Colombia Blog

**Rubito**

I want peoples' opinions on this. Did you bring something and then find that it was a waste of money with the shipping? Was there something you wish you brought but didn't and ended up paying 4x the price or couldn't even find it??

I know good Italian or French wine is a good thing to bring. I have also heard peanut butter is a good bet. JMCana has his curry powder which he brings down. Are there any cooking oils that are hard to come by in Colombia? I use coconut, red palm, olive, peanut and sunflower oils regularly here.

I have a mini oven that can also spit-roast etc, I'm thinking of shipping that down, I can't think of much else.

Obviously I can't buy clothes off the rack being as big as I am, I will have to buy my track suits, t-shirts etc up here forever.
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**quindioman** · Resident Ñero Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 2310

Your right about the wine....I couldn't find no (decent) wine a few years back...mind you that was in Cali...I would assume that in Bogota you would at leats have a chance of finding a decent Chilean or Argentinian.

**fugdis** · Member Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 80 Location: CALI

I wish i had brought a potato masher with me.After 3 months of looking i finally found one in home centre at Jardin plaza.
All my computer software.
My pond filter and pump.
Mrs Fugdis wishes she had brought all her saucepans.
And for some reason tinned tomatoes are hard to come by. Sad

**fugdis** · Member Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 80 Location: CALI

Oh yeah,I also wish I had brought more money down here.

**Rubito** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 1:27 am Post subject:

Tinned tomatoes I'd just get fresh personally.

Chilean and Argentinian wines are not a problem in Bogota. Chile has a free trade deal with Colombia so anything from there is reasonable.
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Cada especie monógama se extingue.

**aztec**

**Desi** · Founding Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 5478

I had no prob finding Chilean wines in Cali. There isn't a huge selection and they're a bit expensive, but you can get a decent bottle of Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon at any supermarket in Cali. I used to get mine either at La14 of Cosmocentro or at any Carrefour or La14 at the Malls.

Besides, the estancos and licoreras carry Chilean reds and whites. (Me and my cab are inseparable... Laughing

)
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**aztec** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject:

**kernow** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject:

**kernow** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject:

What about finding tea down there in Colombia, good strong black tea? Just asking for future reference.

I have already calculated how many tins of baked beans to bring for a 4 month stay.
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**Desi** · Founding Member Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 5478

Kernow,
try Té Hindú, grown just outside of Cali on the western cordillera. It used to be awful. but it's got new management now and they've been promoting it and trying to start exportation to Europe.

Aztec, Santa Rita is a nice red; and there are several other Chileans in the same price range that are palatable enough. I kind of like the fieriness in el Casillero, especially this time of the year.

Cheers,
Desi Cool

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A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi

**hippiechick** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject:

**sniper** · Member Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Posts: 321

I have a vineyard in Napa Valley where I grow grape. The only American wines I found were Gallo (blah!!) and a Cab from Mondavi.

I was thinking of importing boutique wines from some of my friends wineries but I didn't see much of a market. I guess maybe there is.

I am a Macintosh user, I think importing your computer would be the best thing. I only found one store in all of Medellin that carried Macs.

I'm also tall and eventhough I can find clothes that fit, anything good is way overpriced. I was wearing a Kenneth Cole shirt that I bought at Marshalls in the USA for $45. I saw the same exact shirt at the Kenneth Cole store at Oviedo in Medellin for $140!!!!

So I think a buying trip to Miami once a year is in order just for clothes and computer stuff.

JD · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

Toiletries....by dad stocks up on them big time...personal hygeine...

**kernow** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 4:14 pm Post subject:

**kernow** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 4:15 pm Post subject:

**Katt** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject:

**Rubito** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject:

OOOH I'm SO sending my gf there with her camera! I'm gonna make her photograph every square inch of that place to see what they have.

I'm thinking I'm probably going to have to take down my $70 a lb imported teas from China I get here in Chinatown. It sounds expensive but a lb will last you a good year and a half so it's actually quite a bargain. Of course if they have it at the Tea House at any reasonable price it's probably not worth it. I have been told coffee is not a good idea for me so I wanna be well stocked with teas at all times. Black tea is practically coffee as far as caffeine content goes, so that's out too Razz

Aztec, my gf already has a nice queen size mattress, it cost about what it would cost here. The first time I came down I bitched about her mattress saying it was too soft and the next time I made it there she had a harder one for me!!! :p I tell ya I never would have lasted in a long distance relationship if she weren't worth it like that!! Cool

As for computers, I'd say if you own a Mac it's worth shipping. That seems to be one of the #1 items Colombians bring back from Miami, Apple products. Just this year there seem to be Apple shops springing up around the Unilago area, but I have no idea for prices. I'm planning on bringing a MacBook or Macbook Pro down there...

For me personally, anything that requires a large container is out of the question. It all has to fit in boxes. As for clothes, I will just continue to buy my street clothes here in NYC, once a year I will do a mad dash through Foot Locker, spend $150 or $200 and that's it!

The thing I don't get is, why the hell would someone pay such a ridiculous price for a shirt off the rack in Colombia when you can get a shirt tailor made in any style you want for 25-30k pesos?? I just got 4 tailor made shirts and 3 tailor made suits made for me, total cost just under $200 USD including fabric and labor!!

Speaking of, my tailor's name is Carmen Acosta and her number is 722 8317 (fijo) if anybody is in the area and wants to have an ARTIST design your suit.
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Cada especie monógama se extingue.

**Katt** · Posted: Sun 02 11, 2007 7:56 pm Post subject:

**rocinante** · Member Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Medellín

Tea, electronics, peanut butter, aaaaand top shelf booze and wine - if you're into that. The tea doesn't really weigh that much just make sure it's packaged in such a way that the customes guys dont think it's drugs (I'm a loose tea guy). Certain hygiene products are impossible to get if you are addicted to certain brands.....

Most of the big stuff that you couldn't take in your luggage you can get easily.

Also remember that I'm spoiled and have moved my stuff slowly over time. Avianca allows two big 70LB suitecases each time and Ria Envia in Union City ships shit cheap and it gets there no hay problema.

**Rubito** · Posted: Tue 02 27, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject:

How cheap, the place I used last time has just lowered their rates to $1.19 a lb!
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Cada especie monógama se extingue.

**rocinante** · Member Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Medellín

The text editor here kept inserting JD even though I deleted it twice. Jameson, JD, Dewars and the like are all easily available in Colombia. I'm talking certain boozes like Frangelico, Single malt scotches, Higher end Cognacs, dark beers (not that anyone wants to ship or pack a six pack of Chimay) and stuff like that.... But JD, Amaretto, Tanq, Beefeater, Absolut, Bacardi, Jameson, Segrams 7, Glenlivit, Johnny Black/red/blue/green, Chivas, Baileys....all the staples are there in the bigger cities.

You WON'T find Cranberry Juice and Yellow Lemons. I'm over it.

**Rubito** · Posted: Tue 02 27, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject:

I'm lucky in that regard. I LOVE Viejo de Caldas. I DO miss those yellow lemons though. Well, maybe I'll get a fucking lemon tree Razz

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Cada especie monógama se extingue.

**rocinante** · Member Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Medellín

Rubi, Ria Envia on Bergenline Ave is $1.29/lb. Their stuff always makes it to the final destination. See you and Elmo Tuesday.

**macgringo** · Posted: Mon 03 05, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject:

Rubito, I know you're a music lover. I'm assuming you've got a fairly big vinyl or Cd collection. If I'm correct, how are you planning on getting that to Colombia?
Interested to know as this would be my only worry if I ever move to Colombia.