Holidays in Colombia

Understanding Colombia

Although there is a certain amount of violence in remote areas, the current government has increased its presence in the countryside and in all major tourist areas, so whereas in the past travel was certainly dangerous, the risks are now lower except in the areas of known guerilla, paramilitary or drug cartel presence

Traveling in Colombia is definitely worthwhile From Bogota, with a temperate climate 2,600 m 8530 ft above sea level and at a constant temperature of 19 degrees Celsius, a drive of one or two hours North, South, East or West can take you to landscapes which are as diverse as they are beautiful To the East are the oriental plains which stretch out far beyond the horizon with little modulation To the North are the more rugged contours of the higher Andean region To the South the weather is sub-tropical and has flora and fauna concomitant with this, and to the West you can find the Magdalena River valley and its hot weather Colombia is one of the equatorial countries of the world, but unique in its extreme topography and abundance of water

Climate

The climate is tropical along the coast and eastern plains; cold in the highlands; periodic droughts Colombia is an equatorial country, so there are no seasons, what Colombians normally refer to as winter is the rainy season Cities such as Bogotá, Tunja, and Pasto have been known to reach temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius, so if you are sensitive to cold weather be prepared Some mountains are also covered in snow perenially Cities along the Atlantic coast Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta are hot and humid, while some cities at mid-altitude in the Andes Medellín, Pereira have 'everlasting spring' weather

Terrain

Flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Natural hazards: highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes Recent volcanic disaster occurred in Armero, 1985 25,000 people were buried by lahars that the Nevado del Ruiz produced

Highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m 18950 ft of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta The mountain is the world's highest coastal range note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar has the same elevation

History

Colombia became independent from Spain in 1810 It was one of the five countries liberated by Simon Bolivar the others being Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama then formed the first Republic of Colombia Ecuador and Venezuela declared their independence from Colombia in 1830 Panama declared its independence from Colombia in 1903 with the support of the United States of America A 40-year communist insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian Government escalated during the 1990s, under girded in part by funds from the drug trade Although the violence is deadly and large swaths of the rural countryside are under guerrilla influence, the movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to overthrow the government Illegal anti-insurgent paramilitary groups have grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such as the drug trade and also the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas While Bogotá continues to try to negotiate a settlement, neighboring countries worry about the violence spilling over their borders

Talking in Colombia

The official language of Colombia is Spanish Some indigenous tribes in rural areas continue to speak their own languages, though most younger people from those tribes will be bilingual in their indigenous language and Spanish

If you've recently learned Spanish, its a relief to know that the Colombian variety is clear and easy to understand The Spanish does vary, however, from Cartagena to Bogota to Cali Generally the Spanish on the coasts is spoken more rapidly, and Spanish from Medellin has its own idiosyncrasies Note that in cities like Medellín and Cali, the dialect of Spanish is the voseo form Meaning that instead of the second person familiar pronoun tú, vos is used instead Though tú is also understood by everybody, vos is a more friendly voice while tú is reserved for intimate circles

English is taught in school, and Colombians are often exposed to subtitled Hollywood films, so while shy many Colombians know at least a few basic phrases in English Expect to meet teenage Colombians who may want to practice their English skills with you

Colombians from more affluent backgrounds will have lived and worked in the US, Canada, England and possibly Australia in order to learn English Many university text books are in English, and the majority of high ranking professionals, executives and government workers in Colombia speak an acceptable level of English

French, German and Portuguese are also spoken, but to a lesser extent

Buying stuff in Colombia

The Colombian textile industry is well-recognized and reputable around South America and Europe Clothing, including lingerie is particularly well-regarded as high quality and very affordable Leather garments, shoes and accessories are also of interest to foreigners The best place to buy either is Medellin, known for being the fashion capital of the country, where one can buy very high quality goods at a very low cost

Colombian emeralds and gold 18k jewelry can also be very attractive for visitors A typical Colombian style of jewelry is a copy of precolombian jewelry, which is fabricated with gold, silver and semi-precious stones

The "mochila", the Spanish word for "backpack" or "rucksack", is also a traditional, indigenous, hand-woven Colombian bag, normally worn over the shoulder They are commonly sold in shopping malls, especially in the Santa Marta/El Rodadero area Mochilas usually come in three sizes - a large one to carry bigger things, a medium one to carry personal belongings, and a small one to carry coca leaves Coca leaves are carried by locals to reduce hunger, increase energy and to combat altitude sickness

Handicrafts such as intricately designed jewelery are commonly sold in markets and on street corners Many street vendors will approach people, selling t-shirts, shorts, glasses, bracelets, watches, necklaces, souvenirs, and novelty photographs If you want to buy something, this is a good time to exercise your bartering skills Usually you can go down by 2,000 to 3,000 pesos, however 2,000 is the generally accepted rule For example, if someone is selling a shirt for P$10,000, try asking if you can pay P$8,000 Go from there

If you don't want to buy anything, a simple gracias, "thank you" and a non-committal wave of your hand will deter would-be sellers

Money

The currency of Colombia is the Colombian peso Most banks and money changes will accept major world currencies such as the US dollar and the Euro

Costs

For transport, accommodations, tourism and food: cheap: $US30 for one person, $50 for two at 2,000 pesos per dollar comfortable: $US60 for one person, maybe $100 US for two

typical costs: modest but clean and occasionally charming hotel $25 50,000 COP, nice meal $15 for two, beers $06-5 depending on bar, bus 100km about $6 cheaper per km for longer trips, more for dirt roads, urban transport 50 cents

Food and eating in Colombia

In many areas of Colombia, it is common to have buñuelos deep fried corn flour balls with cheese in the dough and arepas rather thick corn tortillas, often made with cheese and served with butter with scrambled eggs for breakfast Bogotá and the central region have its own breakfast delicacy of tamales - maize and chopped pork or chicken with vegetables and eggs, steamed in banana leaves, often served with home-made hot chocolate

Empanadas, made with potato and meat with a pouch-like yellow exterior, are delicious and entirely different from their Mexican counterparts Pastry is prevalent, both salty and sweet, including Pandebono, Pan de Yuca, Pastel Gloria, and Roscon These vary in quality--ask the locals for the best niche places to indulge

For lunch, especially on Sundays, you should try a sancocho de gallina rich chicken soup, served with part of the chicken itself, rice and vegetables/salad Sancocho is widespread throughout the country, with countless regional variants On the coast it features fish, and is highly recommended Another soup, served in Bogotá and the periphery, is Ajiaco chicken soup made with three different kinds of potato, vegetables and herbsguasca, served with rice, avocado, corn, milk cream and capers

"Bandeja paisa" is common in most places, the "paisas" are the natives from some departments in the North West, such as Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío This includes rice, beans, fried plantain, arepa, fried egg, chorizo, chicharrón pork crackling with the meat still attached It's a very fatty dish, but you can leave what you don't like, and if you're lucky enough, you could find a gourmet bandeja paisa in a good restaurant in Bogotá or Medellín They are lighter and smaller

There are a few chains throughout the country In addition to worldwide franchises McDonald's, Subway, TGIF, which are specially focused on Bogotá and other big cities, Colombian chains are very strong and located in almost every city Presto and especially El Corral serve outstanding burgers, Kokoriko makes broiled chicken and Frisby specializes in roasted chicken Crêpes and Waffles, as the name indicates, is an upscale breakfast/brunch restaurant with spectacular crêpes, waffles and ice cream There are many international restaurants, including rodizios Brazilian steak house style, paella houses, etc

A great variety of tropical fruits can be tasted, and the corresponding variety in juices, from some of the oddest ones you can find around the globe really to the sweetest ones You just must know how to find and prepare them Anyway, anyone would be pleased to teach you Some examples of those exotic fruits include: tamarinds, mangoes, guanabanas, lulo, mangostines really great and rare even for Colombians, and a great variety in citrus In addition, you can find some of those rich and strange flavors in prepared food like ice cream brands or restaurant juices Most of Colombians drink juices at home and in restaurants, they are inexpensive and natural everywhere

In Colombia there are a great variety of "tamales" if you like them, but be aware they are very different from their most famous Mexican cousins They differ from region to region, but all of them are delicious They are called "envuelto", the sweet tamale made of corn

Regarding coffee, you can find a lot of products that are both made commercially and home-made from this very famous Colombian product, like wines, cookies, candies, milk-based desserts like "arequipe", ice-cream, etc

Colombians are famous for having a sweet tooth, so you are going to find a lot of desserts and local candies like "bocadillo" made of guayaba guava fruit, or the most famous milk-based "arequipe" similar to its Argentinian cousin "dulce leche" or the french "confiteure du lait" That just covers the basics, since every region in Colombia has its own fruits, local products, and therefore its own range of sweet products If you are a lover of rare candies, you could get artisan-made candies in the little towns near Bogotá and Tunja

The "tres leches" cake is not to be missed - a sponge cake soaked in milk, covered in whipped cream, then served with condensed milk, it is for the serious dairy fiend only Another delicious dessert is is 'leche asada', like a grilled milk

Organic food is a current trend in big cities, but in little towns you can get fruits and veggies all very natural and fresh Colombians aren't used to storing food for the winter, since there are no seasons in the traditional sense So don't ask them for dried items like dried tomatos or fruits All you have to do is go shopping at the little grocery stores nearby and pick up the freshest of the harvest of the month almost everything is available and fresh all year As for pickles and related preserved food, you can find them in supermarkets, but they are not common in family households

Pre-Colombian civilizations cultivated about 200 varieties of potatoes Colombia as an Andean country, is not the exception Even McDonalds recognizes the quality of this product and buys them Try the local preparations like "papas saladas" salted potatoes or "papas chorriadas" stewed potatoes

All in all, in Colombia it can be fun to have the ingredients and the preparation of a lot of exotic recipes explained to you

Drinking in Colombia

For breakfast, take a home-made hot drink The choices normally include coffee, hot chocolate or "agua de panela" The latter is a drink prepared with panela dried cane juice, sometimes with cinnamon and cloves, which gives it a special taste In Bogotá and the region around, is a custom to use cheese along with the drink, in a way that small pieces of cheese are put into the cup and then after they are melt, you can use a spoon to pick them up and eat it like a soup It is the same way to drink hot chocolate

Colombia's national alcoholic beverage, Aguardiente tastes strongly of anise, and is typically bought by the bottle or half bottle or a quarter People usually drink it in shots Each region has its own aguardiente, "Antioqueño" from Antioquia, "Cristal" from Caldas, "Quindiano" from Quindío, "Blanco del Valle" from Valle del Cauca and "Nectar" from Cundinamarca There is also a variety of rum beverages, like "Ron Medellin Añejo" also from Antioquia and "Ron Viejo de Caldas" also from Caldas

The water is drinkable right from the tap in most of the major cities, but be prepared to buy some bottles if you go to the countryside Agua Manantial Bottled water is recommended, it comes from a natural spring near Bogotá An advice make sure you do not use ice cubes, or drink any beverage that might contain non distilled water, ask if the beverage is made with tap or bottled/boiled water

If you are lucky enough, and if you are staying in a familiar "finca cafetera" coffee plantation you can ask your Colombian friends not only for the selected coffee quality export but for the remaining coffee that the farmers leave to their own use This is manually picked, washed, toasted in rustic brick stoves and manually ground It has the most exquisite and rare flavor and aroma ever found

In Bogota and the rest of the country, black filter coffee is refferred to as "tinto" - confusing if you were expecting red wine

Also, you can find specialized places where you can drink coffee with many different combinations like Juan Valdés stores, hot or frozen preparations

Commercially you can find a lot of products made out of coffee too like wines, ice-creams, soda-pops and other beverages

Accommodation in Colombia

In Colombia you can find a range of options, bed and breakfast conditioned to western standards and hostels to five-star hotels There are also apartments that rent per day

Working in Colombia

If you want to work for a national company, such as Bancolombia/Conavi, Avianca, or Presto, you must be able to speak Spanish with near-native fluency Depending on your qualifications, companies may offer Spanish lessons, however always make sure that you are indeed eligible for the position advertised You can teach English for extra money, especially in smaller cities where the demand for it is high Also you could work for a NGO

Cities in Colombia

abejorral  abrego  abriaqui  acacias  acandi  acaricuara  acevedo  achi  agrado  aguachica  aguadas  agua de dios  aguazul  agustin codazzi  aipe  alban  albania  albania  albania  alcala  aldana  alejandria  algarrobo  algeciras  almaguer  almeida  altamira  alto baudo  altos del rosario  alvarado  amaga  amalfi  anapoima  ancuya  andalucia  andes  angelopolis  angostura  anolaima  anori  anserma  ansermanuevo  antioquia  anzoategui  apartado  apia  aquitania  aracataca  aranzazu  aratoca  arauca  arauquita  arbelaez  arboleda  arboledas  arboletes  arcabuco  arenal  argelia  argelia  argelia  ariguani  arjona  armenia  armenia  astrea  ataco  ayapel  bagado  bajo baudo  balboa  balboa  baranoa  baraya  barbacoas  barbosa  barbosa  barichara  barrancabermeja  barranca de upia  barrancas  barranco de loba  barranquilla  becerril  belalcazar  belen  belen  belen de umbria  bello  belmira  beltran  berbeo  betania  beteitiva  betulia  betulia  bituima  boavita  bochalema  bogota  bojaca  bojaya  bolivar  bolivar  bolivar  bosconia  boyaca  briceno  briceno  bucaramanga  bucarasica  buenaventura  buenavista  buenavista  buenos aires  buesaco  buga  bugalagrande  buritica  busbanza  cabrera  cabrera  cabuyaro  caceres  cachipay  cachira  cacota  caicedo  caicedonia  caimito  cajamarca  cajibio  cajica  calamar  calamar  calarca  caldas  caldas  caldono  cali  california  caloto  campamento  campoalegre  campo de la cruz  campohermoso  canalete  canasgordas  candelaria  candelaria  cantagallo  caparrapi  capitanejo  caqueza  caracoli  caramanta  carcasi  carepa  carmen de apicala  carmen de carupa  carmen de viboral  carolina  cartagena  cartagena del chaira  cartago  casabianca  caucasia  cepita  cerete  cerinza  cerrito  cerro san antonio  certegui  chachagui  chaguani  chalan  chameza  chaparral  charala  charta  chia  chigorodo  chima  chima  chimichagua  chinacota  chinavita  chinchina  chinu  chipaque  chipata  chiquinquira  chiquiza  chiriguana  chiscas  chita  chitaga  chivata  chivolo  chivor  choachi  choconta  cicuco  cienaga  cienaga de oro  cienega  cimitarra  circasia  cisneros  clemencia  cocorna  coello  cogua  colombia  colon  colon  coloso  combita  concepcion  concepcion  concordia  concordia  condoto  confines  consaca  contadero  contratacion  convencion  copacabana  coper  cordoba  cordoba  cordoba  corinto  coromoro  corozal  corrales  cota  cotorra  covarachia  coyaima  cravo norte  cuaspud  cubara  cubarral  cucaita  cucunuba  cucuta  cucutilla  cuitiva  cumaral  cumaribo  cumbal  cumbitara  cunday  curillo  curiti  curumani  dabeiba  dagua  darien  dibulla  distraccion  don matias  dos quebradas  duitama  durania  ebejico  el aguila  el bagre  el banco  el bordo  el cairo  el calvario  el carmen de bolivar  el carmen  el carmen  el carmen  el castillo  el cerrito  el cocuy  el copey  el doncello  el dorado  el dovio  el espino  el guacamayo  el guamo  elias  el molino  el paso  el paujil  el penol  el penon  el penon  el penon  el pinon  el playon  el reten  el retorno  el roble  el rosal  el rosario  el tablon  el tambo  el tambo  el tarra  el zulia  encino  enciso  entrerrios  envigado  espinal  facatativa  falan  filadelfia  filandia  firavitoba  flandes  florencia  florencia  floresta  florian  floridablanca  florida  fomeque  fonseca  fortul  fosca  fredonia  fresno  frontino  fuente de oro  fundacion  funes  funza  fuquene  fusagasuga  gachala  gachancipa  gachantiva  gacheta  galan  galapa  galeras  gama  gamarra  gambita  gameza  garagoa  garzon  genova  gigante  ginebra  giraldo  girardot  giron  gomez plata  gonzalez  gramalote  granada  granada  granada  guaca  guacamayas  guacari  guacheta  guachucal  guadalupe  guadalupe  guadalupe  guaduas  guaitarilla  gualmatan  guamal  guamal  guamo  guapi  guapota  guarne  guasca  guatape  guataqui  guatavita  guateque  guatica  guavata  guayabal de siquima  guayabal  guayabetal  guayata  guepsa  guican  gutierrez  hacari  hatillo de loba  hato corozal  hato  heliconia  herran  herveo  hispania  hobo  honda  ibague  icononzo  iles  imues  inirida  inza  ipiales  iquira  isnos  istmina  itagui  ituango  iza  jambalo  jamundi  jardin  jenesano  jerico  jerico  jerusalen  jesus maria  jordan  juan de acosta  junin  jurado  la argentina  labateca  la belleza  labranzagrande  la calera  la capilla  la ceja  la celia  la cruz  la cumbre  la dorada  la esperanza  la estrella  la florida  la gloria  la jagua del pilar  la llanada  la macarena  la merced  la montanita  landazuri  la palma  la paz  la pena  la pintada  la plata  la playa  la primavera  la salina  la salina  la sierra  la tebaida  la tola  la union  la union  la union  la union  la uvita  la vega  la vega  la victoria  la victoria  la virginia  lebrija  leiva  leiva  lejanias  lenguazaque  lerida  leticia  libano  liborina  linares  litoral del san juan  lloro  lopez  lorica  los andes  los cordobas  los palmitos  los patios  los santos  lourdes  luruaco  macanal  macaravita  maceo  macheta  madrid  magangue  magui  mahates  maicao  majagual  malaga  malambo  mallama  manati  manaure  mani  manizales  manta  manzanares  mapiripan  margarita  maria la baja  marinilla  maripi  mariquita  marmato  marquetalia  marsella  marulanda  matanza  medellin  medina  melgar  mercaderes  mesetas  milan  miraflores  miraflores  miranda  mistrato  mitu  mocoa  mogotes  molagavita  momil  mompos  mompos  mongua  mongui  moniquira  monitos  montebello  montecristo  montelibano  montenegro  monteria  monterrey  morales  morales  morelia  morroa  mosquera  mosquera  motavita  murillo  murindo  mutata  mutiscua  mutis  muzo  narino  narino  narino  natagaima  nataga  nechi  necocli  neira  neiva  nemocon  nilo  nimaima  nobsa  nocaima  norcasia  novita  nueva granada  nuevo colon  nunchia  nuqui  obando  ocamonte  ocana  oiba  oicata  olaya herrera  olaya  onzaga  oporapa  orito  orocue  ortega  ospina  ospina perez  otanche  ovejas  pachavita  pacho  pacora  padilla  paez  paez  paicol  pailitas  paime  paipa  pajarito  palermo  palestina  palestina  palmar de varela  palmar  palmas del socorro  palmira  palmito  palocabildo  pamplona  pamplonita  pandi  panqueba  paramo  paratebueno  pasca  pasto  pauna  paya  paz de ariporo  pedraza  pelaya  penol  pensilvania  peque  pereira  pesca  piedecuesta  piedras  pijao  pijino  pinchote  pinillos  piojo  pisba  pitalito  pital  pivijay  pizarro  planadas  planeta rica  plato  policarpa  ponedera  pore  potosi  pradera  prado  providencia  pueblo bello  pueblo nuevo  pueblo rico  pueblorrico  puebloviejo  puente nacional  puerres  puerto asis  puerto berrio  puerto boyaca  puerto colombia  puerto concordia  puerto escondido  puerto gaitan  puerto guzman  puerto leguizamo  puerto lleras  puerto lopez  puerto narino  puerto parra  puerto rico  puerto rico  puerto rondon  puerto salgar  puerto santander  puerto tejada  puerto triunfo  puerto wilches  puli  pupiales  purace  purificacion  purisima  quebradanegra  quetame  quibdo  quimbaya  quinchia  quipama  quipile  rafael reyes  ragonvalia  ramiriqui  raquira  recetor  regidor  remedios  remolino  repelon  restrepo  restrepo  retiro  ricaurte  ricaurte  rioblanco  rio de oro  riofrio  riohacha  rionegro  rionegro  riosucio  riosucio  rio viejo  risaralda  rivera  roberto payan  roldanillo  roncesvalles  rondon  rosas  rovira  sabana de torres  sabanagrande  sabanagrande  sabanalarga  sabanalarga  sabanalarga  sabaneta  saboya  sacama  sachica  sahagun  saladoblanco  salamina  salamina  saldana  salento  salgar  samaca  samaniego  sampues  san agustin  san alberto  san andres  san andres  san andres  san antero  san antonio del tequendama  san antonio  san benito abad  san benito  san bernardo  san bernardo  san calixto  san carlos  san carlos  san cayetano  san cayetano  san cristobal  san diego  sandona  san eduardo  san estanislao  san fernando  san fernando  san francisco  san francisco  san francisco  san gil  san jacinto  san jeronimo  san joaquin  san jose del guaviare  san jose del palmar  san jose de miranda  san jose de pare  san jose  san juan de arama  san juan de betulia  san juan del cesar  san juan de uraba  san juanito  san juan nepomuceno  san lorenzo  san luis de gaceno  san luis de palenque  san luis  san luis  san marcos  san martin  san martin  san mateo  san miguel de sema  san miguel  san miguel  san onofre  san pablo de borbur  san pablo  san pablo  san pablo  san pedro de cartago  san pedro de uraba  san pedro  san pedro  san pedro  san pelayo  san rafael  san roque  san sebastian  san sebastian  santa ana  santa barbara  santa barbara  santa barbara  santa catalina  santacruz  santa helena  santa isabel  santa lucia  santa maria  santa maria  santa marta  santana  santander de quilichao  santa rosa de cabal  santa rosa del sur  santa rosa de osos  santa rosa de viterbo  santa rosalia  santa rosa  santa rosa  santa sofia  santiago  santiago  santo domingo  santo tomas  santuario 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