Survey says?

[DavidMN]

Hi,

I've updated my "Gringo's Guide to Colombia" website and moved it to a new location (this is not to be confused with the "Two Gringos Guide to Colombian Women" which is sometimes mentioned on PL).

HOME PAGE:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cafe.tinto/

A LITTLE JOKE ABOUT BEAUTY QUEENS (scroll to the bottom):
http://home.earthlink.net/~cafe.tinto/id77.htm

My question is, will people "get" the political humor or find it offensive? I haven't published the website and if I'm gonna get hate mail from people that think I'm being disrespectful, then I'd like to use you guys or your significant others as a trial balloon.

I hope the rest of my site conveys a positive message and images (no mention of all the bad stuff we're already quite familiar with).

You can respond on the board or to my email address:
cafe.tinto@earthlink.net

Thanks!

David

[cancunhound]

... in response to Survey says?, posted by DavidMN on Aug 24, 2003

Website looks nice.  What is your "hands on" experience with Colombia?

[DavidMN]

... in response to Re: Survey says?, posted by cancunhound on Aug 24, 2003

My first trip to Colombia was in August 2002. Spent time with a woman from Amigos.com and a couple I met while there. Started a relationship with the woman from Amigos, filed the K-1, went back to visit Christmas 2002. Very much enjoyed Villa de Leyva, the Hospederia el Durelo and Raquira. Visa approved in February or March 2003 but never followed through with it. It just didn't feel right - probably because we went to Monserrate before we were engaged (Bogota folklore says that's a no-no).

Made a third trip July 2003, just a vacation, spent time with a friend I made on my first trip. Great woman, ambitious, smart, successful (insisted on paying some of the hotel and all of the rental car) but there just wasn't chemistry. Not a wasted trip because romance was not the plan. Had a great time in Villa de Leyva, Raquira, Nobsa, Paipa, Acquitania, Laguna de Tota, Lake Sogamosa (sp?) and a few other pueblos I cannot remember at the moment. Also tried homigas culonas (my fried's family is originally from Santander). Dumb gringo probably risked his life by renting a mountain bike and riding solo between VdL and Raquira (put the bike in a taxi for the return trip).

I'll write more in the near future. I've got some opinions and a little bit of experience with three college educated, middle to upper class Bogotanas. For what it's worth, I'm 38, never married and the three women were between 30 and 34. I want to get married and start a family relatively soon so I better get to work!

David

P.S. Cancun_Hound, I'm the guy from another msg board where we were talking about www.plazacolombia.com (the banderas). The model sure has nice feet doesn't she?

[HeyNow]

... in response to Experience in Col., posted by DavidMN on Aug 24, 2003

Same thing happened to me.  We went to Monserrate.  I asked her about the superstitiion.  She said she didn't believe the superstition. I figuered she was right, after all she had lived in Bogota all her life.  Nonetheless, the relationship ended.  Any couples proved this belief wrong?

[lswote]

... in response to Monserrate, posted by HeyNow on Aug 25, 2003

Nope.  I went with one woman who I was somewhat interested in and it was our last date.  My wife and I waited until we were married before we went together.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Experience in Col., posted by DavidMN on Aug 24, 2003

Nice to see I'm not the only "loco" gringo here - mountain biking in Colombia?  I'd do it but I'm too lazy.  I prefer the beat up jeep when out and about.  Those banderas are intriguing - and very tempting.

[Michael B]

... in response to Survey says?, posted by DavidMN on Aug 24, 2003

Oh yeah? Well I'M gonna marry Miss South Carolina and be senator for a HUNDRED YEARS, so there!

[DavidMN]

... in response to Re: Survey says?, posted by Michael B on Aug 24, 2003

Good point. Maybe I'll remove the text and just leave the pictures with the lovely sashes. Or maybe I'll add to the text with the Strom Thurmond example!

On a side note: Chavez seems to wear his sash in nearly every public appearance and recently added some kind of heavy gold necklace and medallion to his outfit. A long time ago I saw a "line up" of the tinpot/banana republic dicators; whoever put it together was making the observation that the size of the military cap (and the amount of "scrambled eggs" on it) and quantity of medals, ribbons, shoulder braids, etc. was in inverse porportion to the size and state of the dictator's economy and military.

[Michael B]

... in response to Re: Re: Survey says?, posted by DavidMN on Aug 24, 2003

Well, I have heard the expression "Big belt buckle, small....."  Reckon that applies to El Preidente's sash and hat as well?

Say, a suggestion or two on your site, keep any given page either all English or all Spanish (so as not to frustrate those who can't read Spanish) and put a caption for the pictures, the kind that when one stops the mouse on a picture a little text box pops up.

[surfscum]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Survey says?, posted by Michael B on Aug 24, 2003

It's a good site! Lots of good links and interesting info. The link to the slang archive seems accurate as far as the Peruvian slang. One suggestion: a navigation bar on the side would be nice, instead of always using the back button.

BTW: Where/what is that church at the end of a bridge?

[DavidMN]

... in response to Site suggestions, posted by surfscum on Aug 24, 2003

Thanks for the suggestions, especially about the navigation buttons.

Here's some info on the church in the Departamento Narino:

"Santuario de Nuestra Señora de las Lajas Church Located 7km from Ipiales, on a bridge which spans a spectacular gorge of the Guáitara River, is this gothic church. Legend has it that an image of the Virgin Mary appeared in the mid-18th century on an enormous rock above the river. Interestingly, the church has been constructed in such a way that the rock (and image) is its high altar. Pilgrims from all over Colombia and Ecuador journey here and, unsurprisingly, reports of miracles at the site are not uncommon. Accommodation is suitably ascetic, being provided in a small but cheery convent up the road from the church."

Some more pictures:
http://tr.terra.com.co/proyectos/maravillasdecolombia/lajasipiales.html
http://www.angelfire.com/co/folleco/fotobio14.html
http://www.webcolombia.com/churches/lajas/