language.

 

One nice thing about Latin America is that the people are very happy when foreigners try to speak Spanish with them and they are not like the people in France, who react as they do if someone tries to speak French and it is obvious that they are not a native of France.  So, they are very forgiving with "Spanglish". Ask me, I am fluent in Spanglish...

[Lanny]

I have no experience with this personally but I have a friend whose husband is from Colombia.  He still has some family there.  His brother is a lawyer there.  His brother was shot and nearly killed because someone wanted to kidnap him for money and he fought back.  There have been other incidents.  And this is with people WHO LIVE THERE.  My friend and her husband have family come visit them, now, instead of going back to Colombia.  They do not consider it safe to travel there at this time, especially if you look like you have money or are a young female.

 

But people DO travel there all the time and have no incidents.  I don't know what I would do in your position.  I don't think I would put my foot down.  But I do think I would have her do a LOT more research on safety issues.

 

It is now (fortunately) extremely rare that people here are kidnapped. I suspect that was some years ago? 

 

We live in an upper middle class rural subdivision. I do not see any of our neighbors living in fear and I do not see any of them with bodyguards. 

 

Most of the things that gave Colombia such a horrible reputation happened years ago.

 

However, things can and do happen, in any country.

 

Certainly, many years ago, what you described happened much more frequently than it does now.

[Catwoman]

As soon as I read the OP, I was hoping Lanny would post. I'm so glad he was able to give you so many "insider details!" :)

[Liza Q]

 

@OP   Why did your DD and her friend select Cartagena? What do they want to do there?

 

Excellent question. It looks beautiful. It is in South America, which has been on their minds for the reasons I listed above (Quintero, my maiden name, common in Colombia, the World Cup). It seemed safe to them, based on what they read from the State Dept. The airfare was great. It is a place they can do in less than a week, without feeling rushed. The fort (castle?) and taking a boat to a beautiful island seem like something they would love. The beach seemed lovely - especially compared to Coney Island and Brighton Beach near us!

 

I will ask her when she gets home from work, as she may have more to add.

[Liza Q]

It would be so much cheaper to rent Romancing the Stone.

 

That's what I did before I was on my own. Rented movies.

 

This made me laugh! I told her that we should watch it tonight!

[Lanny]

@Liza Q    Why did your DD and her friend select Cartagena? What do they want to do there? What are their interests here in Colombia? I think you wrote they plan to be in Colombia in September. Possibly not the greatest month but in October there is a huge amount of travel, within Colombia and places are more crowded. Avoid October! Avoid December! Avoid January! Avoid "Semana Santa" (Holy Week).   My wife wants to attend a reunion in Bogota in October and it is on a holiday weekend and the airline fares, etc., are higher. We still do not have our reservations...

 

BTW: Cartagena was the location of the scandal involving some Secret Service personnel (and some military personnel?) a couple of years ago. The men involved tried to cheat the Prostitutes and the Hotel out of money they were entitled to. Had they not done that, there would have not been a scandal. The Prostitutes and the Hotel were very honest. The Secret Service people were not honest. 

[Reefgazer]

No, you're not over-reacting, and I would encourage her not to go.  Can you swing the dollar difference between Columbia and another safer place that is also appealing to her?

[Seasider]

I would join you in the freaking out category, at least internally.

 

Externally, I would respond firmly but reasonably with pointing out the State Department warnings, other options, etc. If reasonable conversation did not prevail, I'd tell her that she would be traveling against her parents' advice.

 

Just thinking of this (so not sure if it's already answered up thread), do you and/or your dh hold a valid passport? If not, that's reason enough to say no, because if you need to help her out of an emergency, your travel would be delayed by having to have a passport processed. I know that can be expedited, but still something to consider. I have no international travel plans for myself, but because my teens do, I will be renewing my expired passport next month.

[Mama Geek]

I have a friend who came here from Columbia about 2 years ago and had grown up just north of where you are talking about.  She was afraid when she came to this country because of the amount of crime there.  Her husband lives in a small town in a nice neighborhood with probably 1+ acre lots.  I would easily walk by myself there, ride bikes, let kids play at neighbor houses, etc in a heartbeat.  She was very afraid being out there by herself while her dh worked.  She goes back to Columbia to visit her family and I don't know if she has ever been a victim of a crime there, but it is a rough place.

[Liza Q]

We have valid passports - good thought!

[TammyS]

This is a completely unfair assessment, based on what the OP has said about her daughter.

 

By her own account her daughter is perfectly capable of living independently, supporting herself, making wise decisions. The fact that she and her parents have made an arrangement that affords her the opportunity to not have to struggle financially is in no way indicative of her status as an adult.

 

She does not have the same number of years of life experience as the rest of us because she simply hasn't been alive as long. That does not make her not an adult.

 

I didn't say she wasn't capable of being adult, just that she isn't one. 

 

She's choosing to delay adulthood.  Fine by me.  But then she doesn't get afforded adult status.

[OneStepAtATime]

It is now (fortunately) extremely rare that people here are kidnapped. I suspect that was some years ago? 

 

We live in an upper middle class rural subdivision. I do not see any of our neighbors living in fear and I do not see any of them with bodyguards. 

 

Most of the things that gave Colombia such a horrible reputation happened years ago.

 

However, things can and do happen, in any country.

 

Certainly, many years ago, what you described happened much more frequently than it does now.

I don't remember the exact date but it was more than 3 years ago and less than 6 years ago.  I was going through extended health issues because of cancer so my memory is fuzzy.  But definitely not in the past 3 years.  :)

 

OP, it honestly sounds like as long as they are smart about how they handle themselves and do their research before they go, (as they would need to do in many, many locations even here in the States) they should be fine.  And will probably have a wonderful experience.  I am excited for them, even though I know as a mom I would be nervous until they got home (but that would probably be true no matter what their destination, to some extent).  

 

Honestly, my MIL and my mom were VERY nervous when my DH and I and all his siblings and their   spouses traveled to France for a wedding a few years back.  And we were definitely adults.  :)  Its just what moms do.  Best wishes.

[Liza Q]

Hey. If anyone wants to discuss whether adult children who live at home and are supported by their parents are actually adults, could you start another thread? I would love to contribute my thoughts on that when I am done working out this particular issue...but the way it going now it sounds like you are kind of only discussing my daughter, which makes it personal and weird.

 

Thanks.

[Slartibartfast]

nvm 

 

[Lanny]

<snip>

Otherwise, they could go to Costa Rica!  :)

 

Costa Rica isn't that safe...  My wife corresponds with a family there. They are  Costa Ricans interested in moving down here. My wife feels that the wife will be able to get a good position here, but the husband will probably have a lot of trouble finding employment he likes.  I believe a lot of the problems that we had in Colombia many years ago have moved up there.

[Lanny]

Oh Lanny - thank you so much!!

 

No, they are not into drugs at all. I know that some people say you never really know your child...but since they both live at home, that kind of thing would be hard to hide. And, if they wanted drugs, they certainly could get them easier around here!! But I will tell them what you said - always good to hammer home stuff like that.

 

Because we live in NYC, both girls are very accustomed to going out to eat or to a bar and not leaving their drinks, knowing which cabs are safe and which are not, etc. They stick with their friends/group, never dress "sexy" or drink more than a beer unless they are getting a ride home, etc. know that they would be doubly careful abroad.

 

They intend to exchange their money here and always wear money belts, wear cheap jewelry, etc.

 

I will take your specific advice...at this point we are not inclined to tell her don't go or else, but that we expect them to do a lot more to familiarize themselves with exactly where they are going, and encourage them to look for another place to stay, something with a better...track record, I guess.

 

Thank again!!!

 

You are welcome. Again, the AirBNB thing is the most disturbing to me about what was in your original post. I think some neighbors we are friendly with down the street did that or even hosted someone. Couch surfing? A couple of years ago, the father went with their oldest daughter, on a trip by bus, from where we live, to the tip of Argentina. Patagonia. I want them to write an ebook about it, but the daughter is now in Medical school and they don't have time.

 

Good that your DD has no interest in drugs. Any interest in drugs here could easily get one killed or put into jail. 

 

We live in a Tropical Valley so I can assure you that many of the women here dress very "sexily" and there is a lot of flesh showing. The men look, but it is not considered an invitation to rape, as in the USA. I believe there is far less rape here than in the USA and that makes it  much safer for women and girls here.

 

I would not exchange money in the USA. Probably the exchange rate there is not as good. The best exchange rate will be in a bank in Colombia. Do not change money on the street. And please know that some of the best counterfeiters of U.S. currency in the world are here in Cali, Colombia. They are so good that in the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, they will not take 50 or 100 dollar (I forget which it is) U.S. bills. If they can exchange a small amount, USD$50 or $100 in the states, without getting killed on the exchange rate, just to see what our currency looks and feels like, maybe do that there so they will have $ for the taxi ride from their airport to the hotel, but I would rather see them arrive during the week  (not on a Colombian holiday when the banks are closed) and exchange their $ in a bank and get the best possible exchange rate. 

 

Yes, women carry everything in their purses and if they get robbed, they lose everything. A few years ago, a friend from the web forum of my favorite singer was traveling across much of Venezuela, for a concert in N.E. Colombia. I suggested she put her Blackberry in her bra and I wasn't kidding.  She called me 2 or 3 nights ago and she told me that she has had 3 cell phones stolen...   ?

 

Oh, speaking of her. She has been in Cartagena 2 or 3 times, staying with a woman in the web forum.  She travels by herself, on buses, from Maracaibo, Venezuela to Cartagena. I believe the only problems she has had have involved worrying about whether or not the Venezuelan border police will allow her to leave Venezuela.  She was in  Cartagena in June.

 

NOTE: I assume this is still true. When I came here with a Tourist Visa stamped into my U.S. Passport I had to carry my passport with me at all times, which I really do not like to do. At that time (early 90's) I heard about an American man who only carried a photocopy of the visa stamped into his passport with him. He spent a day or 2 in jail here, while they checked him out. Your DD and her friend need to check, to see if they are required to carry their passports with them at all times. Before I had my Cedula (National identity card) after arrival at an airport in Colombia, in Immigration, they stamped the Tourist Visas into my passport. 

 

It is common to be asked to show your identification here and sometimes (cashing a check?) they get a fingerprint.

 

It is very rare, but sometimes there are police checkpoints. One needs to show their ID and sometimes  be frisked. Women and girls cannot be frisked unless there is a Female Police Officer (Colombian National Police or Policia Nacional) there to do it. This is a safer place, because they take a lot of bad people off the streets, with those checks. 

[Lanny]

I loved reading your post Lanny. It is always great to hear first-hand experiences of a place from someone who lives there. I visited Cartagena via cruise ship as a young teen many years ago and it left a big impression. I remember the first part of the day being amazing, visiting lovely historical sights. But our last stop was very frightening to me as there were many people there armed with machine guns. I remember one guy absentmindedly flicking his finger against the trigger. We are from somewhere that you don't ever see guns -- it was eye opening to say the least. There were even kids my age with guns!

 

The local authorities had reason to suspect that someone on our ship had obtained illegal drugs while on shore. Every item we had on the trip needed to be brought to shore. They thoroughly searched every stateroom and went through all luggage. They were very serious about it, even breaking open children's toys, which is apparently a good hiding place.

 

As you said, there will be some tourists who have a bad experience and never return. It certainly wouldn't be at the top of my list of places I need to see again. I have always felt that I visited Cartagena in the safest way possible and it still put me out of my comfort zone for safety. But it is good to hear that other parts of Colombia could be different.

 

About the search they did of your Cruise Ship. When DD was 6 months old, my wife and I had Delta Frequent Flyer tickets and we bought a ticket for DD from Bogota to Las Vegas. We got to the airport in Bogota about 4 or 5 A.M. and were told the flight from Atlanta the night before had a problem and terminated in Miami. So, they had no aircraft. They put us onto American to Miami and then back onto Delta. We had some Diapers for DD. The Police officer asked me if he could cut into the package. I of course told him OK.  Apparently, that is one of hundreds or thousands of places that can hide illegal drugs. 

 

Yes. Sometimes we see machine guns here. Not frequently. There are more police officers here. Also, sometimes you will see Military Police. I think one might see them in Tourist areas such as Cartagena. There are Police here who are dedicated to work in Tourist areas, with Diplomats, etc. Highways, etc.

[chiguirre]

I'm really late to post, but I think she'll be fine. My parents (in their late 70s) are going to Colombia next week on a tour. They're pretty intrepid, but they're also safety conscious. Dh goes to Cartagena a couple of times a year for professional conferences and loves it. There are more dangerous places in most American cities, it's just that we know where to go when we're on familiar ground.

[Lanny]

Excellent question. It looks beautiful. It is in South America, which has been on their minds for the reasons I listed above (Quintero, my maiden name, common in Colombia, the World Cup). It seemed safe to them, based on what they read from the State Dept. The airfare was great. It is a place they can do in less than a week, without feeling rushed. The fort (castle?) and taking a boat to a beautiful island seem like something they would love. The beach seemed lovely - especially compared to Coney Island and Brighton Beach near us!

 

I will ask her when she gets home from work, as she may have more to add.

 

They could probably select a place to go that would be much worse for them than Cartagena. The beaches there, in my memory, were not the best I've been on. I do remember touring the old prison and that tour was quite interesting. The Rosario  (spelling?) islands are tiny. I hope they can take the boat tour we took, which stopped at a beach on the Baru (spelling?) Peninsula, which was probably much nicer than the beaches in Cartagena, with the exception of the vendors who were very bothersome, because there were more vendors than passengers on the boat. The Aquarium on the island we stopped at for Lunch was super. I still remember the show they put on. And, at the end, I remember they did not request, in any way, tips, which would have been well earned. Getting seasick on the return to Cartagena wasn't fun...   The Colombian Navy Sailing Ship, if it is in port, they should try to tour.  I would think that for beaches, one would probably be better off in Santa Marta (the only ocean beach in the world where there is a Snow capped volcano nearby?) and there is a National Park near there, but that would involve some other issues. For me, if I simply wanted a Caribbean Beach with clear water, etc., it would be San Andres Island. I think if they just try to keep a low profile, they will be fine.  Always be aware of your surroundings. That applies in the USA, here in Colombia, anywhere in the world. Be aware of who is around you and what is around you at all times.  I hope they will have a safe and wonderful time in Colombia and that they will want to return and see other parts of the country. 

[Lanny]

Below are some things that might help your DD and her friend on their trip to Cartagena. Some of them are very specific to travel here in Colombia and some are applicable worldwide, including in the USA.

 

Money: In general, I believe carrying large amounts of cash is extremely dangerous (and depending upon the amount, sometimes illegal).  Any cash they carry should be distributed, in different places, between the 2 women. ATM machines are everywhere here and they give the best possible exchange rate. The problem is that one must not assume that they will work properly and give cash.  On incredibly rare occasions, the communications is down. More frequently, there have been days when I have tried to get $ from several different ATM machines and none of them could read the Magnetic Stripe on the Debit Card from my U.S. bank.  Or, sometimes, the ATM machine simply has no cash in it or is out of service for some other reason. The network of ATM machines I like the best in Colombia is "Servibanca". They are frequently found in large supermarkets, superstores and  malls.  They seem to take ALL cards.

 

Also, sometimes I use machines in the "ATH" network, but I seem to have more problems with them not being able to read the Magnetic Stripe on my card. The cards issued by banks here in Colombia have a Chip on them, which is much safer, but the card I have from the USA does not have a Chip, it only has a Magnetic Stripe, but it works OK.  I try not to use ATM machines where you just walk up to them on the street or on the outside wall of a bank in a mall, etc. After using an ATM machines in store, I usually walk around for 2 or 3 minutes, in a zig zag pattern, in case anyone is following me. Always assume that you are being watched when using an ATM machine. Look at the machine, where the card is inserted and where the cash comes out, before using it, to be sure nothing is protruding. Those things are called "Skimmers" according to the FBI. Never count the money you have received. ATM machines do not make mistakes when they count money and standing there counting your money increases the possibility that you will be robbed. 

 

All of the ATM machines here are bilingual (English and Spanish). You tell the machine how much cash you want (in Colombian Pesos). Between the ATM machine charges here and the charges from your bank in the USA, it probably costs approximately USD$5 for the service, depending upon the amount of cash you get during the transaction.  

 

Hotel Taxes and Insurance charges: In Colombia, if someone is here for a very short time, on a "Tourist" visa, they are exempt from the 16% IVA (Value Added Tax) on their hotel bill. I have a "Resident" visa, so we pay the 16% IVA tax.  When we were in the hotel in Bogotá last December, when checking out, I noticed that the daily room rate was slightly higher than the print out I had from Despegar.com.co (An OTA or Online Travel Agency). That probably had to do with them changing the room rate back and forth from Colombian Pesos to U.S. Dollars and back into Colombian Pesos, due to currency fluctuations.  I asked the clerk to lower our bill and she was looking into that, which seemed to be complicated. Then, she told me that she could remove the charges for the Hotel Insurance, which we had not used. I had thought that charge was obligatory... As I recall, it was approximately USD$12 a night (total) for the 3 of us and we had stayed there for 3 nights.  Immediately, I thanked her for that, asked her to remove the Hotel Insurance charge and to forget about the room rate problem...  I was VERY happy when she told me that she could remove all charges for the Hotel Insurance!

 

Mini Bar: We NEVER take anything from a Mini Bar in the room. If there are any charges on our bill at checkout, I raise hell with them, immediately.

 

Exchange rate: The official exchange rate is on the right side of this URL where it says "TRM".  That is the official exchange rate set by the Colombian Central Bank. I believe they set it sometime after Midnight, for the day. Also, I believe they lower it for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, in case there are problems in the USA.  So, it may go up slightly on Tuesday mornings and be higher on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday than it is on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The TRM is the official rate they will use if one goes into a Colombian bank with a Currency Exchange Window. Everything is based on the TRM.

http://banrep.gov.co/

 

Phone service.  There are tons of places where people can make phone calls. Local, long distance or international calls. I know that where I go to get photocopies and have prints of photos made, they have a number of phone booths. From those places, one can call within Colombia or to the USA, for very low rates per minute. Probably approximately 10 U.S. cents per minute to the USA, but I'm not sure about that. They also have Public Internet service available there. Never log onto a site where there is any confidential information, bank, etc., from a Public terminal or while using a Public WiFi access! A childhood friend was in LAX, last December, and his Notebook was attacked, while he was using the Public WiFi of L.A. International Airport. Oh, when we were in that hotel in Bogotá last December, I made a local phone call to our airline (LAN Colombia) to see how much the penalty would be if we extended our trip one night. Using the hotel phone was a mistake. It was a very expensive call and would have been much cheaper had I used my cell phone. Cell phones here use the GSM technology and if they have an "unlocked" phone that works in the states, the GSM bands in Colombia are the same and they can buy a SIM card from a Colombian operator (we use COMCEL) for a few dollars and have cell phone service. 

 

Insurance: It would be incredibly rare for a Medical/Health insurance policy in the USA to cover expenses outside the USA. And, if the policy did cover expenses outside the USA, it would not be accepted here in Colombia and probably not in other countries either. In the event of any illness, they should expect to pay the day of receiving the services in a hospital or doctors office. As I wrote in a previous post, medical and dental services here are usually much less expensive in the USA and the quality of services here is usually excellent.

 

WiFi access: It is incredibly dangerous, for Security reasons, to use Public WiFi to access any web site that has confidential information, such as a bank. If they are going to bring a Smart Phone, Tablet or Notebook with them, they should have (and use) a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to protect them. I have a $15 a year VPS (Virtual Private Server) on which I have installed OpenVPN. That's complicated. They can Google for "Free VPN service" or something like that and either sign up for a free VPN service (which will probably have some ads and/or be slower) or a paid VPN service from the same company. As soon as they get on the Public WiFi, they should then change to the VPN service, for their protection!

 

Shopping: Never walk out of an expensive store with a shopping bag showing that something was purchased in an expensive store and is Brand New. Immediately after leaving the store, remove the contents, turn the bag inside out and then put the contents back into the bag. Not to do that is a huge advertisement to thieves. 

 

Medicine: If they bring any medicine with them, it must be in the original container. NEVER put different pills into the same container. A prescription bottle must only contain the medicine that it says it contains. Small quantities of any medicines they need can probably be purchased in a drug store here, over the counter, without a prescription from a doctor. If they have a prescription, that will be nice. 

[NotSoObvious]

Sorry, I have to come back and comment on the ATM thing.

 

Right now you have to be careful using ATM machines and handing your credit card to anyone. There is a scam going on where they steal your CC information. (You can Google it. It's big in Guatemala right now, too.) We bank with Chase and when I called to tell them we were going to Colombia, they said Colombia was on a special high risk list and I would NOT be able to use my ATM card. Luckily, I was able to use my America Express Card AND I didn't need a lot of cash because I was with my parents who have Colombian bank accounts. If you use an ATM, make sure it's inside of a bank. 

When they use a credit card there is a rule that it must be swiped in front of you. Most places will bring the card reader to you or your table, but some places don't have a portable reader yet, so you have to walk back to the register with them. It's because of the high risk of fraud. They don't want to be accused. My step mom used her credit card the whole time we were in Cartagena without any problems (you will most likely be charged an international fee though). I used cash the whole time. 

We exchanged money at the airport when we landed (it was a slightly lower exchange rate, but totally worth it) and then in Bucaramanga at an exchange place that we used the whole time we were there because they had the best rates. They take a copy of your passport and your fingerprint. It takes a while.

 

I had $500 with me in Cartagena. The apartment we stayed in had a safe and that's where I kept most of my money and our passports.

 

Hope that helps. The ATM card thing is just a little tricky right now, especially depending on your bank. Make sure they have a back up plan in case they need to access money. 

 

ETA: I just reread Lanny's post and see that he referenced the skimmer scam. I just wanted to reiterate it is a big deal and, like I said, Chase wouldn't ok the use of my ATM card in Colombia, period. They should call their banks.

[Lanny]

Sorry, I have to come back and comment on the ATM thing.

 

Right now you have to be careful using ATM machines and handing your credit card to anyone. There is a scam going on where they steal your CC information. (You can Google it. It's big in Guatemala right now, too.) We bank with Chase and when I called to tell them we were going to Colombia, they said Colombia was on a special high risk list and I would NOT be able to use my ATM card. Luckily, I was able to use my America Express Card AND I didn't need a lot of cash because I was with my parents who have Colombian bank accounts. If you use an ATM, make sure it's inside of a bank. 

When they use a credit card there is a rule that it must be swiped in front of you. Most places will bring the card reader to you or your table, but some places don't have a portable reader yet, so you have to walk back to the register with them. It's because of the high risk of fraud. They don't want to be accused. My step mom used her credit card the whole time we were in Cartagena without any problems (you will most likely be charged an international fee though). I used cash the whole time. 

We exchanged money at the airport when we landed (it was a slightly lower exchange rate, but totally worth it) and then in Bucaramanga at an exchange place that we used the whole time we were there because they had the best rates. They take a copy of your passport and your fingerprint. It takes a while.

 

I had $500 with me in Cartagena. The apartment we stayed in had a safe and that's where I kept most of my money and our passports.

 

Hope that helps. The ATM card thing is just a little tricky right now, especially depending on your bank. Make sure they have a back up plan in case they need to access money. 

 

ETA: I just reread Lanny's post and see that he referenced the skimmer scam. I just wanted to reiterate it is a big deal and, like I said, Chase wouldn't ok the use of my ATM card in Colombia, period. They should call their banks.

 

The "Skimmer" thing is VERY big in the USA and  probably around the world now. I read about it because the guy who was in the movie (the famous counterfeiter of checks) is now an FBI employee and he is working on that.  So, I try to remember, before using an ATM machine, to look, before I put in my card and also where the money comes out, to see if anything is protruding from those 2 places, based on his recommendations. 

 

THANK YOU for mentioning about SAFES in hotel rooms!  I completely forgot about that. We put everything we don't need into the safe in the room. The hotel we stayed in in Bogota last December had one in the closet and you set the combination before you begin using it. It is FREE, so if people do not use it, they are  DUMB. We put the Android Tablet and whatever we didn't need in there. Our airline tickets, etc.

 

Apparently, the majority of credit card fraud in the world is in hotels. I saw a thing on Fox News Channel, a month or two ago, about major hotels where criminals set up a WiFi that looks exactly like the WiFi of the hotel, but is more powerful, and the guests who are victims log onto the WiFi of the criminals, thinking they are on the hotel WiFi to work on their hotel account and the criminals get all of their Credit Card data.

 

A big issue with credit cards (this certainly applies in the USA too) is that if one is in a restaurant or somewhere, the waiter will go off with one's credit card. A credit card should always be within the sight of the credit card owner... As you wrote, not every place has those little machines to process credit card transactions at the table where the people are dining. 

 

I am surprised (astonished) about what Chase told you about not being able to use your ATM card here in Colombia. However, as I wrote earlier this morning, for many reasons, one cannot be positive that they will be able to get cash with their ATM card, from any machine, in any country. If it works that is great, if not, one needs to have access to other money.

 

I use Bank ATM machines that are on the outside banks,  but they are not actually INSIDE the bank, they are outside the bank. I prefer to use ATM machines where they are enclosed and I lock the door behind me. Or, I prefer to use ATM machines in large supermarkets or superstores. There may be banks here where they have ATM machines INSIDE the bank, but they are not banks that I use.

 

Question: When you were on the street did you carry your passports with you? When I first began coming to Colombia and had a Tourist Visa stamped into my passport the law was that I had to carry my Passport with me at all times. I assume that is the case, but I am not positive about that, because I have a "Cedula" (national identity card) and that's what I carry with me when I'm out of the house.

[Liza Q]

Thanks so much for all the great advice!

 

My husband decided that he was not going to pressure her not to go - she is well aware that he thinks she is being foolish. At this point we are discussing extra measures she can take for her safety, above and beyond what she is accustomed to while traveling.

 

 

 

[Liz CA]

I have never been to Colombia...but I think there is only so much you can say. She is 21. Even though you are financing tuition, room & board, she is an adult. You can withdraw those benefits and then she'll make other arrangements but this would be something taking effect in the future, not now. Aside from voicing your concern, and hoping for the best, she will make a decision with her friend. Praying!

 

Wanted to suggest contacting Lanny but he is already appraised of the situation. If he advices against it, your dd may take it better from him than you.

[Lanny]

Thanks so much for all the great advice!

 

My husband decided that he was not going to pressure her not to go - she is well aware that he thinks she is being foolish. At this point we are discussing extra measures she can take for her safety, above and beyond what she is accustomed to while traveling.

 

You are very welcome. That sounds good. I think they are going to have a great time in Cartagena and that it will be a pretty easy introduction to what life in Latin America is like, for your DD and her friend.  Certainly, one can be in an accident, or, a victim of crime, in any country. It happens here, it happens in the USA, it happens in Israel and it happens in every country in the world. If they keep a "low profile" and behave themselves, are alert and careful, they will have a good time.

 

I was a little puzzled by why they chose to go to Cartagena, but actually I think it will be better for them to go there than them going to Bogota, which is a HUGE and VERY HIGH ALTITUDE city. There are many great things to do in and near Bogota, but my wife told my daughter and me we could never live there, for health reasons. She said the color our fingernails changed to, in Bogota, indicated we had a big health problem with the altitude. And, certainly, Bogota does not have any ocean beaches...  That said, many years ago, some brilliant "narcos" built a submarine, somewhere near Bogota. Who would think that someone would build one of those so far from the ocean?

 

Had they gone to San Andres Island, it would strictly be beach, snorkeling, diving and relaxing, which is great if that was all that they had wanted to do.

 

One trivial bit of information for your DD and her friend. A "Motel" in Colombia is not like a motel in the USA (an informal hotel). Here, it is a place where unmarried couples, or, people who are not married to each other, rent a room for a few hours...

 

Being foolish? I am not so sure. Without going into detail, I will just tell you that I have P.T.S.D. because of something that happened to me while I was walking across the parking lot of a hotel/motel in the State of Washington, to go to the office to get a free newspaper at 610 A.M. . In the Seattle/Tacoma area.  Things happen, everywhere.

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

 

One trivial bit of information for your DD and her friend. A "Motel" in Colombia is not like a motel in the USA (an informal hotel). Here, it is a place where unmarried couples, or, people who are not married to each other, rent a room for a few hours...

 

 

Same in Japan!  Despite living in Japan for over 20 years by that time, my parents didn't know that and we stayed at one on vacation when I was young.  The owners weren't quite sure what to do with a family of 5 kids!  And our friends were shocked later to find out where we stayed for vacation.  That's when someone explained it to them.  

[Liza Q]

lol = we have motels like that here too. You just kind of know which ones they are!

 

They never considered Bogota. I think it was pictures like this that sold them - so colorful, so lovely!

 

 

[Lanny]

lol = we have motels like that here too. You just kind of know which ones they are!

 

They never considered Bogota. I think it was pictures like this that sold them - so colorful, so lovely!

 

Great photos. Thank you for sharing.  In S.W. Colombia, where we live, the majority of the population are "Afro Colombianos".  Sometimes I see people walking down the street here, carrying a very heavy load on the top of their head. I suspect that is very hard on their necks, but they seem to prefer doing that, instead of carrying the same thing on their shoulder. Possibly your DD and her friend will see people in Cartagena doing that. I remember the Tour of the old Fort or Prison (?), it is not near the beach if my memory is correct and it was very interesting. I hope they can do that.  And, tour the old city. And, the Naval Academy (if they give tours) and the Colombian Navy sailing ship, if it is in port. The boat trip we took to the Baru Peninsula and the Rosario Islands I would go on again. No questions asked. I would go on that boat trip that included a tour of an aquarium and a show there on one of the Rosario Islands.  About the Colombian Soccer player from the World's Cup. James. He did not play for a team here in Colombia. He played for "Monaco". I believe Monaco has sold his contract to "Real Madrid" for 85 million Euros, but I'm not positive about that. I saw something about that on the TV that was playing in the phone company office when I was there a day or 2 ago and the words scrolled by on the screen.  On TV he seems to be a very down to earth young man.  The Colombian team  also got the award for the best sportsmanship or something like that.  Suggest to your DD that she read up on what there is to do in or near Cartagena. Then they will be prepared to make the best of each day they have there. One of my former neighbors from Texas was in Colombia this week. I discovered that on Facebook... He was in the area my wife is from, about 4 hours from here. That's the main coffee producing area. He is in the Department of Quindio, which I believe is the smallest department in Colombia.  OK on Bogota. There are a lot of neat things to do there and near there, but for me, it is very cold  there. We live at about 3000 feet ASL and there it is about 8700 feet ASL.

[Alicia64]

Her reasons for wanting to go sound immature. Colombia is dangerous, and there is no good reason she needs to go there.

 

I find it odd that you were willing to put your foot down about a tattoo (harmless) but seem unable to about this trip (dangerous). Either you have authority over her or you don't. I'd much more certainly assert my authority on this issue.

 

I am a seasoned traveler who has traveled and lived independently around the world. I wouldn't go to Colombia. She's being foolish.

 

Tara knows what she's talking about.

 

[Laura in CA]

lol = we have motels like that here too. You just kind of know which ones they are!

 

They never considered Bogota. I think it was pictures like this that sold them - so colorful, so lovely!

 

Wow, those are absolutely gorgeous photos -- thanks for sharing. Now *I* want to visit Cartagena lol ... and I can honestly say I've never had any desire to travel to Colombia until this minute :)

It reminds me of Mazatlán's historic downtown (Centro Histórico).

 

Liza, your daughter and her friend are lovely young ladies, and they sound like they are very savvy travelers. This thread is bringing back memories of when my best friend and I traveled all around Europe on our own when we were 21 ...

[Liza Q]

I found these articles in Forbes - apparently Cartagena has a publicist!

[Lanny]

A few hints about travel in Colombia. Some specific to Colombia, most apply worldwide

 

(1) Airport-Hotel-Airport transportation.  I strongly suggest that your DD and her friend contact the property they are going to stay in in Cartagena and have them send a car to meet them in the airport when they exit from the Baggage Claim/Colombian Customs. Here's why:

 

Last December, when we arrived in Bogota (on a Domestic flight), we were in the brand new airport terminal. They were still working on it, but it was about 90% complete and it was open. Very nice!   I had assumed, incorrectly, that when we were in the Baggage Claim, there would be a  Taxi booth, where I would tell them the name of our hotel and they would give me 2 copies of a paper, one for me, and one for the taxi driver, showing our destination and the fare to pay.  Surprise, there was no Taxi booth!

 

When we walked out of the door, with our luggage, there were some people standing there with signs, who were there to meet arriving passengers.  Well, my wife ("Colombiana") began talking with a man and she told me that he would take us to our hotel for 50,000 Colombian Pesos.  I am not sure what figure I had in mind, but it was a lot less... Also, he wasn't a taxi driver, he had a White car that works from a hotel, but not our hotel.  I think when he saw me walking out with DD he thought he had an easy mark...

 

So, I told my wife, "I see some taxis about 30 or 40 feet away. I am going to ask one of them what he would charge us".  I walked down there and I thought I was talking with a taxi driver. It turned out to be another man who had a White car who worked from a hotel. Actually, he had a bigger Van that the first man did.  He told me he would take us to our hotel for 30,000 Pesos.  I walked back to my wife and DD with him and told my wife "he will take us to our hotel for 30,000 Pesos" and we went with him. He was great.  :-)

 

Now that I know how this works in Bogota, I assume it is about the same in other cities.  The first night we were in Bogota, my wife wanted to go to a nearby park, to see the incredible Christmas lights and other things they had there. It was very close to our hotel (probably about 2 miles).   I asked a man with a White car who worked from our hotel and he told me 7,000 Pesos, which we thought at the time was very high (We later learned from him that is their minimum...).  We flagged a taxi and went there for 4,000 or 4500 Pesos.

 

So, when we went back from our hotel to the airport, we went with him. It was about 30,000 - 32,000 Pesos.  The fare for the same route will vary, because of different classes of vehicles. A car, a small van, a large van, etc.  

 

I believe your DD and her friend will do well to use transportation with the people who work out of the property they are staying in. When we were going to the airport, the man explained *many* things to us. He told us that the drivers of those White cars, who are trying to pick up passengers in the airport, after they have dropped someone off, see the people walking out of the Baggage Claim as sitting ducks. I think it is like them shooting ducks on a pinball machine...

 

He also told us about a "Gringo" who had gone in a taxi, from near the hotel, to the Unicentro Shopping Center. I think it is about 6 blocks. We walked there in about 15 minutes...  The man he mentioned had been charged some incredibly high fare, USD$10 or $100, I forget, to go from our hotel to Unicentro...

 

I believe we also took one of those White cars, when we were going to the Northern most bus terminal, the day we went to the Cathedral in the Salt Mine or another place, to catch a bus from there to go North from Bogota. 

 

Summing up: I believe it would be money well spent, for your DD and her friend to do as much of their local travel with someone from the property they stay in. The man told us that if one of the White Car drivers has a big problem with a hotel guest, and the driver is found to be at fault, they will be suspended for "n" days, or terminated by the hotel.

 

(2) Public Restrooms  -  Assume they will not have toliet seats (people steal them and they cost money) and so one should not sit down...   Assume they will not  be clean (probably a good idea to carry a small package of Baby Wipes and some toliet paper).  In an upscale place, they will be like in the USA, but don't assume that.

 

(3) Shopping:  Most things made in Colombia are of very high quality. Things made of Leather are probably something they should look at (shoes, purses, etc.).   Clothes are usually high quality. Be sure before you buy, because if you take something back to a big store here, they will not give you your money back or a credit to your credit card. They will give you a store credit.  When we were in Bogota last December, DD wanted to buy a Leather jacket ("Trench Coat").  We were in one store in Unicentro (Farabella) where the service was non existent.  She found one she liked. I told her, "If you buy this one, right now, and then later, in another store, you see one you like better, you are stuck with this one, because they will not give us our money back if you return it". She didn't buy it.  She looked in several other stores and she bought one that cost a lot more money, where she got good service.  Do not buy Emeralds from sidewalk vendors! Also, I believe that buying an Emerald is much more complicated, from a technical standpoint, than buying a  Diamond. Very risky...

 

HTH 

[Mergath]

You are ABSOLUTELY subsidizing her trips.

 

For all those who keep saying "she's an adult", I'm sorry, but she's not. She's of age, but she's not an adult. Adults do not live off of other people and then use what little money they make to take exotic vacations. Adults support themselves and have earned the right to make all decisions in their life. Part of that is paying the bill, but also doing the hard, hard work of being able to pay the bill and having a real appreciation for just how tough it is. This girl hasn't reached that level yet. I'm sure she's wonderful and smart and I think it's great that her parents are willing to keep her on at home while she's going to school. But she isn't even CLOSE to being an adult.

If that's how it works, I guess being a sahm while my husband works to support me and dd means I'm not an adult.

[Alicia64]

If that's how it works, I guess being a sahm while my husband works to support me and dd means I'm not an adult.

 

With respect, I think that example is apples and oranges. An arrangement that two adults enter into -- we marry, you go to work, I stay home and clean, cook, homeschool, child-raise -- is a different animal entirely from a young adult who hasn't officially and totally "launched."

 

Alley