By Admin Friday, March 12, 2010
Colombia is the coffee lover’s Mecca. Colombia produces ten percent of the world’s Arabica beans, exporting ninety percent of that so the world can enjoy the rich taste of Colombian coffee. Even the aroma itself is satisfying. Visiting Colombian coffee plantations can also be an immensely satisfying experience. Coffee, the region’s most important export, is helping draw tourists to Colombia. They may come for the coffee, but they are captivated by the beauty of the land, the diversity of the culture, and the hospitality of the coffee growers of Colombia.
By Admin Thursday, March 11, 2010
Lonely Planet’s Tom Hall answers your questions on worldwide travel. This week: is Colombia really a safe destination and can you do Cairo in a day?
Why is it that we hear so little about Colombia? I know that they had trouble years ago with drug gangs etc, but I’ve heard that it’s settled now and is an absolutely beautiful country. A couple of friends have travelled away from the usual coastal areas to the main coffee area around Armenia and said the Andean scenery was stunning. I’m thinking of going in the summer and would like to go to the central area, not the touristy coast. Can you help?
Name and address supplied
By Admin Saturday, March 6, 2010
Cartagena’s History Museum houses exhibits about the rich heritage of Colombia’s most popular tourism destination. But the part that seems to get the most attention is the Palacio de la Inquisición, which now houses a museum of the Inquisition.
This violent phase of Roman Catholic history tried supposed heretics within the church’s own justice system, and was known for the extreme methods of torture used to extract confessions and conversions from the accused.
The beautiful building used for this purpose in Cartagena dates to 1610, and sits conveniently near the city’s cathedral.
Three Irishmen Birdwatching in ColombiaBy Admin Friday, March 5, 2010
Ciudad Perdida - the Lost City is the ancient capital of the Tayrona Indians and was built around 800 AD but not discovered until 1975. We had decided to hike to the city for a few reasons:
1. We hadn’t bothered with the Macchu Picchu trek because it was rainy season at the time - we had gotten the train instead and felt a little guilty.
2. You don’t really have a choice! - it’s buried deep in the jungle so the only way to get there is with an arduous 5-6 day hike through the jungle, wading across a few rivers etc, to the site and back. Unless of course you’re Bill Clinton and can get a helicopter there.
3. None of us were Bill Clinton.
The Best bars, discos, lounges and adult entertainment in Bogota ColombiaBy Admin Thursday, March 4, 2010
This post kicks off ´The Best of Bogota´, a series of blog posts that will ultimately highlight all that Bogota Colombia has to offer. I begin with my personal favorite – nightlife. Bogota is a huge sprawling metropolis of close to 7,000,000 people. As you can imagine, Bogota is not lacking in places to party. There are literally hundreds of night spots in Bogota, though most of the best are concentrated in Zona ´T´, La Candelaria, Zona Rosa and Usaquen. Gathering the info for this post was tough work believe me, but here we go, the Best of Bogota Nightlife.
By Admin Wednesday, March 3, 2010
We don’t hear a lot about Colombia’s Pacific coast, and outside of salsa, Afro-Colombians are rarely represented in popular music. So Choc Quib Town—for Choco, Colombia’s blackest and poorest region, and Quibdo, its capital city—may not sound very typically Colombian.
No vallenato here, or cumbia, or big booming voices. Instead, what you’ll get is a bit of aguabajo (lots of interplay between male and female voices), a good dose of makerule (a sweet marimba style-rhythm with lots of call and response), and a dash of currulao (a dance based on a 6/8 beat), all blended together with tropical-style hip-hop, Jamaican reggae and electronica.
Campaign ‘Vive Colombia, the country’s on your heart’By Admin Friday, February 26, 2010
El Peñon de Guatape (monolith) - Colombia
By Admin Tuesday, February 23, 2010
From on Vimeo.
El Peñon de Guatape (Spanish for “The Guatape Rock") wrongly called El Peñol Stone (Spanish La Piedra de El Peñol, is a monolithic formation located at the town and municipality of Guatape 1 km inside the city limits (86 km northeast of Medellin) in Antioquia, Colombia. The stone rises from the bottom of the hydroelectric dam of Peñol-Guatape. This monolith was spotted as a border landmark between country farms and the two cities. Literary Cartagena: Hay Festival 2010
By Admin Friday, February 19, 2010
Cartagena decks itself in light and letters every January to make everyone vibrate with marvelous narrations, exciting novels, and touching poems that come forth from the pen of writers who find their inspiration in life. The Walled City exudes culture and beauty and opens spaces for the Hay Festival, one of Colombia’s largest literary events.
From January 28 to 31, tourists will be immersed in theater, exhibits, workshops, and conferences. Additionally, they will be accompanied by over 80 guests and will have the chance to enjoy a concert by Manu Dibango, the Cameroun saxophonist, who will present a fusion of the typical music of his country and jazz and funk rhythms.
Why Travel to Colombia?By Admin Thursday, February 18, 2010
We are all aware that Colombia has a reputation of being a dangerous country. The country has been battered by drug cartels, guerrilla wars and public kidnappings i.e. Ingrid Betancur.
After spending 20 days traveling in Colombia, we now consider it one of our favorite Latin American countries. The country of Colombia has much to offer its foreign and national tourists.
Central Colombia
Bogota was once only a transportation hub for Colombia, but now travelers are staying for a few days to explore what the city has to offer. Considered a world city and one of the most economically important cities in South America, Bogata has turned it’s focus to tourism and is succeeding.
