Cali and Bogota: pros and cons

[Ricardo]

I have been to Cali, never to Bogota.  Any comments and experiences about the differences (and similarities) between these cities.  I expect that they are vast differences.... I would like to visit Bogota in the near future.  I have a friend from Bogota living in the States, who can't say anything positive about Cali...  Just wanted to get some feedback and opinions from the guys who have seen both places, and in particular Bogota.  What are the particular characteristics/differences in the women and their attitudes?  Thanks in advance.....

[Pete E]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

I remembered my brother in law from Cali going to Bogota last Sept. to try and get a visa,and his thought on Bogota Women.Not mine,his.Plus he does come from the beautifull women capital of the world in my opinion,so he is a little spoiled.
Here is my post about it at the time:

I mentioned my brother in law went to Bogota from Cali to try to get a tourist visa at the US embassy,which of course he did not get.I could have told him that,did tell his sister that.
Anyway,Giovanni,my brother in law,had a definite and unflattering impression of Bogota women.He said they were very ugly,were short,white skinned,black hair,no pompies(butt)and had a face like a plate(round I guess).Of course he didn't see them all,just a quick impression.I know for sure they have some georgeous women there because I have seen them on their TV programs(and of course anybody heres wife or novia).Guess those actresses could have come from Cali.
After that some of you guys probably don't have too much sympathy for him getting jerked around and turned down at the embassy.
Is there really an attractiveness difference between Bogota and Cali?Every guy I've talked to who went both places says yes,Cali women are much better looking,plus more friendly and outgoing.
Just what I heard,don't shoot the messenger.Yes I know I didn't have to say it.

Pete

[Ricardo]

... in response to Cali guy's impression of Bogota Women, posted by Pete E on May 3, 2003

Pete,
I find that as far as the websites go.... for the Cali girls - it's no contest.  Personality wise, I'll have to find that out when I visit Bogota....
Yes, go to Cali if the beauty factor is important!

[bogota vet1]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

[This message has been edited by bogota vet1]

My password got screwed up, I'm back now.

Totally impossible to say which is better.  

Gringos come from very diverse backgrounds and looks, and the also the type of girl they like.

Impossible , without personally knowing the gringo to reccommed anything.

You have to visit all areas : Cali, Bogota , Barranqilla, Cartagena
EVERY city is a country unto itself.

Bogota does have the most professional women in the agencies, also older 25-38  FACT

Cali, a wider variety, more skin showing!!

YOU JUST TO HAVE VISIT ALL.

[Pete E]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

I was at first inclined to go to Bogota.I thought bigger city would mean more choices.I found out the opposite is true,at least in terms of number of ladies at the agencies.
But the deciding factor,and this might seem silly since finding a wife was the main goal,was the weather.Many years ago I gave up snow skiing and decided I would take my winter vacations some place warm.The first time I did this it was Hawaii.My thought was summer is only 5 hours,not 5 months away.I was hooked.So I wanted a tropical vacation while I was looking.And I also had the thought if I meet a woman I will be coming back alot and I wanted tropical,not big cold city.
My wife is from Cali and I have been there many times.I have stayed in Bogota twice,while getting her visa.I have traveled through Bogota many times.It has its own merits.New buildings against beautifull mountains,cool weather that is sometimes welcome,a big city atmosphere,dare I say more sophisticated than Cali.The women I don't know,I didn't shop there.The general opinion is Bogota = more professional,more english,Cali = more beautifull,more fun loving,less english,less professional.
I just much prefer a warm climate like Cali.The climate to me is perfect.Not too cold for sure,not to hot for me,I like it.I am considering living there.Its so beautifull in many ways.Green valley,high mountains around.The countryside is green and beautifull.The only negative to me,security.And thats also an issue in Bogota,but I would never live there anyway,because it is again in my opinion,a big cold(not the people) City.
Also,I will  second the rivalry opinion.I thought Bogota was OK and interesting.My Calena hates Bogota.There definately is an ours is better war going on.

Pete

[Ricardo]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Pete E on May 1, 2003

Hi Pete -
I concur it's great to travel to a warmer destination, why not combine the 'search' with good weather; I prefer a warmer city. I will be going back to Cali, but am looking forward to seeing Bogota for the first time.... Thanks again!

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Pete E on May 1, 2003

Pete, an interesting followup to your "weather" as a deciding factor for you is interesting - because it will eventually be a factor in reverse should a guy marry a gal and return with her to the states.  I recall vividly when my calena arrived in Dallas for the 1st time years ago - it was July 3rd, 105 degrees.  She was a little stunned (Cali rarely gets much above 90) - but can you imagine what the response would have been had she lived all her life in Bogota!

I tried to be subjective in my post below comparing the 2 cities, but afterall - I liked Cali so much that we now have a condo there.  So - I'm gonna jump on board here and spell it out - Bogota sucks (he,he,he)!

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by cancunhound on May 1, 2003

My wife came to the US March 8,2000.We spent 5 days in Orlando,80 F, then to San Jose,Ca.which is not really cold but does have a winter.It might be 50's to  70's high in March.
It was a cold spring,like this one is again here.It was 50's and 60's in to May 15 or so.My wife was complaing about the cold.I am thinking you don't know anything about cold untill you have worked an 8 hr shift in a sawmill when it was 12 below F like I did once in Idaho.
So anyway,the first week of June we have a heat wave and get a record for the date and within 3 degrees of all time here.It was 112 F. I say to my wife  "hot enough for you?".
She doesn't want to admit it is now too hot.She says "it gets this hot in Cali." I don't think ever.But then there is the celcious conversion.I am just glad she screwed up the metric centermeters conversion and she is actually 5' 3" not 5' 6".
Reminds me of my favorite cartoonist,Gary Larson,"The Far Side." There is this one cartoon titled "Nerds in hell." These 2 guys are in the firery place and the goofy looking one is saying "hot enough for you ? "
Actually,a cold shower,even in Cali,is temporarily as bad as the 12 below was,and they think nothing of that.I was talking to a Bogota lady a few days ago.I said I hope you have hot water in Bogota.She said yes.I'm guessing  probably 80 % vs 10% in Cali that have it.I bet there are poor suckers in Bogota without it also.

Pete

[cancunhound]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

As you can see from the below responses - this is all very subjective and you will not get a consensus which is favored.
If you love New York - you're apt to favor Bogota, otherwise Cali.  That comparison below of Cali to Miami is not too far stretched - the coast is a short ride away and it's warm and humid during the day, as you probably know.  My wife, a calena, dreads going to Bogota - I myself like Bogota if I can avoid the traffic while there (hard to do!).  While you can make some generalizations about differing complexions, attitudes, etc.. between the cities - they are just that - generalizations.  The fact is that both cities are melting pots of sorts, especially over the last 10-15 years given the massive influx of rural people looking for safety and work.  Bogota doesn't get pounded by the sun - so yes you're apt to see fairer skin complexions on average.  Any generalization about education is simply bullsh%t.  

There is no doubt that women from Cali are considered "sexier", and I'm referring to a Colombian perspective.  This was very apparent when I took a recent "Colombian vacation" - meaning while staying in Cali, we took a trip to the beach on an A/I deal from AeroRepublica for several nights.  The resort guests were 1/3 each from Bogota, Cali and Medellin, and each night there was live entertainment on the beach that included comical quasi-competitions between guests representing their cities.  No doubt calenas were collectively thought of as sexiest - this is not just  an American perspective or some myth started by dating agencies.  That's not to say that they are sexier - it's  just the national perspective.

So, my 2 cents - if possible visit both cities - the women are just as equally fantastic.  But I wouldn't recommend visiting a specific city based upon some generalization of the characteristics of the women.

[elcolombiano]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

Bogota is 8.5 thousand feet above sea level Cali is 3,300. The difference in altitudes reduces oxygen delivered to the brain. The people in Bogota are decendents of mountain indians (cold climate) who were concured by the Spanish. They still resent being concured and therfore are very suspucious and untrustful of strangers and have a bad attitude because of this. The people in Cali are a mix of africans and costenos (costal dwellers)(hot climate). These people are more easy going and want to have a good time. The costenos are a low class but fun group.

[wizard]

... in response to Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by Ricardo on Apr 30, 2003

I have spent time in both cities and yes, each has it's own distinct personality... And yes again, people from Bogota generally don't like Cali and vice versa...

The obvious differences are the altitude, the relative temperature/humidity and the size of each city...

Personally, I like Bogota much better as it more closely resembles any large city in the US or Europe... You're still in the 3rd world, but an analogy that been drawn many times is that "Bogota is to Colombia as New York is to the US", while "Cali is to Colombia as Miami is to the US"... Fair comparison in my opinion... The population of Bogota is around 9 million while Cali's population is around 2.5 million...

From a cultural standpoint, Bogota has much more to offer than Cali... Art galleries, museums, parques, clubs, malls, theme parks, theaters, etc are more numerous in Bogota...

From the party aspect, Cali have La Avenida Sexta while Bogota has Zona Rosa, Chia and many scattered clubs and venues... Cali is generally viewed as a party town, but IMHO it has nothing on Bogota...

Ok, here's the huge generalization, but again just my observation... The ladies from Bogota seems more mature and cosmopolitan than the girls from Cali... Just a little more sophisticated... Generally better educated and more professional than their Calena counterparts... Again, IMHO, Bogotanas are a bit more selective than Calenas in "matching" with a gringo...

I can only quote from my experience, but I went to Cali 4 times, met many many girls, but never the one... On my first trip to Bogota, I met many girls, 5 would have made the grade, but one was the "one"... Happiness is where ever you find it...

Good Luck...

[Pescador]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by wizard on Apr 30, 2003

Ive not been to Cali, only Bogota and Barranquilla. Bogota is definitly more cosmopolitan, and I got the feeling that most the women I met there are career oriented. Sound Familiar? Yes sort of like women in North America. I met some women in Barranquilla that were educated but still were more focused on having a family than a career. Its dependent on the individual woman of course, but id say most the women I met in Bogota, were mostly profesionals and very cultured.

[Ricardo]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by wizard on Apr 30, 2003

I had a lunch date with a medical doctor in Cali a year ago, and the conversation turned to regional differences in Colombia.  She pointed out that the colder regions of the country are much more conservative, specifically mentioning Bogota and Bucaramanga as well.  She stated that as far as women are concerned, Calenas and from warmer regions, also when compared to their counterparts elsewhere in Colombia, tend to be more 'liberated' - to use an overused word.  From my limited experience, I prefer some sophistication, but not snobbishness - something that is readily attributed to 'cachacos' - Bogota natives, by the countrymen, but as you say, there apparently is fierce rivalry between cities....each region disparaging others.

[Hiker]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by wizard on Apr 30, 2003

I'd have to agree with you.  The girl I married is from Cali and she hates Bogota with a passion, but if I were to do this all over I would focus on Bogota first.  I liked the vibes I got there.  I liked the people I met there.  One thing I really noticed and maybe it was just me... but I think the girls age much different in Bogota.  I don't know if it is genes, a whole lot of partying and drinking, or what it is.  I saw more 30 to 40 year olds in Bogota that still maintained this beautiful fresh look about them.  That is not easy to find in Cali.  But just my opinion.  In case my wife should one day read this...  She is from Cali, 35 years old but looks 16.  She is one of the few exceptions.  :-)

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to Re: Cali and Bogota:  pros and cons, posted by wizard on Apr 30, 2003

[This message has been edited by DallasSteve2]

I've also been to both cities and I much prefer Cali.  I would agree that Bogota is like a third world New York.  I would compare Cali more to a third world Dallas than Miami, because it is not on the coast.  How can a city be like Miami if it has no beach?

Also, the women in Cali dress sexier in my opinion, probably because it is a warmer climate.  Going to Chipichapi mall or even Unicentro in Cali is an experience I will never forget.  I want to go back, but my wife won't let me.  ;-)  

And if you want to see rich, sophisticated, and very beautiful women, eat at Paladar in Cali (on Avenida Sexta, I think) every night.  The food is great.  The price is reasonable.  The women are stunning.

The large population in Bogota means that if you need to take a taxi across town during a work day you are going to spend a lot more time stuck in traffic.

And one other thing I've not seen mentioned: Bogota is loud.  It was very difficult for me to get a good nights sleep in Bogota because there were honking horns all night and stupid, drunk people singing in the street at 3 AM in the morning.  I never had that problem in Cali.

As far as the women, I would agree that there are more professional women in Bogota, but I met my ex in Bogota and she is the ultimate party girl.  And I met a 30-something psychologist at All Colombian Girls in Cali who is as educated and articulate (and beautiful) as anyone you will meet in Bogota.  So you can find all kinds of women in both places.

My wife is from Cali and she is much more family- and home-oriented.  I think you will find more of those in Cali because it is perhaps not as advanced socially or culturally as Bogota.  Bogota women have probably been more "Americanized".  Now there's a topic to debate.

Steve