Post: #1

Anyone spend much time in Bogotá? I'm going to live there for a while soon and would love any info you guys have about life there in general. I'm thinking living near la candelaria probably isn't the most economical move, does anyone have suggestions for places that're nice but less expensive?

Post: #2

im doing a complete colombia tour in dec/jan. cant wait!

Post: #3

You can rent a room in La Candelaria for about $200 USD and that's the "gringo price". If you want to find a room, best bet is to go to one of the hostels and see if there are any advertisements for rooms posted.

Zona Norte around Parque 93 and Zona T is going to be more expensive but also more safe and posh.

The vibes in these two areas are completely different so it's best to go and see which one fits you best.

Post: #4

200 USD is gringo price!?!?!? wtf lol

Post: #5

Yeah Candeleria is cheapest..it can bve quite sketchy at night...I will wrote more later.

Post: #6

(07-26-2010 11:23 AM)Rocco81 Wrote:  Yeah Candeleria is cheapest..it can bve quite sketchy at night...I will wrote more later.

What about Zona Rosa? I heard that area has a lot of the best nightlife and is also the safest area at night. Being able to walk safely back to your place with a girl you picked up from the club is important.

Post: #7

Zona Rosa is the bomb but I thought Parque 93 was better if you want high end Bogota..I had a hook up on a room there right near the Hard Rock cafe. You def. want to venture out elsewhere but that area is real cool and safe.

Don't walk anywhere far. Not for security reasons (that is a small worry really) but a a cab will only be a few bucks so no need to walk. You might come off as cheap. If its late,late, don't walk more than a block or two if you are anywhere but the nicest areas.

I never paid $200 for one night for a room in Bogota (if you mean per Night Keruac) even in the nice areas. I rented an efficiency (PM me for Details) which had A little sitting room with Couch, full kitchen, and seperate bedroom, seperate bath. This was last year and in Parque 93 and the price was like $90 a night, but if I was willing to pay in Cash the dude gave me a good rate at $79 a night. Cannot beat that rate...this is not UK or USA things can be worked out and bargained for.

When I go back now I stay out in Suba... Imagine Bogota is New York and you have the Burroughs. El Chico aka El Norte aka the Northside of Town which also contains Parque 93 and Zona Roza (basically right next to one another) are the nicest areas sort of like manhattan without the big buildings.This is the yuppie part of town where you will see BMW's and Faccinable stores. Its safe clean and fun. You can still meet women there, but you are less unique. About 30-40% of the Colombians there looked white to me and they all had dinero, so you aren't really special. Even at that I still met and hung out with cool people.

The downtown center is where most of the businesses/big buildings are and you dont want to stay there really..of course you will be ok just cab it, but its loud and not that cool also kind of shady at night. Anyhow Suba where I stayed last time was like 20 minutes to the hot spots. The hot spots (Chico, Zona Rosa) you pay US prices. What I mean by that: A Colombian beer will be between 2-3 US dollars, that same beer out in one of the "burroughs" or one of the places in Candeleira is like .50-75 cent and I feel you meet cooler people, but that is me. I have some friends there so I go other places than the tourist areas.

Candeleria is cool. I mean it can get sketchy, but its fun. If you are not one for adventure, go in the afternoon and drink cheap beer with the students, bohemians, professors and hookers until its dark then head back to your safe haven. I actually was in a real bad part at like 3am surrounded by hookers and angry peanut salesmen...The pimp kind of bucked on some guys that were talking shit becasue he thought we were customers, but anyways..no pussy bought here (I dont do that...and if you are into that, no need to do it on the street, its legal there in most of the strip clubs) It was very unique to talk to a Colombia hooker while swigging liquor en La Candeleria at 3 AM. The cops rolled buy and informed us we would be robbed soon...so we eventually got a cab and went to the next spot...

Rock n Roll baby...

Post: #8

Sweet- great info.

It's not so much that I'm not down for adventure, I'm all about it just as long that adventure doesn't involve me getting kidnapped somewhere... That's why I asked about Zona Rosa.

Is the standard wisdom on crime in Colombia overblown, do you think? I had read that walking alone late at night is a sure way to find yourself robbed or worse. And what about the taxis? I had read that express kidnappings are common there http://www.roadjunky.com/guide/883/colom...avel-scams and that if you get in one as a gringo there is a good chance that they will take you on a little vacation to the ATM machine to rob you.

Oh, and La Candelaria- does it still have a local feel to it, or is it overrun by backpacking hostel gringos?

What neighborhood would you reccomend for a combination of safety, and also a place where you still get a few points for being an exotic gringo?

Thanks!

Post: #9

Celtic, who are you going with ? Do you have any connections there at all? You will still find many nice girls in the best areas (I mean some girls come to this area to find foreigners and to meet the richer Rolo's as well) Some very good resteraunts and clubs in these areas, as well as up scale strip clubs etc.

Don't believe the hype about the kidnappings. Bogota used to be the world capital for kidnappings, but its peak was during a different time period (80's through the 90's) and often times the targets were political ones, etc.. But I had no problem going around in Taxi's at all. Look for legit taxis with legit companies, in other words don't get into an unmarked van or a hand painted sign that says Taxi. The Taxi's are tin with paper thin doors. (Tip: Do not slam the cab door like you would in Europe or US...close it softly. The drivers are real sensitive about this, to the point of bieng assholes)

Sure, crimes do happen there and life is cheaper. Hitmen are cheap there, but its like anywhere, most things of that nature are drug related, the dealers killing other dealers. Mugging however, is pretty common in some of the bad or borderline bad areas. Its always a good idea to keep $20-30 in your pocket in case someone sticks you up. Remember if this happens, it wont be some sophisticated criminal, but more than likely a crack head and his accomplice who don't want to kill you, just get some quick doe and split. I saw footage of this where they took the dudes shoes so he couldn't chase them. He was getting off at a train stop and they waited until he and his GF were right up on them before they pulled the knife to his neck, so there wasn't much response time. This is why I say keep money in your pocket, have a copy of your Passport and not the original on you, leave your Rolex at home etc. Also, petty theft is high. Cell phones get stolen allot ....my buddy that lives there has had 3 girls take his cell phones after leaving his house after a party. Some Colombians call this "giving Papaya"..which is tantamount to leaving candy out for a baby. If you are a stranger and drop your gold chain, that is your problem and you have given me a gift. This isn't higher class Colombians, (many sexy Colombianas may very well be mid or lower class...depending on what you like) but it does happen. Some of them think all Gringos have money to throw away and don't think much about picking up your extra change or some jewelry you left on the table, on thier way out.

Bogota is pretty big. You do have areas that you do not want to be, esp. as a tourist and esp at night (mainly in the South of the city)..but the most important thing is just do not be dumb. Don't get [email protected] up in a local bar and start running your mouth, or start hitting on, groping or dancing with someone's woman. There will be enough women to go around and the next will be hotter than the last.

Candelaria has a very cool feel. Its a very historic part of the city, with cool little shops and an open air market. Some good crafts to buy cheap here and cool little Niche clubs and bars. Its very Bohemian with artists and musicians hanging out. There are many cool museums (Botero museum for example) and its a cool place to do some sight seeing then start on your evening in a little bar. Meet some locals maybe. Since its a cheap party, that is why you get all types from the educated but poor college student, to the dreg of society filthy gutter punk. For some reason you see the grainy dreadlock wearing back packers here, who are often times also scammers...always with a story how they are trying to get home or to the embassy and need a dollar for the cab etc. Just ignore them.

Post: #10

I just read your link.

Roofies: Do not leave a drink on the bar of course. That part is correct. Esp. if you are with strangers or shady people. This is more common in dingy whore houses where they will give you "Scapolomine or Borachero Blanco" which renders you on auto-pilot and makes you open to suggestion. Someone can walk you right up to the ATM and ask you to withdrawl cash and you would do it. I do not know anyone this has happened to, but you hear people talking about it. More importantly than the $$ is that this shit can fuck your brain up.


Taxis: As I stated before, dont get into odd taxis. If you get a funny vibe, throw the dude some pesos and simply get out. Its allot of stop and go traffic so you won't be doing 90 on the freeway (maybe in the middle of night you could and only going from one side of the city to the next) so just get the F out anywhere you want.

Police: The police should look official like the guys in your photo link. The only time I ever was approached, the police were soldiers who act as police sometimes. They had big huge machine guns and got us out of the car. This was legit. We paid some pesos and walked.

Planting Drugs: I never heard of this ever, I think this is more likely in Mexico. Up until just recently you could have a gram or two of coke on you in Colombia and the cops wouldn't flinch. Even now, if you had it, they would leave you alone for $20-30 and probably give the bundle back to you.

Small problems like having some contraban, bieng drunk, speeding, etc are all handled with a few dollars and the cop letting you go. Of course if you fuck up big time, the cops will not just take a few bucks, they will arrest you and that will suck.

Post: #11

Wow- that is a lot of inofrmation, thank you. I'm pretty good about not being stupid when I travel to other countries... I usually don't get drunk when I travel abroad because it fucks up my game.

I don't have any connections there, and I'll be going by myself to study Spanish down there.. I want to get a tutor, and then also have 4 weeks where I talk only in Spanish, listen to only Spanish, ready only Spanish, and live an all-Spanish life for four weeks. I've heard Bogota is the best place for this because the accent is very clear.

It sounds like you think Candelaria is the place to be that is reasonably safe and meet a lot of cool girls that like Gringos?