8/3/2019 Caribbean Calypso: Colombia

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2010 3www.mumbaimirror.com/leisure MumbaiMirrorISURE

For a long time, Colombiawas held back by civil warsand insurgencies and it wasconsidered dangerous toenter the then drug mafia

ntrolled land. In recent times,e government has ensured thatuch of the country is safe and

olombia is fast emerging as one of e top travel destinations, givenrich diversity, culture and natu-

l beauty. With temperate to hotmate, this equatorial country is a

atin paradise.Amazing beaches, rainforests,

olonial towns, buzzing nightlifeith a wild salsa scene, excellentekking and adventure options -olombia has something for every-ne. From the vibrant capital,ogota, to the salsa capital, Cali,e country is well worth any riskat you may be warned about. Iund out what the scene was real-like, backpacking from South to

orth and back.

IALES TO PASTO - GREEN

NDEAN HIGHS the south, the first thing thateets you is the lush, expansiveeens of the Andes. Long, twisted

roads cut through mountains of endless greens. Of course, the pres-ence of army guards every 500meters or so is a bit unnerving yetreassuring. From Ipiales to Pasto, allthe way up to the 'white city' of Popayan - it's one incredibly beau-tiful journey.

POPAYAN, MEDELLIN & BOGOTA - ARCHITECTURAL MÉLANGEMuch of the older buildings and

architecture across Colombia isColonial Spanish, with lots of color, definition and liberal use of space - the lanes, houses and streetsfull of color and life. In stark con-trast is the city of Popayan in theSouth, the 'white city' where exte-riors of almost all the buildings arecompletely whitewashed.

I particularly liked the city of Medellin for its blend of the oldand ultra-modern. The Botero parkwith its unique black bronze sculp-tures of fat people and animals isintriguing. A superfast and state of the art metro connects the city andeven extends into a (no extracharge) ropeway ride - beat that.

ZONA CAFETARIA - THE LAND

OF COFFEEOne of the biggest producers of cof-fee, Colombia is known for thefinest beans, the narino variant,

which is zesty and is grown main-ly in the Zona Cafetaria region inthe South West. This is perhaps thebest place to start a Colombianexpedition. Armenia is one of thelarger cities and a trading hub - bynight it transforms into salsa para-dise with quaint salsotecas attract-ing the city's most beautiful people.Nearby, Salento and Valle deCocora offer the almost magicalvistas of towering wax palm trees

which are probably 100 ft. each.

CALI - SALSA & STREET CULTUREIf South America is about salsa, Caliis the capital of salsa. Every streetand every club is a salsa hotspot atdusk. This is also the best place inthe world where you’d considerlearning the sensuous dance form.

By day, Cali has much to offer,from interesting parks and instal-lations to museums to state-of-the-art gyms - these are abundant here,given that the ratio of perfect bod-ies per sq ft of people is one of thelargest you'd ever come across.

 AY CARIBE!No Latin dream is complete with-

out the sultry Caribbean vibe. Thenorthern coast is where the magicof the blues and greens begins!» Cartagena offers a great blend

of colonial charm, salsa culture,gastronomy and shopping.

» Santa Marta & Baranquilla arelocal getaways for Colombians.

» Parque Nacional Tayrona - Aprotected national park, no ve-hicles are allowed in this bliss-ful, sunkissed region.

» Taganga, an old fishing villageis now home to the best divingschools in the region - also thebest value for money in this

part of the world. Nearby,the Playa Grande

beach is a delight for those whoprefer a lazy beach or safer snor-keling.

 A FOODIE'S PARADISETypical Colombian cuisine, the'bandeja paisa' is a wholesomemeal. A bowl of chicken soup, riceand fritters, salad and boiled veggiesplus a steak of chicken (pollo asado/frito). Combine this with aPostobon - the local cola or a cerveja (beer) and you're in foodie haven

Colombia, no longer challenged by strife, is a fantastic destination to soak in theun, sip some sinful coffee and dance the night away with the friendly locals

Kaushal Karkhaniseisure.mirror@indiatimes.com

TRAVEL

Those who go off the beaten track,write for us.

Going off trackCaribbean Calypso

ande ja paisa, a typical and wholesome Colombian meal

El Cabo on the northern coast

The fishing village Taganga

Salsa street party at Cali

glimpse of the charming Colombian

chitecture in Cartagena

GETTING THERE

There are no direct flights to

Colombia from India. You could flyinto Bogota via Sao Paulo (Brasil)or the land route fromEcuador/Venezuela or by boat,

from North West Brasil.

COSTS:

Pint of beer : 2,000 pesos (Rs 40)(cerveja)

Budget Hostel : 20,000 pesos (Rs 400) -40,000 pesos (Rs 800)

Hotel : 50,000 pesos (Rs 1,000)- 250,000 pesos(Rs 5,000)

On the Web : Colombia Tourism -www.colombia.travel

KAUSHAL KARKHANIS