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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 En Colombia sin tiquete de regreso
January 21st 2007

A different perspective

South America » Colombia » Barranquilla

Sunset in Santa Marta

1. English first 2. Español abajo Welcome! It’s been an interesting start to 2007, exemplified by some pretty varied photos this time. Check out some more images from our holiday in Cartagena, the Barranquilla Zoo, a trip to El Rodadero near Santa Marta, and some shots of local food. An eye-opening experience In spite of my generally ‘lazy bugger’ lifestyle here (my words, not yours!), I have managed to make a small, but meaningful, contribution to the people here in Barranquilla. Recently I found out about a project being run by some Christ [View Full Entry]

Rochy with the flamingos in Barranquilla Zoo

By Shane and Emo
January 20th 2007

Santa Marta y Tyrona

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta

enjoying the view

The advice to visit Santa Marta was much appreciated! A small tourist town with nice beaches and friendly locals. We were happy to meet Jose, our waiter, our first night when we ate at Ricky´s where we got the local scoop on places to go and things to see. Our days at Santa Marta were busy exploring the beaches, restaurants and local festivies. Although we had to adjust to the sight of soldiers on every corner with machine guns day and night, we learned to appreciate the safety and serenity of a town that protected its tourists at all times. After [View Full Entry]

By Mita
January 20th 2007

Passion fruit and pineapple juice

South America » Colombia » Santa Marta » Taganga

TAYRONA
Found one!!

We were so frustrated with Cartagena by this point that we left on a Friday night. In the mist of the festive Christmas period, when the some of the best DJ´s in the world (Roger Sanchez, Paul (or Bob) van Dyke, Tiesco (hadn´t heard of him before but now it is non stop) were in town, and 4 different dance festivals were about to start!!! We spend one night in Barranquilla to break up the trip. This is home to the gigantic Shakira, Shakira.. and was therefore worth a visit. She is absolutely huge in Latin America, I think this is [View Full Entry]

By natsta
January 17th 2007

Home from home

South America » Colombia » Cali

Cali was what I would say the first experience I’d had in a long time of feeling that I could be at home. The third biggest city in Columbia not only had white, brown, black people with blue, green and even yellow eyes but seemed to not have a stereotypical type of person. Then to top it off the shopping malls had supermarkets like Asda, Diesel, Dunkin donughts and many other shops you would find in any good English city. Well I only intending spending a week here but I soon became too comfortable (not sure how as it was by [View Full Entry]

By Katha
January 17th 2007

Transnochada

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Wow.. ich brauch' jetzt erst mal 'ne Muetze Schlaf. Gestern war bis 2.00 nachts ich mit Christian und seiner Freundin Gisela unterwegs. Schon jetzt zwei absolut tolle Freunde, obwohl ich sie erst 2 Mal getroffen habe und kaum kenne. Aber ich verstehe mich sehr gut mit ihnen. Wohl auch weil die beiden politisch und sozial angagierter und kritrischer sind als ein Grossteil der Jugendlichen hier. Und sie sind einfach ganz furchtbar nette, freundliche und grosszuegige Persoenlichkeiten. Und wir hatten 'ne Menge Spass, haben viel gelacht. Und ich muss gerade wieder lachen, wenn ich daran denke, da [View Full Entry]

By pipincolombia
January 16th 2007

Bags Packed and Ready to GO

South America » Colombia » Bogota

Bags packed & ready to go
Ok so this photo was actually taken in india, but it is the only one of me and my rucksack, so i thought it looked pretty authentic ...

Well after months of thinking about it, weeks of talking about it and even a few days preparing for it (and no, I still havent packed) - the day has finally dawned ... my last day in England before heading out to Bogota. So i imagine this is what it feels like the night before you get married ... a combination of fear, excitement and massive cold feet!! But hey, its too late now, the visa has arrived, the flight is booked, I've said my goodbyes and all i have to do is pack!! Next time you hear from me I [View Full Entry]

By natsta
January 16th 2007

Ipiales scenery

South America » Colombia

After a pain free border crossing my luck continues. I caught a collectivo to the first town and literally had brought a ticket and was on the bus within 5 minutes, you can see by the photos that this was one of my better journeys. At times it felt like I was on the death road again with the winding bendy steep roads but the scenery was amazing. This was the first time that I realised how much I had missed seeing rich green vegetation after the desert of Peru. I should have been prepared as Columbia is one of the [View Full Entry]

By jvaughan9
January 16th 2007

Pasion in South America, Bogotá

South America » Colombia » Bogota

Deigo playing futbol
This is my argentine friend playing futbol at the conference in argentina

Alright how are you all doing once again. so i haven´t updated this thing in like a long long long time. so right now i am in bogota, colombia. i will be here and around here for the next 2 months. i will be going back to pichilemu chile on the 6 or march. so i got a ways to go before i go to my travels around south america. so right now i just got to stay focused on this part on the trip. so her in bogota there is alot of poverty just like any other country and big [View Full Entry]

By Katha
January 15th 2007

El Bordo - "Pueblo pequeño, Infierno Grande"

South America » Colombia » Medellin

Wahnsinn
Das ist doch mal ne Aussicht! wunderschoen wuerde ich sagen!!... eine der vielen Aufnahmen waehrend unserer Wanderung zu den Goldminen

Eigentlich wollte ich in der ersten Woche des neuen Jahrs ans Meer fahren. Genau wie viele andere Auslaender und Kolumbianer auch. Aber daraus ist dann dummer Weise nichts geworden. Trotz der verschiedensten Moeglichkeiten sollte es wohl nicht sein. Denn zuerst haben Andrew's Freunde aus dem Choco komischerweise auf unsere Anfrage nicht geantwortet, und zusammen mit einem frisch verliebten Paerchen zum Parque Tayrona ist nicht so das Wahre ( Caro, Andrew, ich hab' euch ja sehr gerne aber als "Vela" oder als das dritte Rad am Wagen, das waere fuer niemanden wirklich schoen gewesen ). U [View Full Entry]

By Shane and Emo
January 15th 2007

Cartagena

South America » Colombia » Cartagena

Breakfast Delivery

After hearing from more than a few folks that it wasn´t a good idea to cross the border into Colombia via bus or anything else touching the ground..we decided to fly into Cartagena....a short little flight all of an hour...and trust me, when they price the tickets..they know you have few option..ouch!! We managed to arrive in Old Town Cartagena, surrounded by huge cement walls, complete with mounted cannons...this city is magnificent. The architecture and homes inside were amazing and we had former drug czar Pablo Escabar´s vacation home and Julio Englesis summer home near by. All the archit [View Full Entry]

streets of Cartagena from our hotel balcony

Travel Blog » South America » Colombia