I had read in previous reports and different accounts of bringing girls into the Hilton. I never had a problem. Never got asked to have an ID checked, no hassles from the bellmen or security. And, because I registered as a double, I never got charged extra for a chicas breakfast. The extra person charge was $7.00 per night yet the buffet was $16 per person if you paid for it al la carte. Good deal!
Also, the reason I chose the Hilton is because all the other hotels were quoting me astronomical rates ($125-200 per night) due to high season. My e-mail buddy and pending room mate at the Apt. on Tuesday (Juan-1) told me of a Visa deal he saw on Expedia. If you used Visa, the rate was $73 per night for a single or $80 for a double. The Hilton had quoted me $145 and $155 when I originally inquired about rates. Pays to shop!
AY and I went back up to the room and we had another go at it. I asked her if we could take some pictures on the beach that day with her in a bikini. She told me she didn’t own a bikini. (Funny, she had bikini tan lines) I told her I would buy her a bikini if I could select it. She told me she had a good friend who had a real models body that would probably be interested as well. I told her to tell her friend I would pay them each $50K CP’s and buy them bikinis for some photos in the room and out on the beach. She got real excited.
While she was gone, I went downstairs to change to my King room. The front desk clerk in so many words told me there would not be a King room available today. I politely asked to speak to the manager. Now, fortunately, I was armed with business cards and a letter of introduction from my buddies company introducing me and certifying my credentials. Absolutely amazing how quickly I was moved to a King room, albeit, a lower floor. I guess Ester (the assistant manager) told the rest of the staff I was doing an article on CTG because they were falling all over themselves to make sure I was happy and comfortable. The power of the pen!
AY called at about 11:30 AM and told me that she and her friend would be there at 12:00. Juan Ventura was coming by at about the same time to discuss some other locales for some photography and how we could go about getting some more model types for the shoots. Juan and I were in the lobby talking and I had decided my budget would not allow for local professional models. They wanted $300 US per day (cheap by US standards but more than I could afford) so Juan was going to make some calls and try to line up some girls for me to interview. In walks AY and Tatiana.(pictures posted previously) Now T was about a 5 in the face. Hard Indian kind of features, but had a very slim petite models type of body. I asked Juan to recant the terms of payment. $50KCP and a bikini for photographs. They both agreed. We went up to the room and T filled out the model data sheet and signed the release. She kept making comments about being me being a professional. I said let’s go buy the bikini’s. Now, they could have taken me to any small local store but no, they take me to a boutique that sells only designer swimwear. Dollar signs start swimming in my head but, after all, this is what part of the vacation fund is for. I select a couple I like and ask them to try them on for review. AY calls me over to the changing room and T is stepping out of her clothes. T never even made a move to cover herself. She just kept putting on the bikini. AY was having a problem with the top. It was too small and she was spilling out of it too much. (Oh darn). They each try on two or three and it was creating quite a scene in the store. I was reminded of the scene in movie Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts when she had Richard Geres’ credit card and went on a buying spree. These clerks were “sucking up to us.” Made the girls feel great and very important. Before long, the word was out that I was a photographer and was going to use them as models for some beach shots. One of the clerks was very pretty as well so I asked her if she would be interested. She smiled and said thanks but declined. When it was all said and done, bikinis and very sexy beach wraps, I was out $84 USD. Not bad for two designer bikinis, with beach wraps and they sure looked good in them. Back to the Hilton we go, armed with our boutique shopping bags. They literally pranced through the lobby.
Up in the room, AY immediately began putting on her bikini and T was following suit. Not in the bathroom mind you. Just stripping down right there in the room and going for it. When T was naked, I asked her to stand up on the bed. She looked at me a little suspiciously but AY quickly told her I needed to look closely at her body for scars and such. Now, T did not have an ounce of fat on her, sort of small breasts like models but we were going to have to do something with that face (she proved the theory: You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear). I pulled out the make-up, covered a couple of bad scars and blemishes on her legs, arms and back and pointed them both towards the bathroom. They were going at the make-up, primping, fixing their hair, adjusting their jewelry and basically having a great time getting ready. T kept saying. “professional”. When they were finished, I stood T on the bed, naked of course, and took some close up portrait type photos of her face with the digital. I backed up and got some full length nudes and began posing her. She actually rose to the occasion and was taking instruction very well. I was still having problems getting past the face though.
After about 10-15 shots, I took about the same number of AY. Different from the previous night since I had better natural daylight to work with. I reached into my bag of goodies and brought out some lingerie I had brought with me. One white and one black. Both crotch-less. AY’s fit just fine but T’s was too big. Go figure? It was one size fits all 95-165 pounds yet it was too big for her. I agreed to go forward without (and she had brought one of her own) it and started posing both of them. T reached up and cupped AY’s breast and what happened from there on was a photographers dream. They started going at each other but posing while doing it. I even broke out the pocket rockets and just snapped away. I grabbed the 35MM but damn it, something was wrong with it. The shutter was stuck for some reason and I couldn’t get it to work. I was forced to do everything digital. Now, where was I going to find a camera repair store for a Cannon in CTG? (BTW: I much prefer 35MM to digital. Pics turn out much better and are easier to edit with photo SW. My digital is a 3.4 Mega pixel Casio. Anyway, after the pocket rocket scene, it is time to go to the beach. They don their bikinis and out to the Hilton Beach we go. I take about 20 shots with the digital and pretend like I am taking shots with the 35MM. I am doing it more for future background reference and lens selection. It turned out to be a stroke of luck.
We go back to the room and I have them get naked again but decide to join them on the bed. Unfortunately AY had started her period so she just plays with the pocket rocket while T and I get down to business. AY is playing with Ts’ breasts and I am playing with AYs’. T pulls back her labia lips to display one of the biggest clits I have ever seen. Looked like a small penis sticking out. I asked her if it was sensitive but found out for myself with a well placed finger tip. I thought she was going to jump off the bed. I got some baby oil and massaged that clit for about 5 minutes before she had a huge orgasm. AY had already had a couple of orgasms with the rocket. Now it was my turn. I donned a condom and went straight for that pulsating clit. She had a couple more orgasms before I came as did AY with the rocket. We all lay there panting and giggling about what an experience it had been. We showered, got dressed and I pulled out 50K for AY and 50K for T. AY accepted it graciously but T was visibly angry. Uh oh. Houston, we have a problem!
T starts ranting that it is not enough. She understood it to be 50K per picture. I started laughing and told her don’t be ridiculous. Even professional models in the states are not paid by the picture. I also told her I only got paid if the pictures sold, so I was taking all the risk. I further told her I had just bought her a very expensive designer bikini. I did offer to pay her 50% of anything I received for the pictures but she would not hear of it. I looked at AY and asked how this misunderstanding occurred. Hell, Juan V had even confirmed arrangements.
T is telling me she has other bikinis and doesn’t want this one and I should take it back and give her the money. I told her to take it back and get the money herself. AY was on the verge of tears but I wasn’t going to budge. T kept ranting and AY kept telling me how sorry she was. Then it hit me. I grabbed my 35MM and in a fit of anger, ripped out the film (nothing on it of course) and handed the exposed film to T. I then grabbed the digital, showed her the series or library of their photos and proceeded to hit delete right in front of her. I showed her the only pictures were of the Hilton pool area. I told them both to leave. I was angry because of the misunderstanding and that I should have used professional models in the first place. I even took the bikini from T but wound up giving it to her after all, just to get rid of her. AY left crying and begged me to call her. She also wanted to come to my planned party on Friday night. She kept telling me I could take all the pictures of her I wanted, no charge. Well, she knew she had blown her sugar daddy (protector) for the week.
What neither of them realized was I only deleted one picture on the digital, not the entire series. When I hit delete in front of T it was the last of the series and automatically jumped to the next sequence of photos which in this case, was about 10 shots of the Hilton pool area. I had my release, I had my photos and I was rid of a pain in the ass.
Ed Note: I did see AY the next weekend at LDV when I returned from Mexico. I in no uncertain terms told her I could not forgive her friend for ruining an entire day of photography (not to mention the expense) and that T was greedy. I also told her that is why I didn’t invite her to my party and why I was not going to give her the Hot Spanish book, which she had begged me to give her for her birthday (in two days). Then she nearly broke my heart and offered me free for the night if I like. I broke down, hugged her, gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her it was not her fault about T. I also had to tell her I was meeting friends and already had plans. Possibly Sat. night we could get together. But, that is another day’s story.
Photo: E
Prior to arriving in CTG. I had several e-mail discussions with Juan V. In one of his e-mails, he had sent pictures of three girls he knew that might be model potentials for me. They were all semi-nude with faces obscured. Two had no chance but one did. Slender, nice boobs, light skinned and looked like the right type. Of course, I wanted to see the face so I had Juan set up a date for her to go to the bullfights. When she (E) arrived in the hotel lobby with her overnight bag I was a little stunned. Much darker than in the picture (black in fact), not nearly as nice a rack and not very pretty. I asked Juan V if this was the same girl in the picture. He assured me she was. I was very doubtful. Well, here she was and it was time to go. I should have just made an excuse right then and there but didn’t want to embarrass her or Juan. We put her stuff in my room and took a taxi to Ms’ house.
When we walked in, the look on his mothers face told me everything. M pulled me into a back bedroom and asked me what the hell was I doing? In Colombia, whites and blacks don’t mix and I have offended his mother even bringing this girl into her house. (Prejudice exists in Colombia too). We quickly decided to tell (E) a mistake had been made and we only had three tickets to the bullfights. M agreed to take the blame and says he had mis-understood and didn’t think I was bringing a date. We took her outside, M explained the situation, I gave her 5K for a taxi and she started to leave. Problem: I still had her overnight bag in my hotel. I explained I would get it to her the next day. She left but boarded a bus.
I made my apologies to Ms’ mother and explained she was a friend of a friend and I had been set up on a blind date. Ms’ mother just scowled and made some comment I didn’t understand.
We grabbed a cab for the arena. M knew the driver and suggested a shortcut to miss the crowd. At one point, M told me we were in a very bad section of town where even the taxi drivers won’t venture at night. Seems the people throw balls filled with nails under their tires and rob them. I wasn’t feeling real comfortable but M assured me it was OK during the day. It did turn out to be a shortcut and before I knew it, we were in front of the arena.
The next day, Juan V calls me and tells me how upset (E) is and that she felt I thought she was ugly. And, she needed to get her clothes. I made arrangements for her to pick up her clothes at the bell stand later that day.
Bullfight perspectives:
Some perspectives on Bullfighting:
Bullfighting has been a part of the Latin culture for 100s of years. It is a social event for people to see and be seen. For many Colombians, the cost of a ticket to the bullfights can be a day or mores pay. Yet, even though they can ill afford to attend, it is a source of pride that they can in fact find the money to go. I was with M, his wife (J) and 18mo old son. Cost of our tickets for box seats was 30,000CP (about $15 US.) Security was very tight and we had to go through both metal detectors and physical pat downs. Ladies in one line, men in another. Refreshment are much like at American sporting events. Two-three times their normal price which further compounded the financial impact on many of these people in attendance. Yet, I saw many of them walking with 2-3 beers at a time from the concession area.
The bullfights also have an aura of a fashion statement. Many people, especially the women, were in their finest, newest, sleekest attire. After all, it is a social event and much conversation and interaction takes place before, during, in between and after the events.
On this particular day, the last day of the season, the arena was filled with people holding nets packed with different colored Helium filled balloons. Kite type banners were being flown by several people and there seemed to be an air of unusual excitement. M informed me the Mayor had started a campaign last year to save the arena. It had some sinking problems and was in much need of repair. He had completed the task and brought the season to CTG. There were a few speeches about the accomplishment accompanied by shouts of praise and applause from the audience. (He couldn’t fix the streets but saved the bullfighting arena.) Balloons were released which made for a very pretty spectacle and the crowd was ready for the first fight.
There are actually 6 fights scheduled. There are three teams of matadors and their assistants (matador wannabees). Each matador fights two bulls per night and they rotate in turns until the end of each fight. (Yes. They kill the bulls. More on that subject later).
Each fight begins with a man displaying a large sign with the size and weight of the bull and it s name. The weight is in Kilo s and weights are normally in the high fours to mid five hundreds. Big bulls!
The gate is opened and in runs the bull. It immediately goes after the matador and any of his assistants who happen to be in the open. There are wooden barricades for them to duck behind and I can safely say these barricades save their lives. They begin to wear the bull down by running him from barricade to barricade. It is very obvious they are more afraid of him than he is of them. At a given point in time, the matador begins to do his thing getting the bull to charge his cape. The closer he works to the bull the better the ovation and Ole’s from the crowd. In come the Toreadors on horseback. The horses are covered in thick heavy padding, the horse’s eyes are covered and the riders have hard metal or plastic protection over their legs and feet. These bulls don’t exactly like the horses and riders and when given the chance charge into the side of the horse. The rider is carrying a long lance with a spear on the end and jams it into the meaty backside of the bull close to his spine. This is the beginning of the end for the bull as there is much blood loss, sometimes even bubbling out like a water fountain. The Toreadors get in one or two good jabs with the lance and retire. The incredible part of this portion is the horse. When that bull rams him, he actually leans into the bull to keep from being pushed over.
Now comes the first real exposure of the matador to the bull. It is time for the Picks (picadors I think). Long, barbed, colorful, spiked picks that are to be stuck into the bull while the matador is unprotected. They line the bull up in a certain fashion, the matador runs towards the bull, plants the Picks and moves out of the way before the bull can get to him. He is also getting a lot of help in distracting the bull from his assistants.
The measure of success in this portion of the fight is getting both Picks to stick and not fall out when the bull is running around. These devices also serve to further enrage the bull. Only one matador all evening got all 6 picks to stick and stay. There was much discussion among the crowd about his abilities. The matador begins a series of passes, wearing the bull down more and more while the matador becomes braver and braver showing off his courage for the crowd. Finally, when the bull is tired, winded and weakened, the matador thrusts his sword down the back and into the heart of the bull. Only two were successful on the first attempt all night. Very quickly after the bull falls or falters, his neck is snapped with a blow from a special sword and his body removed from the arena.
If a matador has been particularly skillful or shown great courage, he has the ears removed from the bull and offers them to the crowd. He then proceeds around the arena where hats are thrown to him (his assistants pick them up and throw them back to the original owners) as are skins of wine and flowers. He also gets a salute from the Alcalde and a high ranking army official in attendance gives him a salute. He is a hero to the people and is well rewarded for his performance by the good will and applause of the audience. There were three of these acknowledgements that night
On the other hand, if the matador has not performed well, has not shown great skill and courage nor finished with a clean kill, the audience gives no recognition and he departs to fight and try another day. No boo’s are necessary. The silence of the crowd tells him of their displeasure with his performance. There were also three of these occurrences.
Another interesting element in the crowd are groups of men in white shirts, bold red sashes, white panama hats looking much like uniforms of some type. I was to learn these are various bullfighting clubs that attend. A sort of critics corner who make comments on the prowess of the bulls, the skills of the matadors and horsemen, whether it was a worthy match etc. These are self proclaimed experts that offer unsolicited comments to the crowds sitting near and around them. There were probably 25-30 such groups, in different colored outfits positioned in various areas of the arena. They are not paid, do not write about the events for local papers or do anything but make comments while the event is in progress. It is a symbol of pride to be allowed into their ranks and a much sought after recognition.
Now, many of you may be against the concept of bullfighting. Some countries have even succumbed to the animal cruelty organizations and moved from killing the bulls to a bloodless bull fight. I must admit, the first fight I saw, I had a twinge of remorse for the bull because he was destined to die. I think M was even a little concerned because he and his wife kept asking me what I thought about it.
At the start of the second fight, my perspectives very quickly changed. When that bull ran into the arena, he was the king, the champion, feared by all who were near him. He on the other hand feared no one and even up until his death, he kept fighting like a champion. The matadors and others always keeping a watchful eye, knowing the slightest mistake on their part could mean certain death. The process of the event (and it is a process repeated over and over again) is little changed. The only difference is the ferocity of the bull, the skills of the matador and his courage displayed to the crowd.
A couple of thoughts ran through my mind. First of all, these bulls are raised to be champions. They are bred, groomed and well fed. They are trained to be ferocious and deadly. The matadors are also highly skilled in their art and know (many firsthand) that they could be facing injury or death.
All over the world, on a daily basis, cattle are put to death with electrical shock and other methods of killing to provide beef for our tables. These bulls are donated to the poor after their deaths. Is it really any different killing cows that have been herded on trains and stuck in crowded stock yards for months to be fattened up and butchered? At least these magnificent animals, these bulls, are given a glorious and honorable death. They are given a chance to fight and to perform for what they have been trained for all their lives. Their remains are given to the poor and hungry to provide sustenance and meat on the tables of people who otherwise might go hungry.
In all my travels, I have always tried to be sensitive to elements of a culture that I might not understand. Many of the cultural aspects of Asia I find befuddling but hell, they have been around for 5,000 years. America is only slightly over 200 years old. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? From my perspective, I hope bullfighting remains a vivid part of the Latin culture for hundreds of years to come. If you are ever in a Hispanic country and there is a bullfighting event, I encourage you to attend and form your own opinions. Observe the pageantry, the excitement of the crowd, the magnificence of the bulls.
You might just enjoy yourself.
(OK so I don’t know all of the bullfighting terms. I described it as best as I saw it).
Upscale Dinner:
M and I had plans to meet with one of our re-sellers for dinner in CTG. M’s wife decided to join us. Daniel (another D so we will call him D-2), picked us up at M’s parents house. We go to an area of CTG called “The Sleeves”, through a small portal in the fortress and we arrive at the restaurant. The restaurant is called, Club de Pesca and is actually a part of the local yacht club. Membership is not required to dine there yet I immediately knew this was more of an upscale place. The restaurant is open air, overlooking the water and the marina is filled with very impressive sport fishing boats. We are definitely in the upper scale of CTG society here. The waitress tells us there are two private parties and no available tables right away but should there should be some available soon. We order drinks and begin surveying the area. From the deck of the restaurant, you have a beautiful evening view of downtown CTG. The breezes are cool, the live music soft and relaxing. The Marina is filled with a number of Cabos, Lhurs, Vikings, Silverton's, Grady's, Topaz’s, Bertram's, Hatteras Sport Fishermen and other boats in the 30-50 ft. range rigged out with Penn International rods and reels and all the latest electronics. So much for Colombia being a poor country? This is proof there are a number of very wealthy people who live here.
One of the parties leave and we are seated at a table near the water. Another party is still going on beside us and we learned it is a wedding party. Turns out, it is the wedding party of a very famous Colombian actress, Adriana Ricardo. She is very pretty and petite and the guy she has married is about 6’ 4” tall and doesn’t look the least bit Hispanic. This is further confirmed when they get up to dance. This guy has no rhythm. We later find out he is from Sweden.
Their party is very festive and several traditional cultural and customary Hispanic wedding events are taking place. I saw about a dozen 8s and 9s that seemed to be single in the wedding party and was very tempted to just join in the festivities. But, alas, I was destined to talk business. I can highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking to impress a girlfriend type or good girl acquaintance from the beach or elsewhere. The food was superb, the service impeccable and the prices, although high for CTG, were not that bad. We fed 6 people, two rounds of drinks each, dessert and coffee for just over $120 US. You can count on $20 per person but it would be an evening to remember and one that your date/girlfriend would talk about for days. I also discovered another one of CTG’s anomalies. One of the guys ordered a soft drink called Kola Ramon. He told me the company was owned by a family in CTG. It is bottled in CTG and only sold in CTG. I tried a taste. It was sort of like a cherry crème soda. Nothing to write home about but it was rather unique. I thought about an interesting comparison. What if Coca Cola were only bottled and sold in Atlanta Ga.
Oh well, just another interesting tidbit of trivia about CTG.
