As most people living in Europe, I'm always seeking for a summer escape to make the winter a bit shorter. This year, that place was Colombia! And after a long time, I was finally on a girls trip, which also made it a little extra special.
Our route was Bogota - Salento - Medellin - Guatape - Cartagena (more on this in the next blog post), and having just returned from two weeks in the beautiful chaos that is Colombia, here is a list of 9 things I learned as a first time visitor -
1. Cash is king - and goes a LONG way
Cash is still the primary method of payment in most establishments. We found that in Cartagena most (if not all) places accepted major credit cards, while in Bogota, Medellin and Salento cash was still expected in most restaurants and cafes. Our strategy was to withdraw cash every 3-4 days so as to not carry around large sums of money, and it turned out that in 2 weeks we only needed the ATM thrice. Of course this depends on your travel and spending style, but we found that cash stretches a long way in Colombia.
2. Crosswalks may as well not exist
In Europe you get stared at for waiting at the zebra crossing for a car to slow down for you. The expectation is that you can just walk on through and cars will stop for you. After squealing out loud and jumping back in haste when a car just missed us by inches on day 1, we realized that crosswalks don't necessarily have the same meaning in Colombia. Make sure to look both ways and only cross when there is a break in traffic!
3. It's pretty easy to get around the country
Colombia is large, and unless you are on a sabbatical or have some extended time off, you're likely having to make a choice about where to go. The good thing is that the country is pretty easy to navigate - there are bus lines between towns, and Avianca has very affordable flights if you want to be somewhere quicker.
4. Some Spanish is necessary - but Colombians are really patient with English speakers too
English is not as widely spoken as you may think. Even in Cartagena, which was the most ''touristy'' city out of all the places we went to, we struggled to find English-speakers. My (conversational level) Spanish actually helped quite a bit in navigating day-to-day things like ordering in restaurants, buying tickets for things, or haggling in markets. That being said - Colombians are the nicest and are super patient as you try to Google translate
5. It isn't all about the drugs
Medellin (and Colombia in general) has come a long way since being labelled one of the most dangerous cities in the world, and has undergone a powerful social transformation. You can see this in the people, in the infrastructure, in the art - and its important to recognize that a lot of Colombians now look towards a better future, and don't want to continue to dwell on the past. Which leads me to my next point...
6. It's safer than you think
As two ladies travelling alone we were constantly told by family and friends to ''be careful''. And that's what we did - just like any other country we'd go to. Use common sense - don't be flashy with your valuables, and always be alert. And if you're careful, you will be fine. In Bogota I was a little nervous getting into taxis, and always made sure we used taxis from an app (for tracing purposes). Everywhere else, I didn't feel threatened at all.
7. Take a walking tour
Okay this one isn't specific to Colombia. I love walking tours - and we took a tour with Beyond Colombia in Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena. It was a great way to understand locals' perspectives on the history of Colombia and how they see the future. We also visited Comuna13 which, yes, was catered to tourism but at the same time demonstrated the significant progress the city's communas have made in the last years.
8. The weather gods are temperate AF
Medellin in particular gave us sun, wind, and rain all in a six-hour window, which made it extremely difficult to dress for! Best to check weather forecasts for the day and carry a rain jacket for those tropical showers that always last for longer than you expect (or hope!)
9. Local cuisine is fairly limited in variety when compared to other South American counties like Peru and Argentina
Now if I had ONE criticism of my time in Colombia, it would be the food. As a foodie, I was extremely disappointed with both the taste and variety (or lack thereof). Meals were basic - a protein, some carbs, beans, a plantain, and a fried egg. Where were the veggies yo?!
Food got a lot better in Cartagena though - the seafood was exquisite. PRO TIP: visit a cute little local restaurant called La Picúa. Located just outside the busy alleyways, this place has an entire page on their menu dedicated to ceviches, and an absolutely delicious seafood stew for under EUR 11!
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