 Cali |
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After all the warnings of gringos being kidnapped or falsely accused of drug smuggling I have to say Colombia was almost a bit of a let-down. Apart from the style of salsa being different and maybe having a few more mountains, on first impressions, I can't say it struck me as being all that different from Ecuador.
The scenery in southern Colombia as we crossed the border and made our way towards Pasto was certainly breathtaking and the caminetta decided to liven things up a bit by taking every turn (and there were a great number of these) at breakneck speed. No wonder caminettas can make the journey to Cali in three hours less than the buses! The only annoying thing about the public transport system in Colombia is, unlike Ecuador where the buses (generally) leave at the allotted hour) buses in Colombia seem to only leave when full which can make for quite long waits in the terminal.
Arrived in Cali in the pitch black (bus drivers lying about how long the journey is seems to be a universal thing) so just checked into a hotel before going out for food and drinks. Observing the nightlife in Cali I have to say I can't quite understand the reputation Colombian women have for being the most beautiful in the world.
Despite every South American man practically drooling whenever Colombian women are mentioned I was left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. The salsa, I have to admit, is infinitely better although a lot harder. Just when you think you've managed to master the basics, you change country and there's a completely new style to learn!
Spent a couple of days seeing the city and visiting museums (and the zoo - honestly it's like travelling with a big kid!) as well as going through the very strenuous task of changing money. You would think it would be straightforward but no. I officially now have all my passport information, all the personal information they could possibly think of as well as my fingerprints kept somewhere in Colombia. Nothing to worry about at all!
That night was officially the final between Liga (Quito) and some Brazilian team so we joined the seemingly thousands of other people in the streets and bars of Cali to watch the match. I'm very glad Liga won as I would hate to see that many highly emotional football fans upset! There were giant screens set up in the street as well as in every single bar along the whole street.
Another great thing about Colombia is that the drinks come in bottles not glasses. A little strange but when you order a single Cuba Libre you are presented with a medium sized bottle of rum, a glass of ice, saucer of limes and a single glass of coke. Either the idea is to make you keep paying for the coke or simply to get you drunk as quickly as possible.
Decided against going to the Colombian beaches due to the trouble at the time, instead headed back down south to tour the northern Ecuadorian beaches in search of sun.
Part of trip: Return to South America
3 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
July 15th 2008 - Jeannie: How much coke did you need to finish the rum?
Hi Kat
Sounds a busy few days with lots of excitement. What's this about football again? A new interest or something? Love the wild life again.
July 16th 2008 - radhikajain: Iteresting post
Wow what an exiting article was, I really loved your travelling experience very much. In fact, u lured me to pay a visit to that place, but it seems not possible to visit the places. I am inviting you to India, you pay a visit to my country, surely you will love it very much. For india related information you may visit some good website, www.itopc.org, www.vacationsindia.com
July 17th 2008 - Will Rojas: Colombia not that different from Ecuador?
It pleases me to hear of people traveling to Colombia despite the bad reputation the media portrays. I lived in Cali years ago and I must say the city has sadly changed from what it traditionally represented, festive atmosphere and civic minded residents. Now I have never been to our beautiful neighbor’s land, Ecuador, but it sounds to me like you have been to many parts of that country and by what many of my dear friends and even family members have told me, it’s an amazing part of the world; from the farthest point from the center of the earth (Chimborazo) to the beautiful Pacific beaches and everything in between. By your article I also assumed you only got as far into Colombia as Cali, therefore to state “I can't say it struck me as being all that different from Ecuador” referring to Colombia, is too big of a statement to make. By the many pictures and the many people I have met here in the United States from Guayaquil and Quito, I agree the land is very similar to a lot of mountainous regions of the south west of Colombia and also Ecuadorians and the people of the southwestern Colombian departments like Nariño and Cauca do look very similar, but something what defines Colombia as a whole is the contrast of its native people (not due to foreign immigration) from region to region and the uniqueness of the typical Colombian’s celebratory and upbeat frame of mind in spite of all the social problems. For the past four years I have been visiting Colombia trying to see different parts of the country and I must say that every time I am amazed and educated of how different the regions and people can be and yet I’ve only seen a small portion of this nation. I hope next time you travel to Colombia you can visit the coffee region, Bogotá during theater festivals, Medellin during flower festivals, Barranquilla during the carnivals, San Andres in the Caribbean, Leticia on the Amazon river, Villavicencio in the great plains, the fortress city of Cartagena or the Gaujira desert and then you can get the bigger picture of what Colombia represents.
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