From Provo,Utah, to Beautiful Colombia

I left the snow and cold of Utah on March 17,2022, for a wonderful trip to Colombia. If anyone tries to tell you you might be one of the 27,000+kidnapped, or robbed, or worse, tell them that it is in the past. The period from 1948-1958 was called El Bogotazo or La Violencia, sparked by the assassination of Bogota's populist mayor Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, by conservatives, which led to the deaths of at least 200,000. The story is complex and tragic. 80% of the drug market was controlled by Escobar, who started by "helping" the people, then became a politician, murdering, and terrorizing. He was protected by the military. When he was shot in 1993, many celebrated the death of the monster, others mourned (as their would-be- provider).When the Treaty was signed between President Santos and the guerillas (who first helped the people by building homes, schools, etc.) and narco-traffickers (FARC) in 2016, just five years ago, Colombia has undergone a great transformation into a clean, safe, modern country with wonderful people, delicious food, beautiful historical and cultural sites, and gorgeous landscapes. In 2013, beautiful Medellin (previously the most violent,with guerrillas and drug lords hiding in the forests and hills) was named the most innovative city of Latin America. 

Colombia is one of the richest countries of Latin America in natural resources. It is still a country of great inequality, each residential area (and those who live there) rated at level 1(poorest)-6 (wealthiest), receiving services and paying taxes, etc. accordingly. Still nominally 90% Catholic, church and state have been separate since 1991. Bullfighting is legal but now out of favor. Presidential elections will be held in May, with 32 parties, but major candidates are either extremely conservative or liberal. Sales taxes are very high, about 19%.

We began our tour in Bogota, led by a local guide and our wonderful guide Leon, at the 12 de octubre (called the International Day of the Races in Latin America) market where we tasted so many delicious locally grown fruits. 

guayabana or soursop

  

 and learned about the natural healing herbs used for centuries

After Columbus, small groups of Spanish conquistadors continued to arrive in the early 16th century. They found a flourishing indigenous population estimated at around 1.5-2 million people, divided into hundreds of tribes. The Spanish first used indigenous labor, but as the indigenous died or ran off, African slaves were brought in to work the gold and copper mines and plantations  (sugar and tobacco were the first major exports). Today Colombians are about 49% mestizo (mixed European and indigenous), 37% European, 10% Afro-Colombian (descendants of slaves brought in 16th and 17th centuries), and 4% indigenous. (speaking about 67 languages). 27% of Colombia today is on indigenous reservations. Slavery was abolished in 1851.

The region was originally placed under the direct control of the Viceroyalty of Peru. In 1549 Santa Fe de Bogota became the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada (encompassing today's Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela and Panama), but still subordinate to Peru.

Simon Bolivar (1738-1830), a Venezuelan by birth, is considered the liberator of the entire continent, and became president of a united Gran Colombia in 1821. Peru and Bolivia were liberated in 1824. He advocated a strong, almost monarchical central government, which was rejected by many of his contemporaries. He survived an assassination attempt in which his vice-president was implicated. Bolivar agreed to stand down and to partition Gran Colombia in 1830. He died of TB at age 47. The Republic of Colombia was formed in 1886, with much more complex history before and after!

Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador share the same flag, with different emblems in the center, as they were all part of la Gran Colombia.

The Spanish were always looking for El Dorado (fictitious) and of course exploited the indigenous, who created gods (representing the sun) talismen, jewelry, etc. from gold. The jaguar is the sacred symbol of power and strength.

Colombia emeralds are #1 in quality and quantity. Brazil and Zambia are #2 and #3. Bluish green is best. They always have inclusions (pyrites, carbon, calcite, etc.).There are only 4 precious stones: the ruby, diamond, sapphire and emerald. We made some jewelry.

Indigenous selling woven bags and jewelry.  

My favorites are always the people and the landscapes. We rode the funicular to the top of Bogota's Monserrate's at above 10,000 feet.

       We ate la lechona (rice and pork) and watched chess players

North of Bogota is Zipaquira with its giant Salt Cathedral and other chapels and chambers, built within a huge salt mine.

Bogota and other cities are filled with clever graffiti and ordinary tagging. We also played "tejo", the national sport of Colombia, used to settle arguments, altered by the Conquistadors into a game played with metal disks hitting explosives on the target board! It used to be played with gold disks! Leon explains and we all try it.

We flew from Bogota to Pereira to tour the lush CocoraValley, very crowded as it was a holiday. 

                      I enjoyed my fresh trout and plantain lunch

This great family is Circassian, a Russian country that no longer exists

This valley is famous for its wax palms, Colombia's national tree, the second tallest tree (up to 200') in the world after the Sequoia.

The small town of Salento with its painted houses, was very charming

and 246 (?) steps to climb for a great view

We had a 3+ hour bus ride to Manizales (manizal=lava rock) with its mountain views, parks, Plaza Bolivar, highlighted by the massive (1.4 million tons of concrete) cathedral. It's one of South America's tallest.

We enjoyed the butterflies, hummingbirds, bonzai trees, and orchids.

Simon Bolivar is portrayed as a nude condor (top half of his body) and faces away from the cathedral, one of the tallest in the world, so he will be less shocking for those exiting the church!

We then rode jeeps into the Hacienda Venecia coffee plantation. In order, the world's coffee producers: Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia. All beans picked by hand, as the slopes are very hilly. There is no union. Our fun and knowledgeable guide Omar (who had horrendous stories of guerrilla days when many of his family were killed. His father moved them to the city).

The drive to my favorite city, Medellin, "City of Eternal Spring" was long, with construction and traffic, but magnificent. The Cauca River is second largest in Colombia, and transported drugs and arms to guerrillas living in the mountains. We spotted el Ruiz volcano (no photo) which is active and erupted in 1995, causing an avalanche in which 27,000 disappeared, as they refused to move!

In Medellin we enjoyed interacting with the children at Barefoot Park 

The former governor's palace on Botero Square, accented by the artist's huge metal sculptures. His characters (sculpture and painting) look fat, but he is interested in perspective and proportion and volume. Many are of himself, his wife and children. Born in Cartagena in 1932, he lives in Italy. He's considered the most prominent living Latin American artist. The sculptures are at the Antioquia Museum on Botero Plaza.

The paintings are from our visit to the Botero Museum in Bogota

          Manual typists still write letters for clients on the street

A highlight was our cable car ride high over the Medellin barrios to Santo Domingo. The "level" divisions are quite clear.

 Beautiful new libraries were built in the transformation of Medellin from the most dangerous city in the world in 1991, to one where education and safety are valued. Colombia is great and safe to visit!

The metro is another new development since 2016.

We continued on with the cable car through the Arvi National Park on the top of the hill to Santa Elena, where we had lunch with flower grower Nacio Rico Echeverria and his daughter Mariana, who carry on the Basque tradition of Silletero, a 4 division gardeners' competition held every August.  Modified chairs, silleteros, are covered in flowers and paraded on their backs.

Our Medellin guide Julian was in Cirque de Soleil, is a part-time architect and part-time tour guide and has stories of survival and success as do many of our other new Colombian friends.

    The Center in Cartagena where the 2016 Peace Treaty was signed

        The Getsemani district outside the walls is very interesting

We had a delicious fish lunch at one of many restaurants on the beach

                The view of the naval base below from my hotel window

The San Felipe castle-fortress built on San Lazaro Hill, the largest in South America, to defend the main port through which the continent's riches were shipped, against pirate attacks, the most famous of which was Sir Francis Drake who held the city for 100 days in 1586. It was built of volcanic rock in 1657. In 1741 a large force of British and American colonists led by Admiral Edward Vernon, brother of George Washington, who named his home for this man whose troops were defeated in a famous victory for Spain. The statue is of victorious Spanish admiral Don Blas de Lezo, the "Half Man" because he lost a leg, arm and eye.  The massively thick walls were built in the 18th century and encompass the old city.

Within the walled city are old wooden colonial homes of the wealthy (distinguished from later buildings) by their balconies; door knockers indicate status: iguana (nobility), lion head (military), fish or mermaid ( merchant), hands (clergy)

The old Inquisition building on Bolivar Square. 300,000 slaves were

baptized in 1622. San Pedro (conquistador who became a priest was the first priest here concerned with human rights). Many slaves ran off to mountains where they lived in Palenques, which were fenced off to protect them. Cartagena became first free slavery town in 1603. 

Sept. 9 is the day of Cartagena human rights.

Our Cartagena guide Carlos (a former baseball player) and Leon

(our wonderful full-time guide).

We had an optional trip to La Boquilla, a fishing village close to Cartagena, where we rode dugout canoes in the mangrove swamps.

                Each home has a restaurant on the beach side.

In the afternoon we drove to an island, passing oil refineries, to visit the largest bird aviary in Colombia, second largest in South America, and sixth largest in the world, with more than 1,750 birds representing 135 species. Can you identify some? Bonus: lazy iguanas!

The colorful houses, climate, and general ambiance of the Caribbean coast reminded me so much of the DR and the Ecuador tropical coast. I have seen more motorcycles in Colombia than anywhere I've traveled, though. Our last day we got covid tests and had a farewell dinner. We stood for the Colombian national anthem after dinner.

It's been a very interesting partial escape from the reality of a world on the edge. We all pray for a peaceful end to the horrific invasion and destruction of Ukraine. I know prayers help and that millions of good people everywhere are contributing to military efforts and to the relief of over 3,000,000 refugees, who are being served by doctors, dentists, teachers, and ordinary citizens of every walk of life in many countries. It is very painful to watch.

Food for thought:

Madeleine Albright wrote in her book Fascism: A Fascist, “is someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have.” Obviously, Putin fits right into this category. But as the world becomes a more divided and noisy place, the opportunities increase for strongmen to rise out of that chaos and inequality to offer easy solutions that lead down the path to autocracy."