Barrancabermeja.....

[HansErich]

I do not know why anyone wants to travel here??

I would like to visit my favourite colombianita in her home town.
HOWEVER.....the paramilitairies still control the city and are NOT in for tea and biscuits!!!
They kill......rob....blackmail...and even kidnap people for money.They terrorise a complete city. Many people live each day in fear for their lives.

NO I do NOT have bands with Farc. However if word gets arround that there is another gringo in town. I sure would become a target. The town is not large and has only about 200.000 people,so finding me would not be a difficult job for the para's.

I read several webpages about this city and it has no great turist places as well.
Just a lot of oil industry. Gee......an intresting site for me!!(NOT).

She even said it was better to meet in Bogota.

I will do what she told me to!

Hans-Erich.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Barrancabermeja....., posted by HansErich on Aug 1, 2003

Hans the truth is the paras are not the same threat to us foreign tourists that the guerrilla are. I've spent lots of time in a village outside Cali that is controled by them and even sat with a friend once accross from a table of six of them at a panadaria. They knew I was in town and a gringo but also that I came by bus and not in a Landcruiser with dark glass so I didn't mean anything to them. The guy who wrote "The Worlds Most Dangerous Places" managed to find them along the border with Panama some months ago and they held him and his entourage briefly for "security reasons". I just bet he dragged his "kidnapping" out as long as he possibly could in order to sell his next book knowing perfectly well he and his companions would come to no harm with that group.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Barrancabermeja....., posted by HansErich on Aug 1, 2003

I thought before she said it wasn't that bad?  If she says Bogota - Bogota it is.  But be carefull in BOG, sounds like this latina is changing her song.  Just my 2 cents.  And BTW, should you choose Cali, well it's just a bunch of agriculture - but it sure is pretty.