COLOMBIA: RECIPE OF A COUNTRY AT THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE WOULD THINK

COLOMBIA'S RECIPE

Preparation time:

29 days on spot, or 3177 kms travelled

Cooking time:

92 hours spent in 58 different transports

Ingredients:

• 13 buses

• 9 colectivos

• 3 cable cars

• 5 subways

• 2 lanchas

• 2 jeeps

• 12 taxis

• 4 tuk-tuks

• 8 motocross

Seasonings:

• 1 arrival in Colombia during a lockdown involving:

  • 1 uber locked with the keys inside

  • 1 deserted capital

  • 1 worried host

  • 2 plates of pastas without any sauce because of the curfew

• 5 meters of visibility during our visit of Barichara in the clouds

• 2 cancelled paragliding activities

• 1 consoling morning at the spa

• 150 colombian almuerzos

• 1 tax reform project provoking dozen of protests including:

  • 3 roadblocks

  • 18 kilometers by foot because of the suspension of public transport

• 4 motocross trips in the jungle with our big backpacks

• 1 chocolate overdose during a visit of a cacao finca

• 1 broken toe

• 12 horrible hours in a night bus with:

  • 10 very loud tourists

  • 1 video games addict (without earphones)

  • 1 driver crazy of techno

  • 4 layers of clothes because of the A/C

• 1 cockroach down our bed

• 1 morning in the Caribbean under the rain

• 2 massages on the beach to which we didn't have time to say no

• 740 steps to climb a monolith

• 1 meet up with other world tour travellers

• 1 lockdown in an airbnb in Medellín including:

  • 1 total exaggeration (thank you Anouck) during our groceries shopping ending up in too many products to carry with us during our whole trip (onions, cider vinegar, olive oil, garlic...)

  • 2 neighbours a bit too happy to celebrate the situation

  • 1 Anouck particularly clumsy (one broken table, one projection of a spoon in the air...)

• 1 arrival in Bogotá at 4am:

  • in a windy terminal

  • without a working SIM card

  • without a hotel reservation

• 1 new eventful departure of the country involving:

  • 4 food products forgotten in the closets of our airbnb and of course, an angry Anouck

  • 2 quick antigen tests in front of the airport doors

  • 1 hour of free wifi only making us do all our administrative tasks in stress just before the flight

Method (overview):

• VILLA DE LEYVA

Strolling the streets and soaking up the mountainous atmosphere of the town

Trying our first colombian almuerzo

• SANTANDER

Dipping in the natural holes of Las Gachas

Walking around the most beautiful village of Colombia (Barichara)

Hiking the Camino Real to Guane

• CARTAGENA & SURROUNDINGS

Recharging at the Nuevo Mundo in Minca

Visiting a cacao finca

Warming up in the animated neighborhoods of Cartagena

Organizing a Caribbean excursion

• MEDELLÍN & SURROUNDINGS

Striding the streets of the Comuna 13 and discovering its transformation

Climbing up the monolith of la Piedra del Peñol

Admiring the colourful zocalos of Guatapé

• JARDÍN & SALENTO

Getting away in the greenery campaigns of Jardín

Contemplating the tallest palm trees in the world in the Cocora valley

• BOGOTÁ

Taking height on the capital with the Monserrate cable car

Devoting one morning to the national museum

Wandering the streets and its eclectic population

The bill (for 2): 1127€

Positive feedback:

• The recent and positive transformation of Colombia, from a dangerous country to a safe one, and the possibility to immerge ourselves in its history

• The diversity of people and cultures (Afro-Caribbean, Amerindians tribes, mestizo, mulato, zambo...)

• Very good value for money

Negative feedback:

• The inability to explore the whole country because of protests happening at the time

• Stricter covid restrictions

• We felt that Colombians were a little bit "colder" comparing to people from other latin american countries (Mexico, Guatemala), but only in rural places

To go further and read the recipe's full details, click HERE !