Carousing in Colombia

Cartagena, Colombia

It’s the end of November, and we are in the throes of the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have much to be thankful for. I spent the majority of this month traveling and attending events since in Wisconsin the snow is already flying. I traveled to New York at the beginning of the month to attend the marathon as a spectator and “cheer-er” to see if there were any ideas I could bring back to our own Milwaukee Marathon coming up this Spring. An impressive 50,000+ runners registered for the New York Marathon this year!

TIME TO HEAD SOUTH...WAY.SOUTH.

One week later I was traveling to the warm Caribbean coast of Colombia, South America. I visited Cartagena, and then took a short flight up into the mountains of Medellin. This was by far my favorite part of this trip. Medellin, which once was overtaken with violence by the drug cartels of Pablo Escobar, is now a sprawling metropolis of nearly 4 million people. It is known around the globe for its world class events, fueled by a renaissance of cutting edge technology and urban renewal along with the desire to showcase and move past the stereotypical impressions of their country. Graffiti art around the city depicts the phoenix as a common theme, rising from its conflict-riddled past.

Medellin is a lush Andean City surrounded by mountains in the “City of Eternal Spring.” The temperature there is a nearly constant 77 degrees making it the perfect venue for outdoor events the entire year. It is a city filled with stunning new skyscrapers, parks, libraries, colorful murals and a world-class transportation system consisting of subways and the third largest gondola (metro cable) system in the world.

A STOP IN THE ANDES

While wandering through the Medellin hills, I was struck by the number of street banners advertising events happening nearly nonstop within the city. In November you can attend Salsa Fest to enjoy some of the best live salsa music in Latin America. The City was also busily preparing for the Festival de las Luces (Festival of Lights) where millions of colorful lights adorn the public squares and plazas in celebration of the Christmas Holiday. The decorations are turned on at the beginning of December and celebrations are held throughout the month. The Lighting, as its been called, is one of the best places in the world to view Holiday lights. Sounds to me like I should have stayed a little longer!

Back down to the port city of Cartagena and the Caribbean Coast; the vibe is different but equally as festive. Because it is so hot during the daytime hours, Cartagena truly comes alive at night. One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the food! Seriously, if you are at all a foodie, you must visit Colombia. Its food is full of rich flavors influenced by Spanish and African cuisine. I couldn’t get enough coffee, tropical fruits and ceviche, all foods that come fresh from the land and water surrounding the area. Both cities I visited offered a plethora of food experiences from coffee plantation trips, street food tasting tours, chocolate making demonstrations, and even a fried food festival in Cartagena featuring arepas,(stuffed corn cakes), carimoñoles (yucca fritters) and plátanos (plantains).

DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING

The Colombian people are passionate and friendly, always welcoming you with a smile. According to a 2019 Gallup Poll, Colombia tops the charts as the World’s 2nd Happiest Country. Colombians are always dancing and celebrating! While they are acutely aware of the negative stigma that still prevails about their country, they are certainly ready and willing to overcome it.