Ah, my life.

[Traveller]

My Life is good. I don't set an alarm clock. Haven't had to set one to go to work in over 3 years. What do I do for a living? I take photos of models. I work when I want and don't work when I don't want to. Not including taking photos of the models, I work about 7 hours a week. All right here in Cali. Life is good. I do some work for a couple of magazines and a rather large company in the States and a catalog. And, with the "rather large company," I might be developing a TV show shot in Cali, aired in the States. For that, I will be traveling to Mexico, Ecuador, and the States. All on the "company dime." Life is good.
I have to revisit one of my old posts about the Colombian Personal Anti-Collision Radar. These were not installed at birth. Actually they are, but they are only set at the Colombian frequency. Being Americans and the inovators of stealth technology, we do not show up on the Colombian Personal Anti-Collision Radar. Colombians will run right into you out in the open if you are an American. Watch it though. Although, 98% of the people who run into you here is probably just a accident, someone might try and pick pocket you. If you go to the mall, any mall in Colombia, you will see that Cololmbians sense each other and avoid each other, but throw an American or European in the mix and it's like you aren't there. It's funny to watch.
I wil lrealte a story that happened to me while I was in Bogota a few months ago. I read about the scam with the guy in white and his female accomplice. Ok first off, don't be a moron and give your passport to anyone. You are in the land of the scam and you know it and you give your passport to someone who walked up to you? Ok, you deserve to be taken advantage of. I had a heads up about this guy because of this board, so the next part is funny. I am down in old Bogtoa near the Presidential Palace, kinda where they shoot City TV and where the Gold Museum is. This guy walks up to me and asked if I was a tourist.  He has white jacket and white pants, with brown loafers and a off white t-shirt. He asked if I had my passport on me. I lied and said yes, but I actually have a cedula. He asked if he could see it. I said no. He pulls out a ID protector with some ID's and something that looked like a permit. It looked kinda official. He said he worked for "DAS Immigration." Immigration he said in English. I said, that's nice. He said he needed to see my Passport to make sure I had an ammendment, or something like that, in my passport. I told him no. He said, if I didn't show him my passport he would take me to jail. I said, fine where do we go?
Now, he got a little nervous. I saw that and asked him to show me his ID again. He said no and to give him my passport. Uh, yeah right. Eventually, he pulled it out and started waving it around and telling me I had to give him my passport or I would go to jail. I said, let me see your ID. He wouldn't do it. I got a couple of quick glances at the photo on the ID and I am pretty sure it wasn't the guy in fornt of me. He tired to calm the situation down because now people started taking notice. He said he could take care of my amendment for 50,000 pesos and there would be no problem. About that time a woman came up to us. She was in her mid to late 50's. She spoke some English and said that the guy in white was trying to help me and that she did not want to see me go to jail. Ok, everything was falling into place. I said, fine. I pulled out my cedula and told them, let's all go over to the Police sub-station one block over and if they say I need a special stamp in my passport I will do it. I told the lady I would pay her to translate for me. OOOOH, they wouldn't hear of that. So, now the guy DEMANDED 50,000 pesos or I would go to jail. By this time, I was p.o.'ed. Right there on the steet I proclaimed them to be MF's, A'es this, F'ers that. Some of it in Spanish, some of it not. I swear to GOD, they turned white before my eyes and took off in different directions. I stood there for a couple of seconds and I watched people walk by me and people just kind of smiled at me. Either they thought I was a little whacked in the head or they knew I didn't get scammed. Either way, they probably got an interesting show.
DAS does wear plain clothes a lot, but when they are on the job, they usually wear vest that Says DAS on the back and over the breast pocket. Also, they will either have a gun in the waistband in front or back of their jeans. Loose, no holster. If they aren't wearing the vest, they will have proper ID and they will let you see it.
Police wear a uniform. They probably will not hassle you unless you look vunerable or you do something stupid in front of them. I got in a fight in Cali with another American once, don't be feeling my girlfriend up when I am only 2 feet away with my back turned. Anyways, that's another story, but the cops came over to see what was going on. They saw two Gringos, one yelling in English and jerking the other guy up by the throat, and the cops just kind wandered off. Looked like they didn't want anything to do with that situation. PS: Everyone is fine concerning that last little incident.
I have been coming to Colombia for 5 years and in all that time, I have never needed a special stamp, permission, amendment, or anything other than my entry and exit stamp in my passport. I do have a VISA in my passport, but that's a different matter. If you are coming down and are spending a couple of weeks, you do not need anything else other than you entry stamp. If anyone tells you different, make sure they have the proper requirements and do NOT seperate yourself from your passport. Matter of fact, get a notarized copy of your passport with the page that has your latest entry stamp and the page that has your photo on it. It's not hard to get stuff notarized here.
Talk to you later,
K

[Traveller]

... in response to Ah, my life., posted by Traveller on Jan 29, 2004

About looks. I look about as unappealing to a scamming Colombian as anyone. I put on my "Do not screw with me" face and demeanor. Anyone who has met me knows what I mean. I am also bigger and wider than your average Colombian.
That Marine chip they implanted in our brain for us Infantry Grunts during boot camp kicks in.
But, I end up blending in more than most because of Mom. Mom is an American Indian, so I have people who come up to me all the time asking directions in Spanish.
We exude an American unique hormone through the air that shouts, "GRINGO." It's the way we walk, present ourselves, dress, facial features, etc. You can't hide it.
We do not camoflauge well. They can always tell you are not native Colombian. So, put on your defensive posture when you are out and about. Like I said before, this is the land of scam. If you don't believe me, read the last 4 years of archives pertaining to this board. "Shields up."

[cancunhound]

... in response to Re: Ah, my life., posted by Traveller on Jan 30, 2004

I think alot has to do with what one's doing and where one's doing it that screams "GRINGO".  Sure the clothes/grooming are a giveaway but that's easily fixed - I tend to think on average appearance is not that high on the importance scale as it is for Colombianos.  Weight is another giveaway - the only really heavy Colombianos are the ones that can afford to get away with it, and that's not many.  Height/skin complexion?  Now that one seems to be dependent on where one's at - certain regions have; like those of the paisas, seem to have successfully resisted racial mixing and the European influence is very evident.  In Manizales for example, I was asked for my local discount card at the grocery store without the clerk blinking an eye - that's kind of a small town so I was surprised that not only did a new face not raise an eye but my 6'+ gringoness was not a flag. It was though I were wearing camoflouge.  Now Cali -LOL, I'm pegged at 1st glance.

BTW, fogot to say thanks for rubbing in that tough job/lifestyle you've got going!

Also, kindof along the lines of the scam thing, here's a fantastic story out of Cali, a must read:

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040128-044742-2967r

[Cali vet]

... in response to Ah, my life., posted by Traveller on Jan 29, 2004

Yeah that's the second report of that kind of thing in Bogota we've read here on the board. Good tip. Well at least he didn't tell you he had to "register" your money. I don't know how they pick their targets. In the last couple of months I spent a bunch of time walking around the Candalaria on two visits to Bogota and didn't even get a funny look at least that I noticed.

[Wasp]

... in response to Bogota Tricks, posted by Cali vet on Jan 29, 2004

Odd, I walked down from Monserrat , past that milenio station, to the big square. No one looked at me twice. I did give a panhandler a banana chip once.

I've never had a whiff of trouble in Colombia. Maybe I havn't been there long enough.

Good advice though. Never give anyone your papers or money.
If they pull a gun, that's a different matter, but don't be a chump.

[CaliAdvisor]

... in response to Bogota Tricks, posted by Cali vet on Jan 29, 2004

Your time in Colombia has made you look a little more Colombian I imagine.. You blend in better.

[Cali vet]

... in response to Re: Bogota Tricks, posted by CaliAdvisor on Jan 29, 2004

I don't look Colombian but I try to put on my best "europeo pobre" face.

[thundernco]

... in response to Re: Bogota Tricks, posted by CaliAdvisor on Jan 29, 2004

LOL, that's funny!

[cancunhound]

... in response to Ah, my life., posted by Traveller on Jan 29, 2004

Great report, which brings up a good question because this is a fairly common scam.  The only time I have ever been requested to show identification is at the expected spots - like when you get pulled over at the frequent roadblocks travelling outside of the cities.  Throw in the normal day-to-day items like when exchanging money, at the travel agency purchasing tickets, etc., and of course when leaving the country.  So I'm in the habit of leaving my passport behind if just doing the normal out and about in the city stuff.  I've never, ever, been stopped out of the blue and asked for my passport.  I would think something is fishy right off the bat if that were to happen, especially if the "official" spoke some english - hell that would be hard to come by even with the DAS officials at the airport.  Immediately wave over a real cop (there's usually one nearby).

Has anyone ever been legitimately asked to show identification in a scenario like this in Colombia?

[Keith Smith]

... in response to Re: Ah, my life., posted by cancunhound on Jan 29, 2004

Hi Cancunhound. Personally, I have never been asked to show any form of i.d. (unless I'm in a bank or arriving in a hotel). However, during my recent trip to Cali (late Nov. 2003), a DAS offical (at the airport) had asked me what my occupation was. I answered him in Spanish. I also showed him my job i.d. (yes, I do bring it with me). The same thing happened when I was leaving Cali. When I show them my job i.d., they don't give me a hassle. I found it a little strange because it was the first time DAS officals had asked me about my occupation. Later.