Colombia

Two years on and I am ready to start writing and sharing again…

I recently got back from an exciting and inspiring trip to Colombia with my mum and feel compelled to let others know about my positive experience despite the negative stereotypes and stories that we are often bombarded with. No, not volunteering or trying to "save the world!" I simply enjoyed the adventure of visiting such an interesting country and engaging with the locals whilst making great efforts to convey my passion for learning Spanish and understanding their culture and history. Look beyond the negative portrayal of Colombia and one will find natural beauty in abundance across a range of terrains and within the people. The altitude is often high and so were our spirits whilst exploring the country. We've only obtained a glimpse of each place that we visited but fell in love with each one for different reasons: Bogotá, Villa de Leyva, San Gil, Tayrona National Park, Santa Marta and Cartagena. And of course, this means we have a great reason to return and delve deeper into the places that we felt particularly connected to as well as visit new areas. Travelling on a group tour was great as most things were arranged for us by the tour leader and luckily our fellow travellers were warm and friendly; we laughed HARD day and night! And don’t think it was a lazy trip, we were active visiting weird and wonderful sites, horse riding and wandering around the different towns. We even tested our endurance during the hike inside Tayrona with the treat of staying by the ocean a great incentive to climb the rocky path in the sweltering heat. However, nothing could have prepared us for two nights sleeping in hammocks under a thatched roof exposed to the elements — an experience that we will never forget! This was certainly adventure style travel. I'm delighted that I was able to share this experience with my mum and we often reflected on what we had seen and learnt during our trip and continue to do so now that we are home. 

What really stood out for us is how alert our senses were over there: the smells, sights, sounds and tastes... We thoroughly enjoyed sampling the tasty Colombian dishes, particularly fresh fish the closer we were to the coast as well as choosing between the plethora of local eateries for the incredibly value-for-money, ‘menu del dia,' providing soups, main meals, desserts and freshly squeezed juices. Oooh I can almost taste the pineapples, papayas and coconuts now :-). Lest I forget the eggs (anyway you like), fresh fruit, juice and coffee served every morning regardless of how humble our dwellings were - whether guest houses or hostels. Boy do we miss those breakfasts now that we are back in London. We ate like queens for sure! 

Moreover, we felt a sense of peace on each stop whether it be in Monserrate overlooking Bogotá; the largest South American plaza of Villa de Leyva; or the unexpected sanctuary of the botanical gardens of Gallineral Park in San Gil despite it being such a bustling and maze-like city. Whilst travelling by bus on various routes and watching the world go by we were WOWed by how vast Colombia is and the greatness and power of nature, and how small we are in comparison. This is extremely humbling. We also felt particularly at ease in Cartagena which is the Caribbean side of the country and we enjoyed a day trip via boat to Playa Blanca - a picture postcard beach - and glimpsed many little islands inhabited by Afro-Colombians en route. Learning about the indigenous cultures and Pre-Columbian history was also an eye opener which deepened our knowledge and opened our hearts and minds to embracing different cultures and ways of life. Furthermore, we remain both fascinated and bewildered by the colonial past and look forward to further opportunities to travel in this way around Latin America in the future. 

I'm still holding a piece of Colombia, which makes me smile…

Vendor in Playa Blanca...Paradise found! 

 Tayrona was well worth the hike!

The Terracotta House...Gaudi meets Dali?! 

Astounding views of Bogotá arriving on Monserrate (mountain) via the funicular

Roadside barbecue. Muy rico!