About geoffbob

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Male

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United States

Some Forum Posts:

Colombia: Half and half:

Damn! I thought this thread was gonna be about what I like to add to my coffee but can't find in Medellin. D'oh!

Colombia: TP7 Pension Visa:

I've used Colombia Visas three times, which is the same company as Medellin Lawyer; owned by James Lindzey. They handled my initial TP7, the second TP7 and my US passport renewal. I thought their fee structure was a fair deal. They itemized every charge and specified how much of my money went to them for their service which included flying a courier from Medellin to Bogota to stand in line.

Colombia: Thinking of moving to Colombia:

If you're bolting the USA because of corporate fascism then I'd wager you'll very likely just be substituting one set of anxieties and problems for another.

Colombia: Moving to Barranquilla:

Ahem, 900 sq. meters? You would have a heap of a decorating job to trick out a 9,687 sq. ft. apartment.

Colombia: Seeking travel agent pro:

Can anybody recommend a highly experienced travel agent here in Medellin?

Colombia: Medellin vs. Cali: Internet, Food Items, Transportation:

I must be living in a different Medellin than Visitando. The fruit is pretty, pretty, darn good. A guy pushing a cart loaded with sweet, fresh fruit walks under my window every morning. First thing every day I walk to the corner "puesto" and order up an orange juice squeezed fresh in front of my eyes. I tell him to pick the sweet yellow ones. Later I'll stop at La Jugosa for a fresh watermelon juice with crushed ice, no sugar added. Lovely. Then there's the guy pushing the pineapple cart. Extraordinary bright yellow ones whose sweetness I can smell from across the road. Way better than store bought. They sell them whole or by the slice for 1,500. occasionally I'll stop in at Salud Pan restaurant for a fresh squeezed carrot & celery "zumo" with a touch of ginger.

Colombia: Run in with Taxi Driver:

The (50 or so) taxi drivers I've had have nearly always impressed me with their intricate knowledge of Medellin's streets and their courtesy. I guess I've been lucky.

Colombia: Rain:

In Medellin for example, the rains come but are seldom what you'd call torrential or long lasting. I find that carrying one of those ultra compact jobbies doesn't cramp my style but comes in handy on occasion. I don't like to lug things around and the small ones fit into a pocket. Every morning before heading out the door I pull up the forecast to help me decide if I'm even gonna need it.

Colombia: What you like and don't like in Medellin:

There is something of an over-emphasis on local cuisine her in "Medallo". It's mostly all the same menu but then again there are places that really do it better than the others and for even less money. It takes a bit of time to find 'em. If the lack of international food is a problem for some here in Medellin it'll be an even bigger problem out in the fresh countryside. But surprise, surprise, with a little time and patience you'll find some little international kitchen gems. I found a guy from Italy who bakes the best bread and serves up my favorite spaghetti with sautéed garlic and high grade olive oil. 10,000 COP...cain't touch this. There's another guy down the street who graduated from a European culinary school who does up a beautiful salmon with seared zucchini, rice, very nice salad,, fresh fruit drink and home made dessert for 20,000. Substitute chicken and it's only 12,000. Oh, and then there's the Argie steak house two blocks away from my digs. Beautiful cuts of beef that completely disappear from your plate. The salad bar at Crepes and Waffles is top notch at the one in my neighborhood and the ice cream desserts are excellent. I order the strawberry tartufino. Wow. Prices are much less than the States too. Somebody mentioned on this thread that people can be nosy. I noticed that starting on my first day here. I keep waiting for them to ask me how much money I have in the bank. They are relentless about it. The trick is to start asking a whole bunch of questions of your own. My area is a bit higher up and you notice right away that the air gets cooler and fresher. Yep, suits me just fine.

Colombia: Internet & Cell Phone Costs in Medellin:

I tried to sign up with Claro for internet connection only but they would only provide service if I bought a package including TV. Like the OP I don't watch TV so I went to UNE and they hooked me up with 5mbs internet. My last bill was for COP 83,394.00. In USD that comes out to about 29 bucks per month at the current exchange rate of near 2,850. The 5mbs is plenty fast for streaming Netflix and web browsing. Higher speeds are available. Note that I was able to sign up without hassles because I have a Cedula, which is a Colombian residency card. If you rent a furnished apartment the internet could possibly be included. I also tried to get cell phone service with Claro but they gave me a hard time with this too. An indifferent and seemingly improperly trained staff member told me that as a foreigner I didn't qualify for a plan even with my Cedula so would have to top up daily. Claro is a very large company and many customers are quite happy with them. Maybe my experience was atypical. Anyway, I signed with Tigo for about 20 bucks per month and the coverage is satisfactory. I'm not a heavy user so I pay less. They have numerous plans.

Date Joined:

6/13/2016

Total Posts:

86

Posts/Day:

0.29