Columbia, South America

I'm going to Columbia the week of Thanksgiving, staying in Bogota and Cartagena. Anyone been? I love South America and have been to Argentina, Peru and Bolivia. Anxious to see how this nation compares.

• Please bring me back a dead monkey!

  TIA

• OP, is this some sort of weird troll thread? Why are you heading to Colombia if you can't even spell it?

• Columbia sucks.

  NYU

• You and your luggage will get incredible scrutiny from customs when you re-enter the USA, especially if you deplane from a foreign flag carrier. If you've been to Peru and Bolivia, you already know this.

• say hello to Sofia Vergara's parents!

• Colombia rather, OP. Sorry. That is a pet peeve of mine. Bogotá is gigantic. I highly recommend visiting La Candelaria, because that is the historical district. In terms of lodging, stay near one of the Universities or perhaps Atlantis Plaza Mall, because of how those are super duper safe areas. Cartagena is not as safe as, say, Barranquilla or Tiera Bomba. So, just be a little more cautious there than you would be in either of those two places or Bogotá. The public and private library system of Cartagena is superb and so it would be a good idea to find lodging near one of the libraries because they are all in some rather safe areas. Colombians take language and literature very, very seriously. There is also a ton going on there with the theatre and a really nice theatre to visit is Theatre Heredia. Overall, OP, Colombia has come around for the better in terms of narco terrorism and the cartels. They truly have. You should have no troubles on your visit as near as I can gather, you just have to be a mite bit more cautious is all it is.

• R4, that's complete bullshit. I've been to both Peru and Bolivia and had no problems at all in Customs.

• [quote] Why are you heading to Colombia if you can't even spell it? Because all the "Oh, dear" spelling and grammar trolls will bump up the thread count, natch.

• I enjoyed Cartegena very much. I was there for two weeks. I've also been to Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. I wouldn't want to go back to Venezuela, Brazil, or Ecuador but would like multiple visits to the others.

• Cartagena is magical. It helps if you speak Spanish. It is HOT and drugs abound. Go and have a mud bath at the ancient 7000 ft. place. I forgot exactly where it is. Just stay in the walled in part of the city and you'll be fine. I loved it!

• Fuck you very much R7. I have been searched **thoroughly** at MIA arriving from Lima on Aeroperu. Nearly missed my CO flight to IAH. Up your no with a rub bah ho!

• Be careful OP. it was just added to the state department's travel advisory list.

  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html

  Hints%20from%20Heloise%20

• OMG Colombian men can be so HOT!!!

• R6 is exactly right. Bogota has undergone an extraordinary transformation in the past 20 years. On Sunday morning get up early and join the Ciclovia, a weekly event in which everyone gets out and bicycles or walks the streets of Bogota, many of which are blocked off so there are no cars and the whole city becomes a big beautiful street party. Be ready for both warm and cold weather, because Bogota stays chilly and Cartagena stays hot. See the video below for some fabulous info on how Bogota improved so dramatically in the last 20 years. It's the most AMAZING hour of film you will ever see.

  http://vimeo.com/25521307

• R4, I've heard of problems but I myself the three trips I've made to ColOmbia I've never ever had a problem. Just a big smile and "Bienvenidos!" It's a great country, they are sorry for their sad recent history and will be very very hospitable, they want to be seen as a happy, safe host country.

• Silly, it's Columbia, South CAROLINA

  ...and%20it%27s%20a%20nice%20enough%20town

• As someone who grew up in Colombia, I'm always amused by hearing or reading gringo descriptions of their visits there.

• Cartagena is colorful, charming and fun. I enjoyed the handful of bars inside the city walls, a delicious ice cream parlor, and boat trips to little islands. Colombians are friendly and easygoing. Glad I went recently because ten years ago it might have been a little too edgy and in five it will be completely touristy.

• I want to visit Bogota in the future. I've had 2 different FWB from there and it was fun.

• I had a great time in Cartagena. Met a lot of nice people.

• I'm not into coffee, cocaine or emeralds so I'm not interested in going

• I once had to save my sister who was kidnapped in Cartagena. Never again.

  Joan%20Wilder

• Be careful. A word to the wise.

• Colombia seems a lot like Jamaica -- the folks from there who come to the States are generally nice to meet, but going there is another story!

• Gay nightlife in Bogota or Cartegena????

• The warring sides have announced a two-month ceasefire. It's good to see somewhere becoming more peaceful.

• Aren't the Colombians in some sort of war with Cuba?

• [quote]Aren't the Colombians in some sort of war with Cuba? No. There's been friction with Venezuela. However, the ceasefire is between FARC and the government.

• Columbia and Venezuela grow Miss Universes in a secret lab, deep, deep in an untouched territory of the Amazon Jungle.

• You do realize it is COLOMBIA, not Columbia?

• seriously some of the guys! gorge!

• Bumpio.

• It's really no different than Puerto Rico.

  John%20Leguizamo

• I was treated horribly in Colombia. I was like a trapped butterfly that yearned to be free. It wasn't until I divorced a certain Mr M and moved to Def Jam that I truly discovered the me that my lambs love, adore and worship.

  Miss%20MC%2C%20Grammy%20Legend%21

• Beautiful country w/ extraordinary nature and scenery. But the food is AWFUL. Most South American food is uniformly nondescript (except for Peru's delicious fare), but Colombia has the worst.

• and where are you from R35? what a snob.

• Get over it R36. The truth hurts. When your national plate is the "bandeja paisa", and your food is starchy and bland, it just isn't your strong point. There's a reason no one ever says, "Hey Honey, how about we get some Colombian food tonight." Every other category, Colombia is a winner, though. But food -- leave it to Mexican food, Peruvian, Cuban, Puerto Rican ...

• Colombia, South America is a wonderful place. I also loved Peru, South America, and Argentina, South America. Please report back on your trip when you return to the United States, North America.

• Anthony the NY travel chef loved it.

• R37 the cuisine in Barranquilla is very good and has parallels to the cuisine of a fair amount of the Caribbean. Bandeja Paisa is not really Colombia's national dish. It used to be a "thing" ages ago, but it is only a bit common now if you are broke as a joke and want to go somewhere simple and humble for a really filling meal. That is it. It is like a buffet on a plate. Good Colombian food is like good Filipino food. Savory, Delicious, and a downright mysterious thing to most Americans. We have yet to have someone take our cuisine international is the thing. It is alright, for we are small in number in the US and have bigger fish to fry on the homefront as of right now.

  Barranquilla