Unique gifts from Colombia?

Don Pedro says on Nov 23, 2008, 11:14:

Well, to start with, you can go for booze - cheap, very unique and makes everybody happy.

A bottle of a decent colombian rum (for example 'Ron Añejo' the spider rum) should cost you around 80 000 pesos in any supermarket (Exito has a good selection). Ron is what Costeños drink when they are having fun.

you may also go for a bottle of Aguardiente. It is very similar in taste to French pernod. A bottle costs around 60 000 - 80 000. This is what Cachacos get wasted with.

Rum is quite popular all around americas but aguardiente is typical for Colombia only so it should do the trick


If your friends don't drink - go for colombian coffee or emerald jewellery.

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Robert Jorge says on Nov 23, 2008, 11:40:

The "normal" price for a 5th of aguardiente is about 20.000 pesos in most tiendas or supermarkets. 60 - 80.000 is crazy high, and is what a bottle would cost in an expensive nightclub.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

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Don Pedro says on Nov 23, 2008, 11:46:

My bad - sorry. Robert is right. The prices I gave are nigtclub prices. Regular prices are much lower.

rgds

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Robert Jorge says on Nov 23, 2008, 12:00:

No problem Don Pedro. Actually, I have bought Llanero aguardiente in Villavo for 12 or 14.000 pesos a bottle when it was on promotion at the local Exito or Vivero.

Another cool gift in my opinion would be a Ron Viejo de Caldas / Aguardiente Crystal poncho. It has the Colombian flag colors. I wear mine here in the redneck riviera and it gets lots of looks and compliments.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

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mandotech says on Nov 23, 2008, 12:44:

Booze sure is a good idea, thanks. How about for non drinkers? or teens?

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sloopskipper says on Nov 23, 2008, 12:45:

If you have ladies on your gift list, you might look for shops that sell crafts of the indigenous people. I visited a Chocó Embera village (they migrated across the frontier in to Panamá, but many are still in El Chocó) and bought these two things for an amiga in Pennsylvania.



They are carved from tagua, which is a lime sized nut, related to the coconut, but the flesh turns hard as stone. The shell of the nut is still visible on the bottom of the frog, which is not painted, but dyed with natural plant materials from the jungle.

I sent them with three bags of local coffee, and she was delighted.



The turtle was carved from a relative of the rosewood, and this golden frog from soapstone. Those I kept for myself.

I'm sure they have shops in tourist areas of Colombia, like here in Panamá. Probably with beautiful fabrics, fine baskets, and jewelry, and most likely inexpensive if they are anything like here.

The small baskets take about 30 days to complete, including dying all the materials, and sell for $30, a DOLLAR a day!

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Monita Linda says on Nov 23, 2008, 17:35:

Coffee, Chocolate, Clothes, Coke.

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Pappassito (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 23, 2008, 18:53:

Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 24, 2008, 08:51:

sloopskipper says on Nov 24, 2008, 09:09:

Yes, they do make beautiful and interesting things. I posted http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/visiting-a-choco-embera-village/ earlier.

I don't remember seeing that sort of stuff when I was in Cartagena.

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Mononoke28 says on Nov 24, 2008, 13:01:

The last time I went I got Juan Valdez stuff for family and friends and it was a hit. I bought t-shirts, sweaters, baseball caps, coffee mugs and even coffee and they were apecrap with it. I've also bought the traditional ceramic chivas which have been a hit with everybody.

Diana

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Sam Salmon says on Nov 24, 2008, 21:17:

In remote parts of Choco you'll see the kind of carvings sloopskipper has posted-I have a small canoe from wood and some tagua nut armadillos that are beautiful.

Never saw anything like them in cities though.

' a la orden!'

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sloopskipper says on Nov 25, 2008, 01:25:

Sam Salmon says on Nov 24, 2008, 21:17: flag

"In remote parts of Choco you'll see the kind of carvings sloopskipper has posted-I have a small canoe from wood and some tagua nut armadillos that are beautiful.

Never saw anything like them in cities though"

That is where the Embera originated from. In the 18th century a group migrated to the Darién, and then some came from there to an area in central Panamá, settling in several villages. There are numerous shops, here in the city, which sells their material.

There is even, at least one, sort of small mall of craftsmen, and there is an annual, huge, craft show at the convention center across the street. There is a large indigenous population (7 different tribes) here, and some are even self governing, like the Kuna Yala on the San Blas Islands.

Some of the Kuna women even sell on the sidewalk.

The Golden Frog in the second foto is actually from the Ngöbe Bugle, not the Emberas.

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bickerss says on Nov 25, 2008, 01:49:

How about a Hooters T-shirt - Hooters Bogota!! And soon, iun Feb, you can get Hooters Medellin!!

Seriously though, the Embera make fantastic woven baskets and wooden plates. You can find them on the second floor of Andino, but they are exy there. If you go to Centro you will find plenty in Candalaria, or, down from Zona Rosa on 15 with 73 (approx) there are a bunch of handicraft stores that have a great range of different things.

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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Robert Jorge says on Nov 25, 2008, 05:46:

A "se habla mierda" T-shirt, as seen in 'Sin Tetas, no hay Paraiso', makes a classy gift.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

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mandotech says on Nov 25, 2008, 06:14:

Thanks Robert, but my grandfather already has the second shirt you mentioned.

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jinksmiester says on Nov 25, 2008, 06:50:

there are t shirts that picture a burro on the front and say never forget your first love..(in spanish)...

A man is not old until regret takes the place of dreams

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Robert Jorge says on Nov 25, 2008, 14:15:

Yep, I have seen those Jinks - here in the States as a matter of fact. But the guy(s) wearing them were Colombian.

"You can not take the barrio out of the girl you really can't." Oneforamillion

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Monpirri says on Nov 25, 2008, 19:25:

"What are some "must get" gifts I should bring back from Colombia and where would I find them?"

The place to go is to a "casa de artesanias" there you will find the best gift to bring back from Colombia.
You can also visit another of my favorite places, a music store. I just got for Chritsmas present, "Clasicos de Deciembre a ritmo Vallenato" there a two great CD's. Or if you like Cumbia you can get "Greatest Cumbia Classics of Colombia"

Good luck,
Monpirri

"Anyone who still thinks that Colombia is not a gastronomical paradise needs to have their head examined." Darloup

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Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Nov 25, 2008, 20:46:

sloopskipper says on Nov 26, 2008, 02:09:

I don't think that it requires any treatment, but just naturally hardens (maybe when the flesh is exposed to air). Here, while we waited for lunch, the village "Tourism Director" was explaining how the various crafts are made:



He also said that they rarely use poison darts anymore, because they consider them too dangerous.

The blonde lady is Anne Gordon, our guide. She is married to one of the Emberas.



Their beautiful work was displayed, but no suggestion to buy.

Some tagua info: http://www.oneworldprojects.com/products/tagua.shtml

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nueva york bombero says on Nov 26, 2008, 08:45:

Those little casitas with different themes and clay roof are unique to Colombia.
I have an importing business out of Mexico, but I added these to my product line.
Different gift idea. Just remember to pick one out without any advertising on it.
Rustic, country, paisa is the theme here.

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Sam Salmon says on Nov 26, 2008, 09:34:

Yes those casitas are a great idea wish I had picked a few up.

' a la orden!'

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Saltador says on Nov 26, 2008, 12:43:

In cartagena, you can go to "Las Bovedas" and look at tons of artesinias. I like to buy the really small ornate wood crafts that are hand made and then decorated with small pieces of straw. You have to look around, (there are tons of knock-offs), but the real intricate ones are little works of art.

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