Colombia is located in South America, neighbouring to countries Venezuela,
Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Panama.
This map shows the cities (chronologically) in Colombia that I visited:
Click here for a calendar view of my trip itinerary.
Bogotá is the capital of Colombia.
Located 2625 meters above sea level makes Bogotá the fourth highest capital city in the world.
It took me a couple of days to acclimatize to the high altitude.
This is a spot where
tourists get their photo taken
with the sign.
Museo Nacional de Colombia
The National Museum of Colombia was founded in 1823 and operates as a
Special Administrative Unit of the Colombian Ministry of Culture.
The collection is under the supervision of four curators:
Art, archaeology, ethnography and history, which together exhibit approximately 2,500 pieces
Máscara Ritual (Ritual Mask): Pamiwa people, used for funerary purposes.
Urna Funeraria (Funerary Urn):
The skeletal remains of individuals are exhumed and placed in these funerary urns.
The shape of the urn symbolizes the maternal womb and a new beginning.
Anthropomorphic Figure: In polished and carved stone, found in the San Augustin region, 1 - 900 CE.
Aerolito de Santa Rosa de Viterbo: This was a meteorite found in 1810,
in the Tocavita Hill, near the town of Santa Rosa de Viterbo.
Weight: 411 kg
Composition: 93% Iron, 6% Nickel, 0.7% Cobalt, 0.2% Carbon, 0.1% Phosphorous, Sulfur, and Chromium
Museo del Oro
The Gold Museum in Bogota contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold
and other materials from all of Colombia's major pre-Hispanic cultures.
Gold Mask
The jaguar and the puma symbolize male power and strength in Amerindian thought,
also the skill and wisdom of the hunter and warrior.
Gold Breast Plate
The roundness of the breastplates that were worn by important women and chieftains
alluded, as did the burial mounds, to the place where fertilisation, gestation, and rebirth
took place.
Poporo Quimbaya (Lime Container)
It was with this lime container, which was found in Antioquia in the 19th century,
that Banco de la Republica started it's Gold Museum in 1939.
It is an imitation of a gourd, the rounded features of which were associated with the female body.
La Balsa de la Ofrenda (The Offering Raft)
According to present-day indigenous groups, gold is the fertilising energy of the Sun Father,
while lakes are the womb of the Earth Mother.
When the gilded chieftain threw gold and offerngs into the waters from the raft,
he was making a pact with nature for life to be renewed.
The Lime Container and The Offering Raft are the feature pieces of this museum.
Museo Botero
In the year 2000, Fernando Botero donated an art collection of 208 pieces to Banco de la República.
123 of these were his personal artwork and 85 were from his private collection of renowned international artists.
Based on this collection, the Botero Museum was founded.
The museum is located in the La Candelaria neighborhood, a historical section of Bogota,
in a colonial house that until 1955 served as the office of the archbishop.
"Mona Lisa" [1978]
Fernando Botero
This is an homage to the
Leonardo Da Vinci painting of the Mona Lisa
at the Louvre, in Paris. Of course, the Botero version is large in comparison.
"Pareja Bailando" (Dancing Couple) [1987]
Fernando Botero
The painting "Pareja Bailando" is in the style of Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Dance" paintings,
but with the Botero touch.
"El Estudio" (The Study) [1990]
Fernando Botero
"La Carta" (The Letter) [1976]
Fernando Botero
Casa Museo Quinta de Bolívar
Simón Bolívar is one of South America’s most successful revolutionaries,
who brought independence to a large portion of South America.
He was the first president of what is now known as Colombia, taking office in 1819.
The Quinta de Bolívar is a colonial house in Bogota, Colombia,
that served as a residence to Simón Bolívar in the capital after the war of independence.
It is now used as a museum dedicated to Bolívar's life and times.
The path to the house passes through el Jardin Bolivariano (The Bolivarian Garden).
Comedor (Dining Room)
Gran Salon (Living Room)
Cerro de Monserrate
Monserrate is a high mountain over 10,000 feet high that dominates the city center of Bogotá.
It rises to 3,152 meters (10,341 ft) above the sea level, 500 meters above Bogota,
where there is a church (built in the 17th century) with a shrine, devoted to El Señor Caído ("The Fallen Lord").
The Monserrate Funicular is a Cable car to transport people to the top of Cerro Monserrate.
There is also a Gondola and a trail that is used for getting to the top of the montain.
The Basilica Santuario del Señor Caído de Monserrate is a Catholic basilica located at the top of Cerro Monserrate, which is consecrated under the invocation of the Fallen Lord of Monserrate. The basilica, inaugurated in 1920, is a pilgrimage sanctuary that is part of the Archidiocese of Bogotá.
There are great views of Bogotá from atop Cerro Monserrate (albeit a little hazy when I was there).
Plaza de Bolívar
Located in the La Candaleria district of Bogotá is Plaza de Bolívar (Bolívar Square).
It hosts a statue of Simón Bolívar and is surrounded by
the Catedral Primada de Colombia and the Capitolio Nacional de Colombia.
The first building in the square, a primitive cathedral, was constructed in 1539,
a year after the founding of the Colombian capital.
There was an outdoor market in the square when I was there.
Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá
The Catedral de Sal de Zipaquirá (Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá) is an underground Roman Catholic church
built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 metres (660 ft) underground in a halite mountain
near the city of Zipaquirá, in Cundinamarca, Colombia.
It is a tourist destination and place of pilgrimage in the country.
The temple at the bottom has three sections, representing the birth, life, and death of Jesus.
The icons, ornaments and architectural details are hand carved in the halite rock.
After descending down a semicircular tunnel, one encounters 14 small chapels,
with each chapel depicting one of the stations of the cross
in the form of interpretive carvings in the rock.
Station I
Jesus is condemned to death
Station II
Jesus is made to bear his cross
Station III
Jesus falls for the first time
Station IV
Jesus meets his mother
Station V
Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross
Station VI
Veronica wipes Jesus’ face
Station VII
Jesus falls for the second time
Station VIII
The women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus
Station IX
Jesus falls for the third time
Station X
Jesus is stripped of his garments
Station XI
Jesus is nailed to the cross
Station XII
Jesus dies on the cross
Station XIII
Jesus is taken down from the cross
Station XIV
Jesus is placed in the sepulchre
Capilla Virgen de Guasa
The Capilla Virgen de Guasa (Chapel of the Virgin of Guasa) is a chapel dedicated
to the patron saint of miners.
The crystals in the chapel's chandelier are made of salt.
The large cross behind the main alter is carved into the stone such that it appears to be floating in front of the wall.
Street Art and Murals
Bogotá is one of the most street-art-friendly cities on Earth,
with walls as high as seven stories on major streets being used as canvases.
Police now protect the rights of artists and the city frequently supports street art culture
through incentives and city-sponsored projects.
Septembrine Conspiracy
This is the window in the Presidential Palace that Simón Bolívar climbed out of
to escape an assassination attempt,
known as the "Septembrine Conspiracy", on September 25, 1828.
Luckily for Bolívar, his mistress woke him up and assisted in his escape.
Oddly enough, the sign below the window noting this event is written in Latin and not in Spanish.
Medellín is known as the “City of Eternal Spring” because of it's temperate weather
all year round. At 1,495 meters above sea level, it is warmer than Bogotá ,
but not as hot as the coastal cities.
The Medellín sign
that I'm standing in front of
is located in Plaza Botero.
Comuna 13
Located on the western mountainsides of Medellín at the end of the Metro "B" line
are the homes of Comuna 13. Originally being an unsanctioned community meant that
the government provided no police services, thus Comuna 13 was exploited as a conduit
for drug and arms trafficking by the cartels and gangs throughout the 1980's and 1990's.
Once considered the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the world, Comuna 13 today
is relatively safe. Interestingly enough, there still is a gang influence in Comuna 13,
providing "protection" for businesses. There is a 20% tax paid to the local government,
and a 1% tax paid to the local gang.
Murals & Graffiti
One will notice a plethora of street art in Comuna 13, whether in the form of graffiti
or murals. This is encouraged, and for the murals, these must be done using spray paint.
The best artists will get commissioned to do murals for private walls throughout
the city.
Street art is an outlet for the people here to express themselves and can be a path
out of poverty.
Hip Hop
Another form of expression by the residence of Comuna 13 is music and dance,
in the form of Hip Hop.
Comuna 13 Escalators
As much of Comuna 13 is located on the mountainsides, getting up and down from one's home
can be an arduous and time consuming task.
Schools and markets are located in the valley.
In 2011, the local government installed 6 sets of outdoor elevators, ascending 384 meters up
the mountainside.
With this, now children can get to school easily, and the community felt like part of the city
instead of being outliers to Medellín.
Museo Casa de la Memoria
The Memory House Museum is a multimedia museum and archive detailing the violence that plagued the city
and Colombia, for more than 30 years.
Through photos, videos, voices, and artifacts, the somber but important space looks to the dark past
of armed conflict and the drug cartels while steadfastly paying tribute, and remembering, the many victims.
The family and victim's recounting of the violent past is saddening,
and hopefully the recording of such accounts will prevent such things from happening again.
Museo de Antioquia
The Museum of Antioquia (Museo de Antioquia) is an art museum in Medellín, Colombia.
It houses a large collection of works by Medellín native Fernando Botero and Pedro Nel Gómez.
It was the first museum established in Antioquia department and the second in Colombia.
The museum is located in the center of Medellín on the Botero Plaza near the Berrío Park metro station.
Botero Collection in Museum
There is a good collection of Fernando Botero paintings and sculptures in the museum.
It seems Botero had a sense of humour, expressed in his artwork.
Pedro Nel Gómez Mural
In the museum stairwell is a triptych mural:
Modern Art
The museum has a collection of modern art.
It's not too over the top, though there is a 'blank' painting in the collection.
Plaza Botero
The Botero Plaza, located between the Museum of Antioquia and the Palace of Culture,
is a park with 23 Fernando Botero's sculptures placed about.
Among the sculptures in Botero Plaza are:
Iglesia de la Veracruz
Considered as one of the oldest churches in Medellín, dating back to 1682,
is the Iglesia de la Veracruz (Church of Veracruz).
The church was declared a cultural heritage of the nation on March 12, 1982.
The church is located just south of Plaza Botero and the Museo de Antioquia.
Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín
The Medellín Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1978
The art was interesting, and not too silly like some other modern art. Most of the art were from Colombian artists.
Negro Utópico (Negro Utopia), by Liliana Angulo Cortés
This caricature image shows the stereotypes associated with the Afro, and more specifically with Afro women. It also questions the representations and roles that have been culturally constructed towards this population and that have been generalized through language, advertising and television, normalizing racist practices.
I enjoyed the humour and satire in this piece.
Plaza Cisneros
Plaza Cisneros, also known as Parque de las Luces (Park of Lights),
is a public square in downtown Medellín, Colombia.
Named after Cuban engineer Francisco Javier Cisneros,
who pioneered the Antioquia Railway, it dates back to the early 20th century
and was once a bustling market area.
By the late 20th century, it had deteriorated into a high-crime zone.
In 2005, as part of Medellín's urban renewal,
it was transformed with 300 tall light poles forming a "forest"
that provides shade by day and a stunning illuminated display at night.
Surrounded by historic buildings like the EPM Library and old railway station,
it's now a symbol of the city's rebirth and a popular spot for visitors.
Monumento a Gilberto Echeverri y Guillermo Gaviria
Located in Medellín’s Plaza de la Alpujarra,
this bronze sculpture by Salvador Arango honors
Governor Guillermo Gaviria and
Peace Commissioner Gilberto Echeverri.
Kidnapped during a 2002 non-violence march and killed in 2003,
the pair are commemorated as martyrs for peace.
The monument stands as a powerful tribute to their legacy of dialogue
and civic courage in Colombia.
Montería is a municipality and city located in northern Colombia and the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city and region are known for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of mainly colonial Spanish descendants, indigenous Zenú peoples, and Crypto-Jews.
Catedral de San Jeronimo
Located in the Laureano Gómez Park in the center of the city is Catedral de San Jeronimo.
This Gothic and Republican style cathedral was built in 1784.
Ronda del Sinú
The Ronda del Sinú is a park that lines the eastern bank of the Sinú River.
It was built in 2005 and is approximately 4 kilometers long.
There are various wild animals such as iguanas, sloths, squirrels and various species of monkeys,
as well as the tropical dry forest flora typical of the region.
The park has ecological, cultural, recreational and craft areas.
From the park, one can see the planchones, which are the motorless ferries, that bring people across the river.
There is a cable that pulls the planchones across the river.
I was able to spot a monkey and an iguana when I was there.
Monumento al Porro
The porro is a musical style and dance from the Caribbean region of Colombia. It is a Colombian cumbia rhythm that developed into its own subgenre.
María Barilla, raising her skirt in the air, is the central figure of this sculpture titled "Monumento al Porro"
and that it is located on the banks of the Sinú River and that it is accompanied by six musicians who play the traditional instruments of the porro. It is located in the Sinú Cultural Plaza,
which is a place intended for cultural events and as a tourist attraction.
Cartagena
Cartagena, known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias,
is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region,
bordering the Caribbean sea.
Murallas de Cartagena
The Walls of Cartagena (Murallas de Cartagena) are 11 km of stone walls surrounding the
original old city of Cartagena.
Construction of the wall began towards the end of the 16th century after the attack by Francis Drake;
until that time, Cartagena was almost completely unprotected.
The project took two centuries to complete, due to repeated storm damage and pirate attacks.
Pictured are sections of the wall:
Museo de Cartagena de Indias
Founded in 1924, the Museo de Cartagena de Indias operates in the old Palace of the Inquisition.
It offers two great attractions: the Rooms of the Inquisition, Human Rights and Coexistence
and four rooms on the History of Cartagena.
It currently operates as a Public Corporation attached to the District of Cartagena.
In the museum courtyard, they have items on display, such as:
Torture and Confessions
Torture was used by the Inquisition to both extract confessions and punish the accused.
Torture methods include the thumb crusher, water torture, iron maiden, stocks, and the head crusher.
Kalamary Village Model
Kalamary means "crab" in the Carribbean language;
crab was an essential food of the indigenous Kalamary people.
The model shows a typical Kalamary village
with circular huts and palm covered roofs and bahareque construction.
Las Fiestas de la Candelaria
Celebrated in Cartagena on February 2,
Las Fiestas de la Candelaria is celebrated, according to the Catholic calendar
in memory of the biblical passage of the Presentation of the Child Jesus
in the Temple of Jerusalem and the purification of the Virgin Mary after childbirth.
Pictured are examples of the clothes Mary and Baby Jesus wears.
Museo del Oro Zenú
This small Gold museum offers a collection of the gold and pottery of the Zenú (also known as Sinú) people,
who inhabited the region of the present-day departments of Bolívar, Córdoba,
Sucre and northern Antioquia before the Spanish Conquest.
A collection of Gold Breastplates and pottery at the Museo del Oro Zenú.
Botero "Monumento a Gertrudis"
Located in the Plaza de Santo Domingo, is the Fernando Botero sculpture "Monumento a Gertrudis".
Museo de Arte Moderno
Housed in a converted part of the 17th-century former Royal Customs House,
the Museo de Arte Moderno hosts a collection of the works of Colombian artists.
The art is good and not silly (or crap) like other "modern art".
As mentioned earlier, it is a small collection spread over two floors,
but not weird stuff like in other Modern Art museums.
TinTin Pieces By Gabriel Ortega, his work places the character Tintin and Snowy (the dog)
in various famous works of art. Funny stuff. This is a temporary exhibit.
The art pieces shown here are:
Iglesia De Santa Clara Convento De La Popa
Located on a 148 meter hill overlooking Cartagena is the Iglesia De Santa Clara Convento De La Popa.
Construction of religious facilities here began in 1607, which includes a convent, chapel, and cloister.
Interior of the chapel.
Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas
Located on a small hill (40 meters) is the Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas (Fort of San Felipe de Barajas).
Located to the east outside the walls of the old Cartagena,
the fort was built in 1536 and is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location,
dominating approaches to the city by land or sea.
The cannons of the fort were pointed inland, away from the city. In the disance is the hill on which the Iglesia De Santa Clara Convento De La Popa sits.
There are a maze of tunnels under the fort.
There are nice views of Cartagena and the surrounding area from the Fort.
Museo Naval del Caribe
The Naval Museum of the Caribbean is split between the colonial maritime history of Cartagena
and a history of the Colombian Navy.
Barranquilla is known as the "Golden Gate" of Colombia.
Museo del Atlantico
The Museo del Atlántico is a cultural museum in Barranquilla, Colombia,
dedicated to safeguarding the history and culture of the Atlántico region of Colombia.
The Museo del Atlantico is small museum with a collection of paintings, sea shells, and sculptures.
Paseo de Bolívar
Located in the heart of the Centro Historico of Barranquilla, Paseo de Bolívar is a plaza
with a statue of Simón Bolívar in the middle.
There's also a couple of cannons on the plaza.
Plaza de San Nicolás
The Plaza de San Nicolás (San Nicolás Square) is a public space
located in front of the Church of San Nicolás de Tolentino.
From the 18th century until the first half of the 20th century,
it was the epicenter of the social, commercial and cultural life of the city.
It is located in the Historic Center of Barranquilla.
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a beach town located on the north coast of Colombia, on the Atlantic Ocean.
It is the capital of Magdalena Department and the fourth-largest urban city of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, after Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Soledad.
Museo del Oro - Casa de la Aduana
Renovated in 2014, the Museo del Oro - Casa de la Aduana is the new meeting point of culture in Santa Marta
and complements the valuable cultural and educational work offered to the Samarians
by the Banco de la República Library.
An extraordinary collection, an exhibition that puts cultural heritage in context
and a beautiful restored colonial house invite you to explore the past and present of Santa Marta,
the department of Magdalena and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
The Museo del Oro - Casa de la Aduana has a small collection of gold items on display.
The Gold Bird Heads piece was the most intricate gold specimen at this museum.
The "Casa de la Aduana" (Customs House) was where Simón Bolívar stayed when in Santa Marta and where he laid in state December 17 - 20, 1830 after his death.
There are infographics displays in the Casa de la Aduana with information about the history of the area.
Iglesia San Francisco
Origins of the church date back to 1597, but the current structure was built in 1860.
A fire in gutted the interior in 1962 and has been rebuilt since.
Interestingly enough, the church was used as a women's prison in the late 17th century
during the English occupation of Santa Marta.
Catedral Basilica de Santa Marta
The Catedral Basilica de Santa Marta was built around 1794, with it's facade style inspired
by French Neo-classicism. The remains of Simón Bolívar was kept here from December 1830 to November 1842.
Acuario Mundo Marino
Located 6 km south of Santa Marta is the Acuario Mundo Marino (Marine World Aquarium).
The aquarium's indoor section consists of small tanks of various tropical fish.
The outdoor section is a large pool with an underwater section where you can view
the large fish, as well as other pools hosting turtles and stingrays.
Indoor Tanks
The indoor tanks hosted mostly tropical fish.
Sea Horse
The sea horse is a neat looking creature.
Interestingly enough, sea horses can not only move forward, but also up, down and backward.
Puffer Fish
The puffer fish, also known as the blowfish, are a toxic fish that can inflate themselves into a ball
by ingesting water or air.
I tried to make the puffer fish in the aquarium inflate, but was unsuccessful.
At least the aquarium had a static model of an inflated puffer fish.
Outdoor Tanks
It was mesmerizing watching the various large fish swimming by slowly in the outdoor tanks.
There were fish 2 meters in length swimming around.
Turtles
There were several small ponds in which turtles reside.
In one of the ponds, one of the turtles seemed curious at my presence there.
Stingrays
The aquarium has a collection of small stingrays, hovering around the bottom of the pool.
Shark
I was attacked by the aquarium's shark. It was very painful. Ouch!
Taganga and Playa de Taganga
Located 6 km north east of Santa Marta and surrounded by mountains is the village of Taganga.
Taganga is a jump point for taking boats to secluded beaches and
hiking in Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona.
Of course, one could just stay and relax on Playa de Taganga (Taganga Beach).
Escultura India Tayrona
At Taganga Beach are several sculptures depicting the Tayrona indigeneous people of the area.
Sunset at Playa Los Cocos
A nice picture of the sun setting over the Caribbean Sea, at Playa Los Cocos, Santa Marta.
Salchipapas: The Colombian version of the Salchipapas involves adding a lot of stuff
in addition to the base ingredients of wieners and french fries. The salchipapas I ordered
included cheese on top, bacon, chicken bits, and julienne fries, and used sausages instead of wieners.
Very tasty!
Appropriately named, as "salchicha" is "sausage", and "papas" is "potatoes"; thus salchipapas is sausage potatoes.
Guarapo: This is a drink made from squeezing the juice out of sugar cane
and adding some lime juice to. Served with ice, this is a very refreshing drink.
The juice is freshly squeezed by street vendors and served fresh, as shown.
Empanada: Typically made with corn flour and deep fried, it is usually filled with meat such as chicken and ground beef, vegetables, and cheese. The shell is folded over and pinched close, giving the empanada it's semicircular shape. It reminds me of a hard shelled taco, but closed off.
Hormigas Culonas: These large leaf cutter ants are collected in April and May each year
in the Santander region of Colombia. The female Queen ants come out of the nest to mate
at this time, and only the Queen ants are collected at this time.
Hormigas Culonas is considered a delicacy in Colombia.
The literal translation of Hormigas Culonas is "Big Ass Ants".
The ants were crunchy and salty, and sort of had a peanut taste to it.
The Arepa is made from ground corn dough and is typically filled with cheese and meat. It is flat and round and can be grilled, baked, fried, boiled, or steamed.
Chicha is fermented drink made from corn. Chicha has been deemed illegal in Colombia since 1949, yet is openly sold in some neighbourhoods. To me, chicha tasted like apple cider and has body and texture to it.
Patacones are made from frying green plantains. Tasting very much like fried potatoes, patacones are included as a side on many dishes.
Perros Calientes are hot dogs, but with a Colombian touch. Besides the standard topping such as ketchup and mustard, the perros calientes can be pre-dressed with toppings such as cheese, mayonnaise, fritters, ham, pineapple, etc.
Hamburgeusa (hamburger) is a popular fast food.
Very much like the hamburgers back home, the Colombians do add their own touch of dressing the burger.
The burger I had in Cartagena was covered in cheese.
Because the burger was covered in cheese, I ate it using a knife and fork.
Asados usually consists of beef or pork or chicken,
all of which are cooked using an open fire or a grill, called a parrilla.
Side dishes such as salads accompany the main meats.
The first dish shown is a cerdo asado (pork),
and the second dish is a 3 meat asado of cerdo (pork), res (beef), and pollo (chicken).
The asados were delicious!
Tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and typically filled with two main components:
meat; this can be beef, pork, or chicken, and corn mash called “la masa”.
The chicken tamale I had also had rice, chick peas, and carrot in it.
Tamales are similar to the Chinese sticky rice wraps.
Autobuses Públicos (Interurbano): On this trip, I mainly utilized intercity public buses (autobuses públicos interurbano) to get me between
towns and to see sights.
Pictured is the bus I took from Bogota to Medellin.
Autobuses Públicos (Urbano): To get me from the intercity bus terminal to my accomodations and
around town, I utilized the Urban bus.
The urban buses were not easy for the visitor, as the routes they take are usually not well documented
and the sign in the windshied of the bus usually only states the intersections that the bus passes through.
They also take a circuitous route around town.
There are usually no offical bus stops, so to grab a bus, one stands on the side of the road and
waves at the bus when the appropriate bus comes by.
To get off the bus, if there's no buzzer, one yells at the driver to let you off.
I would call out "aqui, por favor" (here, please) to get off the bus. That seemed to work.
Metro:
The only Metro system in Colombia is found in Medellin. Very clean and modern.
There are two metro lines: one running north-south ("A-Line"),
and one running east-west ("B-Line").
Motorcycle "Taxi"
It seems every motorcycle is an unofficial taxi.
This is a very popular method of transport, used by both men and women.
The motorcycle can bypass a lot of the car traffic jams, and thus can get you to your destination quicker.
However, the ride can be quite "exciting" as you squeeze between cars and go through red lights.
Bus Rapid Transit
When you don't have a Metro or streetcar system, you create a Bus Rapid Transit system.
This consists of articulated buses that have dedicated bus lanes and stations that connect
the city together.
Because there are dedicated bus lanes, the buses do move faster than the traffic clogged
street full of cars and motorbikes.
Airplane There were 5 flights on this trip.
To get to Colombia, I flew from Vancouver (YVR) to Houston (IAH),
then Houston to Bogota (BOG).
For my return home, I flew from Santa Marta (SMR) to Bogota,
then Bogota to Houston,
then Houston to Vancouver.
Pictured is the plane I took from Houston to vancouver.
Bogotá: Portelli Hostel
Medellin: Centro Hostel
Monteria: Hotel en Monteria
Cartagena: San Jacinto Hostel
Barranquilla: Costa Caribe Hotel
Santa Marta: Distrito Hostel
High Curbs
I don't know why the curbs are so high.
The ramps from the street to the sidewalk are pretty steep too.
The sidewalks are pretty uneven too and are a tripping hazard.
Pedestrian Signals
The pedestrian signals have the standard icons of a man walking
to represent "Walk", and a man standing to represent "No Walk".
However, to maintain gender equality, the "Walk" and "No Walk" icons also have a female version.
Common Toilet Paper Dispenser
In many public washrooms, toilet paper is supplied by a common dispensor outside the toilet stall.
Thus, one must remember to grab the required toilet paper before going into the stall to do the deed.
In the bus terminal washrooms, one also has to pay for the toilet paper!
Luckily for me, as a seasoned traveler, I always carry my own toilet paper.
Reciprocity To Canadians
There was a "special" fee for Canadian visitors to Colombia of CAD $85,
in retaliation to the Canadian Government imposing biometric data on Colombian
Nationals for processing visas.
This new charge was imposed on 2023 November 14, one week before my arrival.
This was a surprise for me and the other Canadians arriving in Bogota. 😠
My trip to Colombia was a nice getaway, escaping the cold gloominess and rain of Vancouver.
However, it was very hot and sunny in the coastal cities of Monteria, Cartagena, Barranquilla,
and Santa Marta; I think I prefer that over the cold, gloomy rain!
As expected, not much English was spoken in Colombia, and I do not speak much Spanish,
so utilizing Google Translate and miming as a form of communications was necessary!
This can be frustrating and stressful for some people, but I look at it as a challenge
as it makes the trip more interesting and interactive.
I believe my most common responses in Spanish were, si (yes), no (no), and que? (what?).
There's a belief that Colombia is dangerous.
I personally didn't feel in danger when I was there,
but I was warned by local police when I was walking up a hill that it was not safe to do
so because of bandits and to take a motorcycle taxi up. There is a saying in Colombia, "No dar papaya",
which translates to, "don't give papaya", but really means don't put yourself into a situation
that can be taken advantage of. Not wanting to give papaya, I took the motorcycle taxi up the hill.
There's a saying, “It's not the destination, it's the journey”. It was true for this trip, as
just figuring out how to get around from place to place was part of the fun.
Overall, another great trip!
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