I didn’t expect to fall in love with Colombia the way I did. Although there were some negative and unenjoyable parts, as with anywhere, the people, the food and the scenery outweighed everything else. [Read more…] about Colombia: My Top 10
Colombia
Salento
Salento is a small town with a population of around 7,000 people, located in the coffee region of South America. Salento is placed on a flat section of land a top lush greenery and unique palm trees. It appears to be placed on a pedestal amongst some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. At one time, Salento was probably one of the better off the beaten path backpacker destinations; now it is quite trampled over, and has many restaurants and bars full of english speaking employees waiting to cater to the packs of tourists coming through on a daily basis. [Read more…] about Salento
Medellin to Salento: A little R&R
After a few exhausting days of sightseeing in both Cartagena and Medellin, Ryan and I decided to try out some Colombian yoga. One of my goals for my trip in South America is to attempt a yoga class in each country that I visit. When I made this goal, I hadn’t considered the fact that the yoga would most likely be in spanish. Nevertheless, a goal is a goal, and I’m sticking to it. Ryan and I were both apprehensive about how the class would go, especially after being put in the very front row. In the end, the class was great and I’ve done yoga enough times that I knew what I was doing, despite the language barrier. Namaste. [Read more…] about Medellin to Salento: A little R&R
Medellin: A City with a Past
Up until 20 years ago, Medellin was one of the most violent and dangerous cities in the world. Home to the drug lord, Pablo Escobar, Medellin was a city where people were scared to walk to in the streets, and people were murdered daily. Since Pablo Escobar’s death in the 90’s, Medellin has been transformed into one of the most modern and urban cities in South America. In fact, Medellin is the only city in Colombia with a metro system, and it has been rumoured to be one of the best cities in South America to do business in. [Read more…] about Medellin: A City with a Past
The Beautiful Cartagena: Part 2
As I mulled over what else I wanted to write about from our time in Cartagena, I realized that I forget an essential part of our day on Thursday: booking flights from Cartagena to Medellin. The discount airline in Colombia is called VivaColombia and flies to all the major cities in Colombia for a little more than the bus costs. The only problem with VivaColombia is that you cannot use a foreign credit card to purchase flights. Instead, you purchase a ticket through the website by choosing to pay using “Via Baloto”. Once you have chosen your flight and gone through the whole process of puchasing, you receive a confirmation number and have to take this to a Via Baloto station, which is really just a counter where you can cash in lottery tickets, amongst other things. [Read more…] about The Beautiful Cartagena: Part 2
The Beautiful Cartagena
As I sit down to write about the last few days, I find myself in a perfect Saturday morning setting. We slept in and woke up to no alarm, and then I made a coffee, which I am currently sipping by the outdoor patio at our hostel. I can hear the birds chirping and the sun is shining. One of the things I’ve missed most about home is sipping coffee slowly in bed with a good book, and I think I’ve found an equal bliss here. [Read more…] about The Beautiful Cartagena