Where did she go?

[Bootylicious!! 2]

Dude are you for REAL????????????????????? :blink: :blink:

I'm glad you asked and saved me the trouble.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

The Cathedral in the El Prado section of Barranquilla represented for me a "Resurrection" of sorts. Here is where I met my new friend Leidys for the first time, and each subsequent time we went out to explore the city of Barranquilla. Oftentimes via taxi, but also on foot.

This Cathedral will be the site of the Independence Day Peace Festival on Sunday, July 20th. Barranquilleros will jam the plaza in front of this Cathedral, streets will be closed, arteries cordoned off, and thousands are expected to brave either rain or searing Equitorial midday sunlight in order to shout for calmness in a civil war-ravaged Colombia. In fact, this years Independence Day events will boast the likes of superstar musicans Juanes and Shakira, while Pacifist former Presidential Politican and Colombian Congresswoman Ingrid Betancourt will make appearances. 2008 will hold a special Independence Day for Colombians worldwide.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Dude are you for REAL????????????????????? :blink: :blink:

I'm glad you asked and saved me the trouble.

Man, and here I am feeling guilty for watching...

At least those guys are good looking for fkkks sake!

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Military recruitment in Colombia holds the promise of good, stable work while aiding in the fight against insurgents located primarily in the mountainous, coastal jungles, and Amazon basin-regions of Colombia. The Plaza El Prado - just down the street from "El Catedral", or The Cathedral was displaying, "All of the good stuff" used to fight the Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and other terrorist-labeled organizations (both Left and Right wing).

Leidys is a big Military buff who was drawn to this temporary installment at this particular mall. Her dreams of joining the military dissolved when she was not chosen as an applicant out of a field of 100. She still appeard to be disappointed, but not quite defeated. Here are some items which were proudly on display.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

[Savanphil 3]

Whoa, shiny guns

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Dude are you for REAL????????????????????? :blink: :blink:

I'm glad you asked and saved me the trouble.

I consider this to be an "inside look" at the culture of Barranquilla. Sure, I'm for real. This is 100% true. As a matter of fact, I have the home invasion captured on video with an 8 year old little girl narrating the entire time.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING...

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING...

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING...

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING....

[Minya's wife 25]

After eating dinner, I made a few phone calls, and decided some action was in order. The reason for my trip to Barranquilla was to either; 1. Get Onelis on track with our Passports, and K-1 agenda, or 2. Break up and try my best to simply move forward. 1 month had passed since I heard Onelis' voice, and I just didn't quite believe she did not have the means to contact me. Before we met in November, Onelis and I would connect via 'Yahoo' each Sunday at 3 p.m. Sometimes, her 4 year old son would accompany her, where we would spend an hour getting to know each other.

On one particular Sunday, I found myself racing through a yellow light in my Jeep - just missing a red signal light - in front of the local Police, in order to reach the local Internet Cafe on time for our weekly chat. My email in-box took on a dull coldness. No email arrived for days, then weeks from my Costeña Onelis. Naturally, I became upset and completely nervous. Perhaps something bad had happened. On January 1st, a young man attempted to bludgeon her brother Hans inside of their tiny barrio home. This attacker was brazen enough to ignore the fact that it was mid day on a holiday - with an entire family inside of the home. In Colombia, violence takes on a particular randomness. One moment, idyllic calm. The next, full-scale chaos. Barranquilleros have a noted ease that is quickly countered by a slight tension and anxiety. You have to really observe a Costeño closely in order for this quality to become apparent.

When I did not have the time to wait to report on these happenings due to the three Caribbean Gold computers being used. Or, if the DSL transmitter was down, I took a trip over to "Nice Place" Cafe Internet TEL. 3799744 - adjacent to the Hotel Caribbean Gold on the cusp of beautiful, downtown Barranquilla, Colombia. 16 year old Jesus Smith, an English-speaking Cuban immigrant, is the proprietor of this technological oasis. Having an English-speaker nearby in Colombia can be a God-send, in a land where few if any English-speaking locals can be found.

Of course he's a God-send....he's God's son, Jesus. Dunno if I buy the part about Smith as his last name or being from Cuba. I think the story needs some editing there.

-P

[Minya's wife 25]

Dude are you for REAL?????????????????????

I'm glad you asked and saved me the trouble.

Man, and here I am feeling guilty for watching...

At least those guys are good looking for fkkks sake!

Not as good looking as the guys of the original Telemundo novela, upon which the above is based....Pasion de Gavilanes. The guys in that one are hhhoooootttt!!!!

-P

[cellarlily 0]

This is priceless.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Blanca and I bonded on the same night - July 10th, 2008. As I waited for a bottle of ketchup for my French Fries, a young man entered the restaurant lobby. He couldn't have been more than 21 yrs. of age. With a dazed look in his eyes, he was clearly a young junkie who was probably waiting to score a hit at the nearby "Amistad" or "Freedom" Park.

Downtown Barranquilla has a true Jekyl/Hyde reputation among the Barranquilleros. During the day it is a destination. While at night, it is a place that most people fear. The pool hall across the street dead bolts its' front door during business hours with a guard stationed at the main entrance. 19 yr. old Blanca does not work with the benefit of a guard overseeing her personal items while she works each day. Early that evening, as Blanca prepared my meal, and the meals of others, a young Barranquillero stole from the womens purses which were located next to the cash register. Blanca lost her purse, Identification, and about 5,000 Colombian Pesos, about $3.00 in cash. She was immediately speechless, in tears. "All of my money is gone!" she shouted in agony.

Attempting to ease some of her pain, I handed her a 5,000 Peso tip. A random act of kindness on my behalf. From this moment, Blanca became my friend. We both experienced different forms of pain that evening, but from that pain, a new friendship was born.

Blanca is very cute.

[panamania79 2]

I spied a lone man drinking and staring Leidys up and down - that´s when I knew I belonged with this woman, and no one else would have her.

Somehow this doesn't seem to me to be enough to start a life long relationship on - sounds like nothing more than good old fashioned male competition - "I won the prize'. Let's say that lone man hadn't stared Leidys up and down - would Ken have ever discovered she was the one for him? If it takes another man looking at her in appreciation for him to

No worries. I certainly felt caught up in the moment. Leidys makes a great friend. And as I told her, that has to be the foundation in order for anything to work. But, with what I had gone through recently, I am feeling incredibly numb at the moment. So, I am glad to have some time for recovery while I am off from work. Time will give me an idea what to do in the future. Time will allow me to heal and that's what I need right now.

this is a crazi thread fer sure

Life can be that way. I guess what matters most is how we react, and get in control of the situations rather than let them rule over us.

That frutera reminds me of these cookies they used to sell and the lady would walk up and down the street screaming "La negra con la cuca blanca."

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

Blanca and I bonded on the same night - July 10th, 2008. As I waited for a bottle of ketchup for my French Fries, a young man entered the restaurant lobby. He couldn't have been more than 21 yrs. of age. With a dazed look in his eyes, he was clearly a young junkie who was probably waiting to score a hit at the nearby "Amistad" or "Freedom" Park.

Downtown Barranquilla has a true Jekyl/Hyde reputation among the Barranquilleros. During the day it is a destination. While at night, it is a place that most people fear. The pool hall across the street dead bolts its' front door during business hours with a guard stationed at the main entrance. 19 yr. old Blanca does not work with the benefit of a guard overseeing her personal items while she works each day. Early that evening, as Blanca prepared my meal, and the meals of others, a young Barranquillero stole from the womens purses which were located next to the cash register. Blanca lost her purse, Identification, and about 5,000 Colombian Pesos, about $3.00 in cash. She was immediately speechless, in tears. "All of my money is gone!" she shouted in agony.

Attempting to ease some of her pain, I handed her a 5,000 Peso tip. A random act of kindness on my behalf. From this moment, Blanca became my friend. We both experienced different forms of pain that evening, but from that pain, a new friendship was born.

Blanca is very cute.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

How much you wanna bet this thread gets referenced in the next round of "VJ trivia"

totally amazing