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Background: Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries has grown to several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders.

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By Andie H
February 3rd 2006

Back on the beach

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Sunset at Santa Marta
One of the depest natural harbours in South America, Santa Marta reularly welcomed huge ships, in this case a banana boat.

We are now at the end of our first week in Colombia and so far not a sniff of a guerilla, cocaine or a kidnapping! On the contrary I have found the country to be beautiful and the people really friendly and welcoming (unles you come from the USA when they may be less so although most of them seem to have the broadness of mind not to blame all Americans for the sins of Mr Bush...) Our journey here from Venezuela was a real experience (most journeys in these countries seem to be memorable!). We left Merida as planned on [View Full Entry]

La Casa de Felipe- our home from home in Taganga

By Ursulita
January 23rd 2006

Very busy on Caribean Beach

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Three sirenas!

We have no time;) very busy!!! sand, sun, fun, palm trees! mhhh Ursula, Nika, Jana, JoséMan [View Full Entry]

By pink mona
January 17th 2006

just some pics this time

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

waiting to download the pics
i hope it was worth it ....:)))

some pics...less talk and more images..but unfortunately not quite what you might have expected...but I promise much more soon, on the beach, clubbing...so on. These were taken more for the sake of posting some pics and sending some home, you have to consider that I have been working all day, tired like hell, hungry and...so on...:P enjoy! [View Full Entry]

By pink mona
January 14th 2006

Taganga- a small paradise

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

I spent the night in Taganga which is really close to S. M. and by taxi it doesnºt take more than 6000 pesos to get there, but I was clever enough to sleep in La Casa de Philipe and pay 10.000 pesos for a bunk bed. :)) anyway it was much too hot to sleep so I went out and actually had a nap in a hammock, with a nice dog sleeping beside me and keeping me company. The other trainees, coz actually there are 2 more trainees here, Joel from USA and Stephanie (ditto)who used to be a trainee [View Full Entry]

By pink mona
January 13th 2006

about Collegio Bilingue-my working place

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Hi everybody, how are you doing? Iºm fine, discovering Santa Marta and Colombian culture in leaps and bounds....Iºm still very excited about everything happening to me so I wonºt bore you again with that.... :PPP the school where I work is said to be the top school in Santa Marta, though it isnºt too big...I mean compering it to the one where I worked before, in Turkey, but anyway my work here is totally different. I work with kids and kids only and it ainºt no picnic, let me tell u that.... I have 26 kids in a pre- school [View Full Entry]

By Troy
December 10th 2005

Colombia .... so much to offer

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Cartagena

To say Columbia has a bad reputation is common knowledge to most people in the world...it´s a little like saying the Sens will lose to the Leafs in the playoffs...people just assume it (yeah Ill probably regret saying that in May). The stories of Pablo Escobar and his drug cartel in the 80's to the ongoing kidnappings of politicians, businessmen, and tourists through the last few decades have perpetuated a fear into most of western society. The problems of Columbia can mostly be attributed to the cocaine industry, crooked politicians, and the ongoing battle between the gurillas, th [View Full Entry]

By farrell
October 16th 2005

Cuidad Perdida

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Ok where to start this. I´m actually back in Cartegena now but I just got back from a 6 day trek into the Colombian Jungle to see Ciudad Perdida (Lost City). It´s a pre-Colombian Tayrona Indian city. Its a pretty impressive set of ruins, well what is left. Its up on top of this mountain that you hike up about 3000 stairs from the river to get to. The ruins that are left are walls and terraces with steps. Sorry since this trip is so short I'll do pics when I get home. Anyway it was quite the adventure to get [View Full Entry]

By farrell
October 16th 2005

Cocaine

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

So as a side excursion from the trek to Cuidad Perdida you can go and visit a cocaine factory. Now I'm thinking ok its an old and busted factory no longer working. Wrong!!! Its a real, live operational place they make cocaine. Well but its not much of a factory, its really just a 15x20' hut in the jungle. Every three months they make 3 kilos of coke. What is really interesting is that Cocaine is a natural substance in the coco plant leaves but its a chemists wet dream to get it into your nose. The coco leaves grow back [View Full Entry]

By Salvador
September 1st 2005

Trekking à Ciudad Perdida

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

01. A caminho da Ciudad Perdida
Cedric, Yuri, Amanda, Phil, Joanna, Beto e Jhon (guias),eu e uma mula.

Ciudad Perdida Ciudad Perdida tem sido comparada a Machu Pitchu pela magnificiência da sua construção, provando que antes da chegada dos europeus a este continente, já lá viviam civilizações bastante avançadas. Outrora um centro urbano é agora uma atracção turística promovida pelo Turismo da Colômbia. Em finais de 2003 foram aqui raptados por um movimento guerrilheiro 8 turistas europeus, que só viram a liberdade passado dois meses. Apesar da relativa segurança em que a visita se pode efectuar, o triângulo, guerrilha, para-militares e exército é uma realidade na Colômbia como també [View Full Entry]

By Grifter
August 30th 2005

Taganga

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

Ciudad Perdida Climb

Ciudad Perdida Returned back from a six day trek to Ciudad Perdida. There were six of us in the group, plus our guide and cook. The days were fairly short, 4hrs but hot, very humid and incredibly sweaty. On several occasions I took off my top and wrang it out probably measuring a litre of sweat. Accommodation was in hammocks and bedtime was early. On the fourth night, we all got woken up by a loud bang, this was after spending the evening talking about the kidnapping of the tourists that happened 2yrs earlier. Our guide has told us the details [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » South America » Colombia » Santa Marta