Family Visit: Whirlwind Travels

North America sent three more "ambassadors" my way when my mother, Aunt Cheryl, and Auntie Kathleen journeyed southward to bless me with yet more memorable and enriching travel experiences. Cheryl had worked tightly with PanAmerican Travel Services to create the following jam-packed itinerary (which we added to, of course!):

Day 1: Tuesday, July 15- United States to Bogota, Colombia

· Arrival in Bogota. Please provide international flight information
· Upon arrival, private transfer to Hotel Bogota Plaza for 4 nights’ accommodations (2 double rooms)

Day 2: Wednesday, July 16- Bogota Historical Tour

· Private city tour of Bogota (duration: approx 4 hours)

· Bogota was originally called Bacatá by the Muiscas and it was the center of civilization with a large population before the Spanish colonized the region.

· The tour takes you through Bogota’s historical sector. Visits to the Colon Theater, Palacio de San Carlos, San Ignacio Church, the Presidential Palace of Nariño, and Bolivar’s Plaza, the Golden Museum and Monserrate. Tour takes you back to the hotel.

Day 3: Thursday, July 17- Zipaquirá & Guatavita

· Tour to Zipaquirá & Guatavita (duration: 8 hours approx)

· You will drive through the Calera to enjoy the amazing views. The excursion includes an ecological walk to admire one of the most sacred lakes of pre-Columbian cultures. At the lake, the legendary ritual El Dorado was performed.

· Lunch in Zipaquirá (not included)

· Visit the Salt Cathedral, an underground Church built in a tunnel of salt mines

· Return to Hotel Bogota Plaza

Day 4: Friday, July 18- Villa de Leyva

· Today you will enjoy a full day private tour to Villa de Leyva (duration: approx 12 hours)

· Villa de Leyva is a colonial town situated about 25 mi to the west of Tunja in the Boayaca Department. Enjoy a walk around the main square and cobblestone streets.

· On the way visit the Boyacá Bridge, Tunja and finally Villa de Leyva; where you will visit the Museum of Paleontology. You will also visit the house of Master Acuña and El Infiernito or Little Hell (an astronomy observatory). The tour takes you back to Bogota.

Day 5: Saturday, July 19- Bogota –Cartagena

• Private scheduled transfer to the airport to board flight to Cartagena
• Flight: AV 9542 departs BOG at 8:47Am and arrives at 10:07AM
• Airport reception and private transfer to Bovedas de Santa Clara for four nights’ accommodations (2 double rooms)
• Day at leisure. Cartagena, located along the Caribbean Sea, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its picturesque shorelines, boutique shopping districts, and military architecture as originally built by the Spanish during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
• Overnight at hotel
  

Day 6: Sunday, July- 20 Cartagena

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Today, we invite you on a private tour through the historic city of Cartagena. Visit the local residential sector, the great San Felipe Castle and La Popa Convent. Your personal guide will share historical accounts of the city.
• Afternoon at leisure for sightseeing, shopping, or even a relaxing swim in the turquoise sea.

Day 7: Monday, July 21- Cartagena

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Full Day tour to Isla de las Mujeres
• Enjoy many services in the Caribbean Sea and a small tour around the island
  

Day 8: Tuesday, July 22- Cartagena

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Day at leisure
• Overnight at hotel
  

Day 9: Wednesday, July 23- Cartagena - Medellin

• Breakfast at hotel
• Scheduled private transfer to airport to board flight to Medellin
• Board flight: AV 9761 departs at 7:45AM and arrives at 9:10AM
• Upon arrival, private transfer to the Intercontinental Medellin Hotel (2 double rooms)
  

Day 10: Thursday July 24- Medellin

• Breakfast at the hotel and morning at leisure
• Afternoon private city tour of Medellin including Antioquia’s Museum
• Night accommodations at the Intercontinental Medellin Hotel
  

Day 11: Friday, July 25- Santa Fe de Antioquia

• Today your guide will meet you for a tour to Antioquia, located approximately 50 miles north of Medellin. Santa Fe de Antioquia: keeps alive the history of a colonial past with its cobbled stone streets and Spanish style architecture in its buildings. Churches are one of its attractions along with its museums that hold the history of this town. The western bridge is another attraction. Built in wood, it is one of the most important works of Colombia’s engineering history.
• Night accommodations at the Intercontinental Medellin Hotel
  

Day 12: Saturday July 26- Medellin –Cali

• Scheduled private transfer to the airport to board flight to Cali
• Suggested flight: AV 43 departs at 12:20Pm and arrives at 1:00Pm
• Upon arrival, private transfer to Hotel Radisson Royal for 5 nights’ accommodations (2 double rooms)
  

Day 13: Sunday July 27- Popayán

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Today you will depart for a tour to Popayan
• Popayán is known as “the white city”, due to the color of the buildings in the historical part of town. In colonial times, Popayán was an important centre, where commerce, religion and political power where concentrated. Many of the constructions from the early days have been well conserved, such as churches, monasteries, theatres and many public buildings.
• Night accommodations at the Hotel Radisson Royal
  

Day 14: Monday, July 28- Cali

• Breakfast
• Today you will have private transportation at disposal for 6 hours within the city
• Night accommodations at the Hotel Radisson Royal

Day 15: Tuesday, July 29- Cali

• Breakfast
• Today you will have private transportation at disposal for 6 hours within the city
• Night accommodations at the Hotel Radisson Royal
  

Day 16: Wednesday, July 30- Cali

• Breakfast
• Day at leisure
• Night accommodations at the Hotel Radisson Royal
  

Day 17: Thursday, July 31- Cali -Bogota

• Breakfast and hotel check out
• Scheduled private transfer for 3 to the airport to board flight back to Bogota
• Suggested flight: AV 8416 departs at 11:25Am and arrives at 12:30Pm
• Upon arrival, private transfer to Hotel Bogota Plaza (1 double room and 1 single room)
  

Day 18: Friday, August 1- Bogota -USA

• Breakfast
• Scheduled private transfer to the airport to fly home

We had a wonderful time as discovered many of the jewels that Colombia has to offer-- all the while learning a great deal about the country's historical, artistic, and cultural highlights; sharing poignant moments with new friends; eating amazing and fresh food; laughing lots; taking in the diverse landscapes (from tall green mountains to calm turquoise seas); visiting cities and towns of ALL sizes; and discovering that (although it certainly has its fair share of problems) Colombia is much more than it is often depicted to the outside world.

We'd like to share some of our reflections and photos with you in this blog entry.

(Please note: To see more of the pictures we took, please watch the slideshow above or click here: 100 of our favorite photos. Please forgive me for accidentally downloading each photo twice!).

Reflection #1: Kathleen (my auntie)

“Is it your first trip to Colombia?” “Are you having a good time?” “How do you like Colombia?” Eager questions like these are voiced from beaming Colombians who love their country dearly. Progress is being made. The drug industry is nearly under control and the economy is being boosted by floral agriculture. Did you know that 90% of all cut roses and carnations sold in the United States come from Colombia?

Colombia also boasts the best emeralds in the world and beautiful, pre-Colombian treasures of gold. Their famous coffee is shade grown and roasted wonderfully. (Try a small cup of tinto—not as bitter as espresso; needs no sugar although dark roasted. Nothing like a late afternoon cup of tinto with friends.) And their chocolate is also renown and totally delicious.

These are a few of the wonderful surprises that await you in Colombia. So many images stay with you: artwork of Botero; gold mastery of the indigenous people; towering Andes with no snow caps as they are close to the Equator—so the vivid green and farmers’ fields climb up the mountain sides; the Caribbean gem of an ocean sparkles turquoise; historic colonial towns glow with white stucco and red slate roofs; Medellin, a city of 3,000,000, is built entirely with red brick buildings that nestle nicely into the vivid greens of landscape dotted with cable cars; capital city of Bogota towers 9,000 feet high, a cultural center for 8,000,000 people; Cartagena is a Caribbean city of pure charm and Spanish history; and Cali lies in a vast valley in the Andes with 3,000,000 dancing to make it the Rhumba capitol of Colombia. Europeans have been coming to Colombia for several years and now we and others from the U.S. are discovering Colombia. What a treasure!

Reflection #2: Cheryl (my aunt)

Each day that we spent in Colombia offered us a new surprise. How did we know when we planned our trip that these northern Andes would be so high and yet so green; that the best way to start out the day is with a “tinto,” a cup of Colombian coffee, shade-grown, hand-picked, black and rich (Juan Valdez is right); that so many people would reach out hands and hearts to welcome these American women who amazed them a bit because we were gutsy enough to come for a visit?

This country is beautiful and it is troubled. The beauty of place and people uplifts at the same time that poverty, violence and crime intimidate. I felt privileged to be in Colombia at a moment in time that felt to me like a tipping point. Will the people, marching millions strong against the violence and kidnapping that has made them live in fear for years, be able to sustain the move to take back their country from guerillas, drug cartels, paramilitary groups and a culture of violence? How will issues of unequal land distribution, income disparity, environmental destruction, and the drug industry be solved? Like problems of many countries, including our own, solutions are long-term and extremely difficult to achieve. But as we joined with thousands of Colombian people in a protest march through the streets of Cartagena on Independence Day, July 20, I felt a surge of awe. With signs, T-shirts, and shouts they proclaimed, “Yo Soy Colombia.” They are their beautiful, beloved country and they are full of hope.

Reflection #3: Hilary (Me!)

It is one thing to TELL people about Colombia-- attempting to explain the taste of lulo juice; the way my heart stops sometimes as I think an inevitable car accident on the mountain roads or chaotic city streets will soon end my life; the feeling of contentment I experience as I have a really beautiful cross-cultural exchange with a kind stranger-- or the frustration I feel when I feel I am not being valued or understood, or am being seen as just a dollar sign; the amazing sights of the streetlight performers-- who choreograph shows to entertain drivers during red lights; the abundance of breathtaking flowers in every color imaginable; the pity that one can't push away after seeing children and elderly adults of true poverty, who are obviously in great need of medical care, begging on the ground; the neat people whom I've gotten to know here in Cali; the gorgeous crafts and artwork that have been produced here since before the Spanish conquest; the true excitement I experience upon seeing something unlike anything else I've seen in my whole life; the turbulent and violent past that Colombia has experienced for many centuries, etc. But it is a completely different thing to allow them to EXPERIENCE it all for themselves. Hence, it was infinitely valuable for me to have my mom, auntie, and aunt here with me to take it all in-- formulating their own perceptions of my home of the past several months.

Furthermore, my trip with them exposed me to many parts of the country that I'd previously seen only in guidebooks. Our four private tour guides (Fernando, Nico, Marian, and Oscar) taught us a great deal about the many historical sites, museums, churches, pueblos, and natural attractions we visited-- in addition to sharing all sorts of facts and characteristics about Colombia with us along the way. We really had an incredible time, and I hope that their visit will not be the last one of family and friends while I'm here (hint, hint!) ;-).

Reflection #4: Lorel (my mama)

Like a dream, my memories of Colombia whirl in flashes of color, beauty, and kindness-- occasionally tinted with a shadow of fear. I remember the colors of Colombia – the blues of the Caribbean, the deep greens of the Andes, the bright whitewash of Colonial homes. I can still see the red and purple flowers, the orange bricks, the yellow walls. Beauty comes to me in reminiscences of cool, dark churches, sudden valley overlooks, delicately carved gold art. I often reflect, too, on the unexpected kindness of the bell captain who escorted us to a safe route, the elderly strangers who visited with us in a city park, the families who served us delicious meals and shared their jokes and stories. If a darker hue sometimes tinges my recollections – a hue shaded with fears of hurtling autos on narrow mountain roads or repeated cautions against pickpockets and muggers, I push through the cloud and dream once again of color, and beauty, and friendliness. I remember Colombia.