Just back from BAQ

[Alabamaboy!]

Just back from BAQ where I went with my Barranquillera wife and our 1 year old son. I am married already, but still wanted to give my impressions. I have gone there about 12 times or so over the past 7 years or so.

First the weather: Hot and sweaty. I live in AZ here in the States where it was 120 degrees yesterday. And I sweated more and was more uncomfortable in BAQ than I was here in AZ when out for my walks which I like to do every day. My wife never sweats. Even here in AZ. Definitely never saw her sweat in Colombia before. But she was sweating this time. She was really suffering in the heat this time. We even had to take taxis a few times when we were just walking a few blocks because she could not tolerate that heat.

Cleanliness: Unless you are in the very north part of the city, it is basically a dump. Everything is very dirty with trash everywhere. They have instituted measures to stop tossing trash and litter in the streets, but it does not seem to be helping much. They have placed trash containers all over the place, but the people walk right by them and throw their trash in the street instead.

Women: There still seem to be a lot of very attractive women there. But there is definitely a lot more chubby girls running around. I seem to see more people eating fast food. I don't see much exercise going on. I saw a few gyms and they were basically empty. Not too much English spoken their for sure. I don't think I heard a word of English the whole trip. Even at the malls, restaurants, etc.

Food: Not very good for a guy like me. I like spicy, flavorful food. The food there is mostly all fried and not very much spice or flavor. My mother in law is a great cook however and made some killer Sancochos. So it was not all bad. Also I like the Arabian food there. Shwarma is good. They need to ship in some Mexicans to take over all those arepa carts and turn them into taco stands. They have good beef there. I like the carne asada they make in the restaurants, but they just need to spice it up a bit and give it some more flavor. Ironically hard to find coffee too. You have to hit the streets to go look for the vendors with the thermoses. No in suite coffee makers here. Otherwise you go to the malls to find a Juan Valdez or equivalent and pay $2 USD for coffee that cost 1/2 that much at a Circle K here in the States. Basic food items at the Exito's and Jumbos are about the same as here. But you have to figure in the taxi fare and trouble to get there in the first place to buy it. If you like processed foods, deli meats, imported liquors or beer, candy, gum, the prices are much, much higher.

Hotels: My usual hotel was sold out. So I went with another place that cost like $73/night, was located in Las Delicias. It was called the Golden House Hotel I believe. It was not very good. Both the locks to the "suite" from the terraza, and the interior lock to the bedroom were broken. only one of the two rooms had AC. The bathroom was super small. The lighting not good. Termite tunnels going up the walls were knocked down every day, but the termites did their work consistently and by morning were new tunnels to take their place.  It was pretty expensive for what you got. The folks working their were nice enough though, but it was just not that great.

The People/Vibe: It seems a little more "down" each time I go there. I just don't seem to see the same joy in the people's faces. Not too many people dancing at the party. It just seemed a little washed out. The kids though are the same. A joy to see them playing and having fun every day, even though they don't have all the toys and stuff the kids have here in the States.

Prices: In general everything seems pretty expensive these days for what you get. I would not want to go back there for a real vacation again. We will probably just go back to see family periodically and that is it. Flights were much more expensive than a few years ago. And all the flights were pretty much packed with worse service than prior years.

All in all, I think it is still a great place to find a good wife because there are still a lot of beautiful women, especially if you like the morena/triguena look. Most seem to be "old school" women who want a family and house, and who seem to take care of their men. Combine that with the crappy lifestyle, rising prices, and limited opportunities for improving their lot in life, or even attaining the ideal of having a home and family, then you have a perfect storm.

My wife is still there for another week or so. I am back here in the States. I miss her and my baby boy. I can't wait to see them again.

[V_Man]

Great report AB.

[JWR]

I lived in Cali for a while with my Calena wife, and what I noticed is Colombia is not nearly as fun and exciting after you are already married......  Great adventure when you are single and on the hunt.  When married, it's a bit of a frusrating place.
Thanks for the report.

[robert angel]

I lived in Cali for a while with my Calena wife, and what I noticed is Colombia is not nearly as fun and exciting after you are already married......  Great adventure when you are single and on the hunt.  When married, it's a bit of a frusrating place.
Thanks for the report.

 
Same with the Philippines. After a while, all the things that you can't get, including a lot of things you take for granted back home, get to you. Add to the list sub par health care, poverty, corruption and crime, just to give a very short list, and all of a sudden, it's not the fun paradise you enjoyed while single,  foot loose and fancy free.

 
For some folks, it takes a while living over there. First year or so, your body acclimates, but with some factors, it takes a few years for your body (and mind)  to begin the process of breaking down, becoming increasingly ill and ticked off with the way things really work.

 
There's always a few breathtaking resort areas, a new area, another beach to discover further out, but somehow it all doesn't have any where near the spark and appeal it used to.

 
It's not just the third world either. When I was a kid, I lived on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands for a while. Now as an adult, I know people who moved back to the 'lower 48', tired of the crime, lack of this and that and all the tourists.

 
Heck, we have a house that's secluded, but close to the best beaches, a short stroll into town in old town Key West, Florida and after a couple weeks of 'decompressing' there, it starts to get claustrophobic. Worse thing to ever happen to Key West was cruise ships. All the old family run Cuban restuarants, all the funky little gift shops, boutiques and art galleries are pretty much gone.

 
Instead, the economy's changed to accomodate the cruise ship crowd, who have every thing they want and need on the ship. So to 'get their jollies', they just want to use their 7 hours there to take take a guided riding tour, take pictures, buy cheap fast food and score five T shirts for $10. Pretty much all my types--the pirates, the people who want to find the end of the road and escape every thing---folks not afraid of being 120 miles by a single, narrow strip of highway from mainland USA and being geographically closer to Cuba than to Florida, are gone.
 
Paradise ain't what it used to be!

[benjio]

AB,
As always great TR. Nice to see you making frequent trips back to visit your wife's family. I always thought that was very important if you wanted to keep any foreign girl happy in the states.
 
JWR, I never thought about how much of the appeal of some of the places in Latin America I frequent has to do with being single in a land full of beautiful, available women. When I settle down I guess I'll be looking at places I love, even Barranquilla, with a different perspective. Not being able to buy simple things like my favorite brand of barbecue sauce, or hanging out with my friends at our favorite pub is already taking its toll here in Brazil...even with a million models walking around. 

[Alabamaboy!]

I lived in Cali for a while with my Calena wife, and what I noticed is Colombia is not nearly as fun and exciting after you are already married......  Great adventure when you are single and on the hunt.  When married, it's a bit of a frusrating place.
Thanks for the report.

JWR, that is probably it more than anything else. When on the hunt I was going to Rodadero, CTG for the weekends. No kids. No in-laws. Staying in nicer hotels, eating at different restaurants,  not worrying about cash. But now we are watching the cash, eating with the family more to help them along as well, no privacy. Whole 'nother ballgame. The day to day lifestyle for a married guy with a small child there is not so great. Unless of course you have unlimited cash to smooth out all the rough spots.

[mambocowboy]

JWR, that is probably it more than anything else. When on the hunt I was going to Rodadero, CTG for the weekends. No kids. No in-laws. Staying in nicer hotels, eating at different restaurants,  not worrying about cash. But now we are watching the cash, eating with the family more to help them along as well, no privacy. Whole 'nother ballgame. The day to day lifestyle for a married guy with a small child there is not so great. Unless of course you have unlimited cash to smooth out all the rough spots.

that's why I'm staying behind when my wife and infant daughter travel to BAQ in January. I'll miss them but I'd rather make money than spend it on a trip where I'd basically just be in the way, sweating my ass off...

[bcc_1_2]

I agree, a lot of places in Latin America are NOT appealing if you aren't chasing skirt.

[V_Man]

What get's me is how difficult and time consuming everything is. There are exceptions but often it can take a lot of time, effort and pacience to do something that would be quick and easy in the West.

[stnmasn]

I dont know if this is politically correct to say but when in colombia as a married man with the kid with you there is still alot of fun to be had.  I dont know how large the old ladys family is. But I assume there are some other men or young guys in the family.


 They arent saints. Married with kids or not, they arent saints and would love to go out and be partners in crime, jejejeje, even the father in law.......yes even the father in law....him maybe more than all the other men in the family would like to be a partner in crime with you,,,and he can probably score you some nice pieces,,,,,and dont think "no not my father in law"  cause youd probably be mistaken.


You dont have to go there as a single guy to still enjoy the feminine benefits of colombia....... if you get know and tactfully develop a trusting male bonding relationship with the men of the family believe me you can still enjoy many things that you enjoyed as a single guy,,,,,and you may discover more benefits because you will have the local network on your side.


It has been my experience that the majority of men down there are dogs and I dont mean to say that with ANY kind of negative implication,,, NONE at all.... I like to bark also.


  You may be surprised, (pleasantly or shockingly, depending on your personality), at what the other men in the family are enjoying while still maintaining a marriage and family.


All one has to do is be a MAN,( difficult for many),,,, develop the trust and friendship of the other men in family,( not so difficult for male who is also a MAN),,,, and even while traveling with wife and kid,,,,and staying in the sisters house or in laws house,,,,,there are still many ways to discover and enjoy the benefits of colombia.......


I dont understand staying in a hotel in colombia when one is married to a colombiana,,,,,don't we all stay in the houses of the family members of our spouses. .......Dont the inlaws all give up their bedrooms for us to stay in when we are there? Arent we always offered the best bedroom in the house? while the occupant(s) of said room stay in a different room in the house?

[DesmondID]

I dont know if this is politically correct to say but when in colombia as a married man with the kid with you there is still alot of fun to be had.  I dont know how large the old ladys family is. But I assume there are some other men or young guys in the family.

All one has to do is be a MAN,( difficult for many),,,, develop the trust and friendship of the other men in family,( not so difficult for male who is also a MAN),,,, and even while traveling with wife and kid,,,,and staying in the sisters house or in laws house,,,,,there are still many ways to discover and enjoy the benefits of colombia.......

I dont understand staying in a hotel in colombia when one is married to a colombiana,,,,,don't we all stay in the houses of the family members of our spouses. .......Dont the inlaws all give up their bedrooms for us to stay in when we are there? Arent we always offered the best bedroom in the house? while the occupant(s) of said room stay in a different room in the house?

A full 24 hours and nobody has skewered you yet.. wonders never cease.

There is only one other male in my wifes family (brother-in-law) over the age of 10 and he did broach the subject with me the last time I was there... I was having dinner with him and one of his friends while the women were hitting the shops and it came out of left field so I didn't figure out exactly what he meant until later on.

And on the hotel thing: first couple of times I chose an apartment in Medellin, the third time I could tell it was being taken as an insult so now I stay with them. They don't have A/C, the shower is a pipe coming out of the wall with no hot water (no big loss on that last part), and the area around the house is now pretty boring and they freak out if I chose to go for a walk alone... not huge deals but not my first choice.

[Alabamaboy!]

I dont know if this is politically correct to say but when in colombia as a married man with the kid with you there is still alot of fun to be had.  I dont know how large the old ladys family is. But I assume there are some other men or young guys in the family.


 They arent saints. Married with kids or not, they arent saints and would love to go out and be partners in crime, jejejeje, even the father in law.......yes even the father in law....him maybe more than all the other men in the family would like to be a partner in crime with you,,,and he can probably score you some nice pieces,,,,,and dont think "no not my father in law"  cause youd probably be mistaken.


You dont have to go there as a single guy to still enjoy the feminine benefits of colombia....... if you get know and tactfully develop a trusting male bonding relationship with the men of the family believe me you can still enjoy many things that you enjoyed as a single guy,,,,,and you may discover more benefits because you will have the local network on your side.


It has been my experience that the majority of men down there are dogs and I dont mean to say that with ANY kind of negative implication,,, NONE at all.... I like to bark also.


  You may be surprised, (pleasantly or shockingly, depending on your personality), at what the other men in the family are enjoying while still maintaining a marriage and family.


All one has to do is be a MAN,( difficult for many),,,, develop the trust and friendship of the other men in family,( not so difficult for male who is also a MAN),,,, and even while traveling with wife and kid,,,,and staying in the sisters house or in laws house,,,,,there are still many ways to discover and enjoy the benefits of colombia.......


I dont understand staying in a hotel in colombia when one is married to a colombiana,,,,,don't we all stay in the houses of the family members of our spouses. .......Dont the inlaws all give up their bedrooms for us to stay in when we are there? Arent we always offered the best bedroom in the house? while the occupant(s) of said room stay in a different room in the house?

Yeah, you are right, the men there usually are out having a good time, even though married. That is not a huge deal , and I have experienced that sort of thing with all the men I have ever met in Colombia, no surprise. In this case however, the men have been nowhere to be found for several months, leaving the family behind, providing little or no support. So that kind of thing has gone a little too far, and I was the only guy left in the household. We did not even feel comfortable going out to eat in restaurants or going to CTG or Santa Marta as we usually do, because the whole household was suffering a bit. So we bought food for the house, spent time there with the family instead.

We stayed in a hotel during my trip because I have been working a lot of hours the last year or so, just had a huge move to a new house, and I wanted to have a bed with AC and a little privacy for us. My wife's family's home is very small with a lot of people sleeping in each room and no AC. There is no way I can get any sleep in BAQ without AC. The family there of course was generous enough to offer their best area to sleep, but all things considered I thought it would be best for all of us to get a hotel room during our stay.

You are right, if your wife is from Estrato 4 or so, you will probably have a great time hanging out with your father in law, brother in law, etc.....if they happen to actually be around and not already out with their other women/families.

I don't blame the guys for playing a little bit on the side, but when they flat out abandon the family, that is not cool and I don't want to hang out with people like that.

[raycjs]

AB,
 
Great report, we have not been back in over a year.. We plan to go back
early 2014 Jan? Feb?... Once we are back i plan to look around and see if
we can find a nice safe area to buy a home.. I am happy to hear all is well
with you and your family...
 
 
keep in touch..
 
Ray
 
 

[Alabamaboy!]

AB,
 
Great report, we have not been back in over a year.. We plan to go back
early 2014 Jan? Feb?... Once we are back i plan to look around and see if
we can find a nice safe area to buy a home.. I am happy to hear all is well
with you and your family...
 
 
keep in touch..
 
Ray

Are you dead set on BAQ area? I love the people, the music, and the relaxed lifestyle there, but the weather is enough to kill me...or at least make my life miserable. We traveled to Medellin a year or so ago and looked at houses/condos there. The weather seemed to be exactly like San Diego, CA weather but without the beaches. The prices were not horrible, especially when you take in consideration the price of utils. We figured if we got a place there, we could travel to the Coast or have her folks come visit us, and have the best of both worlds: Costena wife, Medellin lifestyle.

We scratched the plans however since the cost of traveling to Colombia keeps getting more expensive and once you get there, it is not as cheap as it was 5 years or so ago. Plus with a small child, it makes traveling very, very difficult. We are now investigating the north shore of Dominican Republic as an alternative. Seems like much better beaches, more international communities, much closer and cheaper to travel to, but still has a lot of the same music, food, vibe as coastal Colombia.

[raycjs]

AB..
 
We have nothing set in stone.. if we do something in Colombia it will need to be close to her family we are both ok with the weather... We have also looked outside of Colombia, i want to buy a home to spend 3 to 4 months of the year (winter) and the rest of the time in the US.. We will seriously start to look next year for a good, safe location for us to enjoy the winter months... i will keep you updated on what i find and the cost, please do the same for me with your search....
 
Ray