Adiós, Colombia
Written by Bessie and Kyle on Thursday, November 27, 2008 in Colombia
Feelin' sad
Colombia is fantastic, I'm sad to be leaving. Yes, the same Colombia that exports the majority of the world's cocaine, and the same one with FARQ guerillas hanging out in the Amazon. Despite the negative media attention Colombia tends to get, it's easy to be here and wonder if that's the same Colombia you're in. Feelin' sad
Think Beyond the Bad Reputation
I really can't encourage people enough, to look past Colombia's bad past, and experience the present. Colombia is a country with extreme beauty: from paradise beaches to superb mountain vistas, these views are only rivaled by the beauty of their people. After our 7 weeks here I feel like I could spend another 7 weeks seeing more sights and further enjoying all that Colombia has to offer.
What makes this such a fantastic country you might wonder? Well, I'll let you in on the secrets not enough travelers venture to experience themselves.
Here's my list of the top 5 things we did in Colombia (and you should do too):
1. paraglide over Chicamocha Canyon (blog post)
2. sleep in hammocks in Parque Tayrona (blog post)
3. Enjoy some city sophistication : visit the Gold Museum in Bogotá or Botero Museum in Medellín
4. salsa dance in Cali or Bogotá
5. walk the cobble-stoned streets of colonial Barichara (blog post)
Are you sure it's really safe?
There's no denying there are risks to traveling in Colombia. The reason I say to look past them, is that the current government administration works really hard to make their country as safe as it can possibly be, and the dangerous areas that exist are small in relation to all that is safe and accessible in Colombia.
There is a strong police and military presence in Colombia, and after 10+ months in Latin America I feel safer having police and armed guards around - to me it means the authorities have control. Colombia police line highways throughout the country, walk neighborhood streets, and especially patrol tourist areas, because improving their reputation is so important to the country, and tourist safety is a high priority.
police leading a protest in Bogotá; officer patrolling Cartagena; ready for the shift in Bogotá
We also kept a close watch on the going-on in Colombia by reading papers, following news feeds, and talking with locals. I don't think we would have had many problems if we hadn't been so vigilant (I know some backpackers aren't), but I rested easier at night. For 1, it's a way to relate with locals, and 2, it's handy to know when a protest is coming into town, a volcano is rumbling, or the Miss Colombia pageant is going on.
Ok, wait, you said Protest...
Colombians like their protests. These people march. It's their way of exercising their freedom of speech, and while we've been here there have been at least 3 big marches.
- a few hundred college students & faculty marched about 4 days for more university funding
- thousands of indigenous people marched (and drove) about 400 miles over a month's time for more workers' rights
- hundreds of thousands of Colombians throughout the country marched and protested throughout cities around the country after the collapse of pyramid investment schemes that stole millions of dollar
pyramid sceme protesters w/ police in riot gear; college students marching into Bogotá
And there's so much more.
I can't put all that's great about Colombia in one blog post (but we do have others!). Colombia wasn't on our "agenda" before we left the states, and in fact we promised parents and loved ones we wouldn't be coming here, all based on the reputation and bad things we'd heard about Colombia. Once on the road though, countless travelers told us of the geographical beauty and unforgetable experiences they had while there, and that it would be our highlight of South America.
While I can't confirm yet that Colombia was the best thing that happened to us in South America, I can say that it exceeded every expectation I had for it, and I can't wait to go back. From here on out, I too will tell travelers not to pass over Colombia, you won't be disappointed.
Comments on "Adiós, Colombia"
andrew would have LOVED that waterfall! since he doesnt know how to be jealous yet i'll be jealous for him. =)
Fantastic round-up - Colombia has been a late addition to my travel plans next year based on blog posts like this, and I really cannot wait to see the country. Thanks for such great posts and photos.
i don't think you'll be disappointed - good luck with your trip planning!
I am following your trips since you came to my home country El Salvador... Many things that you said about Colombia applies to El Salvador too (mainly some misconceptions) so I can relate to your report. And now you have shown us many beautiful things about Colombia which we wouldn't have known otherwise.
Glad you liked Columbia, photos and experiences were beautiful.......glad your leaving! Sorry, just a parent thing!
Hey Bessie,
by Tami Huber at November 28, 2008 07:02 PMLinda says your travels have led you to Ecuador. That is where I served my mission and is one of my favorite places. Your map shows you are in Ottavalo. That is a MUST see! They have the market every day, but the BIG one on Saturday I believe. I was mostly doing missionary work when I was there, but, things I would like to have seen include Banos (beautufil waterfalls I am sure you have heard) guayaquil (beaches are there, the mormon temple), one of the five volcanoes (for hiking, skiing etc). La mitad del mundo was cool, but not terribly exciting if that is what you are after, and there were some cool cathedrals in Quito. I spent time in Ibarra, Santo Domingo, and San Rafael (1 hr outside of quito).
What do you guys plan to do there? I'd love to hear about it. Glad you enjoyed Columbia!