Quote: (01-08-2016 11:38 AM)Tully Mars Wrote:
My friend and I Arrived in Medellin yesterday, Hit up an old Paisa Amiga and her friend....both solid girls with great jobs and backgrounds. They made reservations at a restraunt above Lleras, (decent place) upon entering we all were amazed at the gringo hipster invasion. Dudes in t-shirts, shorts, trucker caps, and loud mouthed gringas and euro travelers. It was interesting hearing our dates perspectives on these travelers and them asking us "why they want to look dirty" and "look poor". My friend and I both were shocked at the amount of thirsty looking dudes in Lleras, maybe it's just an influx of holiday travelers coupled with the exodus of local Paisas to the coast or other destinations but it was amazing. As we walked around Lleras after dinner we played a game with the girls to count how many foreigner stared up and down at them. Don't get me wrong I think Medellin is a great city and this is only one small pocket but I have not ever experienced this in Bogota, a restraunt where foreigners out number Colombians and the condensed amount of backpacker hipsters in one spot.....Scotian I will send you a PM
Sloppily dressed young hipster foreigners is literally a step up from the status quo of middle aged coke abusing hooker mongers. Even back in '09-'11 places like Lleras had its moments of relatively high foreigner presence, at least by Colombia standards. There are multiple hostels a few blocks from Lleras and they often move in large packs that can take over a restaurant or bar and throw off your gringo saturation radar.
Foreigners aren't ever going to flock to Bogota for long term stays or retirement because the nice areas aren't that cheap and the weather/aesthetics aren't as good as other cities. They're not exactly unicorns in Bogota though, especially in places like Zona Rosa. A lot of gringos are there for a few days since its a travel hub. If you posted up in a cheap restaurant near some hostels in Candeleria you'd probably experience a similar situation on occasion.