columbia v philippines

[papi]

Dogs I generally don't like.

a dog hater no less  it stands to reason. You wonder how someone at 47 might not want kids. I can't relate to a person who does not like a cute little fluffy puppy. See Ruskie, we all have different values - does not make one or the other correct. I hope you learned a lesson here...now i must attend to watering my palm tree

[utopiacowboy]

"True, in rarer cases a woman from a high strata might be open to a gringo..." A woman in my wife's situation, an older widow with kids, will be receptive to a gringo since her chances for remarriage in Colombia are close to zero.

No one in my wife's family has any interest in coming to the US to live.

[soltero]

...they don't eat dogs in colombia as far as I'm aware yet it seems pets are not held in the same regard as the USA.

Papi, I can understand you thinking this as you tend to stay away from family gatherings when courting, but LOL...while they (usually) think cats are escapees from hell and/or witches, you DO NOT want to bad mouth the family pooch. They treat their dogs like relatives, and only old ladies here in the states can touch on the affection given to a "mascota" in a Latin family.

[el_ruso]

I don't hate dogs, I just don't generally like them.  My gf's dog I actually like because he doesn't bother me.  I like cats because they have dignity to them, and because they are independent.

Regardless, as I have said before, I am not insisting that you have to reproduce.  I just find total lack of desire to have children perverse and puzzling.  Even gays want to have children, even dikey lesbians.

Again, what's wrong with bringing a wife's family over here?  there are so many advantages to that.

[papi]

Papi, I can understand you thinking this as you tend to stay away from family gatherings when courting

lol...well, i don't do mommy when she shows up on the date.

Regardless, as I have said before, I am not insisting that you have to reproduce.

haha, i just might have to so they can kick your kid's ass

I just find total lack of desire to have children perverse and puzzling.

speaking of nuts and puzzles - my palm tree just lost a coconut

[utopiacowboy]

My brother is married to a ethnic Russian from the Ukraine. They've been marreid about 15 years and her parents live with them. The three of them are unreconstructed Commies. Hell, he's Jewish yet he has a photo of Stalin hung up on the wall. I've got a far better deal than he does. My wife's family can visit every couple of years - that suits us fine.

[Ray]

The food...well, let's just say you'll yearn for the good ol' ceviche days.

Doom, they do have ceviche in the Philippines but it's called kinilaw (or kilawin). It's really quite popular over there.

You should have asked years ago. Instead of all those balut lunches, you could have been enjoying the excellent Filipino ceviche.   

[papi]

Utopia, interesting that both you and your brother married foreigners. How did your brother meet his wife if you don't mind me asking?

[el_ruso]

I am not sure what him being Jewish and having a portrait of Stalin have anything to do with each other.  Stalin was not worse to the Jews, than to everyone else.  Soviet Union did after all defeat the Nazis, and largely due to his support Israel exists.  He certainly did lead Russia to greatness and under his leadership (and that of his successor) it has achieved its greatest triumphs in history, but he was a particularly ruthless person who took away a lot of innocent lives, and caused a lot of needless suffering. 

I would not hang his portrait on the wall, nor would understand anyone else doing it.  People who should be truly honored are those who save lives and contribute to civilization than just wage wars and move borders.

[utopiacowboy]

Stalin had a long history of anti-Semitism.

My brother met her way back before Al Gore invented the internet. Unlike me, he actually went looking for a foreign wife.

[papi]

Stalin had a long history of anti-Semitism.

i am glad there is someone here to help educate our comrade

[el_ruso]

"Stalin had a long history of anti-Semitism."

Not really.  Does not make him someone I would want on my wall though.

[Christopher]

I don't hate dogs, I just don't generally like them.  My gf's dog I actually like because he doesn't bother me.  I like cats because they have dignity to them, and because they are independent.

Regardless, as I have said before, I am not insisting that you have to reproduce.  I just find total lack of desire to have children perverse and puzzling.  Even gays want to have children, even dikey lesbians.

Again, what's wrong with bringing a wife's family over here?  there are so many advantages to that.

Papi is not the only person on this board who does not wish to have children.  Why would anyone's lifestyle choice that doesn't affect you need to be labelled "perverse" and why would it "puzzle" you?  I'm not trying to start a flame war here, buddy, but different strokes for different folks seems okay to me.  Some of us want latinas, some others like the FSU.  Some of us like spicy food, some don't.  Some guys like the city, some the country.  Does anyone who doesn't share your value system get labelled perverse?

[utopiacowboy]

"Stalin had a long history of anti-Semitism."

Not really.  Does not make him someone I would want on my wall though.

Yes, really. Do I need to dig out the history books and chronicle it?

[el_ruso]

As I have said before, I am not insisting that Papi (or anyone else) reproduce.  I have a right to have an opinion regarding what you call "lifestyle choices", but I am not insisting they change them.

[Chris F]

Hey Neil!

Sorry you didn't find love your first time in Peru. I didn't find someone on my first, second, third, or fourth trip to South America either....but I always had a good time in Cali, Bogota, and eventually finding my wife in Peru.

To increase your chance of success the next time you go to South America....I suggest you learn some Spanish.

No disrespect here Neil...but any person who posts about not having success in any city in Peru or Colombia that does not know Spanish needs to realize that this is part of the problem.
You probably realized after your trip that knowing Spanish would have helped to see if you really had chemistry with these women.

You can't find out of you have chemistry with someone using a translator..

If you choose to venture to Colombia...which I encourage you to do so......your options will be greater if you have some basic foundation with the language....you dont have to be fluent..

Without Spanish Neil...you will have very limited choices (English speaking women) no matter where you go in South America....

Good Luck!!

[papi]

Yes, really. Do I need to dig out the history books and chronicle it?

Utopia, you are wasting your time..you'd be better off holding classes in dendrology for my palm tree.

Why would anyone's lifestyle choice that doesn't affect you need to be labelled "perverse" and why would it "puzzle" you?  I'm not trying to start a flame war here, buddy, but different strokes for different folks seems okay to me.

Same goes for you Saint Chris - but well said nontheless

[el_ruso]

I have no wishes to debate Russian history here.  Let me just opine that I know it better than most other posters.  I am not particularly fond of Stalin, just objective.

Also, Chris and Christopher are not the same people.

[Christopher]

As I have said before, I am not insisting that Papi (or anyone else) reproduce.  I have a right to have an opinion regarding what you call "lifestyle choices", but I am not insisting they change them.

And I have a right to have an opinion of you labelling my lifestyle choice as "perverse".

Please do not do so again.

[Christopher]

Hey Neil!

Sorry you didn't find love your first time in Peru. I didn't find someone on my first, second, third, or fourth trip to South America either....but I always had a good time in Cali, Bogota, and eventually finding my wife in Peru.

To increase your chance of success the next time you go to South America....I suggest you learn some Spanish.

No disrespect here Neil...but any person who posts about not having success in any city in Peru or Colombia that does not know Spanish needs to realize that this is part of the problem.
You probably realized after your trip that knowing Spanish would have helped to see if you really had chemistry with these women.

You can't find out of you have chemistry with someone using a translator..

If you choose to venture to Colombia...which I encourage you to do so......your options will be greater if you have some basic foundation with the language....you dont have to be fluent..

Without Spanish Neil...you will have very limited choices (English speaking women) no matter where you go in South America....

Good Luck!!

Hello fellow Chris F,

Just trolling around LatinAmericanCupid.com and MexicanCupid.com made me realize that I had to learn Spanish.  The number of English-speaking Latinas is very low (yes, I know many say they know SOME English, but most of us know SOME Spanish, such as Adios, Buenas Dias, and the like).

Besides, how can any of us communicate with any Latinas effectively if we don't learn some Spanish?  Relationships are brutal enough even if both people speak the same language.

Of course, I bet I could effectively argue that women speak a different language than we do anyway, but.....

Plus, there's the added bonus of being one of the few gringos speaking fluent Spanish.  If you were a Latina, would you go for the guy who has five pat phrases or the guy who you can hold a romantic conversation with and joke around with in your native language?  A guy who has at least made the effort to meet you half way?

[Christopher]

I have no wishes to debate Russian history here.  Let me just opine that I know it better than most other posters.  I am not particularly fond of Stalin, just objective.

Also, Chris and Christopher are not the same people.

*looks in mirror*

Dang!  You're right! 

[Chris F]

Same goes for you Saint Chris - but well said nontheless

Wrong Chris....Papi...I didn't write this...

[doombug]

they do have ceviche in the Philippines but it's called kinilaw (or kilawin).

I think I can hang with that. Nothing "organic" in there--from what I can see.

An example of the organic (and please don't drool on your keyboard): "Dinuguan - a stew made from pig blood, entrails, and meat." (From, "Cuisine of the Philippines.")

 

This traveler's critique pretty much sums it up for me:

"Worst food in my experience is Filipino food. Even though I did have some wonderful food in the Phillipines on (very rare) occasions, most of it was lousy. Meat overcooked to the point of cremation. Miscellaneous and scary offal in many of the dishes, and lots and lots of hot dogs. At least the local beer was good."
http://blogs.smh.com.au/travel/archives/2007/03/the_best_and_worst_food_in_the.html

Still, Filipino food is certainly not the worst food in the world, as much of the feedback at the above site attests. Seems American, British, and German food took most of the flak.

And Peru isn't without its stomach turners, either. Case in point: huevos de tortuga (turtle eggs). Their saltiness is ungodly, and the smell is that of an Inca warrior's keister exhaust.

[el_ruso]

German food is great!  the sausage, saurkraut, goose, truffles, etc.  it is one of the best out there.  American food is really an amalgam of all kinds of food.  But the quintessential food like hamburgers, pizza, etc if cooked right is great.

[Ray]

An example of the organic (and please don't drool on your keyboard): "Dinuguan - a stew made from pig blood, entrails, and meat."

When they butcher a pig for roasting on a spit, the "leftovers" go into the dinuguan. I don't like dinuguan and my wife won't touch the stuff either. It's more of a regional delicacy.

Filipino parents try to get their kids to eat that stuff by calling it chocolate meat but most all Filipino kids are smart enough not to fall for that one.

I didn't even realize that the Brits had their own food. I don't see many British restaurants around here...