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!

Stop dreaming about travel and actually book at trip with G Adventures!

If my pictures make you want to travel, but you don’t have someone to go with, don’t let that hold you back. I’m in Colombia with G Adventures. This is my fabulous group. They hail from Canada, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Taiwan, Italy, Denmark, and of course, the US. Not only are we getting a varied budget travel experience, but we get lots of time for interesting conversations from a wide variety of points of view. This kind of travel is much easier and cheaper than you think. And it will completely change your perspective about the world. #YOLO #liveeverydaytothefullest #justdoit

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.

2021 Year End Letter

 

Is it really the end of 2021 already? Each year seems to speed by faster and faster, plus the distortion of time due to the Pandemic. And then add Omicron which makes it feel like March 2020 all over again.

So how do I summarize 2021??? Basically every day feels like I’m adjusting to a “new normal” that never feels normal at all. I’m still running the NoHo Business Improvement District, where I’m responsible for keeping the streets clean and safe and supporting businesses by connecting them to helpful resources and to each other, especially as they tried to adapt to covid. Unlike so many others, I still go into the office almost every day for which I’m grateful, since I get to observe all the changes taking place from multiple locations and perspectives and interact in person with people. I am grateful for the new flexibility to work from home some days though. Mostly the Pandemic has made my job feel more meaningful. While there is a lot more stress there also has been an increased sense of purpose. 

I did manage to travel a bit. The safest thing to do in covid times is walk outside, which made trips to architecturally beautiful cities like Charleston, South Carolina and Barcelona, Spain perfect destinations, especially with the dramatic drop in tourism so I could have them to myself. I also went to South Dakota to search out another face of America. Additionally I went to Tampa for a BID conference and once again felt so grateful for the power of in-person connecting. And now I am ending the year with two weeks in Colombia, which both felt irresponsible during the Omicron rise and to be the best thing to do since NYC feels scary as my friends all test positive. Colombia is warm and wonderful and their covid numbers are way down, so bring on the adventure.

Other 2021 highlights included digging more deeply into Queens, while helping at a food pantry and making some significant cross cultural connections. I continue to feel grateful to live in such a diverse community, where 167 languages are spoken and a trip to the grocery store can sometimes feel like travel to a far off world, but mostly just feels like home. 

I always end my letters reminding everyone to venture out of their comfort zones and live life. It feels even more important during COVID when so many are laying low. Be safe but be brave and keep getting out experiencing new things. This Pandemic might be around for a while. Don’t lose any more time. 

May much brighter days lie ahead in 2022!

Click the links to access my Facebook photo albums for the various places I have traveled to this year.

Covid Can't Kill the Christmas Spirit in New York City

 

Omicron might have started raging in the middle of the New York Christmas season, but that didn't stop many many people from coming out and enjoying our Christmas City! 

Click HERE for more pictures of Christmas in New York City 2021

Día de las Velitas in Jackson Heights, NYC

I love living in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. It feels like every day is a holiday. Today is Colombia’s Día de las Velitas (Little Candle Day) and families gathered on the street to celebrate together. It kicks off the Christmas season.

Its extra awesome this year, because I'm actually going to Colombia for Christmas, partially because I live in a Colombian neighborhood in New York City.