Archive for January, 2010
Is it Safe to Visit Colombia?
1741 days
by Tom Germain
in Getting Around
Photo courtesy of Thomas Gray
The answer is yes*. An asterisk because it’s safe if you come well prepared. If you believe the US State Department’s warnings about this country, you will be a bit discouraged, as they still warn Americans against traveling to Colombia, the US’ most important ally in South America. Other foreign affairs ministries of several developed countries also advise their citizens not to travel here. At the other end of the spectrum is the travel guide books which mislead their readers by presenting the major attractions of the country without warning them of the risks they run in certain areas.
The truth is somewhere in between: traveling inside Colombia can be as safe as anywhere else in the world, but stray just a bit too much from the established path and you will be exposed to serious dangers. For instance, it’s now possible to travel safely from the Caribbean coast to Medellin by road, but it’s ill advised to stop in some of the towns along the way. Two American backpackers traveling separately told me they had spent the night in Taraza, Antioquia on the way to Medellin from Cartagena. Both were a little surprised when I informed them that the north of Antioquia is still a very active zone for armed rebel groups, paramilitaries and organized criminals in the drug trade. Coca fields are abundant and the murder rates in small towns like Taraza and Caucasia are shocking.
Large areas of the country are still in the throes of the war against the illegal drug trade and the heavily armed columns from the so-called liberation armies of the FARC and ELN, which often stage attacks on roads and against towns. This is particularly true in the provinces (departamentos) bordering Ecuador and Venezuela. Nariño, Putumayo, Choco, Valle, Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caqueta, and Arauca, make the headlines on a regular basis, as do some areas in several other provinces, such as the north and southeast of Antioquia, and the rural areas of Bolivar, Cesar, Guajira and Cordoba. However, in terms of cleansing the country of the illegal armed factions, the Colombian army has them running in almost very area, and has in fact routed them from several provinces, including Cundinamarca, Caldas and Risaralda. Overall, it’s a battle they are winning, and I hope the pressure will continue to be applied under whichever President is elected in May of 2010 to replace the outgoing Alvaro Uribe.
The US state department warns that kidnappings are a serious problem in Colombia, but I have not heard of any foreigners being targeted this way in a very long time. Sure, if you walk into an area controlled by rebels you could very well be captured and kept prisoner for several years, but the kidnapping of foreigners for ransom, as happens frequently in Mexico, is unheard of here, so my take is that the State Department needs to review its facts!
We have talked about where not to go, now let’s discuss where you can. Most of the major and intermediate cities of Colombia, including Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Manizales, and Barranquilla are either very safe to visit, or at least nowhere as hazardous as it is to stroll through Brazilian cities such as Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Cali and Pereira are hotbeds for the drug organizations and also rife with petty crime. You might want to skip them on your itinerary!
As with most cities anywhere in the world, you can do the basic to mitigate your risk of being victimized: dress modestly, leave the baubles back home, do not dangle cameras around your neck, do not carry a lot of cash, only use ATMs inside malls, do not wander into neighborhoods you know nothing about, and avoid hailing taxis off the street. I’ve lived in Colombia for over two years now and although I stand-out like a sore thumb for being so tall and blond, I’ve yet to be victimized in any way by following those simple rules!
Yes, come to Colombia! It’s an incredibly beautiful land with a sophisticated culture, and best of all, it’s not polluted by throngs of tourists, so it’s still very authentic, not “Disneyfied” as in so many other parts of the world, and the people are genuinely earnest in letting you see the good side of their much maligned country. Nothing bad will happen to you if you come here well informed.
A Narco-Dictionary
0751 days
by Tom Germain
in Narc & Farc
Colombians have an entire language to describe the country’s criminal groups and their activities. Here’s a few of the most common…
Capo: Title given to the boss, same as in the Italan mafia
Cocina: Literally, kitchen, the place where the coca base is prepared.
Combo: A criminal gang, typically operating in a poor barrio, or “comuna”.
Lavadero: A business or other means to “clean” money obtained through crime.
Lavaperros: “dog washer” — the capo’s point man, who does his biding.
Lugarteniente: Lieutenant, the boss’ right hand man.
Narcotraficante: Person dealing in drugs. The expression is usually used for those higher up in the criminal hierarchy, or to describe the organization as a whole.
Narcopolitica: The business of corrupt politicians aiding and abetting drug lords.
Oficina de Envigado: The infamous murderers for hire organization that originated in Envigado, a suburb of Medellìn.
Paraco: paramilitary. Most have re-emerged in the drug trade, this after being offered immunity and assistance by the government for surrendering themselves. Many have been murdered by their former bosses.
Parillero: Literally, the one handling the barbecue. Describes the passenger on the motorcycle who does the shooting.
Sicario: Assassin. Usually a couple of guys on a high cylinder motorcycle. Sicariato: the business of mudering for money.
Testaferro: A third party who appears as the legal owner of a narcotraficante’s property, hiding the real ownership from the authorities.
Traquete/traqueto: a minor drug trafficker. Often used to mock drug dealers who display their wealth in garish ways.
Tumbao: The very dead victim of a sicario
The Unique Music Genres of Colombia
2752 days
by Tom Germain
in Culture
Colombia has several styles of music that originated from its territory long ago and remain popular to this day…
Vallenato: Born in the city of Valledupar (Cesar) from which its name is derived, this folkloric style of music is especially popular in the country’s Caribbean region. It owes much of its rhythms to the slaves brought from Africa in centuries past. Carlos Vives is vallenato’s biggest star. Valledupar hosts an annual “Legends of vallenato” festival. Folks from the Caribbean region have the odd custom of installing huge speakers on their porches and blasting vallenato at top volume day or night. Nobody complains!
Guasca: Folk music from Antioquia, where the town of Betania considered the “capital” of the genre. The lyrics are typically vulgar and humorous. It’s biggest star, Octavio Mesa, died recently. International pop star Juanes has said much of his inspiration came from the latter.
Llanera: Music from the “llanos”, or plains, of eastern Colombia. It’s distinguishing characteristic is its very original use of the harp, producing sounds that are decidedly not classical. Villavicencio, in Meta, is the capital of this music genre.
While in Colombia, you’ll hear all three styles on a daily basis, whether it be in taxis and buses, or bars. Colombians love their music and can’t seem to get enough of it. Other popular music styles didn’t originate from Colombia: cumbia and Mexican rancheras. You’ll hear more Vicente Fernandez tunes here than in Mexico!
Coca isn’t Cocaine
2754 days
by Tom Germain
in Unexpected
Coca leaf tea
Cocaine comes from the coca leaf, but coca isn’t cocaine, and it doesn’t have the toxic properties associated with the illegal drug. The leaf has always been used for its energy-giving properties by natives from the Andean region. Matter of fact, you can buy coca leaf tea in Colombia, legally, just as I did. It gives you a really mild boost and by virtue of buying it, you’re giving a small incentive for farmers to grow it as a legal crop as well as helping native tribes economically. Coca is also used in a variety of other edible products.
Drink coca!
The Cost of Giving Yourself a Good Living
0757 days
To give you a rough idea of what things cost for two people living in a large Colombian city, let’s make a list. To arrive at figures in US dollars, divide by 2000, which has been the median exchange rate of late,. For Euros, divide by 2800. Note that the 16% VAT tax (IVA) is hefty and almost always hidden in the price of things.
- Meals in restaurants: A complete meal in a cheap restaurant (not fast food), per person: 6,000-10,000 pesos. The same meal, in a nice restaurant: 30,000-40,000 pesos, per person. A ten percent tip is often included on the bill, but otherwise, most Colombians don’t tip at all.
- Going out for a drink: A cheap beer in a shitty bar: 2,000 pesos, while in a nicer bar or restaurant 3,000-4,000 pesos. Again, Colombians never tip, but you should!
- Newspapers & Magazines: Newsweek (English): 12,000; Time (English): 14,000. A popular Colombian magazine, in Spanish: 4500-8000 pesos. A non-tabloid Colombian newspaper, such as El Tiempo or El Colombiano: 1300-1500 (higher on Sundays).
- Groceries: A full grocery cart at say, Exito (Walmart-like), avoiding most junk food, every two weeks: 200 to 250 thousand pesos.
- Shoes and Clothing: if they’re made in Colombia, cheap, if imported, you’ll pay more than what you would back home, and maybe not even get the real item!
- Rent, 2-3 bedroom apartment in a secure high-rise building in a good neighborhood: 750-800 thousand pesos a month. Renting the same unit in an upscale building: 2 million/month.
- Utilities, estrato 4 (see posting about rents), 200 thousand/month
- Gasoline: Pricing controlled by the government and kept roughly at the same price all the time, regardless of world prices:
7000 pesos for a gallon (yes, sold in gallons here). - Computers: Up to a certain price, no VAT is charged, so prices are only slightly higher than in the US.
- Electrical appliances: Imported brands sell at a premium, while national brands, like Haceb, are much less and much vaunted for their quality by Colombians themselves (I’m so very sorry I bought an Electrolux fridge!). Most people want gas stoves and water heaters, and expect to pay a lot for a clothes dryer, as nobody here uses them.
- Cell phone minute, no plan: 200-300 pesos. Note that the fee is the same even if you call from one end of Colombia to the other. Most used cell phone providers: Tigo, Comcel and Movistar (Telefonica)
- Cheap cell phone, no plan: around 40,000-60,000
- A maid, hired directly, for 6 hours: 20-30,000. While us “rich” folks from the north can’t afford a maid back home, here most middle class families have one.
- A ticket to a movie matinee: 3,500-6,500. Luckily, most foreign films are subtitled. Large popcorn and drink: 12,000.
- Buying a really cheap condo unit: 45 million (only about 22,000 USD). A middle-class unit: 90-100 million. A unit in an upscale building: 300 million. Mortgages average 13 percent per year.
- Cost of consumer loans and credit card interest rates: 20 % annually and up.
To resume, if you live frugally 1000 USD would afford you half-decent living, while 2000 USD would mean living well. To live like a true snob, you’ll need 4,000 USD and up. Remember that even professionals here earn only a fraction of what “first world” people do, yet they own their own homes, a car, and take annual vacations. They manage this because they value money more than we do and can more easily resist buying on impulse than we do in our consumer-crazy societies! A lot of families get by on 500-600 USD a month — Don’t even attempt to imitate them, because you wouldn’t last a day living in the “barrio popular” (not slums, but you might think of them as a little scary anyway!) where they spend their entire lives.
Colombian Peso Exchange Rate
