Colombia

I have often been ask why I chose to visit Colombia to which I want to respond, “why not!” But no, I always had a desire to visit Colombia, primarily the Caribbean city of Cartagena. But during 2020, my urge to visit Colombia became stronger as times spent at home during the pandemic had me watching telenovelas based in Colombia as well as listening to an abundance of Colombian musicians! I wanted to see this city in its purest form! I wanted to visit “The City of Eternal Springs” aka Medellin. I wanted to get lost in history, flavor and culture in Cartagena. I wanted to learn more of the history of Colombia beyond the history of what we have come to know what Colombia has been known for! With only a week to visit this country, I had a heavy itinerary to knock most things off my list. I flew into Bogota with a connecting flight into Medellin. I see Medellin becoming a richer city as the years pass but for now, the options for hotel accommodations are still slim. I booked a stay at El Cielo Hotel located in Medellin’s El Poblado neighborhood. The hotel was pristine and modern and I loved the idea of walking into a restaurant as opposed to a lobby that is typical of most hotels. Plus, it was filled with plants and various vegetation, giving it a full richness of color. Days in Medellin were spent exploring the culture. A quick visit to Plaza Botero to take in the works of Fernando Botero, an artist known for depicting people and figures in an exaggerated form. Another day, I booked a tour through AirBnB experience to explore Comuna 13 and so grateful for the tour to learn the true history of this community! Gaining insight about Comuna 13 as it is a community rebuilding themselves due to guerrilla warfare. Nights in Medellin were spent eating and drinking at the following restaurants Carmen, El Cielo, Alambique.

After two short yet sweet days in Medellin, it was time to head to Cartagena.

El Cielo Hotel

Plaza Botero

Comuna 13

Cartagena was everything I expected it to be…lively, colorful, humid! And while there was much to be seen; which you can find in full detail on my Cartagena Guide, it was a trip to the town of San Basilo De Palenque that had me in such awe! A trip that I was second guessing whether I wanted to visit or not but, I’m glad I did. The Afro Latin culture in Colombia is very apparent and learning more about its history opened my eyes. The history of the music and how the drums were used as a guide and warning sounds for the people in the mountains. Once the use drums were caught on by the masters, women would braid their hair and use that as a map. It was so great to meet the local artist of Palenque such as Kombilesa Mi, using nothing but drums and sounds for their music and introducing the world to the sounds of Palenque! And while Palanque was not the first freetown, their history is rich. A culture that is strong. And a culture that is thriving!

This amazing tour would not have been made possible without Black Legacy Experiences.

With only a few hours left of my time in Colombia, I decided to end it with a long layover so to speak in Bogota, checking into a hotel in the Zona G neighborhood. My time was limited in Bogota and there was no exploring but, I managed to book a reservation at El Chato which happened to be by far the best meal I had in Colombia in terms of fine dining experiences.

I am eager to revisit Colombia in the future! I want to visit the fincas where coffee is grown. To dive deeper into the culture. To to eat more traditional Colombian food that was missed during my first visit. To dance to the rhythm and soul of Latin music. Until next time, Colombia.