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Published: December 18th 2021
If I could give this year a defining word (in my personal experience) I'd say the word is: "
Colombia." Not only did Disney just release a new movie last month about Colombia titled "Encanto," which honestly blew my mind, but we also got to take a whirl wind trip all around Colombia. I got to finally meet my blood relatives that live on the Colombian coast. Meeting them actually brought me so much closure about who I truly am, because unlike most of my Colombian-American peers, I was a late bloomer getting to know my second country, my extended family, and my roots. I can tell you that I absolutely love my Colombian heritage. I am a first generation American, which means that both my parents were immigrants from Colombia, and I was born and raised in America. In situations like this you have one of two choices to make: you can completely neglect your family's roots and focus solely on the country you're living in, or you can embrace both cultures equally. Psychologists say that embracing both cultures that you are apart of is actually a key component to successfully being happy and fulfilled in your life. Growing up, I
felt a bit topsy turvy trying to figure out where I truly fit in, because I didn't fit in 100 percent here, nor there. I've met and befriended many people throughout the years that like me, are also straddling two different "worlds" and that has further enticed me to just embrace it all. I think the more multicultural you are, the luckier you are! You're exposed to so many rich experiences, and you get to meet many important people that can change your life. And truly, if I had not decided to embrace my Colombian heritage, I probably never would have met my husband Victor, who is also Colombian-American, and is the love of my life, so I'm very grateful!
The Airport Form-Fiasco
The main reason we decided to take such a risk and travel with our young daughters this year amid the pandemic, was because my sister in law (Victor's sister) was getting married in Colombia. They were basing their wedding date on our arrival, and they wanted our daughters to be apart of the wedding ceremony as flower girls, so of course we were going to do our best to be there. The day before
our trip, we stayed at a hotel in Atlanta near the airport, due to our flight being so early and the airport being so far away from our home base. We thought we were being so prepared, and that everything would run smoothly. Until we realized we had forgotten two very crucial components to being able to fly to Colombia. The first were our passports, which were tucked away in Victor's car, at the airport parking garage. Victor was able to retrieve the passports easily. But we couldn't check into our flights because we had not signed into the "Check-Migration" form (from the Migracion Colombia website.)
Upon learning that we needed these forms (which was around 3am on the day of our departure) Victor frantically tried to fill in the forms on a computer at our Atlanta hotel, but that failed for some strange reason. He went to a neighboring hotel, and the same thing happened. Then he tried to do it at the airport using his smart phone, and that failed. A very kind Colombian lady tried helping us from her personal phone, and that almost succeeded... but then ultimately failed. What in the world was
going on?! Was fate trying to keep us from flying, or something? We were merely minutes from having to board our flight, and we were still in the airport lobby standing around in despair. Victor was sweating from his failed attempts, and I'm almost in tears. When finally, one of the Spirit airlines workers (reluctantly) was able to sign us into the forms that we needed to fly. Then another miracle happened; she was able to pass us through to the front of the security check line, which would have taken us over an hour on our own, and we'd certainly miss our flight. After passing security, we had to run with all our strength, with our luggage, and our two very inpatient young daughters, going through several train stops and long escalators to get to our gate. You've seen those people before, right? The ones running like there is no tomorrow, at the airport, Home Alone style? I truly feel for them! Because I know exactly what that is like! By the grace of the Lord, we made it just as they were boarding our flight. Emotionally and physically drained, we sat in our seats, and embarked on our
long journey to Medellin Colombia. Note to people flying to Colombia: please don't forget your "Check-Migracion" forms and save yourself the despair!
Medellin Colombia
I was so happy to see my beautiful sister in laws Naty and Daniella, who picked us up from the Medellin Airport. It had been some years since we last saw them in person. It was a rainy and dreary evening when we all crammed into Naty's car, and after getting refreshed at her apartment, we went out to meet more of Victor's family for dinner. The people we met up with included Victor's aunt, cousins, and close friends. I might be biased, but I think that Colombians are the nicest people in the world, especially those from Medellin and the neighboring towns. Seriously. They think about others before they think of themselves. I kept seeing this kindness phenomenon over and over again during this trip. I also kept thinking; If I were to fully embrace my "Colombian-ness," I'd be doing copious amounts of favors for others on a daily basis. That's a skill I haven't cultivated like other Colombian's have. But native Colombians from these regions never get tired
of cooking for others, driving for others, and helping others with anything they need, and without reservations. And even though taking on this level of kindness almost seems impossible to me, it still makes me very proud of my people. Their selflessness, and "kindness mindset," comes from the fact that "Colombians are all family, so we all help each other," as Victor's father later explained to me.
Guatape & La Piedra Del Peñol
On our next day in Medellin, we took this opportunity to go with Daniela to one of the famous neighboring towns that we had never gone to before, and that was Guatape, Antioquia. They have a beautiful town, surrounded by lakes. There is also a gigantic rock that sticks out like nothing I've ever seen before, and it's a landmark. In Spanish it's called "La Piedra del Peñol." La Piedra is a prehistoric monolith, at over seven thousand feet above sea level, and is composed of quartz and other rock. There are over 740 steps before you get to the top one way, yeah it's quite a lot! The drive from Medellin to Guatape has a few tolls to pay, and was a fairly easy
2 hour drive. It was raining off and on on our trip, but apparently that's how it usually is here. Taking an umbrella or a poncho is a smart choice. We ducked into a nearby restaurant for lunch, with views of La Piedra, while it was raining. Luckily we caught some sunshine after we finished our meals. If you've been following any of our blogs in the past few years, you'll know that we were vegan for almost 6 years. Although we still don't eat dairy, red meat, or pork, we have since switched over to a "flexitarian" style of eating, in which we include fish and chicken just a few times a week, but most of our meals are still predominantly plant based. So on this trip, we got to sample some fresh fish from the local surrounding lakes. After we ate, we went and checked out La Piedra, but we did not go up to the top of the rock. We wanted to save our leg strength for the wedding that was coming up.
Armenia Quindio
Our next leg of the trip took us to Armenia, Quindio. We flew in with Victor's sister Naty.
This is where the majority of Victor's family live, and where the big wedding was going to take place. We were so excited to be greeted at the airport by Victor's Father, el abuelo Rafael, and for all of us to finally be together after so many years. This was el abuelo's first time meeting his grand daughters, so this was a very important part of our trip. He had built a swing set for our girls at his home, in preparation for our stay, which was so sweet and thoughtful. It was lovely to watch as he taught the girls how to make homemade mandarin juice from the fruit of his mandarin tree, which the girls really enjoyed. It was funny watching the girls reject some of the other local fruit that wasn't up to their taste, such as la Granadilla and el Sapote. Both fruits have very distinct textures, that leaves something to be desired. Our first day in Armenia was a jumble of feelings, as everyone was frantically preparing last minute things for the wedding, while also trying to soak up as much time with our girls.
The Wedding Day
The moments before
the wedding were extremely stressful for everyone. It had been raining so much in Armenia, and everyone was counting on a sunny outdoor wedding. Also, Victor's half brother Andres, who's bus was stuck behind a mudslide, was running really late. Plans kept changing last minute about where we were supposed to be, especially since there was only one family car. We ended up staying behind while everyone else drove to the wedding site to prepare and get ready. After a few hours, it was our turn to get picked up and get taken to the wedding site to get dressed and have our hair done. The wedding site was a classy finca overlooking lush green valleys. But in our haste to get to the wedding site, which was a 45 minute long drive from abuelo's home, we all forgot our wedding attire. Our girls are supposed to be the flower girls, so their dresses were a crucial component to the wedding. By the time we realized that we forgot our attire at the house, there wasn't enough time to go back and get it. What ultimately saved us, was the fact that Andres was running behind, and was swinging by
abuelo's house anyway to get dressed, so he was able to grab our forgotten things on his way to us. Naty left to the church to get married, and minutes later, Andres arrives with our attire. We frantically get everyone dressed and out the door to try to catch the ceremony. But not before going into an action movie style crazy drive to the church in la Tebaida. We made it just in the nick of time, and our girls were able to be a part of the ceremony. We could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The Catholic ceremony was lovely, the bride looked like a princess. Soon we were all going back to the wedding reception site at la finca. Everything there was very elegant, yet relaxed, and since it was sunny and the rains had ceased, the most beautiful rainbow was cast in the sky. We were all so grateful that Naty and Sebastian were having the wedding of their dreams, and everything was turning out so beautifully. There were cocktails and appetizers served while people took pictures and chatted. The ladies were dressed in elegant long dresses, and the men were dressed in
tan pants and white guayabera shirts. It was late in the evening when we all got to sit at our tables to eat, and listen to the prepared wedding speeches. I loved hearing what each person had to say about how much they personally loved Naty and Sebastian, and how they wished them a lifetime of happiness together. The food catered included traditional Colombian buñuelos, and lots of other tasty things. The night concluded with lots of dancing and partying until the early morning. Colombians party extremely hard. It's too much partying for me! I was glad that we were able to have a room at the finca to sneak away to when it got late and the girls were tired. The days following the wedding were way more relaxed. We spent every moment that we could with Victor's father, and catching up with as many extended family members as we could. We drove one day to the nearby city of Periera to meet up with some cousins there, where we got to eat at the most delicious place and walk around the big mall.
Magical Valle Cocora & Salento
13 years ago today,
I took my very first trip to Colombia with Victor. It was also the very first travel blog I ever wrote. I remember back then, I had specifically written about how much I loved Valle Cocora, and that it was essentially my favorite part of all Colombia. I am here to confirm that it still remains my favorite place in all of Colombia. If you had just one place to visit in this country, I'd say that Valle Cocora, which is located in what we Colombian's call "el eje cafetero," is such a perfect plan. One thing I'd love to do one day is to stay here overnight, in a chalet, for several days, just enjoying some coffee while overlooking the stunning views. It was a surreal moment coming back with our daughters, and letting them experience this haven for themselves. They also had fun spending time with their second cousin, who's only 2 years older. The three of them road horses, and then we all took photos around the valley. It was just as breath taking as I'd remembered. The wax palms, which are the tallest in the world, look like they're from another world. There was a cloud
of fog hovering over the forest, making the valley look even more ethereal. It is perhaps this magical quality, along with it's natural beauty, that earned Cocora it's feature in the new "Encanto" Disney film. We ate at one of the main restaurants here, which has really great quality local trout. Later, we spent some time at the nearby town of Salento, which is a great place to grab some local souvenirs and a snack.
Safety in Colombia
I just wanted to mention something about safety in Colombia. Over the years, many people have expressed to me a fear of visiting Colombia. And I have had to reassure them of how much it has changed. In my own experience, I have visited 6 major cities in Colombia, countless tourist areas, as well as local areas, and I have yet to witness anything bad. I would never take my daughter's to visit a place that was dangerous. And although the war on drugs still continues in certain remote areas, I have never encountered this problem myself. There are always foreigners traveling here, and they seem to be quite safe and happy. But if you go looking for
trouble, you will find it here, just like you would anywhere else in the world. So my best advice is always stick to common sense, and stay in areas that are common and safe. Don't go looking for illegal substances or "prepagos", which will certainly get you into trouble. Another important piece of advice is; "no de papaya," which is a Colombian expression that means; "don't put yourself in a a vulnerable position." Don't leave your valuables out in the open, don't flash your expensive jewelry or phone, and just be aware of your surroundings. You will still be able to fully enjoy Colombia, and have an unforgettable experience, if you just stick to this advice. I want you all to remember that Colombia is more than just drug cartels (which we all wish didn't exist), but it is also known for it's people's hospitality, kindness, and generosity. That's why Colombian's share a great pride for their country.
Barranquilla & Cartagena
Leaving Armenia to fly to Barranquilla was bittersweet, because we had to say goodbye to Victor's father, abuelo Rafael, whom we got so close to during this trip. But I was nervously anticipating
this last part of our trip, because I was going to be meeting my extended family for the very first time. Barranquilla is located on the north coast of Colombia. It is the birth place of the famous singer Shakira, and it's extremely hot here all the time. The good news is that we were going during the only time of the year that the climate was even tolerable, due to the winter breeze it gets from November to February. We were picked up at the airport and drove straight to my cousin Karina's home, where we stayed for several days. It was amazing getting to meet every one, from my uncle (who looks exactly like my late grandmother,) to all 6 of my cousins, and their children. They were all very welcoming, and sweet to us. They told me many stories about our extended family, and I learned so much. Best of all, I got to know more about them and what they are like in person. There were times that I saw myself reflected in them, and it gave me a sense of belonging.
Another brilliant thing that my cousins offered to do, was take us for
a quick trip to Cartagena, which is a 2 hour drive from Barranquilla. Cartagena is an amazing port city on the coast of Colombia, which features an old preserved fort town from the 16th century. It's frequently visited by tourists, and admired for it's tropical vibe. I was very impressed by the stylish colonial buildings and it's history. We took several strolls around the town, and then we ate at a very stylish restaurant for lunch. We made sure not to fall prey to pick pockets, and steered clear of any scams, which unfortunately gets reported here often. It get's excruciatingly hot here in the summer, but I felt like the climate in the winter months is much more tolerable. As we were strolling around, we saw Asian foreigners who had just gotten married, and were getting professional photos taken with the colonial buildings as their back drop. I thought that was a lovely idea. Many people chose to have their weddings in Colombia because it is cheaper to make your dream wedding happen here.
My family hosted several reunions at their homes with lots of good food. I wish I had even more time with them,
but eventually it came time to pack up to go back home. 24 hours before our departure, we had to get a negative Covid-19 test for each one of us flying. Luckily, in Colombia they have laboratory delivery services, which I found to be brilliant. The professional technicians showed up at my cousin's house for our appointment, with all the tools and paperwork ready, and we got our results sent to us via email to print within hours. Obviously a lot is counting on those negative results, and we know a few people who were held back for two weeks in Colombia due to being positive. I was elated when they came back negative.
By this time our daughters were understandably exhausted, after several weeks of non-stop travel and busy schedules, and they were starting to push our buttons! That's what happens when you travel with little kids. But I don't regret bringing them to Colombia, even if it was more work on our end, because this whole place is part of their life story too. It was a dream come true being able to show them how important their Colombian heritage is. It apparently made a
Cartagena
With my cousins Karina & Karemlasting impression on them because weeks later they are still talking about how fun riding horses was and how much they loved spending time with their aunts and abuelo. There will be more future trips here, so hopefully they'll continue to form strong connections to Colombia.
I hope you've enjoyed this travel blog! I dedicate this blog to our beautiful Colombian families whom we love and already miss dearly. Familia bella, gracias por todo lo que han hecho por nosotros. Por siempre apoyarnos y darnos tanto amor. Siempre seran muy importantes para nosotros, los queremos mucho, y los extranamos. Love, Jennifer
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Beautiful Columbian Family
What a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and connect with your roots. Marvelous.