RD vs Colombia? How does it compare?

RacerX

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I have never been there but I used to have a female friend in Barranquilla. And I m addicted to the novela "Las Munecas de la Mafia" from RCTV Studios in Colombia broadcast on Univision. Man, I m developing a feel for Colombia. So how does it compare and contrast to RD?
 

Islander777

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After 15 years of numerous annual visits to Cabarete and two visits to Cartagena (one last year for three weeks and another for a month four years earlier) I can say the following about Colombia:

Colombia is 50% larger than Spain, has ports on both the Caribbean and Pacific, 20,000 foot mountains, and huge amounts of land for agriculture.

A civil war has been fulminating in Colombia for more than four decades and there is a feeling in the air as a result: people don't look at each other, seem to mind their own business and there is a feeling of suffering. Colombians have difficulty getting visas abroad, especially to the US and Europe. However, there is an overarching pride about Colombia's former greatness under Bolivar and the purity of its spoken Spanish and surviving Spanish culture. They still run with and fight bulls is large arenas.

I found the Colombians who I met to be very friendly once past the initial aloofness. They are well educated and interesting. People living in the capitol, Bogata, who largely came from Madrid, Spain, are thought of as relatively white and up tight compared to the Coastal Columbians who mostly came from around Seville, and trace their heritage in Colombia back nearly 500 years (Cartagena was founded around 1540), share the Dominicans festive, relatively carefree culture and are more likely to be of mixed blood. The Paisas from Medallin are reputed to be especially friendly and hard working.

Cartagena is a historic monument to the Spanish conquest of the indigenous cultures of South America with a giant fortress where the Spanish fought off the incursions of fellow Europeans trying to steal the gold and gems which the Spanish took from the Indians. African slaves were sold in Cartagena. The city is a beautifully restored, world heritage site with extensive walls and fortifications around the old colonial city. There is a strip of beach with high rise condo's reminiscent of south beach, Miami.

Your experience will be completely different depending on where you go in Colombia, but it is a large country of beautiful proud people and now increasingly safe to travel there.
 

tjmurray

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I can only speak for Bogot? but I was totally impressed by that city on a trip I made last year. This is a modern metropolis that I found very organized and teaming with things to do and see. I was completely awed by the super wide sidewalks encouraging pedestrians to stroll the streets. Parks and plazas were everywhere and there is actually a bike route than runs throughout the city. On Sundays certain streets in the capital are closed so individuals and families can simply ride their bikes.

There are so many distinct neighborhoods with their own feel and there own collection of shops, bars and restaurants: Centro Ciudad, La Zona Rosa o Zona "T", Usaquen, etc.

I went to Bogot? thinking I might compare it to other cities I've visited in Latin America. In all honesty, my comparisons were made to New York.

I cannot speak so much for the people on a week's trip but I found them very educated and polite. And the woman!? I went with my Colombian girlfriend and I got smacked more times than I can count. I couldn't help but look :)
 

arg1118

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Focusing on the other things

Besides my observations of the women in Medellin....
The city infrastructure is leaps and bounds above SDQ. I did travel to the country side and the same can be said of infrastructure there. }

The city was cleaner than Santo Domingo and despite the fact its in a valley, and the population is comparable to SDQ traffic was better, likely due to better infrastructure. The weather is temperate all year long in Medellin.

I felt safe wherever I went. Lots of police/military presence and people seemed to mind their own business, but where very proper, polite, and helpful. Their reservations probably come from years of guerrilla/ narco wars i.e. don;t mess with anyone bc you never know who is who, unlike SDQ where if you look at a "tough guy" the wrong way or get the girl, there is a good chance its on....

I can't wait to visit medellin again, this time sans my colombian/american ex gf and her hot sister....:glasses:
 

RacerX

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I personally think the Colombian Spanish is the most understandable and easiest to learn and execute. No sloppy y/l or b/v manipulations.

All things relative to the women, everyone has different preferences. But I could use less bellicosity for sure.

And on a side note, on that novela, the actriz that plays the dumb one has got a real nice fanny. Its like a California plum, all juicy and edible like. Im glad they broadcast in HD.
 

Robert

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Anymore of the "the woman are hot" brain dead posts will be deleted. So don't bother posting them in this thread.

Moving on...

I have been a bunch of times to Cartagena and throughly loved the city, Colombians, lifestyle etc. I found the Colombians I came across to be educated, sociable and generally really nice people.

AZB has travelled all over Colombia and I'm sure can give you some insights.
 

AZB

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If you must travel to colombia, make sure you speak good spanish and do not try to be rich don lindo. Mind your own business and get away from coastal touristy cities. Colombia has more to offer than an average joe can handle. I love medellin but seems like back-packers have screwed it all up for the new tourists there. I have had trouble talking to girls in medellin, just because the giringos have spoiled them with money or broken their trust with fake promises.
Take the bus everywhere, they are safe and comfortable. Its a mountainous country so the road trip in winding roads high up the mountain will either entertain you with the stunning landscapes below in the valleys or scare the crap out of many who are not used to trips of this sort. I say, forget medellin because a smaller city like bucaramanga (5X bigger than santiago) will impress anyone. Bogota is a world class city and I felt like I was in spain when i looked out my 15th floor window in poblado, medellin.
The smaller towns like san gil and salento is excellent choice for people who are into outdoor activities ex: white water rafting, fishing, trail walking etc.
Colombia has everything for everyone.
AZB
 

Berzin

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It all depends on what you are looking to do. For someone who enjoys road cycling and other outdoor activities Colombia is heaven.

Speaking of Bogot?, there is a great variety of hang-out spots within walking distance that serve great food and a wide variety of beers and wines. As far as socializing goes, Colombia appeared more cosmopolitan and accessible than either Santo Domingo or Santiago.

You can tell by speaking to people that education is a priority in Colombia, moreso than in the DR on average.

The infrastructure of a city like Bogot? is more developed than Santo Domingo or Santiago. The development of wide boulevards meant for strolling, parks for social gatherings, bike lanes-things are really happening in Colombia.

The best way for me to compare DR and Colombia-all the stuff Pichardo says WILL happen in the DR-those things are actually happening for real in Colombia.
 

AZB

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Bogota is more cosmopolitan than SD but keep it in mind that its located on a very high altitude so people like myself feel the altitude. I often get headaches and partial memory loss. I feel my heart rhythm to be off and always have this nervous feeling. Medellin is more like my climate, just nice and cool temperature. I didn't need a/c or a fan to sleep at night. As berzin mentioned, education is on top of the list for colombians.
The average girl will not respond to you if you try to strike a conversation with them, except the girls in tourist resorts (we all know who these girls are). Dominican people are more open to conversation but colombians are more reserved. In order to meet nice girls there, you must know them before hand through social network webpages.
When I arrived in barranquilla and cartegena (in bus) I thought I had reached puerto plata. It was so much more different than the rest of the country. Now cartagena has high end areas that resemble Miami but the barrios are really dangerous looking.
Colombia is very high on my list. If I ever decide to leave DR, I would live in colombia.
AZB
 

corsair74

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I've only been to Medellin, but I loved it there. And based upon my experiences there, I came away with a very favorable impression of the country and the people.

How does Colombia compare to the DR. Well, as someone has already noted, Medellin is way ahead of any city in the DR as far as infrastructure is concerned. And one of the main differences I saw, even in some of the seedier parts, was how much cleaner Medellin is than SD or Santiago. The entire time I was there, I never saw anyone throwing trash on the ground or out of their car window. And the city itself is beautiful. There is a point during the drive from the airport to the city where you come out of the mountains and are suddenly treated to a breathtaking view of the city in the valley below you. The view was so awesome that I had my driver stop so I could take pictures. An absolutely gorgeous city.

Can't speak for the more touristy cities like Cartagena, as I've never been there. But, as AZB noted, I would advise anyone who is not already fluent to serious bone up on their Spanish before visiting a city like Medellin. I met only one or two other english speakers the entire time I was there. And I had to dig really deep into my spanish vocabulary to keep up with the locals. Having said that, like RacerX, I found Colombians easier to understand. But I honestly believe that it's solely because Colombians speak a lot slower than Dominicans do.

Property seems to be cheaper there. I rented an apartment in Poblado, a very upscale section of Medellin. And I did a little research while I was there. Luxury apartments in brand new highrise developments in Poblado are selling for less than $100k USD. I'd be hard pressed to find a luxury highrise apartment in an exclusive neighborhood in SD or Santiago for that little.

But one thing that Dominicans do better than Colombians is party. The DR's music, dancing, and nightlife blows Colombia out of the water as far as I'm concerned. I love the fact that you can go just about anywhere in the DR and find a live band, and a spot for dancing. Colombians are festive, but they can't party like Dominicans. In fact, Colombians have begun to borrow from Dominican music and culture to enhance their own. Bachata is very big there. And they've developed their own variation called Bachanato (sp?). Which sounds just like bachata to me. But the locals swear that it's different.

I guess I love things about both countries. When I want to relax and enjoy the city, I choose Medellin. But when I want to have fun and party, and/or enjoy the tropical sun, give me SD or Santiago.


Vince.
 
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Shiraz72

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Cali ?

I was wondering if anyone in their travels has been to Cali and if so, any comments? I'm looking at the possibility of travelling there one day to look for long lost relatives. I have an address but no phone numbers. It should be interesting getting back in touch.
 

corsair74

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Thanks for the links. I had to google vallenato, because I'd never heard of it. I always thought that cumbia was Colombia's main native style of music. But vallenato is apparently more popular in Colombia's coastal regions because of it's caribbean influences.

Bachata + Vallenato = Bachanato. It's a good blend. And the locals definitely claim this style of music as their own. Even though it's premier artist has a tipico merenque background.
 

AZB

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I've only been to Medellin, but I loved it there. And based upon my experiences there, I came away with a very favorable impression of the country and the people.

How does Colombia compare to the DR. Well, as someone has already noted, Medellin is way ahead of any city in the DR as far as infrastructure is concerned. And one of the main differences I saw, even in some of the seedier parts, was how much cleaner Medellin is than SD or Santiago. The entire time I was there, I never saw anyone throwing trash on the ground or out of their car window. And the city itself is beautiful. There is a point during the drive from the airport to the city where you come out of the mountains and are suddenly treated to a breathtaking view of the city in the valley below you. The view was so awesome that I had my driver stop so I could take pictures. An absolutely gorgeous city.

Can't speak for the more touristy cities like Cartagena, as I've never been there. But, as AZB noted, I would advise anyone who is not already fluent to serious bone up on their Spanish before visiting a city like Medellin. I met only one or two other english speakers the entire time I was there. And I had to dig really deep into my spanish vocabulary to keep up with the locals. Having said that, like RacerX, I found Colombians easier to understand. But I honestly believe that it's solely because Colombians speak a lot slower than Dominicans do.

Property seems to be cheaper there. I rented an apartment in Poblado, a very upscale section of Medellin. And I did a little research while I was there. Luxury apartments in brand new highrise developments in Poblado are selling for less than $100k USD. I'd be hard pressed to find a luxury highrise apartment in an exclusive neighborhood in SD or Santiago for that little.

But one thing that Dominicans do better than Colombians is party. The DR's music, dancing, and nightlife blows Colombia out of the water as far as I'm concerned. I love the fact that you can go just about anywhere in the DR and find a live band, and a spot for dancing. Colombians are festive, but they can't party like Dominicans. In fact, Colombians have begun to borrow from Dominican music and culture to enhance their own. Bachata is very big there. And they've developed their own variation called Bachanato (sp?). Which sounds just like bachata to me. But the locals swear that it's different.

I guess I love things about both countries. When I want to relax and enjoy the city, I choose Medellin. But when I want to have fun and party, and/or enjoy the tropical sun, give me SD or Santiago.


Vince.

Vince summed it up very well in the post above.
Medellin is a perfect city if you live in the nicer residential areas. I find medellin to be a bit more expensive than many other cities, even bogota. I found bogota to be cheaper than medellin ( about 25%). Vince is on the spot about the view upon entering medellin from rio negro airport. Wow, I was also taken in by surprise. The best shawarma I have eaten was in poblado medellin. The city is very clean, although I was taken to a barrio as well, but it was no where as poor as barrios in DR. cartagena had some seriously dangerous looking barrios. My cab driver took me on a ride to charge me extra and deviated into barrios. I had a fight with him for scaring the crap out of my girl who was visiting cartagena for the first time.
Smaller cities like armenia and pereira were also very stunningly beautiful and if you like the country, then a finca in country-side will cost you like 20 dollars for the night and the place will be huge with horses, etc.
When you speak spanish, the prices drop. I was able to get a nice high end apartment in laguito, cartagena (with beach view from balcony) for $30 US. A gringo would have paid 100 dollars easily for the same place.
I would return to cartegana but i will go there with friends and will not try to meet any girl in a bar. I will have my setup, all done before hand.
The difference between talking a trip to colombia and other countries is this: When I visit another place (example, USA or mexico), I am already saying to myself in the plane that i will not be returning there any time soon. But when I am returning from colombia, I am already making my next trip plans in the plane, hahaha.
AZB
 

RacerX

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Yea, Ok, so uhm we re like saying Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Cali, Pereira are as developed as many American cities, NY, Chicago, Denver, Saint Louis, Tampa. Great! So what would you consider them? A 3rd World or 2nd World country?

I think there is more wealth in Colombia, but the people may not be that interested in showing off like in DR.
I do respect the appreciation of the language they have. I m tired of people here who slang it up every chance they get and in the end, wind up being almost illiterate.

What about the kidnappings? My dad said if I were to go there make an effort to pass as a Brasilian or a Panamanian, because Americans are known to be kidnapped for ransom.

And the line of control? What of it? Bogota is in FARC territory(which is defined as the entire southern half of the country). And the ELN?

And lastly the NINE American military bases in Colombia. Whats the deal there?
 

Robert

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I think you'll find that flaunting your wealth used to be a dangerous in days gone by :)

When was the last time an American tourist was kidnapped in Colombia?

Nine bases. I guess they come with the billions of dollars in funding for the war on drugs. Plus it allows them to keep their foot in South America.

The safety issue is exaggerated, I never felt unsafe when I have visited Colombia.
Just use common sense and you will be fine.

Bogota, Medellin etc are not New York or London, but they are years ahead of Santo Domingo etc. They are first world cities, with a little bit of third world thrown in for flavor.

This is also reflected in the people. They are more educated and worldly than Dominicans. You will see teenagers on the bus reading the newspaper and engaging in diverse range of cultural activities etc.

I remember when a European tourist was mugged and killed in Cartagena.
They turned the city upside down, found the perps and they very quickly disappeared.
Colombians I spoke to were embarrassed that something like this could happen to a tourist in their city. A city that they are very proud of and love to show off.

I know someone that was drugged and robbed in Medellin. The chief of the local police precinct came and visited the guy in hospital, made a huge fuss over him and made sure he was well looked after. Also helped helped him get to another city to meet up with friends etc. AZB knows the guy as well.

These are two isolated incidents, but shows you the difference :)

Bottom line, it's more 1st world than the DR.
 
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aarhus

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I think this is an interesting thread. Makes me want to go and explore Colombia. I am sure it is probally true that Colombia wins right now in a RD vs Colombia competetion. But I still think the DR is up among the better countries to settle down in in the Carib and Lat.Am.
 

jrhartley

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When was the last time an American tourist was kidnapped in Colombia?


Kidnapped American rescued in western Colombia




BOGOTA, March 22 2009 -- Colombian police rescued on Sunday a kidnapped American in Cali, a city of western Colombia.

The New York-born Cynthia Zuluaga, a 35-year-old victim, was saved in the district of Alameda, in south of Cali, by anti-kidnapping corps under the police force, Gustavo Adolfo Ricaurte, a police commander, said.

Zuluaga who has resident status in Colombia was held hostage on Feb. 6.

A 16-year-old suspect was detained during the operation, police said.

"The kidnappers demanded 1.5 billion Colombian pesos (some 629,000 U.S. dollars) to release Zuluaga," Ricaurte said. "Zuluagais in good physical condition now."

According to police investigation, the kidnappers kept contact with illegal armed groups intending to exchange zuluaga for money.