OH! , COLOMBIA

During our 10 months of traveling, we have been meeting people traveling the opposite direction from us
( north to south ) and pretty much everyone was bragging about Colombia and how beautiful the country and its people are. I was looking forward to finding out myself.


 
To be honest, Todd and I were also slightly nervous about going there due to its reputation and the image I have had of the country. However, once I started to learn more about the country, I found out that many things have changed in Colombia, that the country is much safer than some other countries we have visited (such as Ecuador and Peru). This is all proven by its  lower crime rate, and much higher military presence. The government is also implementing many social programs that empower farmers. For example, before their lives were very isolated and they were left with no other options to make an income then to became allies with the guerillas. Now the social programs help them start their own little businesses,(restaurants, hotels, lodges) and make a good income that way.

At first it took a little bit of adjusting to see so many soldiers and police with their fancy-schmancy humongous guns by the road or in towns. We have been stopped a few times by them. All of them were very friendly to us and liked by other civilians. We have been told that the guerilla’s are still present ( although on a much smaller scale) in the mountains, but far away from the cities. One does not need to be afraid that you would accidentally end up there. You would be stopped by the police and informed about it at every major road intersection that may lead you to that area. The people  seemed to like the police presence and according to them it made them feel safe. They would like to see them gone at some point, but only after they would be assured that the guerrillas are totally immobilized.


When we got to Colombia, there was a presidential election and the military presence was even more noticeable. I kept scrutinizing these men for some reason. their huge guns just fascinated me. There is a bit of a contradiction I observed though: they are so young that some of them are holding their big guns in one hand and in the other, they are holding their Lolly pops.

It is hard to describe Colombia in general terms, we have visited big towns, small farm towns, little villages, the Caribbean coast and each has been very different.




Big cities such as Medellin, which became famous due to Mr. Escobar, the drug dealer who at one time offered to pay off the whole country’s debt (13 billion)  in exchange for immunity, is just like any other big town. Big shopping malls, beautiful parks, lots of restaurants and millions of street fresh fruit vendors. All moving and  dancing to the relentless sound of music.

The small towns however, are the ones I liked the most. Every one of them is just like a different version of Gabriel Garcia Marquez book “ A 100 Years of Solitude”. ( I would highly recommend it). They are magical, have their own characters, heroes, and so many great stories to tell.

For example in Pijao. We got to the town because we had a recommendation from a friend Paul we met on the road. Paul was the first tourist who ever visited that town and we learned later that he was a legend there. We decided to go there. We asked on the main square whether there was a hotel. A very nice men walked with us a few city blocks and took us right into “Senora Cista’s “ house. Right as we entered the house we were in her living room.  She had transformed it into a quasi-restaurant that served the best food in town. Her four plastic tables seated 24 people and every-single chair was full. People from all over town, nurses, a doctor along with the policemen were eating ( the exact very same food) and watching the world cup game. They all greeted us as we entered and we immediately felt at home. She showed us a room upstairs and charged us 5 dollars each to stay.

Later that day I went with Todd to the pharmacy to buy some medication. A few hours later, the husband of senora Cista asked me if Todd was ok, because the nurse from the hospital rents a room from him too and she told him we went to the pharmacy. A few other people in town asked later if Todd was ok and if we needed anything. Everyone in town knew everything we had done that day.

 At night as we were eating dinner and drinking great Colombian coffee for 10 cents a cup.  We met several guys and they happily told Todd that he was the 2nd  North American to visit, after Paul. I was happily welcomed as the first Slovak ever to put her feet in Pijao. (By this time people knew about ESLOVAQIA because of the world cup!) Two of the guys we met worked as butchers and told me that they saw me earlier that day entering the market from the side door and exiting it from the back door walking towards the river.

Anyway these two guys turned out to be sooo nice, and we listened to their interesting stories all through the night while drinking about 70 cups of coffee.


Later they decided that we had to try Aquardientes ( a typical Colombian anisette alcohol drink). I was little apprehensive about that since I am not much of a drinker, and there was also a 3 day alcohol sale and drinking prohibition due to the presidential election. The boys were so nice to tell me that they make Aquardientes without sugar for girls and diabetics…I still managed to politely refuse as the presence of 20 policemen around with their guns made me a little nervous. I guess I still have that respect for authority.

However Todd, is another story, his Spanish got so much better after few secret shots that he did not need me to translate anymore. The guys walked me home ( as I was again the only women in the bar) and off they went to talk about life in Colombia.

The next day, the whole village of Pijao was yelling “Good morning Tony, how is your head.” ( At some point Todd started to introduce himself as Tony, since no one could pronounce Todd ). Todd later told me that they went to someone’s house and pretty much every male from Pijao came to chat and to welcome him. Of course, with a toast of Aquardientes….He said I missed the fun, but I could not help but imagining the title in the newspaper: The Slovakian tourist, a psychology doctorate candidate arrested while doing shots during the prohibition in Colombia…

Anyway, we finally left Pijao, it was sad to leave especially Senora’s Cista’s house. I loved to wake up to the smell of food cooking in her kitchen and having lunch in her living room with the police officers and listening to their stories. For some reason they all thought I was a “Colombiana” and even the mayor of the city (in his 70’s) offered me a full blown residency in Pijao, when he learned that I was not a Colombian.

Another city worth mentioning is Cartagena, great people and beautiful architecture.
It reminded me of Dubrovnik, Croatia with the addition of music. There is a diagonal wall around the old town, and samba music is blasting from everywhere. It is hard to describe the atmosphere, because it is just so full of good, joyful energy. I was just walking by this club and looked in and it was full of people. The samba music was so loud, you could hardly talk. I met with eye contact a few older guys sitting by the door, they stood up automatically welcomed us in and offered us their chairs. We chatted with them a little bit and after a while we were just all moving to the beat, the music was like group hypnosis that takes all your worries away.

I really think I have talked way over my blog space limit
but I have so much to say. Once, I feel really blessed to be able to visit Colombia and experience this beautiful country, that has such a bad image outside its borders. Oh, and I did not really talk about the children yet. They are just soo beautiful. I would just have to tell you about them personally…


I will see you all soon!
Kristi