Medellin

[RK]

I'm thinking about doing a weekend trip to Medellin. As many of you have read from my earlier posts, I have been to Bogota twice for a weekend and Cali for a night, so I'm not entirely green to venturing around the country.

I guess I'm asking in general, from those in the know and have an educated opinion, how is Medellin? Atmosphere, feeling of safety, people, cafes, hotels, social life, etc.? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[mudd]

Medellin is a nice city, nice people, nice climate,  girls looking for gringos with $$$$, probably why their are so many gringos there now. crime is on the upswing, two girls i know were robbed last week at the metro and bus stop. and one gringo a few weeks ago at an ATM machine.  one friend was passed a bogus $ 20,000 bill, which we had to look at it hard, to tell it wasn't real, but he Colombians can spot them very easily. 

if you use your head, crime wont be a problem, unless you go someplace you should be in.

restaurants, very good, food is cheap just like the rest of Colombia. many things to do, museums, parks, water parks, paint ball, small towns,


social life, many discos, bars, most gringos stay in parque lleras area, which is in poblado, the most expensive part of Medellin. most of the girls that visit this area are either upper class, want nothing to do with a gringo, or from other areas,  specifically looking for a gringo for whatever reason. it s fun place to visit for a few days.

hotels are nice, can be expensive for the upper hotels,   prices range from $ 45 to $ 120 a night

[Dan Las Vegas]

Medellin is a wonderful city and I have enjoyed it very much on each of my trips there.  Mudd made many good points, regarding safety, just use your head, pay attention to your surroundings like you would do in any big city. There are some areas which you should not venture near, but most tourists don't get near the really bad areas.   The hotels are nice, not too expensive, most of the tourist ones are in El Poblado where most tourists seem to stay.  Food is good, there are quite a few restaurants to choose from. If you like Peruvian food, I can recommend a good restaurant just off Poblado Avenue called, " Piscos y mariscos"  I had a great meal there on my last trip in July.  Transportation is good, taxi's are cheap and plentiful and the Metro is great to get around.  The weather is wonderful, the climate is perfect, never too hot or too cold.

Crime is on the upswing, I believe that the murder rate has gone up dramatically from a couple of years ago, but that has never stopped me from visiting.  If you don't speak any spanish, this could prove a problem as in my experience there are not many people who speak english. My spanish is not fluent by any means but I was able to get by quite well and people appreciated my efforts.  One last thing, if you want to take a taxi from the airport to Medellin, the cost was 50,000 pesos when I was there at the end of july.

I'm sure you will enjoy your time in Medellin if you choose to go.  Have a great trip

[utopiacowboy]

It's a nice city with a spectacular setting in the mountains. However, it's not a tourist city, it's a working city. I enjoy my time there hanging out in Belen and Laureles.

[dennislevy]

RK

If you want to vist other places in Colombioa, why dont you pick a dating site (if you are nt to on one) and start contacting women from a specific place. get a pool of 10 to 15 women in one place, write emails tell them you lll be there specifically between such and such dates...and make first prelimiary, but not too expensive dates, not too far form your hotel or in the restaurant of your hotel.  Confirm the dates and some of the women will show up.

I wrote a response on your now Im confused thread.

Ask yourself what is the profile you re looking for?

Think! .....before you travel, unless you just want to be a tourist.

[CROW]

I'm thinking about doing a weekend trip to Medellin. As many of you have read from my earlier posts, I have been to Bogota twice for a weekend and Cali for a night, so I'm not entirely green to venturing around the country.

I guess I'm asking in general, from those in the know and have an educated opinion, how is Medellin? Atmosphere, feeling of safety, people, cafes, hotels, social life, etc.? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Medellin is the nicest city in Colombia as far as I'm concerned.

And there are as many hot women there.... as there are in Cali.... but that is were the similarities end.

Cali women are easy going and very easy to meet....medellin women are quieter..a little more serious and not so easy to chat up. I find it much easier to get intimate with a calena as compared to paisa and they are  much more stubborn...but they tend to be money motivated so it is not imposible to change their minds.

[jksun07]

I went to Medellin a few months ago for a week with my girl, just to check it out.  I don't know how you feel about living in hostels, but I stayed in one called Casa del Sol.  You can definitely meet some interesting travelers there and head out to Parque Lleras at night, or about three blocks south of Parque Lleras where more of the locals hang out.

During the day, you can check out downtown, the Botero museum, the water parks, etc.  You can also take the metro cable which goes above the slums, but nevertheless makes for an interesting aerial view.  Yes, the girls do seem a little more reserved compared to Cali, but I did get a lot of good stares so maybe there's potential there.  If you are thinking of going the agency route I can't help you there, but have heard that there's a presence in Medellin.

[Researcher]

Cali women are easy going and very easy to meet....medellin women are quieter..a little more serious and not so easy to chat up. I find it much easier to get intimate with a calena as compared to paisa and they are  much more stubborn...but they tend to be money motivated so it is not imposible to change their minds.

  So, if they are not interested in you romantically you can always buy them? Is that your point?


    Researcher

[CROW]

  So, if they are not interested in you romantically you can always buy them? Is that your point?


    Researcher

Yep that is my point....I'm sure there are some nice girls there but there are more prepagos en Medellin than any place I have vistied in Colombia and I have no idea why. Even the Paisas thet were not prepagos gave me the impression that they would have preferred to sign some kind of contract defining the relationship and how they would be compensated while calenas are more into free love and taking whatever comes their way.

I find both the women from Medellin and Cali to be very attractive...and if an averge looking guy is wealthy and doesn't mind spending money on his woman then he will on average do much better in Medellin IMHO than Cali. Paisas are just much more interested in finding a rich guy than Calenas....I know that some guys that have only been to Cali might take exception to that statement but that is because they have never spent a lot of time in Medellin. jijijiji

Being a little tacano myself I much prefer Cali and like to think that done of the women I bedded there slept with me because I took them to the movies or bought them a drink and I would never ever think of tempting any them with the posibility of a marriage proposal.

[Researcher]

   Hey CROW maybe they are just more honest there.Many women marry for financial security, even here in the US. My impression of Medellin is that the people there seem to be caught up in keeping up with the "Jones".They are good at looking like they have money but they really don't.That could have something to do with it.


     Researcher

[mudd]

i would have to agree with Researcher. girls from Medellin seem to be stuck on their image and bragging to friends, as to what cell phone they have, what brand of clothes they have, what bar, disco or concert they were at bla bla bla, definitely a " keeping up with the Jones" thing going on there.

also explains a little as to why paisas are into  $$$  more than any city i have been too in Colombia, and why their  are so many prepagos in Medellin, and many many part time prepagos.

[utopiacowboy]

True, the paisas are money-oriented and several posters have commented on the negative side of that. Well, as someone married to a paisa, I can speak to the positive side of this trait. Sure they like money and they're willing to work hard to get that money. Not only that but they're tight with that money because they know how hard they worked to get it. They also know that time is money and like my wife, are never late for anything. They have a keen eye for business and for making the most of a situation, yes, usually with an eye towards making a peso off it. Personally I think most Third World countries and even the US would be better off with the same paisa attitude towards commerce.

[CROW]

i would have to agree with Researcher. girls from Medellin seem to be stuck on their image and bragging to friends, as to what cell phone they have, what brand of clothes they have, what bar, disco or concert they were at bla bla bla, definitely a " keeping up with the Jones" thing going on there.

also explains a little as to why paisas are into  $$$  more than any city i have been too in Colombia, and why their  are so many prepagos in Medellin, and many many part time prepagos.

I don't know how much more honest paisas are compared to calenas but they are definately more direct....and it is the part time prepagos that blew me away....almost all the women seemed to be open to negociating the terms of a relationship which almost always included something to do with money even if it was just to pay their college tuition. I found it to be a little surreal at first.

A calena that you were sleeping with for a while might tell you that she is going to need some money for school next month in the hopes that you'll help her out...the paisas I came in contact with seemed to be comfortable discussing what you'll pay for and how much time you'll be spending together after the first kiss!!!!

I still wonder if I just got into the wrong crowd in Medellin.....I mean I have spent a lot more time in Cali and meet women that have had little to no contact with other americans and that was not the case with the women I met in medellin....could be these prepagos types are drawn to americans from past experiances and stories they have heard.

[CROW]

True, the paisas are money-oriented and several posters have commented on the negative side of that. Well, as someone married to a paisa, I can speak to the positive side of this trait. Sure they like money and they're willing to work hard to get that money. Not only that but they're tight with that money because they know how hard they worked to get it. They also know that time is money and like my wife, are never late for anything. They have a keen eye for business and for making the most of a situation, yes, usually with an eye towards making a peso off it. Personally I think most Third World countries and even the US would be better off with the same paisa attitude towards commerce.

Good point....I took  a Paisa out to dinner once and when the bill came she grabbed it and looked at it and I asked if she planned on paying it....she said no I just wanted to make sure they didn't over charge you....never had a calena do that.

And yes if you need help running your business that might be another reason to take a look at marrying a paisa. I don't think anything gets past them when it comes to dollars and cents.

[Alabamaboy!]

I have never been to Medellin, but as Utopiacowboy was describing, a money motivated Paisa does not need to always be a negative thing. I have been dealing on the other end of the spectrum with Costenas, mostly in Barranquilla. And they seem to be motivated by.....NOTHING. I do not know if it is the weather, the atmosphere, the boring city, something in the water, but man, they are for the most part very unmotivated to do anything. Seems like sitting on the front patio, gossipping is the favorite past time there.

If you are looking for a 180 degree different scene than Medellin, check out Barranquilla.

You might find a beautiful woman there who will truly love you, but just do not expect too much out of her. I have met a lot of Barranquilleras and they seem to be very similar in their "ultra relaxed attitudes" which borders on flat out laziness. It can really drive you crazy until you start living a little bit more like they do, and then it all makes sense. You will soon be sleeping until noon, feeling so laid back that your muscles seem to be melting off your bones. Just spending day after lazy day with your woman. 

I am getting ready to spend another month with my fiancee there starting this weekend.

It is amazing how irritating she is to me when I am here in the States hustling with my career (maybe I am just jealous of the fact she can just chill out every day while I am working). But when I am there, it is all good and we are totally in sync. Thank goodness when she gets here to the States I am not really expecting her to be a bread winner or do much more than be a good wife and mother.

[Researcher]

True, the paisas are money-oriented and several posters have commented on the negative side of that. Well, as someone married to a paisa, I can speak to the positive side of this trait. Sure they like money and they're willing to work hard to get that money. Not only that but they're tight with that money because they know how hard they worked to get it. They also know that time is money and like my wife, are never late for anything. They have a keen eye for business and for making the most of a situation, yes, usually with an eye towards making a peso off it. Personally I think most Third World countries and even the US would be better off with the same paisa attitude towards commerce.

           I think that is the case also UC. My wife is from Bogota and when it comes to money she says she is often times compared to a paisa.She is better at managing money than I am and to be with a woman like that is a first fo me.Most women I have known didn't handle it very well.


   Researcher

[whitey]

If you are looking for a 180 degree different scene than Medellin, check out Barranquilla.

You might find a beautiful woman there who will truly love you, but just do not expect too much out of her. I have met a lot of Barranquilleras and they seem to be very similar in their "ultra relaxed attitudes" which borders on flat out laziness. It can really drive you crazy until you start living a little bit more like they do, and then it all makes sense. You will soon be sleeping until noon, feeling so laid back that your muscles seem to be melting off your bones. Just spending day after lazy day with your woman. 

While I have no doubt that there are some, maybe even many Barranquilleras like this, I haven't met any yet.

My novia got up this morning at 5:45am to go to her English class, then headed off to work at 8:00am until 6:00pm or even 7:30pm if she doesn't have to put in (unpaid) overtime.

She has two sisters who are the same, except they work during the day and go to the University at night (they are paying their own way through).  I've met a few of their friends and they are all similar.

With a Barranquillera, it is very possible to have the best of both worlds ... someone who is very hardworking and conscientious, but also very laid back and loving.

Or maybe I just won the lottery first time out?   

Whitey