Sunday, November 29th, 2015

I fell asleep rather quickly but was awakened by the dogs at 4:10am and again at 5:50am.  I finally fell back asleep and woke/got up about 9am.

Teresa is having fun decorating the finca for Christmas.  I understand we are going to Mayorca today but instead of seeing a movie we are going to buy a pair of bluejeans for Vickie’s son Samuel (go figure) and buy some artificial flowers to decorate the finca for Christmas.  I understand Albero will meet us at the mall to pick up the jeans.

I sent an email to the Chess League of Antioquia requesting information on upcoming chess tournaments, another email to Eddie’s landlord Lisa asking if she has a room/bed suitable for 2, and an email to A Foreign Affair requesting a refund of the $31.32 they still hold in my account.

Peluche seems to be getting better as I see him touching his bad foot to the ground occasionally.  I think we have about 4 pills remaining.

I signed up with www.AirBnB.com and I received an answer from Lina (not really Lisa) that she has a large bedroom with private bath in Laureles for $40 per night for two.  It’s a little expensive and a good place to start but in time I would like to try a number of different places.

We left the finca at 2:10 and got past the killer dogs undetected.  After only a 1 minute wait we were on a bus to Mayorca CC.

It was very crowded inside and outside the mall due to an outdoor concert going on.  Also there seemed to be a lot of sales.

Teresa found a pair of jeans for Samuel for 56mil.  We wanted to have lunch at Frisby but the line was too long so we stopped at Qbano which is a Subway like hot sandwich restaurant.  I had chicken teriyaki and Teresa had something which I thought translated to “old clothes” for 33,600.  The small combo sandwiches were large enough and were cut in half so we switched entrees for the 2^nd half.  I liked them both.

We found the Christmas store upstairs and I understood Teresa wanted to copy what sounded like a “mural” (not sure what to call it; a horizontal wreath?) that was displayed in the store.  She spent over an hour choosing different things to decorate it with.  Several times I went across the hall to the movie theatre looking for Albero.

Just as Teresa seemed to be finalizing what she wanted Albero showed up.  They talked awhile and when we finally made our way to the cashier Teresa noticed a large wreath behind the counter and I understood she wanted to switch to the wreath.  I put my foot down and said “no”.  Everything cost 158,277 or about $55.

We went downstairs to Mimo’s where we all had a small strawberry sundae for 19,200 (about $6.35).  I learned from Albero that his son Samuel leaves for Argentina tomorrow for 15 days to play field hockey.  He also told me that Atletico Nacional plays Cali tonight in the semifinals.

Albero left for his motorcycle and we walked over to the highway and after about a 20 minute wait were on a Coonotra (sp?) bus.  It was new, similar to a Greyhound Bus with large comfortable seats, a restroom, and wifi.  The futbol game was playing on the radio.  At one of the stops a woman came on carrying a small girl (6 years old?) who had both her legs in a cast up to her hips.  Teresa told me that is to straighten what seemed like bowleggedness.

With no moonlight and my flashlight turned off we got past the killer dogs undetected and were back at the finca by 7pm.

I found out Atletico Nacional tied Cali 0-0; must have been an exciting match.  Obvious sarcasm!

Teresa had a little problem attaching the “wreath” to the brick kitchen wall but she eventually managed it.

I received an email from my brother.  He’s visiting here again January 29^th through February 6^th.  Joining him will be his girlfriend Joan, our half sister Cyd and her boyfriend Bruce.

I took 2 sleeping pills at 10:35, set the alarm to 7am and went to bed at 11pm.

T-shirt of the day: If you love me let me know.

Joke

In Houston, a man stopped a pedestrian and asked, “What’s the quickest way to the hospital?”

The pedestrian replied, “Say something bad about Texas.”

Saturday, November 28th, 2015

It took me a little while to fell asleep but I didn’t wake up until 4:30.  Had trouble falling asleep again because it started raining and soon the dogs started barking.  I finally got up at 9am and soon it was raining harder.

Since we had bought ice cream last week (the ladies preferred topping) I made waffles for everyone: 2 sections for Laura and 3 each for Teresa and I.

Before we leave the finca I always pick up Peter and put him in the shed so he doesn’t follow us down to the highway.  Teresa asked me to come outside and see Peter.  His paws and legs were so dirty I didn’t want to touch him.  I tried to coax him to the shed by showing him a dog biscuit but that didn’t work, especially since other dogs saw it and got in the way.  About 30 minutes later it looked like he had rinsed himself off somewhere and he was lying in the sun drying.  I coaxed him towards me with half a dog biscuit then threw the other half in the shed for him to retrieve.  And that’s when I shut the door on him.

About 2pm Laura and Teresa exchanged words and Laura left in a huff for Envigado.

Teresa decided that we weren’t going to leave the finca today.

Teresa and I watched Tell (5.5) on Netflix and then I watched The Train (7.9).

I took 2 sleeping pills at 10:45 and went to bed at 11:15.

T-shirt of the day: Never look back.

Friday, November 27th, 2015

I had an awful night.  I’m not sure I slept at all last night.  Teresa got up about 7am and I got up about 9am.  I took 2 sleeping pills and went back to bed but I’m still not sure I slept.  I got up at 11am and at least I felt better.  

I checked the new US movie releases and I would like to see Trumbo (7.4) and Killing Them Safely (7.8).

Locally, Spectre, The Hunger Games, and Secret in their Eyes are playing at El Tesoro.

We left the finca at 12:55, got past the killer dogs undetected and only had to wait 1 minute for Walter to pick us up in his taxi.  This time we were smart enough to turn so that we were on the correct side of Avenida 80 for the clinic.  We got there at 1:10 for what I thought was a 3pm appointment.  We paid 2,500 pesos in one building and then went over to the other.  Teresa talked to someone and then reported something about “we have a bad appointment and have to return to Envigado.  And the urologist is here in Itagui but my biopsy results are in Envigado.”  We got our 2,500 pesos back and took a taxi to Envigado.

Teresa said I could play chess in the park while she got a new appointment in Nueva eps.  In the park I soon found the older man I had played against a few weeks ago.  After a short wait we played two games.  In the first game I had black and was able to play my opening.  I castled, he didn’t and I tied up the queen side and soon was pushing pawns toward his kingside.  I got him so cramped he was unable to move his rook, knight, or bishop.  I checked his king, he interposed with his queen, I checked a 2^nd time with my knight and his king had to move away from his queen allowing me to capture it and that was that.  

In the 2^nd game I had white and again was able to play my opening.  I tied up the queen side and the middle, we both castled kingside and again I pushed pawns at his king.  I also had a bishop, knight and my queen and pawns attacking his position and I traded appropriately so I could mate him with my strength of position.  Teresa came back for the last few minutes of the game.  I understand we have to go back to the clinic in Itagui early Monday morning.

We stopped in Frisby where Teresa ordered a chicken combo but then changed her order to the same as mine when I ordered a Friburrito and large Pepsi for 23,400.

We stopped at Exito where I picked up 2 packages of C batteries for a flashlight Teresa has and she picked up some arepas, eggs and a bottle of laundry detergent.

We took a taxi to the highway but had to wait 15 minutes for a bus.  We took a Montenegro bus for 4mil that dropped us off at the junction with Caldas.  After a 2 minute wait we were on another bus to the sideroad.  We got past the killer dogs just before it got dark and arrived back at the finca by 6:30.

I found that the C batteries aren’t large enough; I need D batteries.  We’ll exchange them the next time we visit Exito.

After a little discussion I think we’ve decided to go to Mayorca Sunday to see Secret in their Eyes (6.2) at 2:30pm.

The Colombian Peso closed for the week at 3108 against the dollar.

I took 3 sleeping pills at 10:30 and went to bed at 11pm.

T-shirt of the day: Young and free.

Thursday, November 26th, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

A restaurant in Medellin is offering a Thanksgiving dinner but I don’t want to take a chance on missing tonight’s Bears game.

I understood Laura’s graduation is this morning at 10am so I’m not sure what that was last week.

Teresa wanted me to wear a nice pair of slacks, short sleeved shirt and by best shoes.  I understand she made arrangements with Walter to pick us up.  She also didn’t want me to take my fanny pack so I had to leave some things behind including pen and paper for taking notes of what happens during the day.  So all of today’s happenings are from memory (very dangerous).

We left the finca at 9:35am, got past the killer dogs undetected, waded past the landslide, but Walter wasn’t at the top of the hill.  Teresa called him and we headed down.  I think because I chose the right socks and we went fairly slowly my feet weren’t in pain like before.  At the bottom of the hill Walter joined us after only a minute wait.

We got to the school by 9:55 and went inside.  I know Teresa wanted to get there early in order to get good seats but the only ones left were in the sun.  They had plastic chairs set up on the gymansium floor and we sat on some chairs on the cement floor in the corner.  I was right behind an upright support beam – the perfect place for taking pictures (sarcasm).

Most of the students were outside the door we had just come in.  The ceremony started at 10:05 with the students marching in.

Here’s what it looked like from our viewpoint after they had all taken their seats.

I moved down to the floor for a second in order to take this picture of the students sitting on the concrete bleacher seats.

It took 10 minutes for all 250 graduates to file in and take their seats.  There were another 10 minutes of speeches and then they called each student one by one to come pick up their diploma.  Here’s Laura on her way down the aisle and then being given her diploma.

Since her last name is Alzate she was one of the first and we had to wait another 45 minutes for everyone to receive theirs.

As you can see in this picture they were all carrying this thing in their right hand.

After the ceremony here’s a picture of Laura with her girlfriend.

Laura with her mother.

The three of us.

After the ceremony we decided to go somewhere for lunch.  We stopped at an Italian restaurant in Caldas named Ambrosia at Carrera 52 Calle 131 Sur 20.  They only had 2 tables inside that would seat 4 each and 2 small round tables on the patio that would seat maybe 3 each.  Sitting at the two round tables pushed together outside was a husband, wife, and young man who had also just graduated.  Teresa talked to them and they allowed us to sit at the 2^nd round table with the husband.  

I was surprised that for an Italian restaurant the menu didn’t include lasagna but I ordered spaghetti bolognese.  The waitress informed me that they didn’t have any pasta.  What?  And they call themselves an Italian restaurant?  I didn’t say that, I only thought it.  I ordered chicken cesar salad again.  Teresa ordered chicken breast and Laura ordered Filet Mignon.  We talked with the other couple and learned that they have a hair salon (or are going to have?) and are moving to New York in January.  I told him he’d better wear a thicker coat than he had on then.  After 45 minutes they brought us a fancy silver plate with 6 slices of bread with olive oil dribbled on them.  There was a jar of olive oil so I added more to my share of 2 pieces.  Teresa’s chicken came first but it was so white it didn’t look cooked and I wasn’t surprised when Teresa sent it back.  My chicken Caesar salad came next and it was chunks of barely cooked chicken and lettuce but no sauce.  I tried the two sauces that they had left on the table.  It was nothing special.  Laura let me try a piece of her filet mignon but it was chewy with no special taste.  After everyone had finished I asked for the check and they first brought a decent sized piece of frosted cake for us to share.  The owners came out separately and appeared to say some nice words about Laura’s graduation and future.  I paid 75mil for the lunch and 5 minutes later Walter arrived just as it started raining.

None of us had umbrellas so we dashed into the taxi.  Walter must have been in a hurry as he went pretty quickly around the bends of the road.  At one point there were 2 buses ahead of us with 2 cars between them.  Walter passed them but as we passed the first bus we saw another coming towards us in our passing lane.  He cut in between the 2 cars and I said in Spanish “Don’t worry, he’s a professional” and I saw his face get a little embarrassed.  He got us all the way up the hill in the rain without stopping until we got to the fence not being able to get any further due to the landslide.

I understood Laura didn’t want to ruin her hairdo so we waited in the car for about 10 minutes for it to stop.  We got past the killer dogs undetected.

At 8pm I had a hamburger that Teresa made for me and a Pepsi I had bought Tuesday at Carulla.

At 8:30 I started watching the Bears Packers game on my Slingbox even though it was on Direct TV because I didn’t want to interrupt what Laura was watching.  The audio/video started buffering again and Teresa told Laura to give me the TV so I switched.

The audio was in Spanish but the video was clearer than the Slingbox.  The Bears were ahead of the Packers 14-13 at halftime.

The 4-6 Chicago Bears beat the 7-3 Green Bay Packers 17-13.  I believe this is a sign of things (good) to come for the Bears.

I took 2 sleeping pills at 11:30 and went to bed at midnight.

T-shirt of the day: Blah blah blah.

Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

I fell asleep quickly and didn’t wake up until 5:30am and got up at 7am with the alarm.  I think it rained most of the night but it had stopped by the time I woke up.

I saw on TV what appeared to be an announcement that Saludcoop, medical service here in Colombia, is closing.

We left the finca at 9:30 and got past the killer dogs undetected.  At the top of the hill we saw that there had been a small landslide that blocked most of the path.  We had to walk close to the barbed wire fence to get past it.  Walter was waiting for us and he took us to Caldas.  In town I noticed a large truck with a line of people with jugs, buckets and even cooking pots waiting their turn to get water.  Teresa told me that Caldas hasn’t had water since last Friday.  Yikes!

At Laura’s school we walked up the hill from the gymnasium into a two story building where Teresa picked up a booklet that contains Laura’s school records for the past few years.  (Inside was an invitation to tomorrow’s graduation at 10am.)  Then what was that last week?

We called Walter to come pick us up and in the meantime we stopped in a small store across the street where I had a café con leche.   Uncharacteristically it was hot and I wasn’t able to finish it by the time Walter showed up about 10 minutes later.  He took us to El Poblado where we caught another taxi whose driver knew the way to La Visitacion, the mall near Zona Dos.

I understood Teresa has a 3pm appointment and it was only 12:30 so walking through the mall we stopped in a Christmas store.  While Teresa was picking out some different colored branches to decorate the finca I just wandered around looking at things.  I did notice a pretty lady with a nice figure maybe in her late 30s.  I found a set of 3 wax candles with an LED bulb on top with a remote control.  Since it was in English I turned it on and was able to change the color of the candles to any of 15 different colors.  A saleslady stopped by and asked me something.  I usually say something like “I’m just looking” or “I’m waiting for her (Teresa)” but this time I said “I’m sorry I don’t speak much Spanish”.  A minute later a man came in and asked in perfect English if I needed something.  His name was John, he is a retired police officer from New Jersey.  He was born in Colombia but his parents moved him to the US at the age of 3.  We talked a few minutes about ATMs, currency exchange rates and finally about “The Problem”.  When he finally left he walked out with the pretty lady.

Teresa found some Christmas caroling dolls that were 60 to 80mil each but only 180mil for a set of 4 because they were on sale.  They packaged them up pretty well in the original box and put it in a bag with scotch tape on top to make a handle.  

We stopped in the mall’s food court where I had a chicken salad with mango juice for 21,200 and Terea had sancocho (potatoes, corn on the cob and meat in a soup broth) for 18,900.

Across the street at the beauty parlor Teresa waited from 1:50 to 2:30 before they took her to have her hair done.  I read some of Of Human Bondage, the book I brought with me.  I’m glad it fits in my Tech bag.  About 3pm to 3:30 I got my haircut.  Teresa still wasn’t done so I walked over to Carulla in Zona Dos looking for C batteries.  They only had AA and AAA but I picked up a 600ml bottle of Pepsi for tomorrow night’s Bears vs Packers game on national TV.

Back at the beauty parlor Teresa finally finished up at 4:10.  I paid 202 mil which included a bottle of shampoo she wanted.  We walked over to Zona Dos where we found an ice cream shop called Mudis.  I had their brownie with vanilla ice cream and Teresa had ice cream with sliced almonds for a total of 12,700.

We thought it would be easier to catch a taxi downstairs at Carulla but it took about 20 minutes even though we were the only ones waiting for one.

Traffic was heavy getting to the Poblado station and again after we waited 15 minutes for a bus.  Walking up the sideroad at 6:30 it was already dark but there was a full moon but it was just coming over the mountains so it wasn’t very helpful.

The killer dogs must have been playing in the sideroad close to the finca because they met up coming up as we were going down.  I tried to give them each a dog biscuit but they seemed skittish in the light of my flashlight so I just tossed one to each of them.

Teresa set up the caroling dolls on a low table next to the TV.

I received an email from MBE asking if I had a package mailed to me.  I’m sure it’s my Nook Glowlight Plus so I replied in English and translated Spanish.

I took 3 sleeping pills at 10pm and went to bed at 10:30.

T-shirt of the day: Cops come and try to snatch my crops.

Guide to Apartment Rental Contracts in Colombia - Medellin Living

Guide to Apartment Rental Contracts in Colombia

November 18, 2015 By Jeff

I have lived in unfurnished rental apartments in Medellín for almost five years and have signed seven different apartment rental contracts. The rental contracts I have signed have been for terms of either six-months or one-year.
I’ve seen several blog posts and communications from real estate firms and foreigners in Colombia that have included some inaccuracies about the rental laws in Colombia, which drove me to write this guide to apartment rental contracts in Colombia.
Colombia’s Law 820 of 2003 governs renting unfurnished apartments in Colombia.
This law spells out regulations for landlords and tenants and has many specific requirements that are not well-known by many foreigners renting apartments or looking to rent apartments in Colombia.

Typical Apartment Rental Contracts

A standard unfurnished apartment rental contract in Colombia includes the following sections:

• Name and identification of the parties.
• Identification of the property under contract.
• Identification of the property that is leased, as well as areas shared with the other occupants of the building.
• Price and payment location.
• Term of the contract.
• Appointment of who is responsible for payment of public services (electric, gas and water) of the property under contract (normally the tenant)
• Many other terms based on Law 820, such as early termination and renewals.

While apartment rental contracts can legally be verbal, it is highly recommended that you get a written contract that is signed and notarized. All the rental contracts I have signed in Colombia have been in Spanish and notarized.
You don’t need a cedula (Colombian ID) or visa to rent an unfurnished apartment in Colombia; a passport is all that is needed. My first unfurnished apartment rentals in Medellín were accomplished using my passport.
This link includes some template rental contracts for Colombia (in Spanish) in Word format.

Apartment buildings in El Poblado near Santafé mall

Unfurnished Apartment Rental Laws in Colombia

Colombian Law 820 of 2003 spells out many requirements and regulations for unfurnished apartment rentals in Colombia. I have found that many Colombians don’t know about all these regulations.
Highlights of the apartment rental regulations found in the law in Colombia include:
1. Tenant must pay rent and services on time – Rent must be paid in a timely manner and any services such as electricity, gas and water according to the provisions of the contract must be paid in a timely manner (make sure to keep receipts).
2. Monthly rent price is limited – monthly rent for an apartment cannot exceed 1 percent of the commercial value of a dwelling or the part of a dwelling subject to the lease.
3. Rent increases are limited to inflation – there can be an increase in the rent every 12 months. The increase cannot exceed 100 percent of the inflation increase (Consumer Price Index) for the immediately preceding calendar year.
However, I haven’t experienced a rent increase in four different renewals and, in fact, I was able to negotiate a lower rental price for one renewal.
If the tenant believes that the increase made by the landlord exceeds inflation, the tenant reportedly has six months to request a revision with the Mayor’s Office of the city where the dwelling is located.
4. There is a penalty for early termination – For a tenant or landlord to end a lease early, at least three months written notice must typically be given and there is usually a penalty (indemnification), which is usually equal to three months rent required.
Because of this pretty stiff penalty, apartment leases in Colombia are rarely terminated early.
5. Landlords can only terminate leases for particular reasons – Landlords are limited in the reasons they can end a lease, which include:
Unilaterally:

• If the tenant is not complying with obligations, such as defaulting in rent payments or public utilities payments.
• If the tenant is subletting the apartment or part of the apartment without the consent of the landlord.
• If the tenant made improvements to the property without the consent of the landlord or the total or partial destruction of the property.
• If the rented property is being used for criminal acts recorded by the police.

With three months notice and payment of a penalty equal to three months rent:

• When the owner of the property needs to occupy their property, for not less than one year.
• When the property is to be demolished to build a new building, or when required to vacate to do repairs.
• If the owner has sold the property.

The landlord can also terminate a contract if it has lasted not less than four years, by paying a penalty equal to 1.5 months of rent.
I have experienced two owners that wanted their apartments back early because they wanted to live in their apartment I was renting. The first was leased from a woman living in Bogotá who was returning to live in Medellín.
I agreed to this early lease termination as I was already planning to move. She negotiated with me and ended up paying me two months rent for terminating early.
The second I experienced a landlord wanting his apartment back early was because he had sold the property he was living in and wanted to live in the apartment I was leasing.
I pushed back since I had six months remaining on my lease and the landlord didn’t want to pay me three months of rent to terminate the contract early, so he waited until the lease was up.
6. Deposits are not permitted – Deposits are not really allowed as part of apartment lease agreements in Colombia. However, such guarantees may be established either indirectly or through an intermediary such as an insurance company.
This is one of the reasons why real estate agents in Colombia typically require one or more fiadors (cosigners with property) for apartment rentals. However, this fiador requirement can be overcome.
I have heard some foreigners have paid deposits as part of unfurnished apartment leases in Colombia, but I haven’t paid a deposit for any of my unfurnished apartment leases.
7. Leases automatically renew – Unless either the tenant or landlord sends a written notice of termination at least three months before the lease end date, an apartment lease contract in Colombia will be renewed automatically.
The lease renewal will be for the same terms if both parties have complied with their contractual obligations and the tenant accepts any rent increases.  So if you are not planning to renew an apartment rental in Colombia, make sure to send written notice of termination at least three months before the lease end date
Note that tenancy law is enforced before the civil courts in Colombia. Procedures are long, and the courts are saturated with an enormous backlog of cases so I have heard landlords evicting a deadbeat tenant can take a long time – up to a year or more.
Law 820 regulates the eviction process in Colombia, and procedural rules are found in the Colombian Code of Civil Procedure. The eviction process is called “Proceso de restitución de inmueble arrendado.”
The eviction process taking a long time in Colombia is another reason real estate agents require fiadors for unfurnished apartment rentals.

Kitchen inside my current apartment

The Bottom Line

Rental laws in Colombia are fairly favorable to renters with rent increases limited by law to inflation, and there are clearly defined rules for terminating leases early.
Before you rent an unfurnished apartment in Colombia, make sure you understand the above rental laws and information about apartment rental contracts, so real estate agents or others do not mislead you.
If you want to rent an unfurnished apartment, most are leased through Colombian real estate agents. Few agents speak much English, so some Spanish is required.
Most agents will require a fiador (cosigner), but this can be avoided by paying rent in advance as I have done for five years of unfurnished apartment rentals in Medellín.
Some foreigners have had success in bypassing real estate agents and searching for and renting directly from an owner and avoiding the fiador requirement.
But this can be challenging and is a numbers game, it may be a 1 out of 50 chance situation and severely limits your apartment choice. I prefer to use my real estate agent, and I can rent most available properties as there aren’t many exclusive listings in Colombia.
Another way to avoid the fiador requirement is to use an insurance company like Mapfre. But they will only rate your safety as a tenant by looking at any economic activity you have inside Colombia, so you have to be established in Colombia.
Unfortunately, the foreign-owned real estate firms in Colombia don’t really provide rental services for unfurnished apartments to my knowledge.
This is likely due to the commission for unfurnished apartment rentals being fairly low (typically 8-10 percent of rent) and foreigners requiring too much hand-holding.
Foreign-owned real estate agencies would rather deal with property sales where the commissions are 3 percent of the selling price or deal with rentals of furnished apartments that don’t fall under the rules for unfurnished rentals.

New Medellín Helicopter Taxi Service - Medellin Living

The New Medellín Helicopter Taxi Service by Aviatur

November 20, 2015.

The following is a guest post by José Leyba.
I’ve been visiting Medellín for several years, so I was intrigued when a friend told me about the new helicopter taxi service in the city.
My buddy had taken the helicopter from the international airport into the city and was totally jazzed by the experience, so I decided to give it a try when I returned to the States earlier this month. Anything that saves time and sounds exciting always appeals to me.
Operated by Aviatur S.A., the helicopter taxi takes up to five passengers to/from Rio Negro José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) to Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) in the city in less than 10 minutes per trip.
You can book your trip on Aviatur’s website. They offer a variety of transportation services, so you’ll want to click on the “Helicopteros” button to reserve your flight.
Aviatur also has walk-in offices in the departure area of both airports. The one in Rio Negro is not far from the American Airlines ticket counter.

The Good

• The flight took less than seven minutes from takeoff to landing. You can see a video of the entire flight above. It was amazing. A very smooth ride, no turbulence to speak of, even though we flew through a minor rain squall.
• Their helicopter is a modern Italian executive model (I think Mauricio mentioned it was made by Agusta?).
• I was the only passenger, so I sat in the front seat next to the pilot.
• Incredible views of Medellin (watch the video).
• Service is exceptional. I was checked in by a friendly Aviatur representative, then walked through the security checkpoint and out to the landing pad by Mauricio, who was pleasant and helpful.
• When I arrived at Rio Negro I was driven to the terminal by the company’s gerente (manager); Aviatur had decided to stop service on Sundays just after I booked my flight. Even so they operated this one flight just for me instead of cancelling it.
• The manager took me in his BMW X1 for the two-minute drive to the airport terminal. I felt like a real VIP.
• At the airport terminal, I found my carry-on waiting for me in the Aviatur office.

The Not-So-Good

• The cost for the service is 150,000 pesos (about $50 USD at current exchange rates –  ground taxis charge 60,000 to 70,000 pesos, but of course, the trip takes a lot longer).
• There’s a weight restriction on luggage and carry-ons, so if you have anything weighing more than 10 kilos (22 lbs) you’ll have to check it with Aviatur, and they will deliver these bags to your hotel via ground transportation; if you’re flying from the city to Rio Negro, they will pick up your bags from your hotel or apartment early on the morning of your flight (around 8 a.m.).
• Transporting your bags will cost you 44,000 pesos, although I believe it’s a flat rate, not per bag.
• They only fly from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. If your flight arrives in Rio Negro after 5 p.m., you’re out of luck.
• As of November 1, 2015, they no longer offer service on Sundays or Colombian holidays.

It’s not for everyone, but it was certainly a fun experience. I’ll definitely do it again if I have the chance.

Tuesday, November 24th, 2015

I fell asleep quickly and woke up to barking at 6am.  I looked at my watch and immediately the alarm went off.  I got up right away to start the day as I understand Teresa wants to leave fairly early to go somewhere.

According to my iPad note Eddie is supposed to arrive back in Colombia, specifically Envigado, today.

At 8am it was only 60 degrees outside the finca.  We left the finca at 8:05 and gave the killer dogs a dog biscuit.  At the top of the hill the internet cable was still just over our heads.  At the new highway Teresa talked to a couple guys who I understood were installing the internet cable.  I understood they were to finish laying the cable today and that I should be able to get (automatically) better and/or more dependable internet service because of it.

We waited 15 minutes for a bus to Caldas that let us off at the highway side entrance and we walked the couple blocks into town.  On the way I bought a banana for 200 pesos to help ward off leg cramps.  In Merkepaisa Teresa picked up some ribs and vegetables and Walter was waiting for us as we came out.  We stopped at Aymara where Teresa picked up a couple slices of apple cake chicken pastries.  His taxi carried us up the hill without incident.  At the top of the hill I noticed that the cable was now strung high like the surrounding electric lines.

I opened the fence and he drove down to 100’ from the finca where the large rocks begin.  He helped us carry our 5 large bags and I gave him 20mil.

Eddie called in the afternoon.  I forgot that he has a room in Laureles not Envigado.  He gave me the contact information for the lady he rented his room from.  Maybe we can rent a room from her after some of my chess games next year.  It’s ironic that two years ago when we first met I was in Laureles and he was in Envigado and now it’s almost the opposite.

Since last week in Chess Magnet School I’ve improved from 26% to 38% towards my next promotion but those puzzles are very hard.

My NIU Huskies lost to the Ohio Bobcats 26-20.

I set the alarm for 7am, took 3 sleeping pills at 10pm and went to bed at 10:45.

T-shirt of the day: True love is like fashion – timeless.

The Problem

This is the problem that I shared with Teresa Monday night.

In 2014 Colombia passed a new law (article 43 of law 1739 of 2014) effective 2015 that all residents must pay taxes on their world wide income.  I don’t think that is fair since I pay taxes on my US income to the US every year.  If I earned income here I would understand having to pay Colombian taxes.  So far I’m not aware of any gringos who have had to pay this tax but because of this change many who were thinking of retiring here are looking elsewhere and many who live here are considering leaving.

Because of this I want to delay signing the Union Libre document at the notary and I want to renew my Visa next month again as a Pensionado.

I don’t know what effect this may have financially in the future.  If I need to pay taxes to Colombia and the Peso drops in value there may be a lot of things in the future I may not be able to afford.

Monday, November 23rd, 2015

I got up once at 12:50, again at 5:30, finally waking/getting up at 9:15.

I received an email from MBE in Medellin that my prostate vitamins have arrived.  I have enough for another 2+ months so there isn’t any hurry picking them up.

I’ve decided to try practicing my chess opening by playing Shredder but using the ChessGames.com database to guide me on my best moves.

I took a nap from 2 to 4pm and Teresa joined me for about the last hour.  I hope I don’t have trouble sleeping tonight.

I told Teresa about The Problem, we discussed it for some time and decided we will just wait and see what happens.  She recommended we talk to some other gringos in her mother’s apartment and see if they know more.

I read a newspaper article that defines SAS as Simplified Stock Company.

I watched a little of the Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots game.

I watched Amazon Women on the Moon (6.1).  It was occasionally funny but I thought Don “no soul” Simmons was hilarious.  And I couldn’t believe Carrie Fisher was in the last sketch.

I took 3 sleeping pills at 10:55, set the alarm to 6am and went to bed at 11:15.

T-shirt of the day: Love hating things.

Sunday, November 22nd, 2015

I fell asleep rather quickly and didn’t wake up until 5am.  I fell asleep again and woke up to the 7am alarm.  Teresa pleaded for a few more minutes and said something about Exito and 10am.  Lying there I thought “I won’t be able to get back to sleep.  If she wanted a few more minutes we should have set the alarm for later.  And if I could fall asleep I might wake up late.”  I got up and after I came out of the shower Teresa was already up.

Even though it was a cool morning I wore a t-shirt since we weren’t seeing a doctor and this should be a quick trip to Envigado and back.

We left the finca at 8am and the German shepherd alerted the killer dogs and they were waiting for us as we approached Guillermo’s house.  I could see both of them salivating so that’s when I knew I’ve got them.  I gave each of them a dog biscuit and we continued up the hill.

On the way down the hill Teresa greeted and talked briefly with an older man and middle aged woman at Don Carlos’ old finca.  At the highway we only had to wait 5 minutes for a bus.

In Home Center Teresa picked up 2 cans of black paint used for painting metal.  I saw a Black & Decker Belgian waffle maker for 110mil; maybe some other day.  On our way to the garden to buy the white plant she’s been wanting we passed the Christmas displays.  She put the paint down and selected a plastic tube of 50 4” diameter gold colored plastic balls for 45mil and then a decorative LED lantern for 65mil.

We walked over to Exito and had a light breakfast in their cafeteria.  I had a croissant and coffee and Teresa had fish.  While waiting for her to bring the food I leafed through a recent issue of Jet-Set magazine and saw that a Leah Remini has a book out titled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology which is now a #1 New York Times Bestseller.  Per Amazon The outspoken actress, talk show host, and reality television star offers up a no-holds-barred memoir, including an eye-opening insider account of her tumultuous and heart-wrenching thirty-year-plus association with the Church of Scientology.  So now she’s considered a “suppressive person” by the church.  We picked up some arepas, some ground beef and a small bottle of Coke and while I was waiting to pay for it Teresa stopped at the pharmacy and bought some medicine for Peluche.

We took a taxi to the highway and after a short wait were on an express bus back to the finca.  On the bus the bottom fell out of the plastic tube and several balls fell out and I was scrambling in the aisle and behind the seat to capture them all.

Walking up the hill we stopped at the new finca and Teresa talked to the old man – something about wrought iron plant holders I think.  On our way up the rest of the hill we saw men stringing new cable overhead.  Teresa said it was Une putting down internet cable for other fincas.

The killer dogs met us at Guillermo’s house and I gave each of them a dog biscuit.

About 40 minutes before game time I asked Teresa if the new cable they are laying might give me a stronger more reliable connection.  She suggested we go ask the young men.  Even though I was in my pajamas I put on gym shoes and we got past the killer dogs undetected.  At the top of the hill we saw the young men down by the highway and Teresa suggested I go down and ask them.  I didn’t like that idea for 3 reasons: 1) I was in my pajamas, 2) they might say something I wouldn’t understand and only if Teresa was with me could she maybe explain later, and 3) I would surely be sweating by the time I got back up the hill.

As we walked back to the finca and I had to pay another 2 dog biscuit toll.

I had a pretty good Slingbox connection today to see the game but at 3:30 a thunderstorm came through and I lost my internet connection when the Bears were inside their 10 yard line driving for a touchdown.  I got my connection back with 2:30 left to play just in time to see Jay Cutler get strip sacked.  Aarrgh!  The Bears lost to the Denver Broncos 17-15.

Teresa fed Peluche a tablet by wrapping it in a small piece of bread.  I understand it’s to reduce pain and lessen inflammation.

I played a few games of chess using my new Shredder app.  After I won each of the first two games it notified me that it was going to increase its strength.  After that I lost 3 games in a row and it lowered its strength each time.  It’s nice that eventually I will be playing against someone just about my strength.

We finished watching Gone Girl.  As far as I could tell it followed the book exactly.  I only found one possible plot hole; what was Desi Collings really doing the day Amy was kidnapped?  Of course imdb.com listed many more plot holes.

I took my sleeping pills at 10:15 and went to bed at 10:45.

T-shirt of the day: Twerk it.

Joke

Did you hear about the patient in a body cast?  The fellow in bed next to him asked him what he did for a living.

He said “I was a window washer at the Empire State Building.”

The other fellow said, “When did you quit?”

He replied “Halfway down.”

Saturday, November 21st, 2015

I fell asleep rather quickly and only got up once just before 5am.  After about another 45 minutes I fell asleep again finally waking up at 9:15 and getting up at 9:45.

I finally got past Chocolate Island 2 in Mario Bros.  Unfortunately it was on my last life and I didn’t get far in Chocolate Island 3.

Teresa told me we’re low on food but if I will have a hamburger for lunch we can wait until tomorrow to go out.  But we’ll have to leave early because my game is at 1pm.

It started raining at 1:50pm but stopped at 2pm.  It started again 3 minutes later but stopped by 2:30.  More thunder heard at 4:25 and more rain came down at 4:43 and it started getting heavy at 5:20.  It stopped 10 minutes later.

It’s been awhile since I checked but according to MBE my 4 bottles of Prostate vitamins (0.74kg) were processed 4 days ago and are now “In Transit” from Miami.

I subscribed to ChessGames.com for $29 a year.

I took my sleeping pills at 10:30 and we went to bed at 10:45.

T-shirt of the day: I’m a pole dancer.