Family Visit

[buencamino]

My father came down for a visit. It was his first time in Colombia. Of course he was amazed at the beauty of the chicas, not only the stunners that parade through Chipichape but also all the lower strata but very hot girls you see at super stores lke La 14 Calima. Having a visitor makes you get out and do things that you're probably too lazy or disinterested to do on your own. It's been ages since I've been in the artsy Bohemian barrio of San Antonio off Calle 5ta so we went there starting out at the Loma de las Artesenias Santa Cruz. There are a couple of dozen kiosks up there with a vast variety of the typical Colombian gewgaws like the statuettes  of la Negra Chantaduro etcetera but at way better prices of course than at the artenesias locales in the big malls. We walked around San Antonio which is quiant but safe and came accross a year old hostel that even had a swiming pool. I hadn't seen that before. Price for private room with private bath, tv and wi-fi was $50.000 or about twenty five bucks with free salsa lessons included. And it's even a franchise. They have one on San Andres and in Cartagena too. I had to go up to Bogota to pick up my new passport so we made a day trip hitting the gold museum and walking around Candelaria and El Centro up there. Gotta say that city is really energising compared to Cali and beautiful women everywhere, in El Centro at least. This was the first trip to Bogota where the taxi drivers didn't try to rip me off. Wonder what got into them.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if my father takes up Spanish when he gets back home.

[Elexpatriado]

Well if there are beautiful women, they sure dont hang out at Pance..would say the same for the guys. Never seen so many fat outta shape and ugly people in one place..maybe because they take all their clothes and makeup off. Like they say, cant put lipstick on a pig..


Which reminds me.. better go to the gym right now..

My father came down for a visit. It was his first time in Colombia. Of course he was amazed at the beauty of the chicas, not only the stunners that parade through Chipichape but also all the lower strata but very hot girls you see at super stores lke La 14 Calima. Having a visitor makes you get out and do things that you're probably too lazy or disinterested to do on your own. It's been ages since I've been in the artsy Bohemian barrio of San Antonio off Calle 5ta so we went there starting out at the Loma de las Artesenias Santa Cruz. There are a couple of dozen kiosks up there with a vast variety of the typical Colombian gewgaws like the statuettes  of la Negra Chantaduro etcetera but at way better prices of course than at the artenesias locales in the big malls. We walked around San Antonio which is quiant but safe and came accross a year old hostel that even had a swiming pool. I hadn't seen that before. Price for private room with private bath, tv and wi-fi was $50.000 or about twenty five bucks with free salsa lessons included. And it's even a franchise. They have one on San Andres and in Cartagena too. I had to go up to Bogota to pick up my new passport so we made a day trip hitting the gold museum and walking around Candelaria and El Centro up there. Gotta say that city is really energising compared to Cali and beautiful women everywhere, in El Centro at least. This was the first trip to Bogota where the taxi drivers didn't try to rip me off. Wonder what got into them.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if my father takes up Spanish when he gets back home.

[raycjs]

Glad to see your father had an nice time visiting...



Ray

[whitey]

Never too late to learn Spanish!

[robert angel]

My father came down for a visit. It was his first time in Colombia. Of course he was amazed at the beauty of the chicas, not only the stunners that parade through Chipichape but also all the lower strata but very hot girls you see at super stores lke La 14 Calima. Having a visitor makes you get out and do things that you're probably too lazy or disinterested to do on your own. It's been ages since I've been in the artsy Bohemian barrio of San Antonio off Calle 5ta so we went there starting out at the Loma de las Artesenias Santa Cruz. There are a couple of dozen kiosks up there with a vast variety of the typical Colombian gewgaws like the statuettes  of la Negra Chantaduro etcetera but at way better prices of course than at the artenesias locales in the big malls. We walked around San Antonio which is quiant but safe and came accross a year old hostel that even had a swiming pool. I hadn't seen that before. Price for private room with private bath, tv and wi-fi was $50.000 or about twenty five bucks with free salsa lessons included. And it's even a franchise. They have one on San Andres and in Cartagena too. I had to go up to Bogota to pick up my new passport so we made a day trip hitting the gold museum and walking around Candelaria and El Centro up there. Gotta say that city is really energising compared to Cali and beautiful women everywhere, in El Centro at least. This was the first trip to Bogota where the taxi drivers didn't try to rip me off. Wonder what got into them.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if my father takes up Spanish when he gets back home.

Pretty cool that you got your Dad down there. Opposite side of the coin, my kids have been to Asia---the Philippines and  like it a lot. Then again, they've been from Asia to Alaska, Toronto to Tennessee, Seattle to Savannah, Key West to Kalamazoo ---on jets, helicopters, cruise ships--poor kids were upset I wanted to take them to Vancouver--my ex already took them there and they wanted to go back to Seattle instead if I insisted on dragging them out west again.

[Awesome]

Well if there are beautiful women, they sure dont hang out at Pance..would say the same for the guys. Never seen so many fat outta shape and ugly people in one place..maybe because they take all their clothes and makeup off. Like they say, cant put lipstick on a pig..


Which reminds me.. better go to the gym right now..

Jaja!  Are you talking about rio pance, where people play in the cold river water?  I went there and was unimpressed.  But I do think it would be a good place to bring some chicas.  It did seem more like a family oriented place, rather than a babe watching place.


That san antonio place is a great place to be romantic with your novia.  AWESOME view of the city in front of the beautiful church.

[buencamino]

I went to Rio Pance just once. It was a "puente" and totally packed with cars and buses. The deepest pools in the river were knee deep and of course with thousands of low strata caleños the river edge was knee deep in trash. I will never go back. There's another river down there that I don't know the name of. You pull in just after a bridge. The water is deep and swimable but there's a lot of "ganado" just upstream that are crpping in it. My favorite river near Cali is Rio Pichinde. You get to it by going up past Cristo Rey. The headwaters are up in the Peñas Blancas mountains (part of Parque National Fallarones).  Up above Cristo Rey the water is clear and cold and the surrounding scenery is spectacular. There are plenty of deep pools you can immerse yourself in. As that rive winds it's way down to Cali it becomes the Rio Cali which flows through  the zoo. Unfortunately there is illegal gold mining going on in the Peñas Blancas and the cyanide they use finds it's way into the river.

[robert angel]

I went to Rio Pance just once. It was a "puente" and totally packed with cars and buses. The deepest pools in the river were knee deep and of course with thousands of low strata caleños the river edge was knee deep in trash. I will never go back. There's another river down there that I don't know the name of. You pull in just after a bridge. The water is deep and swimable but there's a lot of "ganado" just upstream that are crpping in it. My favorite river near Cali is Rio Pichinde. You get to it by going up past Cristo Rey. The headwaters are up in the Peñas Blancas mountains (part of Parque National Fallarones).  Up above Cristo Rey the water is clear and cold and the surrounding scenery is spectacular. There are plenty of deep pools you can immerse yourself in. As that rive winds it's way down to Cali it becomes the Rio Cali which flows through  the zoo. Unfortunately there is illegal gold mining going on in the Peñas Blancas and the cyanide they use finds it's way into the river.

Yea, Gold mining is bad news for all but the very few who get rich. Not only does it bring cyanide, but of course other pollution, tearing apart whole mountain sides and worst of all, murder and other crimes. There's one town, not far from my wife's hometown that is extraordinarily murderous due to gold mining--like the worst of America's old, wild west. My wife's Father was 'Captain' of their barangay (village) sort of their version of Mayor for many years. One guy who had a refinery literally bought the election one term, but the people got so pissed off at all the bad stuff that they reelected my Father in law the next election.

I think in most third world nations, most of the rivers aren't too great for swimming anymore because of animal and human waste if nothing else. The river by my wife's parent's home was once very clean and they used to enjoy being in it, but they are far from the source and being down river from many farms, besides gold mining--no one goes in it anymore.

[Elexpatriado]

I much prefer Manizales were you dont have to "hunt"for nature, coolness, cleanliness , peace and tranquility. The average chica I think is actually cuter then than in Medellin or Cali. Probably cuz girls from all over going to University, and in shape from climbing the Lomas. Not as many phoney boob and ass jobs either.That being said, climbing the Fallorones is on my [Bucket[ list, but not very high up, I admit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCCMtv_eSRw&feature=player_detailpage

I went to Rio Pance just once. It was a "puente" and totally packed with cars and buses. The deepest pools in the river were knee deep and of course with thousands of low strata caleños the river edge was knee deep in trash. I will never go back. There's another river down there that I don't know the name of. You pull in just after a bridge. The water is deep and swimable but there's a lot of "ganado" just upstream that are crpping in it. My favorite river near Cali is Rio Pichinde. You get to it by going up past Cristo Rey. The headwaters are up in the Peñas Blancas mountains (part of Parque National Fallarones).  Up above Cristo Rey the water is clear and cold and the surrounding scenery is spectacular. There are plenty of deep pools you can immerse yourself in. As that rive winds it's way down to Cali it becomes the Rio Cali which flows through  the zoo. Unfortunately there is illegal gold mining going on in the Peñas Blancas and the cyanide they use finds it's way into the river.

[Elexpatriado]

But then I just commited a major grave error.. last thing I want ids the place over-run with Gringos..


Don't go there,,, its cold, rainy, small,way too many hills to walk around in, boring and no one speaks English!!

[buencamino]

I've been to Manizales many many times the last visit being to the Rio Blanca reserve and I have never been impresssed with the women I've seen in that city. To each his own though..."entre gustos no hay disgustos".
 
I have to say that anyone who says he has to "hunt for nature" around Cali is woefully uninformed ie. doesn't know snip from Shinola about the area. Here are ten easy day trips to "nature" destinations well known to caleño aficionados of nature that range from twenty miunutes to an hour and a half travel time from the city center. I've personally been to seven of them:
 
Reserva Natural Camino Verde
Reserva Natural Laguna de Sonso
Reserva Natural Bosque de Yotoco
Reserva Natural Nirvana
Parque Paramo Las Hermosas
Reserva Natural Dapa
Reserva San Cipriano
Jardín Botánico Juan María Céspedes
Reserva Forestal de Guacari
Bosque de San Antonio Km 18

[Elexpatriado]

Yeah..but how many are less thanhan15 minutes access from the city? And hardly any parks to speak of in the city itself. You can post that list  for any city in Colombia , even Baranquilla or Cucuta.



Cali sucks..Punto Cerrado  even the Calenos know it and admit it..


All I can say, sure there are beautiful women in Cali, there are over 2 million people iiving there, but the average woman in the street aint any better than anywhere else in Colombia. And in some locations (like Panse for instance) ..more like what you see in the US.


I myself think Canmore Alberta definitely has hotter on average women than Cali.or Medellin...they are all mountain biking, ski touring, rock climbing , trail running fanatics..


But then they dont have any interest in saggy balled old gringos who have to go to Colombia tor other third world plavce to get a female companion.


Ive spent a lot of time working in Russia too, and I can tell you, on average, women there physically are better looking (not that they have any other redeaming features).


When people here say a 10, they really mean a  9.8. 9.9 or 10.0..cuz the really hot women are in the top 1% of 2% of the female population.


Anyway, hope all the Gringos stay in Medellin, Bogota and Cali..suits me just fine..
..
quote author=buencamino link=topic=7919.msg119199#msg119199 date=1410971644]
I've been to Manizales many many times the last visit being to the Rio Blanca reserve and I have never been impresssed with the women I've seen in that city. To each his own though..."entre gustos no hay disgustos".
 
I have to say that anyone who says he has to "hunt for nature" around Cali is woefully uninformed ie. doesn't know snip from Shinola about the area. Here are ten easy day trips to "nature" destinations well known to caleño aficionados of nature that range from twenty miunutes to an hour and a half travel time from the city center. I've personally been to seven of them:
 
Reserva Natural Camino Verde
Reserva Natural Laguna de Sonso
Reserva Natural Bosque de Yotoco
Reserva Natural Nirvana
Parque Paramo Las Hermosas
Reserva Natural Dapa
Reserva San Cipriano
Jardín Botánico Juan María Céspedes
Reserva Forestal de Guacari
Bosque de San Antonio Km 18

[Elexpatriado]

By the way..Ive been to half those places you listed..Ive done my time in Cali..thanks..

Yeah..but how many are less thanhan15 minutes access from the city? And hardly any parks to speak of in the city itself. You can post that list  for any city in Colombia , even Baranquilla or Cucuta.



Cali sucks..Punto Cerrado  even the Calenos know it and admit it..


All I can say, sure there are beautiful women in Cali, there are over 2 million people iiving there, but the average woman in the street aint any better than anywhere else in Colombia. And in some locations (like Panse for instance) ..more like what you see in the US.


I myself think Canmore Alberta definitely has hotter on average women than Cali.or Medellin...they are all mountain biking, ski touring, rock climbing , trail running fanatics..


But then they dont have any interest in saggy balled old gringos who have to go to Colombia tor other third world plavce to get a female companion.


Ive spent a lot of time working in Russia too, and I can tell you, on average, women there physically are better looking (not that they have any other redeaming features).


When people here say a 10, they really mean a  9.8. 9.9 or 10.0..cuz the really hot women are in the top 1% of 2% of the female population.


Anyway, hope all the Gringos stay in Medellin, Bogota and Cali..suits me just fine..
..
quote author=buencamino link=topic=7919.msg119199#msg119199 date=1410971644]
I've been to Manizales many many times the last visit being to the Rio Blanca reserve and I have never been impresssed with the women I've seen in that city. To each his own though..."entre gustos no hay disgustos".
 
I have to say that anyone who says he has to "hunt for nature" around Cali is woefully uninformed ie. doesn't know snip from Shinola about the area. Here are ten easy day trips to "nature" destinations well known to caleño aficionados of nature that range from twenty miunutes to an hour and a half travel time from the city center. I've personally been to seven of them:
 
Reserva Natural Camino Verde
Reserva Natural Laguna de Sonso
Reserva Natural Bosque de Yotoco
Reserva Natural Nirvana
Parque Paramo Las Hermosas
Reserva Natural Dapa
Reserva San Cipriano
Jardín Botánico Juan María Céspedes
Reserva Forestal de Guacari
Bosque de San Antonio Km 18

[bernard]

By the way..Ive been to half those places you listed..Ive done my time in Cali..thanks..

You're a disrespectful jerk-off...Been to Manizales many times and I agree with Buencamino.  He's a cool guy who adds alot to this forum...He tells first hand stories which make me believe he lives there....You on the other hand; all of your mush is something that can be copy and pasted from other ex-pat sites.


Plus you have almost 1000 posts here and STILL don't know how to use the QUOTE feature.....LMAO....keep hanging on this site MR. MULTI-TASKER...jajaja

[Elexpatriado]

Nothing against Buen Camino, but I still think Cali sucks.. oK to visit but wouldnt wanna live there
Glad to see your back after your hiatus. Bernard. I love you too...
 
If I disrespected Buen Camino, I appologize to him ..one mans bread is another mans poison, as they say..its not the first time Ive been over zealous with my opinion,
And I dont wanna get in a pissing contest..a little sarcasm is OK, but I leave the real nasty stuff to Awesome...
I couldnt give a crap about the quotation stuff. just a bunch of white noise..
 
Cheers..

[Awesome]

And hardly any parks to speak of in the city itself.

What about parque de perro?  There is also an impressive park in the downtown area, very clean, tranquil, and modern.

[Elexpatriado]

Parque de pero mi culo.. I was just staying next to that for 4 days, In Canada we would call that a "Wide Boulevard". I ran around it 20 times in an hour. The biggest park or area where you go running  without getting run over  by a car, getting mugged or knifed, breathing too many BTXs I have seen in Cali is  Parque del Ingenio..even that is so small, I eneded up circling it 3 times in an hour of running. Not to mention you have to go esarly in the morning due to the heat.[

What about parque de perro?  There is also an impressive park in the downtown area, very clean, tranquil, and modern.

[Calipro]

Parque de pero mi culo.. I was just staying next to that for 4 days, In Canada we would call that a "Wide Boulevard". I ran around it 20 times in an hour. The biggest park or area where you go running  without getting run over  by a car, getting mugged or knifed, breathing too many BTXs I have seen in Cali is  Parque del Ingenio..even that is so small, I eneded up circling it 3 times in an hour of running. Not to mention you have to go esarly in the morning due to the heat.[

overall Cali is no where near as nice a city as medellin  but there are plenty more calenas looking for a long term relationship ( bit needy) compared to the paisas I have met.....for those that are fearful of casual relationships (shanks) Cali might be worth a look.

[bernard]

I couldnt give a crap about the quotation stuff. just a bunch of white noise..
 
Cheers..

Yes, you couldn't give a crap about the quotation stuff, so that's why you continue to try to use it and continue to fail.  Just look at your last 100 posts...LMAO....you're so full of crap, and ur not as smart as you portray yourself...just a liitle smart ass.  I'm very sure the Colombianas tire of you quickly, hence, this forum is the only social life you have .

[Elexpatriado]

and your momma wears army boots

Are we having fun yet???

Yes, you couldn't give a crap about the quotation stuff, so that's why you continue to try to use it and continue to fail.  Just look at your last 100 posts...LMAO....you're so full of crap, and ur not as smart as you portray yourself...just a liitle smart ass.  I'm very sure the Colombianas tire of you quickly, hence, this forum is the only social life you have .

[utopiacowboy]

I've been to Canmore, Alberta and I've been to Medellin. Canmore is nice, no doubt about it, but I don't think I saw a single woman there the whole time that made me turn my head. Maybe they are just not my type unlike the beautiful paisas of Medellin with their jet black hair and pale complexions.

[Dan Las Vegas]

Hey uc,


welcome back and I have to agree with you, especially now that I am engaged to a beautiful paisa!


Dan LV

[bernard]

I've been to Canmore, Alberta and I've been to Medellin. Canmore is nice, no doubt about it, but I don't think I saw a single woman there the whole time that made me turn my head. Maybe they are just not my type unlike the beautiful paisas of Medellin with their jet black hair and pale complexions.

Thanks for confirming that UC....not sure where some of EL's bullcrap comes from.  Actually I'm thinking he is very starved for attention, which is very sad since he CLAIMS he lives in Colombia, but glues himself to this forum daily seeking attention.


UC, I assume that is your wife in your avatar....she is very attractive.  Congrats!