Zona Cafetera was my most favorite region in Colombia, and that is a difficult thing to declare, as so many other departments are close seconds in this race. It ultimately boils down to my love of the roasted bean and infatuation with the cowboy farmers that saunter through the open plazas sipping hot coffee or chugging aguardiente. Each colorful plaza filled with the lilting sounds of Latin love songs, and the staccato stomps of a well-worn boot heel on cobble-stones, reverberates like a wave through my solar plexus. High mountains and intensely emerald-green jungles encroach on the barely defined borders of each small village and hard-earned plantation. I am heady with the scents of wet, nutrient-rich, Pachamama earth and all of the appetizing aromas man cooks with her gifts – simmering chicken stock wafting from a sidewalk cafe, coffee grounds and cinnamon-vanilla baked goods.  I could easily while away a day indulging my taste buds, spying on young love and old flirtation, and widening my appreciation of the wackiest color combinations for building exteriors.

Continue Reading…

Midway through our stay in Medellin, we took a side trip to Guatape, a small Antioquian town about two hours away. Many travelers visit this municipality as a day trip, but we opted to spend a night and sight-see at a slightly leisurely pace. Our first goal was to climb the Penol Rock, a monolithic stone formation that soars over 200 meters into the sky. In order to reach the uppermost viewing platform, we had to summit 740 painful steps, built steeply up the cliff-face, in great humidity, with swarms of strange insects flying into our eyes and mouths (gag!). Passing Virgin Mary statues, I saw fellow climbers crossing themselves, probably praying that their hearts wouldn’t stop. As hoped for, the views at the top did make the workout worth it, providing a 360 degree view of the surrounding manmade finger lakes (a reservoir built for hydro-electricity).

Continue Reading…

Medellin, more than any other Colombian city, represents the changing face of this country. It is a large metropolis of approximately 3.7 million people, that was once renown for being the most violent city in the world, and the dominion of the ill-famed Medellin Cartel, run by drug lord, Pablo Escobar. Since his assassination, and the ensuing opportunities for change, recent mayors have made significant improvements to the quality of life of this Antioquia capital. Poverty has been reduced by 66%, and the homicide rate has dropped by 95%! Part of this change in outlook has been a strategic outreach to the poor communities clinging to the steep hillsides of Medellin. The city developed an advanced transportation system of metros and telefericos (cable cars) that integrated the poorer neighborhoods into the heart of the city, increasing access to jobs, commerce, education, and health services.

Continue Reading…

With eager anticipation we arrived into Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and the city where we were going to be reunited with good friends (my childhood bestie, Julie, and her husband, Doug) who were flying in from Los Angeles on the same day, for a much-needed 2-week vacation. Bogotá is a HUGE city, home to almost 9 million people.  It still has a reputation for crime and danger, with cautions to guard valuable possessions (or not carry at all), and to avoid walking around at night.  Keeping your wits about your surroundings and sticking to “safer” neighborhoods is encouraged, so we opted to stay in the more upscale, gastronomic center of Chapinero/Zona G in the North, instead of what was the rougher backpacker’s ghetto of La Candelaria.

Continue Reading…

The children slept brilliantly through their first overnight bus ride, a 13 hour journey from Santa Marta to San Gil in the department of Santander, Colombia.  We had almost avoided this city, due to our guidebook’s description of a place that was popular for extreme sports and lacking in “prettiness”. I didn’t find this analysis of the city’s appearance to be fair, and was immediately charmed by its stone cathedral, the gracious trees and garden in the main plaza (Parque la Libertad), the hilly, cobblestoned streets overlooked by wooden balconies, and overall lush locale. What we most enjoyed about San Gil is that it felt like a real city not dependent on the commerce of tourists.

Continue Reading…

We left Cartagena and traveled for 4 hours by bus along the Caribbean coast, past Barranquilla, to Santa Marta. This was a one night pit stop, in preparation for a trek in the Tayrona National Park.  We unburdened ourselves of the bulk of our backpacks, filling our smaller daypacks with the bare essentials for 2 nights in the park.  Still incredibly hot and humid, we did not require much in the way of clothing, planning to spend many hours on the beach and in the waves.  The following morning, we took a one hour bus ride to the park entrance, followed by a required tutorial on the park rules and safety (as many of the beaches have a strong riptide and should be avoided), and another 15-20 minute shuttle trip to the start of the trail. We coated our bare skin with insect repellent and sunscreen, and began our sweaty 3 hour hike into the park along the Caribbean coast and tropical dry forest at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, all the way to El Cabo San Juan.

Continue Reading…