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Cali is overrated

Hola amigos!

I spent a couple of days in Cali in early August. Truth be told, it is a mixed bag.

It is a small provincial town (1.5 M people). Its downtown is very noisy and dusty. What is called the new town (or North) is actually a 400-yard strip (Avenida Sexta) plus standard residential areas. The main problem is that there is not much to see in the area. No beaches, no colonial cities (Popayan is 3-hour drive away), no archeological sites (going to San Agustin from Cali is no walk in the park). In addition, it turns out to be more expensive than Bogota, at least Bogota's Centro and Chapinero.

On the plus side, Cali is safe for gringos, unlike what is hyped by Western medias, provided you keep a low profile, i.e., you respect people and don't show off. Arepas, lechosas and many tropical fruits are for sale all over the place and they are excellent. People are laid back and easy-going. You need Spanish skills to reap the benefits, definitely. Caleñas are overall good-looking and well framed. The spectrum of ethnic background is broader than Bogota (think of Brazil or Venezuela). As already stated on this site, Colombianas do not hesitate to make eye contact with men; then it's up to you.

Cartagena is a better bet for vacationing. On the other hand, it is more tourist-oriented, so less genuine; unless you have those language skills that will enable you to go off the beaten track (e.g., the tribe of El Modefoque).

All in all, going to Cali makes sense to the extent that you know some locals and you speak the language.

Take it easy!
Mike

By Mike7 on Aug 17, 2004, 19:44 in Friendly Talkzone.

Desideria (Moderator) says on Aug 18, 2004, 10:33:

are you sure you've actually were in Cali? A major city with 2 million inhabitants cannot be called "a small provincial town". Medellin and Cali are just about the same size. There is no such place as new town in Cali, the North could not possibly be called that, since most of the building has been towards the south and southeast in the recent years.
Granted, it does not have many tourist attractions: architecture is nothing to make a big fuss over, but the same applies to many larger Colombian cities. True, there are no beaches, but does Medellin or Bogotá have a beach? The playas on the Pacific are about two hours distance fromthe city, and are not the variety that would attract a spoiled tourist, but rather primitive and wild.
Cali is a city that lives on its reputation as the "branch office of heaven": near-perfect climate, lovely setting in the green Cauca River Valley hugging the Western Cordillera, well-mannered and handsome people (both sexes), laid-back atmosphere, plenty of sports facilities, good open-air malls, decent universities and schools etc. etc.
Unfortunately, the Lady of the Valley has seen some bad years of decline and negligence, some drug-related violence, plenty of insecurity. It's still the envy of the other provincial capitals in Colombia, because of the magic that only Cali posesses.
This Magic of Cali is hard to define and does not open up for a casual visitor.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Aug 18, 2004, 10:35:

more expensive? I think not:) The prices in Cali for hotels, restaurants etc. should be well under the level of Bogotá.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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ColombianoX says on Aug 18, 2004, 10:59:

Way to go Desi! Así se habla!!! I can't believe the nerve of this guy calling Cali a "small provincial town", since it has over two million residents, which is about the population of Miami! Perhaps he didn't enjoy Cali more because he didn't have any locals to show him around. That makes a big difference.

ColombianoX

ColombianoX 'Defensor de la Colombianidad'

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Angel_Gabriel says on Aug 26, 2004, 19:52:

Rumba con Fuego Papa!~~~~ Cali "Colombianas do not hesitate to make eye contact with men; then it's up to you."

Thanks for this inspiration, looking forward for a great time !

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