Photos from my trip to Colombia

Have mask, will travel.

Click HERE to see more photos from my trip to Colombia

Traveling in the Time of Covid

Since I was traveling during the pandemic, I was keeping an eye on how Colombia was handling covid. After all, masks and safety and needing covid tests, were one of things that made this trip different from trips in the past.

From what I saw, Colombia was taking covid very seriously. In Medellin everyone even wore masks outside and in most places most people did. It felt safe and like there wasn’t as much conflict. (Somehow they understand that mask go over one’s nose!) Store security greeted customers at shop doors with sanitizing spray bottles in many places and portable hand washing sinks were set out in public places. Signage was abundant. Some places asked for vaccines for entry, but not that many, though I was told it is the law at restaurants. Colombia was hit very hard in the first wave, with 130,000 deaths in their 52 million population, and they clearly are trying to stave off more illness and death. Case numbers were very low when I got there, but when I just checked, it looks like now, a week after I left case numbers are going up again.

Caribbean Warm Breezes and Beats in Cartagena Colombia

This was my second trip to Cartagena. As Colombia develops its tourism infrastructure, it felt different from before, and from the other parts of the country. Tropical temps, a much more Afro-Colombian population and Caribbean Sea breezes reminded me more of Cuba than Medellin. It’s a well preserved colorful city and a UNESCO World Heritage site. I stayed outside the traditional city walls in the Getsamani neighborhood, where narrow roadways turned into night parties with restaurants and bars spilling out into the roadways and music and dancing in the streets. The street art on many of the walls and overhead decorations really made it feel lively. I spent a day at the Cartagena beach front, and on another, took a cigarette boat way into the sea to the Rosario Islands. Then on my last day I chilled by my hotel pool between little walks and stops close to my hotel. This might be my last tropical, warm trip for a while and I wanted to be sure to squeeze out every last chill moment. I’ll also add that I posted my Colombia Christmas decoration pictures already, but if you look back you will see that Cartagena won for most decorated city in my book and I really enjoyed looking close at the displays all over the city.

Cartagena is a Caribbean city ready for the world and a quick direct flight from NYC. Go!!!

Street Art is Everywhere in Colombia!

Anyone who knows me has been waiting for street art photos from my travels. Colombia has LOTS of street art. It’s truly awesome. It was one of the reasons I wanted to go back. Everywhere you look, bam! more art, more color, more creativity. I took a wonderful tour with a street artist and learned more about the scene there.

High Up in the Mountains You Will Find Medellin, Colombia

Medellin is the heart of Medellin and I really felt that until I saw it, I couldn’t say I’d been to Colombia. It’s a big city with urban sprawl rising up all the mountainsides. It has modern skyscrapers and lots of public art. There are plenty of luxury high rises and seemingly endless slums, as more and more people arrive. It seems to be doing a great job reinventing itself after

Colombia’s darker days where militias, drug cartels and the army fought in its streets. Now it’s a place for international commerce and known for its innovation urban planning which has put bike lanes and open pedestrian streets where cars used to run. I got to enjoy the lively nightlife and spend a day reflecting on the recent history at the “Casa de la Memoria,” or the Museum of Memory, dedicated to those who perished during the years of conflict. Honestly, I can’t wait to go back and dig even deeper.

Salento and the Coffee Lands - Colombia

This is my second trip to Colombia. The first one focused more on the towns and parks on the Caribbean Coast, but I yearned to go back and see the coffee lands. I mean, I grew up with Juan Valdez and see the 100% Colombian everywhere I buy coffee. This was THE place to learn about coffee.

Well, it was worth the wait. The flora and fauna was lush and filled with many shades of vibrant greens. Also Colombia is #1 in the world for birds, which meant a chorus of sounds better than the philharmonic.

We stayed on a hacienda for two nights where I swung on a hammock and relaxed in nature and then moved on to Salento, a UNESCO World Heritage town, where the colonial architecture is beautifully preserved. The mythical Jeep Willys were everywhere and smooth Colombian coffee pepped me up to be able to make the most of it all.

I also visited the majestic Valle de Cocora, located in the Andean mountain range near Armenia, Colombia. It is most famous for being the main location where the national tree of Colombia, the Quindío wax palm lives. This palm is the tallest in the world and can grow up to 180 feet and live for 200 years. As you can see they are quite a sight to see!

Christmas in Choachi, Colombia

When my parents died, Christmas forever changed. Since then I’ve just embraced the change, since I can’t recreate the old way. It’s become an opportunity to join different families every year and experience different traditions. This year, my cousin's extended family, the Espinel's in Choachi, Colombia welcomed me with open arms and into a beautiful mountainside complex for a salsa music filled Christmas Eve.

Turns out that Christmas Eve is the big day in Colombia. We spent half the day cooking and the family gathered for a big dinner. The thing to do in Choachi is to go to the main square at midnight and welcome Christmas by dancing to live bands till 6am. I have to admit I only made it till 2, but it was fun to watch the crowd and think how vastly different people celebrate holidays around the world.

May everyone be enjoying old and new traditions. Merry Christmas!

Second times a charm in Bogota, Colombia

This was my second trip to Bogota. It’s a huge city and I feel like I still have only scratched the surface and definitely don’t know it’s full story yet. Tourists tend to stay in La Candeleria, the oldest part of town. The architecture is traditional and colorful and street life is busy. But in contrast the sprawl has lots of new luxury apartment towers to house the country’s upper class. Colombia is the most unequal country in Latin America and the differences between are pronounced. Next time I’ll explore more. I always find it interesting how long it takes to get to know a city.

In my time I was able wander through downtown, to hunt for street art, explore the wholesale district and soak in the ambiance of their main giant market, including the flower market, which was fun because of my NYC Flower Market days. Colombia is the largest flower exporter.

Photos from Colombia

Photos from my Colombia trip (Click here)

Mural and Graffiti in Colombia

Click here for my photo album

My Trip to Colombia