Having been back in the US for five days, it is only now that I am able to sit down for a few minutes and share my most recent impressions and opinions about Cartagena, Colombia and San Jose, Costa Rica. As I usually do in such reports, I’ll try to stay away from specific details of sexual conquest in favor of general impressions and other information that hopefully will be useful to a prospective traveler. I will write semi-chronologically, feeling the liberty to go off on a tangent when inspired.

Cartagena:
I should start by saying that if I leave out any details that you might find useful, just check a few other reports. Gator’s guide to Colombia is very thorough, as are similar postings by Sandman and BonVvnt. Please also feel free to drop me a line in my inbox or at LaMuerte63073@hotmail.com if I can answer a specific question for you.

I arrived on a Friday afternoon in Cartagena, on a direct flight from Miami. I flew Avainca and had absolutely no problems with them whatsoever. That flight was actually on its way to Medellín, and probably was less than half-full. I guess not too many people are traveling to Colombia these days. Clearing customs took some time as they looked through every piece of every person’s luggage. When traveling in and out of Colombia, be prepared to explain every piece of everything that you have with you, because it will be discovered!

Cab ride was pretty smooth from the airport to Hotel Las Velas. Tried to negotiate for 8,000 pesos but the cab driver stuck to 10,000 and so I paid it. BTW, as soon as you clear immigration there is a money exchange window. Get yourself some pesos and ask for small bills (1,000’s and 2,000’s). You don’t want to have to ask your cab driver for change because there’s a good chance he conveniently won’t have any.

Speaking of money, the exchange rate was about 2500 pesos per dollar. What I always do in a different country, since it is just easier for me to think about prices of things in dollars, is to convert the value of each available bill into its dollar value. For example, the 10,000 peso note is like a $4 bill to be, the 50,000 peso note like a $20 bill, etc. I’ll quote prices in Colombian pesos and trust the reader’s intelligence and capacity to convert.

Hotel Las Velas was sufficient. Nice pool and direct entrance to the beach. Also, it is right across the street from La Dolce Vida, which I will talk more about in a moment. I recommend it for a first time visitor, and from there if even a slight bit adventurous one can walk the Boca Grande area and possibly find something more to the liking. Since I was only there for four days I remained at Las Velas without problem.

So, having arrived and unpacked, I decided to take advantage of the 2 more remaining hours of daylight by taking a walk on the beach. It took “Tony #1” about 30 seconds to spot me and approach me. Wow, what a pain in the ass that guy is! I’d heard pretty mixed things about him, but for what it’s worth I found the guy to be obnoxious and overbearing. I spoke with him in Spanish (although he does speak good English), and politely declined his continuous offers to help me find “whatever I need.” See, what will happen to you if you’re nice to him is that he’ll start to feel like he owns you, and then you’ll never have any peace. I observed this happen to another guy from the states who couldn’t get a quiet five minutes without his “buddy” Tony trying to hustle him.

Tony #1 was the most aggressive of the countless touts that hang out on the beach and in the street in Cartagena. If you’re going to walk around, expect to be repeatedly harassed and offered everything from young chicas to marijuana to cocaine. All of this I emphatically declined, although the offers never ceased. After a while I started pretending to be German so that their limited English and Italian language skills were of no use. In Cartagena, everyone is hustling…I was walking to the Olympica (24 hour grocery store) at about 5pm on Monday evening and had a taxi driver pull up to me and offer me marijuana. It got very annoying to me after a few days.

The Boca Grande area is pretty nice, but appears to be suffering from the lack of tourists. I don’t know how much of that had to do with season or political climate…probably some of both. There was a definite infrastructure in place, with a lot of hotels, restaurants, etc., but the people just weren’t there. Several internet café’s are there, along with gobs of money exchange houses. One of them tried to rip me off, and in general did not offer as good a rate as the ATM machines, which were also plentiful. Just like in San Jose, I recommend using your ATM card.

Later on Friday evening, I met up with Hunter at Paco’s restaurant. Paco’s is a nice place, inside the old walled city. It is owned by a British guy named Nick, who was extremely friendly and talkative…a real pleasure to meet. Hunter, you are a terrific and helpful guy. Thank you so much!!! Hunter and I had a few drinks and watched the ladies walk by in the walled city. Speaking of which, this turned out to be my favorite part of Cartagena. The old walled city is beautiful, and I truly enjoyed just walking around its maze-like structure and taking in all of the architecture and ambiance. Hell, only one guy tried to hustle me in there (albeit, repeatedly)!!!

Afterwards, Hunter and I went over to La Dolce Vida. It was about midnight by that time and I was eager to see. La Dolce Vida is a bar/disco type of place where all the girls are working. I’d heard many reports of a 3-4:1 chica/hombre ratio, but on this night it seemed more even. I talked to one girl from Baranquilla, who was very nice looking but about as interesting as drying concrete. Still feeling my way out in the new environment, Hunter assisted me in her dismissal until I ended up chatting with a very thin and flirtatious girl from Bucaramanga. Hung out with her, went over to La Garita (another bar for working girls, inside the walled city) for a while and ended up back in my room. Was a great girl, never discussed money, and I ended up giving her 80,000 pesos the next morning.

This was more or less the drill over the next few days. The next night I hooked up with a girl from Cali, and took her to a few normal discos (Mr. Babillas, Amnesia) before spending the night in my hotel. Again, never discussed money and she seemed very happy with the 80,000 peso “gift” at the end.

All the other reports on such action are accurate. The two hot spots at this point seem to be La Dolce Vida and La Garita. La Dolce Vida has some very nice looking girls, and is a good place to get started. Find a girl there, take her out for a good evening and you’ll be rewarded with a great experience later that night. On Monday I also visited Casa Muñecas. Good chica selection and semi-decent atmosphere…I definitely recommend a stop here when visiting Cartagena. I negotiated price down to 40,000 pesos to the house and 60,000 to the girl to come back to my hotel for a couple of hours. If looking for a more direct path to getting laid and/or daytime and early evening options, this is a good place. Any taxi driver can take you there.

All in all I had a decent time in Cartagena. The prices are great and I felt no threat of danger. I also speak fairly good Spanish with little accent and have lived in big cities my whole life. I think that a normal amount of caution is necessary there but the fact that it is Colombia should not deter potential visitors. Like anywhere, one must use some sense and not walk around all wide-eyed.

San Jose:
San Jose is great as always. I really don’t have anything to say about it that hasn’t already been said 100 times. I will reinforce that club Idem is perhaps the greatest establishment on the face of the earth, and that many of the hit-or-miss places like Eros, Krysis and Arte y Sauna were all hits this time. I will use this moment to echo all of the “get out of the gringo gulch” talk that everyone else here preaches, and will take it no further as I am just preaching to the choir. Indeed, choirboys we all are.

Cartagena vs San Jose:
All in all, I must adamantly defend San Jose and say that for me, it is head and shoulders above Cartagena. I don’t want to use this forum to say bad things about Cartagena, because it was a nice place with lots of stuff that we just don’t have in the US. Rather, I would like to really boast about Costa Rica, from the perspective of one who has now been elsewhere.

For starters, there is nothing like the Blue Marlin. The BM has taken a beating on this board recently, but think about a few things. First, the selection there is just incredible. There are beautiful women in there at all times of the day, and in that environment you can talk to them for a while and see what kind of chemistry exists before taking them back with you. It’s a great hang-out spot for just looking, talking to girls, talking to mongers, gambling, eating, drinking, watching sports, smoking a cigar, having coffee…all in one place and pretty much at any time of the day. I don’t personally pay $100 to the girls, but one of the great things about that place is that if you don’t get along with one of them or if the negotiation doesn’t go well or if she seems too hardcore, you can just talk to the next one and see how that goes. Remember, there are more of them than there are of us, so even though some uneducated gringos go in there and pay the $100, you can still find quality action for less. There really isn’t anything similar to this in Cartagena. In Cartagena, the bars to find girls are open from about 10:30pm until 4 or 5am, and are more like discos. That makes it harder to have a conversation and see if the chemistry is right. Criticize the Blue Marlin all you want, it’s always there and pretty much guarantees a San Jose visitor of something to do at all times. In fact, I think we get quite spoiled to be able to criticize the BM. It’s kind of like these multi-million dollar baseball players ready to go on strike again…there’s some loss of perspective. Again, this is not a knock on what there is in Cartagena so much, but is certainly recognition that it has no such Mecca of mongering.

Next thing I like much more in San Jose is the selection and quantity of places to get laid. In Cartagena there are probably more places than I saw, but also nowhere near the variety of San Jose. I don’t like to wear out my welcome in any one place so much, and in Costa Rica I can go to any of the many straight-up whorehouses like 747, get a nice massage at Eros or Arte’s, have a few drinks and go upstairs at a place like Idem, go to a nightclub-like place such as VIPS 2, do the bar scene in the gulch, etc. Every day there I wake up and, regardless of my mood, there’s something to fit the bill. San Jose is much better for the quantity and variety-oriented, such as myself.

For non-mongering activities, I also personally prefer Costa Rica, but that’s just a matter of personal preference. I figure that if I want to go to the beach, I can take a bus or rent a vehicle and go to Puntarenas or Jacó for a day or two. The beach in Cartagena was decent, and for a beach nut maybe this would balance the scales more so than for me. I personally like urban life (museums, restaurants, tall buildings, non-mongering discos, industry, noise, hustle, etc.), and San Jose is much more urban than Cartagena. Also, in San Jose there are some guys trying to make a buck off of you, but absolutely nothing compared to Cartagena. In Cartagena you can’t even walk down the street without having to say “No, gracias” more than 5 times. San Jose is a little more expensive, but that also goes back to getting out of the gringo gulch and knowing how to stretch your money. In San Jose there are plenty of inexpensive options. I’ve personally had good luck meeting non-pros in San Jose, at the little bars in San Pedro near the University, or in the mall itself, or in restaurants, but the consensus is that in Cartagena this is even easier. I perhaps just didn’t have enough time there to explore that more deeply.

I am interested in traveling to other destinations, like Cali, Rio and who knows where else? It’ll be nice, however, to always know that Costa Rica is so close, so comfortable and so virtuous in all its ways. I hope this helps.

LM

Lamuerte,

Thanks for a nice report. How close is San Jose to the ocean for surfing and such?

Lamuerte,

Thanks for the report, especially the comparison between SJO and Cartagena from the point of view of a Spanish speaker. I’m headed to Rio shortly, and I chose Rio over Colombia due to the violence and recent elections.

I agree with you that too much has been made about the demise of the BM and SJO in general. There are a lot more hardcore types, especially at the BM, but if you speak Spanish and know what to avoid, you can have a great time there. My last trip in May I spent practically all my time at the BM and IDEM, and I had my best trip by far in terms of GFE experiences and quality sessions. As I said in my report, I paid more at the BM, but for me I felt it was worth it on that trip. You point out too that if you’re looking for value, there are a number of places to hit too-VIPS #2, 747, and other clubs.

Another thing I like about C.R. is that it’s a 3 hr flight from most of the eastern US, so it’s perfect for a long weekend, and there are a ton of sidetrips to do during the day to keep you out of San Jose, which is pretty much a shithole.

I relate completely with walking out of IDEM thinking it’s the best place in the world. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stumbled out of there after getting my bell rung by a hot chica for $45. I often said to myself that IDEM must be the best value in the Western Hemisphere, knowing that Thialand probably was cheaper. Now that I’ve read about the Termas in Rio, I’m not so sure. I’m going Rio and I’ll make a comparison from my trip in May with the termas and other action in Rio.

Thanks again for the report,


Hombrecito1

Moondog,

Not Lamuerte-but San Jose is located in the central valley at about 3000 ft above sea level. It depends on what beach you go to and how you want to get there, but by car the closest beach, probably Jaco, is about 2-3 hrs away by car. There are nicer beaches in Guanacaste that would probably take 4-7 hrs to get to by car. Those are Pacific beaches-In my opinion the Atlantic beaches aren't as nice, but it will take a few hours to get to those as well.

You can fly to the beaches in much less time. I haven't done this in a few years, but I think it was about $80-100 each way and is less for a Tica if you're taking one with you. By air you can be there in about 30 minutes.

HC1

HC1,

Thanks for the info.

Moondog

Nice to meet you Lamuerte, maybe we will meet again some time.

Shame I missed you at Caribenet on Monday.

Hunter

Hunter, sorry about not meeting up with you on Monday morning...I think my chica and I fell asleep at about 8:30am :-)

Moondog, if you're into surfing and sunning, playa Jacó is pretty nice. There's always a younger crowd there and semi-decent nightlife. As countless reports indicate, be careful with the strip-joint type of places in Jacó or anywhere in CR for that matter. I usually rent a car and drive to Jacó in about 2 hours. The road through the mountains is not too bad and I like the flexibility of coming and going as I please.

HC1, we seem to like the same types of things...club IDEM, Paisas, hanging out in the BM...I hope to meet you down there sometime (although I take mild exception to calling San Jose a "shithole". Personally there's something about SJ that I really like!). Have fun in Rio and let us in on the details, as that is certainly high on my wish list of destinations as well.

LM

Thanks for the info.

LM,

Shithole is a little harsh, but if you compare SJO to an American or European City, it is run down, dirty, polluted, etc...If you comparare it to the rest of Central America, it probably would be considered pristine.

I'll just say try to get out of SJO during the days to see the real beauty of Costa Rica-go to the beach, rain forest, volcanos, rafting, fishing, etc..There is so much stuff to do that is real close to town, and it's a shame a lot of people never see it.

I'm really excited about Rio. I hope it is everything others have said. I'll be sure to report how it compares to the BM, IDEM, and other spots in San Jose.


HC1

Interesting thread. I am making my second Rio trip in a few days. I have been to CR frequently, but now only use it for 3 day weekend get-a-ways. I have held tickets to Cartagena twice and still not made it. I have noticed that the Cartagena reports have become increasingly negative over the last 6 months.

I like CR from time to time, but find that compared to Rio it pales. I speak fair Spanish and almost no Portuguese. Club Idem is a great ST bar, but I find girls to spend extended time with at the BM. I do a lot of interviewing to get one I like. Some trips I don't find one. I have made it out of San Jose to both Quepos and Playa Tambor. Both were great and a lot of fun. However, to do this type of thing in CR, you are committing to more than a 3 day weekend. If I am going to go for that amount of time, I would choose Rio. It ain't even close.

I admit to still prefering Cartagena to SJO but that's me.

After awhile the touts seem to learn to leave you alone (maybe because they see me there so much!) but tourism is down and they are trying harder than usual. Tony? I won't even talk to the guy.

Non-hobby action is available but takes more time and you have to get away from the Boca Grande area.

Your Spanish obviously made the difference and I woulld say that without it you would find SJO even more expensive and difficult than it is now. With Spanish, you can see if there is chemistry or not. Without it you tend to get the more hardcore girls.

Nice report. Thanks. I'm back in CTG in Sept. so I'll see what's going on.

LM,

Thanks for the report. I've never been to CR, so I can't comment on that part of it, but having recently returned from Cartagena after a 10 day stay myself, I found your report on that very interesting.

I agree that Tony can be a pain, in fact I found the whole beach scene with the touts to be a major pain in the ass. However, if you ever go again, consider the Isles de Rosario, beautiful beaches and few if any touts. Just about any girl you meet would jump at the chance to make the day trip, and it's well worth the effort.

I was surprised to hear that the ratio of guys/chicas at LDV reached 50/50 when you were there. Can you give a rough estimate as to the numbers? Plus what nationality were the guys? Not Americans I assume. And La Garita, what did you think of that place compared to LDV? Is it worth going over there if you are staying at Las Velas?

Also, if you return, a nice casa that I pulled a chica from on two nights was Bar International, not quite the size of La Muneca, but I found the selection to be good.

I'll be returning to Cartagena this fall, and I am really looking forward to being able to spend a more relaxed time there now that I kinda know the ropes. From my admittedly limited experience, I think Cartagena is just about the perfect combination of non-hobby interests and hobby activities. Now if they only could do something about the heat. LOL

Gentlemen, thanks for all the great feedback. HC1, I can agree to disagree with you on San Jose...I mean, I know that many of the roads and buildings are run-down compared to the first world, but I really actually do like a lot of things about it. I love to walk down Avenida Central, all the way to the highway past Paseo Colon. I always find a new restaurant to go to, and by now there are usually more restaurants than meals in the amount of time I spend per trip. I love the shows at the National Theatre, I think Heredia is a great residential area, etc. I'm in my last year of grad. school, and when I graduate I'd love to get a job where I can telecommute at least part of the time so that I could get an apartment down there and really develop or change this opinion. I’d reserve “shithole” for a city like Port Au Prince, Haiti, which I went to once for a week, but I know what you’re saying.

Gitano, I'm also thinking about going to Rio, although I am worried about my lack of Portuguese and how that will translate into developing chemistry with the ladies. It doesn't seem to spoil the good times though, based on all that I've read. It's funny b/c most people I've talked to would choose CR for the short trip and Rio for the longer...interesting perspective you have. Have fun on your second trip and I look forward to reading your report.

BonVvnt, thanks again for your very helpful Cartagena info. It really helped me to have a good time down there. If I make it back to CGT I will kip your tip on getting away from Boca Grande in mind.

Bill, most of the other guys there were Italians. I’d say there were about 20 guys and 20 girls. Hunter was with me…does that sound about right? It seemed odd, but I still ended up meeting a nice lady for the evening. The girls seemed to travel between La Dolce Vida and La Garita, so I cannot say that one was better than the other in terms of selection. I liked La Dolce Vida a little better because it was bigger, had comfortable tables and better ventilation. There wasn’t too much difference between the two though.

La Muerte

LaMuerte,

Rio is a cosmopolitan area of about 12 million people. It compares better to Paris than San Jose, CR. As I am sure that you are aware there are a lot of similarities between Spanish and Potuguese. With the exception of the girls who have recently arrived from the country, the Brazileras can understand your Spanish, if you speak slowly and clearly. Try and pretend you are a CR bar girl trying to communicate with a Gringo. Problem is they will answer in Portuguese which has a different pronunciation scheme. Do a little Pimselur study and you will be adequate for me and my girl bar talk. Actually, there are a fair number of girls who speak Spanish or have studied it in school. Again they speak it in a broken pattern kind of like Gringos.

Given your Caribbean background, have you ever been to Barbados ? I may be there on business in the near future. I have scoured the net looking for hobby info and found zit. I am taking that as a bad sign. It's a former British colony, probably another bad sign. Then again Trinidad and Tobago are less than an hour away, so at least there are world class beaches near by.

Gitano, never been to Barbados, and have heard neither good nor bad things about opportunities there. Thanks very much for the Potrugese/Spanish tip. If I ever do make it to Rio, I will take your suggestion of pretending to be a CR bar girl. In fact I'll stick firm to my $100 asking price if one of the Garotas wants to go back to her room with me!

LM

LM,

I'll be sure to post ease of speaking/understanding portuguese as a native speaker in Rio. From what I've heard it varies by Garota but you can usually get your point across. I've also been practicing pronunciation more than grammar, so we'll see how that goes.

I'll also comment on Rio vs SJO as a city and I promise not to trash SJO. I too have a sentimental spot for it after so many good times there.

HC1