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2 Weeks in Colombia: The Good, The Bad, and The Remarkable

Hola mi gente! It’s officially 2022, and I already have a new trip to tell you about! I actually spent the last 2 semanas of el año down in Colombia, pretty cool huh? Lemme tell you, it was a truly epic trip – in all the best and worst ways. La palabra “epic” significa que it was note-worthy… and to be honest, that includes ALL the things- the lovely, cutesy, typical travel blog things AND the hard, honest, “let’s be real” things. I think que es importante to share it ALL if I’m going to share authentically about our Colombia trip. So allow me to share with you about our 2 weeks in Colombia: the good, the bad, and the remarkable.

Dejame empezar by telling you that, we’ve never traveled to South America before. Let alone during the holidays, this was a big first. We did an early December trip to the Florida Keys last year, pero esto fue diferente. Christmas and New Years… and a couple birthdays… with another family… for an extended stay-Colombia had EPIC written all over it!

Fue un verdadero adventure.

With ups and downs and a smattering of surprises.

We spent our two week Colombia trip touring the “Gateway to South America” (that’s actually what they call it), exploring the metropolis of Medellín, the touristy colonial town of Cartagena, the rustic village of Guatapé, and even made a trip out to see the tropical Rosario Islands. So, we saw quite a bit of the country in one single trip.

There is soo much to tell you, my friends. Demasiado! I’ll try to keep it concise and organized. We’ll start with the good parts, throw in the bad elements, and end with the truly remarkable bits. It’ll be like a Colombia sandwich: as authentic as they come. These are MY experiences and MY insights, not everyone will share in my “sandwich”… but I hope you like seeing Colombia thru my eyes….

Están listos?



The Good

1. The Landscape

view from El Penol rock, guatape, colombia
The view from the top of El Peñol Rock, in Guatapé

Colombia has so much to offer, empezando with the fact that it is truly very naturally beautiful. Es un país precioso. If we are just talking landscape… you’ll be hard pressed to encontrar a prettier country. I mean, it’s one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. It has everything: snow covered Andes Mountains, rolling green countryside, tropical Amazon jungles, pristine beaches, grasslands, y hasta tiene deserts!

It’s overflowing with natural beauty.

You guys, ya saben, I LIVE for some scenic views. In fact, the older I get, if a place aint got vistas to enjoy- I don’t wanna go there. Colombia didn’t disappoint. La verdad es que, I actually didn’t plan the trip to go there because of the “nature”, I went for the culture, but the beautiful scenery just snuck up on me. People should talk more about how gorgeous Colombia is, porque yo pienso that’s it’s the country’s biggest selling point.

You’ve seen the movie Encanto, right?

Welp, it looks EXACTLY like that.

Por ejemplo, from almost any spot in the city of Medellín you could see incredible mountain views. It’s a city literally surrounded by montañas, with all of the inhabitants nestled right in the middle of a basin or valley of sorts. Y si vas a Las Islas Rosario, you’ll see water so clear and sooo blue that your eyes have trouble adjusting. If you contrast that with the lush rolling hills of the Guatapé region, you’ll have trouble believing that you’re still in the same country.

I have lots to say sobre Colombia, both good and bad, pero I have to start with the fact that it truly is… Gorgeous.

medellin skyline, colombia
The Medellín skyline as seen from El Tesoro Parque Comercial

2. The People

posing with palenqueras, cartagena, colombia
Here I am posing with some beautiful Palenqueras in Cartagena. They are iconic to the city and earn their money by dancing with tourists and selling delicious fruit.

The main reason that I wanted to go to Colombia, and South America in general, was to be with the people. I wanted to be surrounded by gente como yo: otros Latinos. I wanted my family to be immersed in Latinx culture y tambien en Español, and I thought Colombia would be the perfect place to begin our travels into South America.

Mi pequeña familia hasn’t really spent much time in Latin-American besides Puerto Rico and Mexico, and I wanted to provide the opportunity for them to fall in love with the people of Colombia… and by extension, Latinos in general.

I’ve been desperately trying for years to get my little mixed kids, more in touch with their Latin side, and I thought that falling in love with the amazing people of Colombia would help in that quest. It did. Mi amiga, Rachel, vive en Bogota and she’s been telling me for years how warm and welcoming the Colombian people were.

She was right, they are amazing.

2 weeks in Colombia taught us that.

Physically, la gente de Colombia resemble much of the rest of Latin America: they are a blend of Indigenous peoples of America, enslaved peoples from Africa, and the Spanish. Son bellos; representing every skin tone under the sun and a cultural diversity that should be cherished. They really are warm and kind, pero también son vibrante and expressive, and passionate and proud. The Colombians we met were sumamente orgullosos of their country and their heritage and took every opportunity to share about what makes their home so great. You can be proud and yet humble at the same time, I saw it with my own eyes.

The Colombian people que conocimos treated us with kindness, warmth, and hospitality. I’m describing every store clerk we encountered, every waiter we met, every Uber driver we talked to, every new friend we made.

A tourist couldn’t ask for a more welcoming community of citizens.

The community of Guatapé, outside on a sunny day

Can I tell you real quick about my favorite 2 people? Their names are Elena and Glenis. Fueron las chicas de servicio at one of the Airbnbs I stayed at in Cartagena. Probably some of the most beautiful humans I ever met. They cleaned and cooked for us because they had to, pero me dieron amor because they wanted to. They treated me like a daughter, taking me shopping for souvenirs, getting me medicine for my crazy bug bites, doting on me 24/7, and working hard to make recipes that they knew I would like. I loved them instantly… still do, actually. I’m pleased to tell you: they text me regularly to this day.

Look at mis chicas: Glenis y Elena. Aren’t they adorable?

3. The Architecture

spanish colonial architecture, cratagena, colombia
I mean, have you ever seen a more vibrant door?:)

Spanish Colonial architecture is gorgeous.

Que mas puedo decir?

Colonizers suck, they sucked then and they suck now, but damn- they created some pretty buildings. And that Spanish influence, mixed with indigenous artistry and African touches, really makes Colombia a truly beautiful place to visit. Its the type of place that architecture lovers like me go gaga over, especially if they tour the small villages of the country.

Ustedes ya saben, I love doors and windows and pretty buildings – this much is evident by now- but in Colombia, my camera was *smoking*! There are gorgeous things to photograph EVERYWHERE. Doorways, balconies, zocalos, tile work, ornate facades… etc! Esto es especially true in historic places like the colorful mountain village of Guatapé and the centuries-old colonial city of Cartagena.

The word I would use is: enchanting.

Traditional Colombian architecture is enchanting.

Now, that doesn’t apply to all Colombian cities; the bigger the city, the more urban and modern the architecture is. Population density absolutely affects the charm factor, por supuesto. But, even in Medellín (one of the largest cities in Colombia) we were able to find the charm… when we looked with intention. The churches, the doorways, the plazas, the museums – all had bits of architectural goodness sprinkled upon them.

If you love ornate wooden design features, intricate wrought iron work, vibrant colors, and Spanish Colonial vibes with clay work, tiles, and rustic stucco elements… you’re going to love exploring the country of Colombia. Especialmente si vas a explorar in Cartagena y Guatapé – they were my personal faves!

  • Do you love Spanish Colonial architecture? What’s your favorite element?
For a tour of the beautiful village of Guatapé, check out my latest Youtube Video!

4. The Exchange Rate

historic caratagena, colombia
The walled, historical district of Cartagena is filled with shops!

This topic might sound hella out of place but MONEY matters, amores. What you can GET for your money absolutely matters. ESPECIALLY while you’re traveling. So yea, the exchange rate in Colombia positively had to make my “good” list.

Aqui es la cosa: Although the current Colombia exchange rate for dollars fluctuates a little every day, it stays a about a pretty healthy rate of about .000025 COP per US Dollar. Amazing, huh?! Don’t know what that means? Well, the trick we found that worked best in figuring out the money conversion was just dividing by 4,000. Si una cena Colombiana costs you about 40,000 COP, that’s about a $10 meal. Easy peazy lemon squeezy.

So, the exchange rate is absolutely in your favor! 1000%.

Piensa en cuánto dinero puedes ahorar; savings galore! For us, the exchange rate made all the difference in the world. It meant that we could afford bigger/nicer lodgings and it meant we could book excursions that we might have skipped under tighter budget restrictions- like the private tour of the Rosario Islands that we did. También resulto ser maravilloso for food, treats, and souvenirs!

For example, I had the opportunity to buy myself an authentic emerald ring for my birthday while in Cartagena (Colombia is the emerald capital of the world) for a fraction of the cost that I would’ve been able to purchase the exact same ring in the states. We also were able to purchase lots more goods, art, and merchandise from local vendors because our the incredible exchange rate- un cosa que fue un “win-win” para nosotros and for the street vendors selling them.

cartagena emeralds. emerald ring, colombia
Check out my birthday present: my new Cartagena emerald ring

Consider this: the exchange rate being low means that you can use your money to positively affect the local artisans in a truly impactful way.

That 5 dollars that I spent for a sun hat in Medellín is 20,000 COP for a local artisan. Y cuando consideras que the average cost of food in Medellín is $24,525 COP per day… you realize that your purchase really makes a big difference in the lives of the vendors you buy from. One Cartagena man thanked me profusely for buying 3 cheap (for me) sunglasses at his little street corner shop, telling me “Esto significa que voy a poder darle comida a mi familia esta noche.” Translated he said: “This means I’m going to be able to feed my family tonight.”

Impact.

The exchange rate matters, mis amores. And Colombia’s rate is really a benefit for American travels.

Selfishly, it’s amazing the savings you’ll have. Altruistically, it’s amazing the impact you can make.

  • Do you consider exchange rate when you travel?


The Bad

1. The “Tourist” Problem

Let’s get to the REAL, the hard, the “nitty gritty”, shall we? Ok, para empezar, I have to share that while I’m a brown Latina, my husband is your classic American white boy. Yep, its true. We are a proud “café con leche” couple, and while that usually enriches the spaces we are in, in Colombia – it worked against us. The white privilege that my husband enjoys in most of the places we visit, was his biggest disadvantage cuando estuvimos in Sud América.

When “standing out” isn’t always a good thing…

Being an obvious tourist was not exactly a “positive” in the Colombian cities that we visited. Lo que quiero decir is that it made my husband (and by extension- the whole family) : a target. There’s no good way to say that but hear me out. Aaron was targeted for all sorts of things because of his obvious “non local” look, everything from scams (which we were… scammed… out of $150), to threats of violence (which we were, more on that later), to over-pricing (which happens often to obvious tourists), to aggressive sales tactics from street vendors.

The thing is, a Colombian who is down on their luck and just trying to survive might see American tourists as walking dollar signs. Why wouldn’t they? Why wouldn’t they try to sell harder to or take more from people they thought had more disposable income?

I can’t blame them.

Eso no cambia the reality that being an obvious tourist in Colombia (esp. in Medellén and Cartagena) was really unpleasant for us. It pretty much defined our whole trip. It wasn’t fun, my friends. Like, at all.

Imagínate, one day we counted 18 street salespeople who approached us and wouldn’t leave us alone- all in a 2 hour time period. That’s about 3-4 “no, gracias” per vendor. It’s also 2-5 unsolicited rap songs and dance numbers being performed alongside us by street performers who followed us with hands outstretched for a payment. Y también, its meals continuously interrupted by vendors and artists and instrument makers and boat captains.. etc.

Ahora, imagine enduring that with kids… it’s alot.

If you look closely, you notice the street vendors approaching the tourists at the tables with their wares.

My Advice:

*Know before you go. Understand que you will stick out before you even go to Colombia and plan ahead to make the most of esta situación.

* Bypass the scammers by researching your activities and booking them ahead of time and from a reputable website.

*Bypass the aggressive vendors by not looking at them- I watched locals keep strolling without paying them any mind and it works, folks!

*Another trick que funciona: the forceful finger wave. Go “no no no” con tu index finger and that seems to alert vendors that you really aren’t interested… but in a less exasperated way.

*Lastly, stay away from the most touristy of areas when you can. No vayas to the big plazas, the crowded outdoor markets, the photo-op spots – that always helps when the target becomes too hot.

  • Have you ever felt like the tourist target while you traveled? How did you handle it?
street vendors, tourism, medellin , colombia

2. Crime is very real… still

The time has come to tell you a story, the story.

Dia 3 of being in Medellín was un día especial, it was my husband’s 41rst birthday. We had everything planned para ir a comer en a very cool sushi spot in the center of El Poblado (the upscale comuna we were staying in.) Aaron called our Uber driver and we all stayed inside until the notification pinged that he was approaching (we had read that it was safest not to “hang out” en la calle). When he saw the red sedan pull up, Aaron walked towards the curb, and at that very moment 2 hombres en una motocicleta rode up on him. They pulled out a gun and cocked it right in his face.

It’s hard to relive this story, but I’ll keep sharing…

My husband reaccionó con miedo, throwing himself backwards and screaming out in fear. The gun men got startled by the commotion he made and hastily drove away. Meanwhile, my kids saw the whole thing; mis niños watched their father endure a gun being pulled in his face. 🙁

Thankfully, we are all ok. Though it was scary, it was probably more about the motorists looking for a tourist to steal from than it was about murder. Eso no quita that my family experienced a super traumatic experience. The kind of experience no traveler wants… especialmente not on their cumpleanos. We cried together, held each other, and thanked heavens that we were not separated that day.

We’re ok and I’m so thankful.

It goes without saying, but daddy got ALOT of extra hugs that week…

I tell you that story not to scare you but to make you aware of a reality. Unfortunately violent crime in Colombia is not out of the norm, todos los Colombianos that we talked to after the fact told us that. This type of thing does happen. Cartels, gangs, and violent crime and are *still* very much an active part of the country’s social landscape although the situation is getting better with every passing day. Medellín in particular was a war torn city for 50 years and that war just ended; it hasn’t fully recovered yet.

Now for a bit of honesty: feeling unsafe is not something I like to experience when I travel, least of all with my children in tow. I grew up in a rough neighborhood and I know that feeling of looking over your shoulder all the time; I know it well. Nunca quiero regresar a eso, especially NOT when I’m spending my hard-earned money to vacation. The goal when I travel is to encontrar la paz, la felicidad, and to find joy exploring a new place. Unfortunately, this horrific experience really put a dark stain on Colombia for us because that goal was not fully met.

Having that said, I don’t want to perpetuate a stereotype…

I even debated sharing esta historia porque I desperately want to prevent from adding to the disgusting prejudice that some people have against “crime- ridden” countries in Latin America, you have to know that. Pero, no puedo mentir… there is still a lot that Colombia has to work on. Violent crime is still present and it does affect tourists from time to time; it did us. Things are changing for the better, so there is a hopeful silver lining on that front.

My Advice:

*Try not to go venturing out alone. Travel in groups as much as you can.

*Stick to areas que son “safe”. Do your research ahead of time and learn which spots are best to avoid. For example, Yo vi en many travel blogs that Plaza Botero, in Medellín, was a sketchy place to be these days (lots of theft and violent crime), so nosotros decidimos to skip it. Not worth the risk.

*Do everything you can to eliminate the appearance of wealth. Turn down the “flashy”, hide your phones, deja tus rings and tus blings at home, never pull out wads of money while you are out and about. Don’t give anyone a reason to see you as a perfect target.

*Know who to call for help, for those rare- but terrifying- occasions when danger comes to you.

  • Have you ever felt unsafe while on vacation? Have you ever been attacked? How did you handle it?
Our Comuna 13 tour guide shared so much with us about Medellín’s sad history, the gang crime that still persists in the area and how the community is trying to change it.

3. The Poverty

poverty in colombia, comuna 13
Comuna 13 is one of the most impoverished areas of Medellin, but one that is vibrant and warm. Those two things can co-exist.

Our first noche en Cartagena, we ate at an outdoor cafe. During our meal, una mujer with 3 small niños in tow approached our table. She looked very very impoverished. The poor woman tienia ropa that had holes all over it and she and her children looked ragged, like they were covered in dirt. It was a sad sight, pero lo que verdaderamente fue sad was what happened after she approached. She asked us for our food. Told us that she was from Venezuela and didn’t have any food to eat; nothing to feed her children. She stood behind me for quite some time begging me to give her the food off my plate.

It was sad, it was uncomfortable- y no sabia que hacer.

I knew, always knew, that Colombia (much like lots of other places in Latin America) struggles. What I didn’t know was how witnessing “the struggle” would impact me. People living below the poverty line in Colombia make up 34% percent of the population- eso significa que 3 out of 10 Colombians live in less than ideal conditions. Moreover, more than 12.7 million people in Colombia live on less than $2 a day and that’s not even counting the Venezuelan immigrants who are experiencing conditions que son mucho peor.

The feeling of wanting to help people in need but not being able to help everyone who asks… it’s heartwrenching, mi gente. Consider having to walk by someone who is starving or experiencing homelessness every few blocks. How do you deal? Que haces? No tengo answers.

I think travel is important because it opens our minds to how other people in the world live, it stretches us and alerts us to the beauty of how we all are different but still the same. Es bello porque te enseña how blessed we are and how to use our blessings to make the world better. BUT, non-stop inundation of sad realities is really difficult. Witnessing poverty and homelessness in your face every single time you step out your door makes for a truly hard travel experience.

It’s tricky to navigate, that’s for sure.

Visiting Colombia requires coming face to face with this issue and finding a balance that works you.

scenic views of Medellin Colombia

My Advice:

*Preparáte emocionalmente for what you are going to encounter. Explain that to your family and kids. My biggest discomfort came, I think, from the shock of what I saw. Had I been prepared, I would have handled the adversity better.

*Have a plan. Si quieres dar, if you’d like to be charitable with your money in areas where people are really struggling, be intentional about how you will give. Think about whom you will give to and how much you can afford.

*Una cosa that worked for me was seeking out the street vendors that were the least popular but great or the ones on the less traveled side streets and spending my money con ellos. They might need it more.

*Talk about your privilege and your blessings with your family. Extreme poverty should make us reflect about how much we have and how much we can do for others. Don’t waste this opportunity to discuss how to use our privilege for good.

  • Have you ever traveled to a place that was struggling with poverty? How did it affect the way you traveled?

4. It’s Not Exactly Kid Friendly

2 weeks in colombia with kids

I wouldn’t call Medellín or Cartagena kid-friendly destinations. Not really.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some attractions that appeal to kids. Most notably, the science museum (Parque Explora) in Centro Medellín and the boat tours out to the Rosario Islands in Cartagena. Oh, and the amusement rides at El Tesoro Mall in the trendy Poblado neighborhood of Medellín. On the whole, though, the cities felt better suited for adult travelers, couples, friend groups.

Hip restaurants and stores were the main attraction- not exactly kid faves.

When we hit a new place, we always try to give our kids un poquito de espacio in our itinerary schedule for “play” because we know that when they get that extra “fun” energy out, they are more wiling to go along with the activities that aren’t so exciting. Activities like: sitting through 2 hour meals, strolling down a street filled with shops, or enduring really long tours. Unfortunately, los lugares que visitamos en Colombia didn’t offer us many opportunities to do that.

Can I tell you, we did not see a single playground in our entire 2 week Colombian stay. “Parks” turned out to be tree lined concrete plazas. True story. Y lo peor es que wide open green spaces were also rare. Free outdoor play time was just not easily attainable.

That made for some cranky ass kids.

colombia with kids, cranky kids
Cranky ass kids- exhibit A

My kids are older and not super needy, but even they complained about not having fun. Cada día. Ya’ll that’s enough to suck the fun right out of each day. La cosa es: I couldn’t blame them. It seems like the cities are just not geared towards kids, at least not to the standards that our American kids are used to. We could and should have booked more family excursions and spent more time finding places that catered to families… pero te puedo decir que they aren’t readily available or obvious. You’ll have to search, my friends.

My Advice:

*Go alone. No lleves los niños on your Colombia trip. Leave them at home and make it a couples getaway, or a girl’s trip. It’ll be better that way. Confía en mi. 🙂

*If you must bring the kiddies, come prepared con ALL the things, amores. I’m talking games, toys, gaming devices, iPads, and books. Bring them; make room in the suitcase! Me vas a dar las gracias later.
Probably after one very long (read: 2.5 hour total) meal in an outdoor café.

*Book ahead! Plan out and book excursions activities, events, and day trips that cater TO your kids. Don’t leave things to the last minute and assume you’ll find kid-friendly things available.

*If those things no funcionan, go all in with the bribery. TRUST. Use everything at your disposal to compromise about boring strolls, and shopping trips, and long waits. Paletas, ice cream cones, gelato cups, and dulces did the trick for us. 🙂



The Remarkable

1. The Vibrancy of the Culture

Skill Flavor, dance crea. hip hop dancer, comuna 13
The “Skill Flavor” Dance crew of Comuna 13, showing us their skillz

There are often key defining traits that we take with us when we leave a country, la sensación que se queda in your heart well after you leave. With Italy, it was hospitality and superb food. With Britain, it was history and wit. Pues, Colombia left us with a word… one word that seemed to encapsulate the entirety of the country for us: vibrant.

El país entero es vibrante.

Just look at the pictures. The people are vibrant, the buildings are bursting with personality and color, the flowers and trees are incredibly beautiful and eye-catching, the landscape gives off energy in a way that demands attention, and even the music is bold and energetic. Colombia does vibrant in a way I’ve never ever witnessed… across the board.

En comuna 13, we took a graffitti tour that hit on some of the cultural elements that make that community so special. They were: reggeaton/hip hop, grafitti street art, and dance (break dance in particular). Now y’all KNOW, I didn’t miss the similarities to my home of the Bronx. They were RIGHT there!

Pero Colombia lo hace diferente…

It’s not the Bronx, it has just followed the same path as The Boogie Down by bringing it’s community pa’lante through the mediums of art. Both places used hip hop culture to move forward. This particular community went from war-torn to a bustling tourist attraction because of the tenacity and the vibrancy of the inhabitants.

Es impactante, de verdad.

En the village of Guatapé, the community can only build houses that follow a certain restrictions. They must have colorful facades in the quaint historical style that the village is known for, they can’t be several stories, y tienen que tener zócalos. Zócalos are wooden designs that are are placed on the lower part of a house’s outside walls. They often are a repeating pictorial pattern and are important because a family chooses a zocalo that represents them best. Puedes usar un zócalo that is synonymous with your family, like a family crest, or one the signifies your career, or it can just be one of the symbols that is particular to the town itself like the little white donkey. Cool, huh?

Que te dije? VIBRANT.

Colombia does vibrancy in a truly remarkable way!

  • Have you ever visited Colombia? What trait would you give it?

2. The Fruit

assortment of fresh fruits, colombia
Our assortment of Colombian fruits

Did you know que en Colombia there are over 400 edible species of fruit? Hell yea! It’s insane but totally true. It’s a paraíso de fruta, amigos! There’s a reason why you find a fresh fruit cart in almost any Colombia city you visit. Fruit is in abundance in Colombia.

It’s fruit heaven, if you will!

Una de las cosas that I was so excited about doing in Colombia was just going to the market and putting all different kinds of fruit in a bag to take home and try. Thankfully, I got to do just that on my second day in the country. I was excited but not so optimistic that I would like every fruit I tried, I knew better than that. Texture matters, and seeds can make or break a fruit experience too! Still, the kids and I went shopping and picked all of the most popular fruits on display para probar.

We picked up: pitaya, uchuva, lulo, tomate de árbol, gulupa y maracuya. Just to name a few.

The experience was second to none. Todos disfrutamos la fruta! Just cutting it and finding out what it looked like on the inside was a blast; each one was a total surprise. Another thing that was hilarious was thinking that we would hate a fruit by the looks of it and then really finding it delicioso. Or vice versa. It was a fruit adventure and something that only Colombia could offer us.

400 edible species, I tell you! It’s pretty damn remarkable!

My favorite? Uchuva! It’s a type of gooseberry, not too tart- not too sweet. I ate them like grapes and would find myself just popping them in my mouth absentmindedly, that’s how addicting they were!

  • Have you ever tasted tropical fruit? Which is your favorite?
fresh fruit cart, colombia trip, guatape.
Fresh fruit carts like this one are everywhere in Colombia! Yum!

3. The Street Art Scene

Getsemani, street art, cartagena, Colombia
Exploring the street art scene in the Getsemani District of Cartagena is a treat for the eyes.

You guys know, I’m a sucker for some street art!

Yo sabia, I knew, when we researched for our trips to both Medellin and Cartagena that the street art was gunna blow my mind. Every blog post I read talked about how extraordinary the graffiti art scene was in Colombia. How it was bold and vibrant and completely expressive. I thought I knew what to expect. I mean, esta no era mi primera vez in an area known for it’s street murals. Hello: New York and Miami.

I was wrong, I wasn’t ready.

The truth is that Colombia’s street art scene is more impactful that the ones in the places I’d visited before, y sabes por que? Well, its because its collective. Yea, collective. The art the you see all around you -especially in known artistic districts like Comuna 13 in Medellín and Getsemani in Cartagena- are like a tapestry of colorful stories that convey the same united message.

It’s like every piece of art es un representacion of it’s community (and we’re talking about the often underrepresented Afro Colombian community). Each installation is a bold, proud look at la gente and what their lives are like. But at the same time, the art is ALSO like an encouragement to the very same people that it depicts.

It’s hard to explain, but es come si la arte is there to build up the very community that is making it. Reminding them of their beauty, of their worth, of what they bring to the Colombian table.

It’s remarkable.

It’s powerful to see how art can both represent and uplift at the same time.

Lots of the street art I saw depicted brown and black skin, natural hair, messages of hope and unity, symbols of shared identity.

Colombia does street art right, guys. The way it should be done. I loved it.

  • What is a city that you have visited that has the most impactful street art that you’ve ever seen?


2 weeks in Colombia, cartagena street.

Alright, listen my loves. This post isnt to persuade or disasuade you from adding Colombia to your travel list. It is a truly wonderful country that has its sweet spots and its jagged edges. Do with that information what you will.

Do what feels right para ti. Use my perspective as inspo to plan your first trip or just enjoy Colombia vicariously through me, but por favor don’t let my stories scare you off from a truly amazing country.

My aim was to share my experience.

MY honest experience… with the hope that you get a glimpse of Colombia from all sides: the good, the bad, and the remarkable.

There are beautiful aspects about Colombia that surpass so many places on earth: its land, its art, it’s architecture and it’s people. Esas cosas son rich in value and in beauty! But, like with most things there is bad to accompany to the good. They go hand in hand. Like yin and yang. The grit and the beauty, the things that need to change and the things that should never change, the benefits of a trip to Colombia and it’s disadvantages.

A good traveler (and I try to be) acknowledges them all.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and that it has whet you palate to learn more and research for yourself!

Can’t wait to share more travel fun with you. Be back soon!

Los quiero,

Joana

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