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First Trip

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about asking why so many of you are passionate about Colombia that makes this site what it is. I was compaing it to my own experiences in northeast Brazil. So I went to see myself. I got a flight, AA, London-New York-Miami-Medellin, return Medellin-Miami-London, for £490.

I visited Medellin, Monteria, Tolu, Sincelejo, Cartagena and Santa Marta.

I've got to say I really liked and was surprised by many differences.

Medellin at first I thought was a mess, overcrowded, stuck at the bottom of a valley and everything zoned into these estrado things. But it really grew on me, mostly centro. Just wandering around, great place and great people, understanding what a Paias is. I stayed at Hostal Odeon, just by Parque Bolivar, 25,000 a night, very friendly. The first night I even got a phone call after talking to the lady at reception about why I had no girlfriend. My Castellano is poor but she was asking about "romantico"! Que rico!

I went to poblado but found centro much more to my liking. Its alive and gives you energy. The state of the many people day and night was bad. In Brazil, like many latin countries, people collect tins and cans and paper by the kilo to make some money but in centro it seemed there was a lot of people messed up on drugs and drink and just surviving from food rather than making some money. I know the issues of street kids in Brazil but Medellin centro was all ages and all desperate.

At night the bars in centro were great fun, though there are two types it seemed. Many bars had a big fat man with a moustache standing outside, clapping to attract custom. Each time I saw this I had to go in just to let them think it worked. I would just turn and enter zombie like.

Monteria is much hotter. It seemed quite rich and had a beautiful park alongside the river with many bars on the other side of the park. I

Tolu really grew on me. I ended up staying many more days as the sun shone here. The more I stayed the better it got. Only about 16,000 people live here and tourism is the main industry. There is nowhere to spend big money in fancy restaurants or shops but the people are great and outside of peak seasons or weekends it is a really nice, relaxing town. I reccommend ponta b restaurant on the plaza for cheap food with hospitality far in excess of the price or food, discoteca el canonazo on the seafront going east, you have to pass the first blockage to the seafront road by going inland and around back to the seafront, great music and different, and most of all the fruit juice place on the main plaza, a green round building just off centre. The two men and one lady working here were great. I would return just to say hello and enjoy more of the Nicaraguan rum and offer them a bottle of real whisky. Please say hola de roberto if there.

Sincelejo, just a 4,000 peso ride from Tolu seemed poorer than Monteria but had some old buildings in strange crescents, but run down. Very good beef here for once and cheap.

I enjoyed both Cartagena and Santa Marta. Cartagena is full of tourists but still has a relaxed atmosphere compared to other big tourist cities I know. Santa Marta I really liked.

So I found Colombianos very friendly and to me, on this trip, compared to other trips in Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina etc, honest. On one crowded bus in Santa Marta I gave a 10,000 note instead of 1,000, I got off 30 minutes later, the bus still crowded and the driver was shouting for me to come round. Luck or different.

Colombians were different to nordestinos of Brazil, who when you meet them for the first time tell you their life stories, and then their ideas on life, and then maybe talk about right there. I found Colombians talk about just right there.

But what I really found and, it should not of been a surprise considering this site, was a great sense of humour, whether when eating or drinking, or waiting for a bus, someone was always there who would have a joke with me. And thats what makes this site special I think, not the info, but the humour. And having visited Colombia for a brief spell I get an idea about why people like it or live there and I have to say to you congratulations, especailly if you have moved there and made that choice. I love northeast Brazil, its a great place and I want to get back there. I don't believe in any paradise but its warmer, fun and an interesting life.

Thats what its about!

Well now I am back in London and it is a bad time to be back here, cold, dark and boring. I can't help think about all my time in latin america comparing it to here. In latin america so many people are messed up by the poverty which causes huge social problems, whereas here in the West we have money but people who are disfunctional and just messed up!

On a serious note, does anyone know the Colombiana who shops in New Cross Sainsburys??? Looks like a calena or costena.

By tropicalshirt on Dec 10, 2008, 05:38 in Friendly Talkzone.

tropicalshirt says on Dec 10, 2008, 05:39:

I thought she was Brazilian and asked to carry her shopping. She said she was Colombian and no!

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Papi de Alejo says on Dec 10, 2008, 05:56:

Since my first trip to the Colombian mainland 17 months ago, I have returned four times. I ove Santa Marta and if all goes well, I'll be looking to settle there.

Glad that you had a good time. Great people, Great fun.

Live simply... Love generously... Care deeply... Speak kindly...

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tasco66 says on Dec 10, 2008, 06:34:

Thanks for the report

The trouble with free elections is, you never know who is going to win (Leonid Brezhnev)

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nueva york bombero says on Dec 10, 2008, 06:41:

Same here Papi. I traveled to Medellin 2 years ago at Christmas time and I have been back 4 times as well. There's something contagious about the energy there. Counting the minutes until I can get back.....

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Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Dec 10, 2008, 08:03:

I also thank you for the report!

But you write "Santa Marta", which area do you mean?

- The beach complex near the Irotama hotel?
- El Rodadero?
- Or the actual town of Santa Marta?

Personally, I have always found that these three areas were very different although they always came under the name "Santa Marta".

So, which area seduced you?

Better to have tried and failed than having regrets all your life about what you MIGHT have missed

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tropicalshirt says on Dec 10, 2008, 08:54:

"So, which area seduced you?"

Las curvas de Santa Marta!

But in answer to your question, firstly thank you and all the others on this site.

I visited most of the areas around Santa Marta, from Minca to the beaches, but it was the actual town of Santa Marta I really liked.

Probably like others here, I don't actual like visiting specific sites, I just like being somewhere interesting. I found Santa Marta interesting and for a mid sized tourist town strangely, or not, very relaxing! Not too small, but not packed, nice streets in the centre (all the Carreras are narrow and atmospheric, nice plaza, lots going on, nicer buildings than expected, electric storm shows every night, different shops in the centre than some other towns I visited i.e. antiques on Carrera 13?, tropicalshirts on Carrera 11, etc There was a lot of life going on from weddings to beauty photoshoots.

I guess in season its not so relaxing.

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Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Dec 10, 2008, 09:13:

Hola Tropicalshirt,

"but it was the actual town of Santa Marta I really liked."

Wow, a man after my own heart!

Personally, I thought that the only good thing about the Irotama area was that beach vendors were not allowed ;-)

And "El Rodadero" is simply a joke - I never felt that I was in Colombia whilst staying there (I accept others will disagree, so please let's not start a sterile discussion about that particular point...).

Amazingly, the actual town of Santa Marta still manages to retain most of its authenticity (probably because everybody is staying at El Rodadero!).

When did you actually visit?

Better to have tried and failed than having regrets all your life about what you MIGHT have missed

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onthemoon says on Dec 10, 2008, 17:51:

Tropical, i am sooooo glad you liked Santa Marta! =D
Welcome back anytime!!! and bring your tropical shirt! =p

Love Happens...

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tropicalshirt says on Dec 11, 2008, 01:39:

Hi Darloup

I was there 2 to 3 weeks ago. Lots of rain, many of the calles like rios.

Any idea who the people dressed all in black with the strange body armour hanging out at small shopping malls were? Looked like riot police that I saw on the TV news there but I guess not because no riots in small shopping centres!

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nueva york bombero says on Dec 11, 2008, 06:40:

Santa Marta is one of my favorite places in my favorite country!
I'm trying to make it a reality to live there one day (and Medellin).
We'll see what happens.......

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nueva york bombero says on Dec 11, 2008, 07:53:

See Tropical... PBH can help in ways people never expect!
Is this Colombiana hot? Stupid question right?!

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tropicalshirt says on Dec 11, 2008, 07:58:

Nueva york

Hola, good luck if you move over there. I lived 6 months twice in northeast Brazil. Want to get back but finding a good way is difficult. Have you thought about trying six months in Santa Marta for a start? Six months is much better than nothing and a good way to learn more and it is easier to do. But, if you like it, its never enough!

You speak Spanish? I'm good with Portuguese but understanding Spanish is horrivel! I guess in New York it is easy to learn, everything is in Spanish over there, when I passed through, radio, signs, people...

London, like new york as well, everyone from all over the World, but different. Just a workhouse, people coming for a year or two, maybe more, but not so much for life maybe. Not to become English! And the pound is falling away now, tinpot country! Too much financial services, too much borrowing, too weak!

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nueva york bombero says on Dec 11, 2008, 08:11:

I actually visited Brazil for the first time last month and I loved it. I would love to venture to Northeast Brazil and get a feel for it. I have heard many good things about the region.
Much safer than Rio, right?
My Spanish is good, but my Portugese sucks! I need to practice before my next trip there....
My plan is to live primarily in Medellin, then travel to Santa Marta for months at a time (vacation home).

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tropicalshirt says on Dec 11, 2008, 09:17:

Thanks Johnny.

I have taken charters from www.charterflights.co.uk a few times to Natal and Salvador, cheapest at £200 to £350 flight only.

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tropicalshirt says on Dec 11, 2008, 09:24:

Completely different to Rio. For an urban beach try Cabo Branco, Joao Pessoa instead. For a beautiful area to explore, try Japaratinga in Alagoas and beaches to the south onto Morro do Camaragibe, for a taste of the sertao take the bus to Juazeiro do Norte and see the sertao first hand and meet the sertanjeros!

Visit the cities, the coast and the interior to get a feel for the different places. If you need any reccommendations or advice please ask.

Vida mais facil com portugues! Agua de coco bem gelado.

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