Bad News, Great News...Part 2

[Hoda]

Part 2,

While the others are either being x-rayed or waiting, this M.F. has the NERVE TO ASK ME FOR MONEY TO COVER THE TRIP! I asked him why is he only requesting money from me? He shrugs his shoulders. CUANDO MF-er? Glad he didn't know what that meant. He said 5000, alright, alright I said. Once I get change of the twenty. I realized that I didn't see anyone else come out of their pocket to pay for this x-ray. Hmmmm, these boys think they're real smart! The x-ray room looks twenty years old. I noticed that they didn't even have those disposible sheets that our hospitals have. X-ray done, I'm clean, lets get the hell outta here! I ain't got nothing to say on the way back to the airport. I inquire about my change, and I'm told, I'll get it once we return. We get to the airport with about 25 minutes til take-off. The cop with my twenty "suddenly" realizes how much time is left. We run up to the office, and I see that my bags have been messed with. We run through the 1st security check, and then BAM. A Long, LONG line for passport verification. The cop with my twenty looks at me & takes a short step backward. I don't know what he saw on my face, but he rushed me up to the front of the line. This boy, even put me in front of the people waiting in wheelchairs! I wrote off the twenty as the cost of doing business with these knucleheads. This is not a blanket statement accusing all of the Police in Cali.

I made my flight, but the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Stivalis was blaming herself for letting me go to the airport alone. She felt, if she was there, that most of what went down wouldn't have happened. I told her, maybe, maybe not. It ain't gonna stop me from coming back. By the time I was able to check my bags, I saw that a couple of American Express Travellers checks were gone. No big deal, I'm hoping, no check that. I'M PRAYING THAT THEY TRY AND CASH THEM AND GET ARRESTED! I wish I could see the expression on their faces, when they find out, that the checks are worthless!!!!

Fella's this ain't gonna stop me from seeing and marrying my Stivalis. NO WAY, NO HOW! For those of us who are making multiple trips to any South American country, beware that this could happen to you. Seems like we gotta watch our backs, no matter where we go! Keep all your hard cash on you & in as small as dominations as possible. So in case you are nickeled & dimed like I was.

Great News will follow shortly....Hoda

[Pete Eiguren]

... in response to Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Hoda on Apr 20, 2001

Howard,
It sounds like you got profiled Colombia style,with some nice little touches thrown in like making you pay for the X-ray and the taxi,plus stealing your travelers checks while you were getting the X-ray.I have never had anything like this happen to me and I would be very upset as you were.We might be successfull in getting profiling eliminated here but Colombia will probably proceed the same way.Given this I guess the thing is to try not to fit their profile as much as you can.Sounds like your appearance plus the sweating caused them to zero in on you.I guess one lesson is not not walk through the checkpoints with sweat on your brow.
I'm glad this will not stop you from going again.Stivalis being there might have helped but who knows so she shouldn't feel bad about something as unanticipated as this.
On the plus side,you will probably be intertaining people with this story for years.Your posts are always interesting.
Take care,especially in third world airports!

Pete

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Pete Eiguren on Apr 20, 2001

In regards to their profiling, LOL....

Number one, I can't/won't change my skin color (No offense to Michael Jackson).

Number two, I sweat in warm climates. Specially when I go from my cool climate (NYC) to a hot one (Cali). Maybe I shouldn't have put on my jacket. But I had enough stuff to carry. Wearing the jacket for  serveral minutes until I got to the gate never raised any flags before. I've had sweat on my brow before going through inspections without incident.

Peace....Hoda

p.s. Pete, I'll be contacting you about what you went through in Bogota soon, don't tell anyone, ok?

[Larry in Dallas]

... in response to Thanks much Pete, only...., posted by Hoda on Apr 20, 2001

Dear Hoda:

   Pete only shares his secrets in Bogota with me!

Besides, you are such a bigtime "DRUG DEALER", why mess with little fish like us???

                                     

I am thankful also for your great posts!  I still read your
caliland stories posted under the visits section and like them a lot!

                                        Chao,
                                        Larry in Dallas

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Pete Eiguren on Apr 20, 2001

In regards to their profiling, LOL....

Number one, I can't/won't change my skin color (No offense to Michael Jackson).

Number two, I sweat in warm climates. Specially when I go from my cool climate (NYC) to a hot one (Cali). Maybe I shouldn't have put on my jacket. But I had enough stuff to carry. Wearing the jacket for  serveral minutes until I got to the gate never raised any flags before. I've had sweat on my brow before going through inspections without incident.

Peace....Hoda

p.s. Pete, I'll be contacting you about what you went through in Bogota soon, don't tell anyone, ok?

[Larry in Dallas]

... in response to Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Hoda on Apr 20, 2001

dear hoda:

   Yikes!!  I would have to change my shorts after an experience such as that.  But I guess since it is practically a country under martial law and fighting all the different factions, then I can say I am not surprised.
   Were there any white people kidnapped by the police or was it entirely black men?

[Hoda]

... in response to Re: Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Larry in Dallas on Apr 20, 2001

Larry,

I'm not trying to start a thread on the subject. But "YES", there were only brown & black skinned individuals subjected to what I went through in regards to going to the hospital & being x-rayed.

Peace....Hoda

[Dennis in CA]

... in response to Bad News, Great News...Part 2, posted by Hoda on Apr 20, 2001

Hoda:
First of all, I am sorry about your incident.  Second, I had a similar experience when I was leaving Cali last October, although not nearly as bad as yours.  
I had gotten thru the ticket/gringo tax line & was having a cup of coffee near the Dunkin' Donuts kiosk when 2 soldiers in fatigues walked up to me & asked me (in English) to come upstairs with them.  Upon arriving in the office I, too, was surrounded by 3 others & it was "your papers please" while being asked many of the same questions that you mentioned over & over.  Concurrently, the interrogator was flipping thru my passport, tickets, T/C's & trying to ask the questions in different variations.  But he wasn't very good at it.  Finally, after about 10 mins of this (it seemed like hours to me), the interrogator stood up, apologized, said it was "his job" & I was free to go.  They did not touch my bags in the office.
However, upon arriving at the metal detector station (after customs), I was totally frisked by 2 officers (a woman & a man).  Because I had forgotten to remove my money belt from inside my waistband, I was pulled aside & was interrogated again -- only this time the guy was way more arrogant & angry.  He was VERY interested in the T/C's & kept carressing them as if I was going to offer some to him, but I didn't.  At the same time his buddy was going thru all my stuff.  That was my major concern -- I kept a close eye on the buddy to ensure that nothing other than my personal effects were being put back into my luggage.  That is not an easy thing to do when you have an aggressive Colombian Customs Officer in your face asking you stupid questions, believe me.  The only advantage I had at this point was that time was getting short for my flight to leave & they couldn't spend a whole lot more time with me given the fact that I was clean.  Finally Mr. Angry looked me up & down & "waved" me thru, he didn't even speak.  I couldn't care less at that point & got the hell thru the detector & moved to the gate.  Once inside the gate terminal, I was constantly monitored by 2 other soldiers (one with a dog) until I boarded.  
I agree with you that it wouldn't deter me from making another trip, but you are totally correct when you say that you have to watch your back down there.
D