Report from Colombia

I worked in the ESL Language Study Abroad office in Panama City for five months. From there I went on to Colombia in order to find new language schools for students who would like to learn Spanish off the beaten track. A dream became reality: my first professional voyage, what could be more exciting than travelling to a South American country!

10 days, three cities and unforgettable memories…

Bogota – a capital that hovers above the clouds…

Touch the sky…

From Panama, I took the plane to Bogota, the capital of Colombia. The arrival at the modern airport in Bogota, less than two hours later, was breathtaking. The city lies on a high plateau, at 2,600m altitude. At every moment, I had the impression that we were touching the mountaintops. As I am Swiss, I thought that I was already used to altitude. But on the first day, when I had to hold onto a lamppost, it was clear that I too was going to have to get used to the climate and the lack of air...

Monserrate…a panorama that takes your breath away

A steep ascent by cable car took me to the top of the mountain called Monserrate. The Colombians are proud of this place, and with good reason! At the summit, a legendary view over the city of Bogota was waiting for me. From the top of Monserrate, I could finally see Bogota in its full glory. From the centre of the city, amongst the 7 million inhabitants, my sense of orientation was really put to the test…

Pulsating beats and a funky vibe

Dance until sunrise…nightlife in Bogota is fantastic! There you can dance to whatever takes your mood - be it at a funk night, to old school hip hop or in one of the many electrifying techno clubs. Naturally I did not pass up the opportunity to dance salsa with one or two Columbian beauties… dancing is a part of their life, and moving sensually to the rhythms is in their genes.

Some party, some atmosphere…

The 10,000-strong techno party with a fantastic set-up was totally exhilarating! A party that could move mountains, and video projections that could breath life into the coldest stone. This party, organised by two Germans, has already been an annual event for some time and usually takes place at the end of June. DJs come from all over the world. It is one of the wildest electro parties I have ever seen.

Steak that melts in your mouth…

The Zona-Rosa is an absolute must. This district is overflowing with chic bars and gourmet restaurants. There I ate the most tender meat of my life in an Argentinean restaurant. The reputation of the Andrescarnederes restaurant extends well beyond the Colombian borders. There you can transmit messages to other guests via a bicycle courier! The restaurant is so big and yet so small - there is in fact room there for 300 guests. The rooms are spread out so that no more than 20 people can sit in the same room – there are no words adequate to describe it, it must be experienced!

Safe, clean and organised

Bogota is the economic centre of Colombia. The city enjoys yearly economic growth and gets safer, more organised and cleaner every year. I rarely felt uneasy when out alone. This does depend on the area of course. The city is said to be safe from the 100th street on. Bogota is very clean and I almost felt like I was in a European city. I was impressed that rubbish was sorted into glass, aluminium and other rubbish in public places. I was also impressed that every Sunday 120km of the road network was closed off for cyclists and pedestrians. The mayor of Bogota still has a lot on the cards and I am already very excited about my next visit.

Cali – Colombia for you alone…

You will probably not meet a single tourist in Cali. Precisely because of this Cali is an ideal place to go to experience life at a Colombian pace, to discover the soul of the country. It is very possible that a family will spontaneously invite you to share their meal or a pretty Colombian girl will invite you to dance.

Pure hospitality

Whether I entered a bar, an office, or a bus, I was always greeted with a smile. It was almost as if they wanted to outdo each other, as if there was a prize for the friendliest Colombian. Almost everywhere you are warmly welcomed with “bienvenido Señor” or responded to with “con mucho gusto”, roughly meaning “with pleasure”. One rarely hears a no…

Jesus is everywhere…

High up on the mountain there is a statue. Its protective arms are spread out wide over Cali, and it is certainly worth a visit! Cars, living rooms, toilets – pictures of Jesus are hanging everywhere. He seems to be omnipresent. My taxi driver suddenly crosses his forehead. I asked myself why and realised that we had just passed a church. This gesture could have unsettled me, but didn’t at all. I was impressed at how this complete faith that somebody is watching over them guides them and keeps them grounded.

Sunday, Salsa and 3 generations…

I was lucky enough to experience a Sunday that could not have been more Colombian. In the afternoon the entire family met, all 3 generations. Music is their life elixir. Salsa pervades from open windows, filling the air with music. Music brings immense joy. I dance with everyone from the smallest children to the great grandmother. They all seem to awaken the rhythm inside of me. I like dancing, and know that this Sunday is going to remain one of the best of my life…


Cartagena – a picture says more than a thousand words…

Let your pictures do the talking… Cartegena is unquestionably photogenic. I was not able to take a bad photo, whether they were taken at night or during the day and regardless of where.

Here you can let yourself be inspired. The old city is like a painting, the houses blossom in many colours. The most famous South American poet Gabriel Garcia lived here as well as many other famous writers and artists.

I like to go to places where I am the only tourist. This is not possible in Cartagena. The beauty of this colonial city attracts more than one thousand people per year, Colombians and foreigners alike.

In colonial times, Cartegena was the most important seaport in South America. A breathtaking fortress with towers, underground walkways and embrasures took me back in time.

Pearls of the Caribbean

Not far from Cartegena, islands are dotted like pearls in the Caribbean Sea. I visited one called Isla Rosario, that lies only one hour away from the mainland. There I experienced what must be one of the most beautiful activities offered by the language school Nuevalengua as part of their programme: snorkelling in the mangrove wood, in the coral reef and with giant turtles.

Swimming as if in a dream

Only when I close my eyes can I plunge into this fascinating world and visualize its vivid colours again. You glide dreamlike only half a metre under water through this complex ecosystem. It is an indescribably wonderful feeling, you really do feel as if in a dream… The orange emanated by the mussels clinging to the roots of the mangrove wood really take your breath away. Take the plunge, experience it for yourself and let the beauty take your breath away…