Part VII – Colombia

Our adventure in Colombia is probably different from most – mostly, because after 11 months we have a different look and values ​​on the road, and over time, such an existential fatigue is accumulated, which cannot be dispelled with 2-3 days rest. In this line of thought, we spent our two months in Colombia in nothing and we firmly think that this is the best way to see this charming country, which, despite its sharp edges, has shown us the main courtesy, tranquility and level of Aylak, for which Plovdiv citizens cannot even dream.

The first association of most people with Colombia is “dangerous”. Given the shadow of a recent civil war, street crime and active and armed drug cartels, worries are not groundless, but it does not mean that you have to hide in your hotel and not feed your nose outside without an organized tour. If you do not deal with illegal work, keep track of the dangerous areas and do not stand until late nights out, your risks fall sharply. Surely the Balkan gene helps here, as our radar is much more developed than the Western European and we can notice a situation in the same time and turn the direction when needed, but in general we have had no problems. Still, we always walk more cautiously than in other countries, so always be with one in mind that the situation can very quickly get worse when inadvertent.

However, if you judge the Colombians, it is as if they were living in the most fundamental country in the world. Contrary to all these people live one hundred percent, walk proudly upright and speak confidently – they generally have a real spine! They never complain about anything, they remain calm in all situations and accept things as they are. Their strongest feature is also the most wicked thing about them for a European, as all the buses are late with an hour or two, the supermarket queues are endlessly, and the subway in Medellin is more crowded and chaotic than the Indian, and it doesn’t even make him an impression. For the first time here, we are confronted with the true definition of Latam Time, which causes the Peruvians to look like a strict and organized people, and after weeks of helplessness we had no choice but to give up and absorb from the mentality “When then”. He who knows us knows how difficult it is.

For us, the magic of Colombia lies not in the noisy cities, parties and beaches (which are honestly not much above the Bulgarian ones – we just have to plant some palm and we are there), but in the picturesque, paved villages, in which the Colombian “Ayla” can be caught in peace. You drink coffee with anaerobic fermentation, which has grown there, opposite the bair, walking the cobblestone street, where the grandparents with cowboy hats are moving cards, and the dark -skinned grandmother is spinning and singing – time is changing from rain to 5 minutes. We have hardly seen other tourists, except for the big cities and the most famous places that were honest to us, and they had pushed and went after the idyll of rural life.

And when we opened a word for coffee, oh Male-coffee here is really the best in the world, at least because of the huge variety in the terror and the experimental spirit of farmers and barists. Each region, that every village of 20km. It has its own microclimate that leads to a completely different coffee. We visited and tried coffee from at least 20 regions, and at some point we rolled up with 2 pounds of coffee beans – every day we made it an espresso, I V60, I COLD BRU, according to the mood – only the landscape from the back is different. It and with these prices from 20lv to 250g. How not to drink, the same will be at least 60lv. In Bulgaria.

You will hardly fly to the other side of the world, just to do nothing for 2 weeks. In this case, you can safely go to the popular things and draw from the huge variety that Colombia offers. Still, if you can insert 3-4 days in which you do nothing, absolutely nothing but just walking around the village with 3 streets with a cup of coffee in your hand, you will find out more about the essence of the country than any encyclopedia or guide can show you.

Total costs: +- 4900lv for 63 days

Overnights: 1712 BGN

Transport: 837 BGN

Food: 1400 BGN

Activities: 243 BGN

Substances (coffee and rum mainly, don’t think anything else): 430 BGN.

Accounts: 22 BGN

Souvenirs: 20 BGN

Others: 120 BGN

An average of 76 BGN per day

On September 3, we have been 1 year since we are on the road and will post a post on this occasion! We will enjoy any questions and answer them in the next post.