Manizales

[Cali vet]

We made a return trip up to Manizales for a few days. It’s a five and a half hour trip from Cali but the bus is as comfortable as anything American Airlines has to offer with bathroom, movie, more knee room and seats that recline way back.  There was hardly anything as far as checkpoints along the way. When I traveled from Bogota to Tunja a while back everyone had to get off the bus and get frisked by the army at one point. Nothing like that on this trip. The scenery is nice from about Tulua on to Pereira but the last hour from that city up to Manizales is really breathtaking as you twist and wind your way up the cordillera. I used to think Colorado had some steep landscape! We went to look at houses for rent. I’m becoming convinced that Cali really is the most dangerous city in Colombia and besides Manizales is cool, about the same as Bogota and green and the jumping off point for the Nevado De Ruiz volcano and some great mountain hot springs both of which we visited a couple of weeks ago with Eco-Aventura. We checked out everything we found in the classifieds (lapatria.com) but nothing really floated our boat. We’re going to keep checking. ALL cab rides by the way are only $1.800 to 2.000 and the city buses are $650. We didn’t find rentals to be cheaper than Cali though.

Looking through the phone directory I did come across a section for "matrimonial agencies". There was only one listing, “Club de Amigos”. Don’t know if caters to foreigners. In 1997 there was one Hal Wenz who had an agency in Bogota and apparently a satellite office in Manizales. Don’t know if there have been other agency attempts since. Like any Colombian city it has plenty of beautiful women. To generalize I’d say the predominant type is the girl with flowing raven black hair and white skin. Some real beauties.  

[Aaron]

... in response to Manizales, posted by Cali vet on Jun 17, 2003

It's very different from Cali. Cali is a large city, and the people are big city people compared to those from these smaller cities you mention.

I tell you one thing, it can be dangerous. While I was with her in her town, we saw a jeep that had exploded; it was engulfed in flames. We felt the heat from the fire in our bus, even with the windows closed. At that point, that was the first time I had ever been afraid in Colombia. She said it probably was due to poor maintnance of the jeep, nothing violent.

Anyway, the people are Paisa, and the majority of them are whites and triguenos (some morenos) with black, dark brown, or blonde hair, in that part from what I saw. The women are strikingly beautiful, and all natural, no plastic. My girlfriend is that way. She's not a big city person, and she likes the rural places. This region is called Zonas Cafeteras because it is in the coffee belt. A friend told me in this region, Colombia has good coffee and beautiful women that's why a guy can't get noooooooooooo rest.

Her family doesn't like Cali too much because it's a big city that they consider disorganized, and they consider the people there "too quick." I guess she means slick. I'm starting to believe that even though Cali has the most marriage agencies, it's probably not the best place to look for a wife.

As for being dangerous, yes Cali has allot of street crime, but many people tell me Bogota is allot more dangerous than Cali. I don't think anyone will be able to avoid the street crime no matter where they go.

Aaron

[Landover]

... in response to My girlfriend is from around that area. , posted by Aaron on Jun 18, 2003

My girlfriend is from Manizales as well, correct in she is simple and beautiful. Bought her a red dress and took her out to the country club for lunch one Sunday here in Atlanta, the MaitreD was falling all over himself.  How did you meet your Manizales amiga?

[Aaron]

... in response to Re: My girlfriend is from around that ar..., posted by Landover on Jun 19, 2003

[This message has been edited by Aaron]

My girlfriend is not from Manizales. I met my girlfriend at an agency in
Bogota.

Aaron

[Pete E]

... in response to Manizales, posted by Cali vet on Jun 17, 2003

CV,
Good move.I think Cali is dangerous for a gringo long term.
There was a discussion on poorbuthappy.com.One guy said he had lived in Santa Marta 30 years and thought it was the place.That was intreiging.
Looking forward to your impressions of Manizales.

Pete

[Calipro]

... in response to Re: Manizales, posted by Pete E on Jun 17, 2003

I'll take my chances in Cali and I'm thinking about starting a donation fund to pay the ransom for you guys that like to travel to hell and back in Colombia using GROUND transportation. By the way were do you buy the maps that tell you what areas FARC controls.

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: Re: Manizales, posted by Calipro on Jun 18, 2003

US Department of State just released this updated warning on June 16th:

http://travel.state.gov/colombia_warning.html

Only good news therein - "There have been significantly fewer security incidents in the tourist area in the colonial, walled part of Cartagena and none, to our knowledge, on San Andres Island (off the coast of Nicaragua). "  - sure San Andres is safe but typically you've got to get to mainland Colombia first to get there

I envy CaliVet's retirement as he's able to take all those side-trips that everyone says is crazy.  I'd be doing the same thing if I had the luxury of living down there full-time.  Truth be told if one really is "in the know" about the conditions of the travel route and the target destination it can be safe.  Of course there's always a risk.  I'm fortunate to have an acquaintance that works in the agricultural business around Cali - he's "in the know" as he works daily throughout the entire surrounding region - so I can always get a recommendation for "safe" side trips.  What's unfortunate is that sometimes the recommendation is "Hell No", even if it's only 5 clicks just outside of town!  One thing for sure is never base an overland travel plan on hearsay or days old info, nor plan too far ahead because the conditions are always changing.  I'm presently optimistic that the deployment of the new 10,000 man peasant army the other day may improve the safety of overland travel to the more remote destinations (except of course in the short term).

[DallasSteve2]

... in response to New Travel Warning, posted by cancunhound on Jun 18, 2003

Your post contains basically sound advice, but in the end if the FARC can kidnap a dozen or so legislators from the state congress in downtown Cali in broad daylight, they can get hold of anyone they want on any highway at any time.  If you're strategy works 99 times out of 100, for me it's an utter failure.  One meeting with the FARC is one too many.

Steve

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: New Travel Warning, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jun 18, 2003

but there is a big difference between "random" and "targeted" kidnappings.  To take such an extremely conservative stance about travelling in Colombia is just not in my nature.  I'd bet that the odds are better of being killed in a car crash back in the states than being "randomly" kidnapped while on a rationally planned outing in Colombia (at least that's what I tell myself).  Call me crazy, but I just can't stay pinned in the city for very much time, especially with all the scenery Colombia has to offer.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: New Travel Warning, posted by DallasSteve2 on Jun 18, 2003

I think I remember Patrick mentioning an encounter with the FARC some years ago. Wonder if we might get that story.

[Aaron]

... in response to Re: Re: Manizales, posted by Calipro on Jun 18, 2003

doing a really good job with fighting the guerrillas. I'm really impressed.

Aaron

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Re: Manizales, posted by Calipro on Jun 18, 2003

As a matter of fact El Tiempo has a regular section where they post a map showing "hot spots" on the countries highways. There are actually a lot of places you can travel to safely for example the route from Cali all the way to Bogota is clear and my American friend who was recently kidnapped and drugged in Cali took the bus with his woman down to Popoyan with no trouble. You start running a risk though if you leave those main routes and take a chiva or a willys up into outlying villages.

[Michael B]

... in response to Re: Re: Manizales, posted by Calipro on Jun 18, 2003

Don't need no stinking maps...if the arm bands don't say AUC or ELN, then you know you're in FARClandia.

[Calipro]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Manizales, posted by Michael B on Jun 18, 2003

Forget the maps. We'll send Michael B out to check their arm bands first. LOL!! If he makes it back we'll all know it's a safe route.