Just another day in Cali

[Pete E]

Yesterday there were 5 murders and one kidnaping.
The mayor of nearby Tulua was assasinated.
Cali does seem to be the city area in Colombia with the greatest crime problems right now.Uribe says he wants to focus on it.So far his efforts haven't slowed them down a bit.

Pete

[conocerme]

Pete - any sign of the FARC or other rebels recently in Cali?  I remember years ago the Torre de Cali getting bombed and a car bomb also went off on a street one street over from where my wife/novia used to live.  A strata 4.

conocerme

[Pete E]

FARC still has an urban presence but not what it was a few  years ago.About 3 weeks ago they set off a bomb they had these guys tranporting with a horse cart,killing both of the cart guys.The target was a police station,they missed,set off the bomb after the cart went by it.
They are still in some of the bad barrios.But as few years ago they had much more of a presense in rural areas like Jamundi.Now they are mostly driven back in the mountains,although they did invade a finca in Jamundi,try to extort the owner.They got caught on that one.

Pete

[conocerme]

Pete - do you get up to the Lago Calima area much?  I hear from time to time the FARC are heavy around there.

I remember when I went there with my wife and her family.  The drive is actually gorgeous with the green Andes Mountains and pinos.  We were in a taxi with my wife and myself and my father-in-law and mother-in-law.  There was not much traffic at all on the road.  We drove up around the Lago and there was an Colombian Army check-point.  We all had to get out and they searched the entire taxi from top to bottom.  Meanwhile, the commanding officer looked at me and remarked "extranjero" (foreigner) and pointed to himself and said "Captain" while smiling.  I always laugh when I remember that.

We continued on down to the lago and went to a few of the resorts.  We made the loop down through the Pueblo Calima and my father-in-law made sure to stop so we could get some beer.  He always liked to drink a beer or two with me.  There was another Colombian Army check-point right before Pueblo Calima where we had to again be thoroughly searched top to bottom.  I remember Pueblo Calima seemed to be a dangerous area.

Anyway, I know the locals always know when the FARC are around and generally what areas to go into or not to go into.

conocerme

[Pete E]

I have not been to Lago Calima.I intend to go after I recover from my soon to be second surjury.
I get different opinions on safety.I think FARC is not neasly as present as they used to be.I think if you stay at a hotel and don't travel at night you are OK.If you lived there you might become a target.Thats the one precautionary thing I hear.Don't get profiled as a gringo.

Pete

[conocerme]

Pete -

Definitely try to go to Lago Calima when you think it is safe.  Those mountains are beautiful.

Thanks for the update..  GOOD LUCK on the surgery.

conocerme

[Ken]

Actually that was the ex-mayor.

[Ken]

20 asesinatos tuvo el Valle el domingo or twenty murders on Sunday in the department of Valle De Cauca where cali is located.

[clone927]

I just came back from Cali a couple of weeks ago. I had no problems when I was over there. I blend in pretty well. Then again I have brown hair, eyes & was w/ a Caliana. @ 1st I thought would I stand out w/ shorts with on the streets. I was looking @ people looking @ me & they didn't stare @ me as I approached them. I figured I would wear jeans to blend in even more. It was pretty nice weather. ( 72 degrees during the day & would get down to 60 @ night.

She took me up to Lago Calima for the weekend. Her brother in law has a couple of homes up there & it was his birthday that weekend. Just to let you know, those Columbians can party into the next morning.

The mtns are very nice & green. Her brother in law says that FARC doesn't bother them as long as we don't cross over to the other side of the mtns. I never herad any gun shots while I was up there.