Tripatini2024-03-29T06:05:59Zhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/feed/allGet a piece of the rock at Antioquía´s jawdropping Guatapéhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/guatape-anrtioquia-colombia2023-12-13T10:58:50.000Z2023-12-13T10:58:50.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6 class="aligncenter"><a href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/mgv/Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" alt="Pe%C3%B1%C3%B3n_Guatap%C3%A9_Colombia_Medell%C3%ADn_hillsn_1992_Shutterstock-640x360.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/hillsn_1992">hillsn_1992</a></em></span></h6><p><br /> <strong>Colombia</strong> is just packed with remarkable landmarks, sights, and experiences, and this one is singular, indeed: a vertiginous 220-metre (722-foot) hill - rising abruptly near a small town two hours from the city of <strong>Medellín</strong> in the department of <strong>Antioquía</strong> - is in a class by itself. The <strong>Peñón de Guatapé</strong> (<strong>Rock of Guatapé</strong>, also known as the <strong>Piedra del Peñol</strong>,<strong> Stone of El Peñol</strong>), was venerated by the prehispanic <strong>Tahamí</strong>, and many visitors come to pay homage to it today - including some pretty sweet views from the top for those willing to trudge 740 steps up!</p><p><br /><br /><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/guatape-anrtioquia-colombia" target="_blank">read post</a></em></span></p><p> </p></div>Caño Cristales River in '15 of the World's Lesser Known Travel Wonders'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/cano-cristales-river-in-15-of-the-world-s-lesser-known-travel-won2021-06-07T06:22:42.000Z2021-06-07T06:22:42.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><br/><img src="https://expotur-eco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ca%C3%B1o-cristales-la-macarena.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/><br/><br/><br/>There are many incredible destinations in the world yet to be overrun by tourists. If you're an explorer who likes to find under-the-radar spots, read on for a rundown of my favourite off-the-beaten-path destinations and experiences...</p>
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<p><em><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/15-of-the-world-s-best-lesser-known-travel-wonders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></em></p>
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<p></p></div>Zipaquirá's astonishing Cathedral of Salthttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/zipaquir-s-astonishing-cathedral-of-salt2021-02-16T05:30:30.000Z2021-02-16T05:30:30.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p></p>
<div id="attachment_23942" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/26408457093_6169672991_o-640x427.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/26408457093_6169672991_o-640x427.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/></a></p>
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<p><br/> <br/> <br/> Religious art and architecture at their best aim at the transcendental. But there are a few structures out there in the world that can quite compare to <strong>Colombia</strong>'s <strong>Catedral de Sal</strong>, in the city of <strong>Zipaquirá</strong>, situated on a plain less than an hour from capital <strong>Bogotá</strong>.</p>
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<p>Part of the Greater Bogotá Metropolitan Area, this charming city of nearly 125,000 dates back to 1600 and still preserves a picturesque colonial core that alone would be worth the drive from Bogotá.</p>
<p><br/> But its main attraction - and one considered the number-one wonder of Colombia is...</p>
<p><br/><br/><em><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/colombia-zipaquira-salt-cathedral-catedral-de-sal" target="_blank">read post</a></em></p>
<p></p></div>Terrific Tayrona National Park & the 'lost city'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/terrific-tayrona-national-park-the-lost-city2020-08-10T12:15:22.000Z2020-08-10T12:15:22.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p></p>
<p><img src="https://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/L2F-Mar-16-pic-Colombia-Santa-Marta-Lost-City-Ciudad-Perdida-urosr-shutterstock_15437965-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/></p>
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<p>The <a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/14/colombia-misty-mountain-nature-reserve" target="_blank">Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta</a> has been described as the world’s most important concentration of endangered wildlife on the planet. In the past, it was scarred by drug crops and off limits to tourists because of the dangers posed by Colombia’s notorious drug cartels.<br/><br/></p>
<p>Now safe, it's also home to one of South America's most extraordinary archaeological sites, called the <strong>Ciudad Perdida</strong> (“<strong>Lost City</strong>”), Colombia’s Machu Picchu.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/colombia-tayrona-national-park-lost-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
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<p></p></div>Colombia cited in '4 Family Destinations for 2020 that You'll Love'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/colombia-cited-in-4-family-destinations-for-2020-that-you-ll-love2020-04-13T09:11:36.000Z2020-04-13T09:11:36.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><br/><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4093522556?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/4093522556?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/></a><br/> <br/> Once we can all start traveling again (hopefully by the summer), families will be looking to get out and experience - and bond with quality time together in - some of the amazing places our world has to offer. Here are four of the destinations I can think of to do just that:</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/family-travel-florida-portugal-colombia-bali" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
<p></p></div>Colombia cited in '12 Top Destinations for African-Diaspora Travel'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/colombia-cited-in-12-top-destinations-for-african-diaspora-travel2020-02-26T11:22:22.000Z2020-02-26T11:22:22.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p> </p>
<h6><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10863872671,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10863872671,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10863872671?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/group-of-palenqueras-selling-fruits-in-cartagena-gm913649310-251492378" target="_blank">RUBEN RAMOS</a></em></span></h6>
<p><br /> <span style="color:#000000;">After <strong>Haiti</strong>, Brazil, and the <strong>United States</strong>, this country has the highest percentage of black-African-descended population in the Americas. And here, too, the Caribbean coast is a major area for Afro-Colombian culture, although there's also a good bit on the upper Pacific coast, especially in the department of <strong>El Chocó</strong>. On the Caribbean, the primary cities of interest are <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/cartagega-colombia-sweets-the-sea" target="_blank">Cartagena</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/barranquilla-colombia" target="_blank">Barranquilla</a></strong> (home, by the way, of Afro-Colombian U.S. baseball major-leaguer <strong>Edgar Rentería</strong>, as well as <strong>Latin America</strong>'s second largest Carnival celebration, strongly African influenced). In addition to seeing a number of <em>palenqueras</em> (above), Afro-Colombian women in their distinctive dress and headdresses in these cities, you can also take a day trip to a <em>palenque</em> (one of the walled town originally founded by escaped slaves in the 17th century), notably the first one,</span> <span class="js-about-item-abstr"><span style="color:#000000;"><strong>San Basilio de Palenque</strong> (pop. 3,500), 90 minutes south of Cartagena. In 2005 declared a <strong>Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity</strong> by <strong>UNESCO</strong>, it's a simple place but a fascinating experience in which you can meet some of the locals and sample some of their music and food.</span></span></p>
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<p><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/12-top-destinations-for-african-diaspora-black-travel" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">read post</span></a></p>
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<p> </p></div>Cartagena/ballooning over the Coffee Triangle cited in 'Romantic Valentine's Day Activities In/Near 26 Iberia Destinations'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/ballooning-over-the-coffee-triangle-cited-in-romantic-valentine-s2020-02-14T11:13:08.000Z2020-02-14T11:13:08.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><h6><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/L2F_Feb_19_pic_Valentines_Day_hands.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/L2F_Feb_19_pic_Valentines_Day_hands.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="1254"/></a></h6>
<p><br/> Sure, going out for an intimate dinner <em>à deux</em> is pretty much everyone's default on this day for lovers. But to make <strong>Valentine's Day</strong> extra special, seek out an experience that will make it truly memorable for years to come. High and low, on land and water, laid-back and high-adrenaline; simple and elaborate; cheap and pricey - there's something here for every couple!</p>
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<p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/romantic-valentine-s-day-activities-in-near-26-iberia" target="_blank">read post</a></p>
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<p></p></div>The lovely colors of an Antioquía town named 'Garden'https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/the-lovely-colors-of-an-antioquia-town-named-garden2019-11-30T14:28:51.000Z2019-11-30T14:28:51.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/jardin-colombia-640x422.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/jardin-colombia-640x422.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/></a><strong><br/></strong></p>
<p>Three hours south of <strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-fabulous-flower-festival-of-medellin-colombia" target="_blank">Medellín</a></strong> in northwest <strong>Colombia</strong>'s <strong>Antioquia</strong> state, set against the backdrop of the jagged, intensely verdant <strong>Cordillera Occidental</strong> mountains of the Andes, the town of <strong>Jardín</strong> has made something of a name for itself among Colombians - and indeed is officially designated one of the country's "patrimony" towns thanks to its preserved 19th-century architecture (much of it colonial-style, though built after independence from Spain), spectacular setting, and colourful gardens (indeed, the name itself means "garden").</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/in-colombia-the-lovely-colors-of-a-town-named-garden-jardin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
<p></p></div>Celebrating Colombia's folksy vallenato musichttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/celebrating-colombia-s-folksy-vallenato-music2019-05-03T18:11:42.000Z2019-05-03T18:11:42.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Vallenato-min-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Festival-Leyenda-Vallenata-Colombia-Vallenato-min-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="750"/></a></p>
<p>Along with <strong>cumbia</strong>, the <strong>folk music</strong> form known as <strong>vallenato</strong> is a calling card of <strong>Colombian culture</strong>, and its <strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://www.festivalvallenato.com/" target="_blank">Vallenata Legend Festival</a></strong> is a particularly momentous one, marking its 52nd edition this year April 26-30 in the city of <strong>Valledupar</strong>, in Colombia's northeast, about an hour and a half flight from <strong>Bogotá</strong> and just under four hours' drive from <strong>Cartagena</strong>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/celebrating-colombia-s-folksy-vallenato-music-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p></div>How an escalator lifted Medellínhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/how-an-escalator-lifted-medell-n-colombia2019-02-21T14:42:32.000Z2019-02-21T14:42:32.000ZMaría Joséhttps://tripatini.com/members/MariaJose<div><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/L2F-Apr-17-pic-Colombia-Medellin-escalators-Telemedellin-flickr-640x480.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/L2F-Apr-17-pic-Colombia-Medellin-escalators-Telemedellin-flickr-640x480.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="640"/></a><em> </em></p>
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<p>Most of us deal with escalators all the time - at work, shopping, going out for fun - and while they're a tremendous convenience, don't really think twice about them. But in one major city of <strong>South America</strong>, they have changed countless lives and helped make large areas safer and more liveable.</p>
<p>Most of you no doubt recall that not so many years ago, Colombia's second largest city was mired in crime and violence fueled not just by the kind of poverty found all over <strong>Latin America</strong> but also the drug trade and the country's decades-long civil war. In the past decade, however, some groundbreaking urban planning and social initiatives have turned <strong>Medellín</strong> around, eventually bringing violence down 80 percent. One of these bold, creative initiatives was the <strong>Comuna 13</strong> escalator.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/how-an-escalator-lifted-medellin-colombia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
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<p></p></div>Salsa your way to Calihttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/salsa-your-way-to-cali-colombia2018-09-11T13:38:45.000Z2018-09-11T13:38:45.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/L2F-Jul-15-LatAm-Colombia-Cali-Fair-Clbustos-Flickr.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/L2F-Jul-15-LatAm-Colombia-Cali-Fair-Clbustos-Flickr-640x480.jpg?width=640" width="640" class="align-center"/></a><br/><span>When Iberia expanded its</span><span> </span><strong>Colombia</strong><span> </span><span>flights several years back to include the country’s third most populous city, just 100 kilometres (67 miles) from the central Pacific coast, they gave their passengers a wonderful opportunity indeed. For this is a city of singular style, creativity, passion – and</span><span> </span><strong>salsa dancing</strong><span>. Yes, one of the local claims to fame is that despite the fact that salsa is resoundingly Caribbean in origin,</span><span> </span><strong>Santiago de Cali</strong><span> </span><span>has latched onto it with a passion that has transformed it into one of the world capitals of this dance.</span></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/salsa-your-way-to-cali-colombia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
<p></p></div>Eh, Macarena! Is this Bogotá's coolest neighborhood?https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/eh-macarena-is-this-bogota-s-coolest-neighborhood2018-06-10T18:21:24.000Z2018-06-10T18:21:24.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Plaza_de_Toros_de_Bogot%C3%A1.JPG/800px-Plaza_de_Toros_de_Bogot%C3%A1.JPG" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Plaza_de_Toros_de_Bogot%C3%A1.JPG/800px-Plaza_de_Toros_de_Bogot%C3%A1.JPG?width=800" width="800" class="align-center"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>Colombia</strong>‘s capital continues its march apace as a hotbed of creativity, dynamism, and excitement – and Exhibit A is its Macarena neigbourhood, tucked amid the gentle hills of the eastern part of Bogotá, and sporting the vibe of a cool and charming little village.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/macarena-bogota-colombia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read post</a></p>
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<p></p></div>Mucho Fernando Botero in his hometown - Medellínhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/mucho-fernando-botero-in-his-hometown-medellin2017-08-15T15:56:11.000Z2017-08-15T15:56:11.000ZJosé Balidohttps://tripatini.com/members/JoseBalido<div><p><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/L2F-Nov-15-pic-Colombia-Medell%C3%ADn-Plaza-de-Botero-unmillonedeelefantes-shutterstock_330187406-640x425.jpg?width=640"/></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/mucho-fernando-botero-in-his-hometown-medellin-colombia" target="_blank"> </a></strong></p>
<p>A most fortunate few cities have the luxury of being identified with an internationally famous artist who inevitably ends up being an ambassador of sorts for his or her home town. <strong>Colombia</strong>‘s second largest city (and very up and coming destination) <strong>Medellín</strong> is a perfect example, because this is the stomping grounds of <strong>Latin America</strong>‘s best known living artist, <strong>Fernando Botero</strong>, whose double-wide work is instantly recognizable by many across the world. One of the prime visitor attractions of capital Bogotá is the <strong>Botero Museum</strong> in its historic core, <strong>La Candelaria</strong>, but for many around the world, the 85-year-old dean of <strong>Latin American art</strong> is represented by his outdoor public installations, many in prestigious spots including the <strong>Champs-Elysées</strong> of <strong>Paris,</strong> <strong>New York City</strong>‘s <strong>Park Avenue</strong>, and <strong>Les Rambles</strong> in <strong>Barcelona</strong>. And though Botero these days lives mostly in Paris, his home town has unsurprisingly turned into... <em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/mucho-fernando-botero-in-his-hometown-medellin-colombia" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>The fabulous flower festival of Medellínhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/the-fabulous-flower-festival-of-medellin2017-07-30T17:40:07.000Z2017-07-30T17:40:07.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell16<div><p><em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/lake-tahoe-california-nevada-ski-skiing" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/L2F-Aug-16-pic-Colombia-Medellin-silleteros-parade-woman.jpg"/><br/></a></em></p>
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<p>As the diverse South American country of <strong>Colombia</strong> as a whole has pulled off an impressive comeback from the drug and guerrilla violence especially of the 1980s and 1990s (in the process creating a booming tourism industry surrounding its many compelling destinations and experiences), so has its second largest city. Tucked into an <strong>Andes</strong> valley of Colombia’s north-central department of <strong>Antioquía</strong> – giving it among other things the fresh climate leading to its nickname “city of eternal spring” – since its early 17th-century origins, <strong>Medellín</strong> has for the most part enjoyed an illustrious history. And in these days, its dark turn of the closing decades of the 20th century, dominated by a drug cartel and its brutal leaders like <strong>Pablo Escobar</strong>, has finally been relegated to the past thanks to innovative policies and infrastructure building (like a plaza devoted to the sculpture of hometown artist <strong>Fernando Botero</strong> and a <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/medellin-colombia-metrocable-arvi" target="_blank">groundbreaking public cable car system</a> to help integrate the poor hillside communities with the rest of the city) that have helped give this city a dynamic new lease on life, with a dramatic easing of poverty and crime. And through it all, one of the most looked-forward-to events on the annual calendar of <strong>Medallo</strong> (as it’s also fondly known) runs today through Sunday. Marking its 60th anniversary this year, the <strong><a href="http://feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co/" target="_blank">Feria de las Flores</a></strong> spans various dates from late July through early August, which while also by extension a celebration of the history and culture of Antioquía, is also focused above all on one of the region’s defining mainstays: an important concentration of Colombia’s critical...<em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/the-fabulous-flower-festival-of-medellin-colombia" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p>
<p></p></div>Why cable cars are superstars in Medellínhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/why-cable-cars-are-superstars-in-medellin2017-07-18T22:00:17.000Z2017-07-18T22:00:17.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/lake-tahoe-california-nevada-ski-skiing" target="_blank"> </a></em></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106877972?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="492" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106877972?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="492" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Nicknamed “the city of eternal spring” thanks to its temperate year-round climate, <strong>Medellín</strong> has been turned around from the bad old days of narco lords and crime by many things and years of painstaking effort, of course. But one major factor was a huge investment in infrastructure, from cultural institutions like <b>Parque Explora</b> science museum/aquarium (opened in 2008) parks and the development development/promotion of festivals like August’s <b>Flower Festival</b> and a jolly <b>Christmastime</b> display of lights. It’s a complex plan of urban renewal that has become a model for urban areas across the globe (in 2016, for example, it won the biennial <strong>Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize</strong>, beating out almost 40 other cities from around the world). But perhaps most important of all for locals on a day-to-day basis, a robust public transportation system which has benefited both <b><i>medellinenses</i></b> in central areas but also resulted in the integration of various areas of the city which were once difficult to reach, and therefore especially prone to... <em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/medellin-colombia-metrocable-arvi" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>Bogotá as 1 of LatAm's top LGBTQ travel destinationshttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/bogot-as-1-of-latam-s-top-lgbtq-travel-destinations2017-06-28T16:29:24.000Z2017-06-28T16:29:24.000ZIberia Airlineshttps://tripatini.com/members/IberiaAirlines<div><p><strong><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/latin-america-s-top-7-gay-travel-destinations" target="_blank"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/73906052?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"/><br/></a></strong></p>
<p><br/>On the 48th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot in New York City, its spirit has spread to Latin America, where after <strong>Europe</strong> and the <strong>USA</strong>, significant chunks this region have seen, despite the traditionally conservative nature of Latin society, the greatest world advancement in <strong>LGBTQ</strong> acceptance and rights – even including the freedom to marry in <strong>Argentina</strong>, <strong>Brazil</strong>, <strong>Colombia</strong>, <strong>Mexico</strong>, and <strong>Uruguay</strong>. All of that makes the diversity and sheer excitement of this part of the world even more appealing to gay people across the board, but there are a select few destinations which have become particularly welcoming. So as <strong>World Pride Month</strong> comes to its culminating week. we salute Pride by putting together LatAm's top seven LatAm gay travel choices. One or two might even surprise you! <em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/latin-america-s-top-7-gay-travel-destinations" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p>
<p></p></div>Colombia shout-out in Christmas/New Year's in Latin Americahttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/colombia-shout-out-in-christmas-new-year-s-in-latin-america2016-12-26T15:19:51.000Z2016-12-26T15:19:51.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell<div><p><a href="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Noche_Velitas_Medellin_ColombiaDiciembre_Navidad.jpg?width=800" target="_blank"><img src="http://megustavolar.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/Noche_Velitas_Medellin_ColombiaDiciembre_Navidad.jpg?width=800" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p><br/><strong><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/celebrating-christmas-new-year-s-in-latin-america" target="_blank">Celebrating Christmas/New Year's in Latin America<br/><br/></a></strong>Along with many other cultural traditions, <strong>Spain</strong> bequeathed Christmas and <strong>New Year’s</strong> to its American colonies, now the <strong>17 Spanish-speaking countries</strong> of <strong>Latin America</strong> – and while quite a few customs have survived intact or close to it, many others have become modified over the years, and new ones have arisen according to local circumstances. In Colombia, for example, the season is inaugurated in many of the country’s cities by the <strong>Noche de las Velitas </strong>(Night of the Little Candles, top) on December 7, on which families gather in front of their residences to light many lanterns and candles to light the way of the Virgin Mary to enter their homes to bless them. Some are on the ground, others on other surfaces or hanging, leading to a spectacular setting of warm, glowing lights and colours, culminating in a display of fireworks. This is especially notable in the city of <strong>Medellín</strong>, because not only is its very river also set aglow with floating candles, but there are impressive... <em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/celebrating-christmas-new-year-s-in-latin-america" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>On Colombia's coast, a Carnival thrilla in Barranquillahttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/on-colombia-s-coast-a-carnival-thrilla-in-barranquilla2016-02-16T16:58:57.000Z2016-02-16T16:58:57.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell<div><p><br/><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106873263?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106873263?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"/></a>It's <strong>Carnival</strong> season! And in the Western Hemisphere, the annual pre-Lenten Carnival </span><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org/" target="_blank"></a><span>of <strong>Barranquilla</strong>, an hour from <strong>Cartagena</strong>, is second only to </span><strong>Rio de Janeiro</strong><span>’s in terms of size and extravagance (more than a half mllion participants), but is still less glitzy, commercialized, and closer to its 19th-century folk roots, mixing European, African, and pre-Hispanic cultures (and for that reason has been declared a </span><strong>UNESCO World Heritage</strong><span> treasure). Parenthetically, it also tends to be less pricey... <em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/barranquilla-colombia" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></span></p></div>Souvenir shopping in Colombiahttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/souvenir-shopping-in-colombia2015-12-01T15:08:05.000Z2015-12-01T15:08:05.000ZDavid Paul Appellhttps://tripatini.com/members/DavidPaulAppell<div><p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106872318?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106872318?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-right"/></a>When it comes to shopping on holiday, the 20 countries of Ibero-America are a stupendous trove that reflect the diversity of both their modern culture and their Hispanic and pre-Columbian heritages. Some of the most striking items that decorate my home are from this region, including colorful Talavera plates from <strong>Mexico</strong>, <strong>Costa Rica</strong> pottery based on ancient <strong>Chorotega</strong> designs, brilliant <em>molas</em> of <strong>Panama</strong>'s <strong>Kuna </strong>people, and a Modiglianesque dog that's a lovely example of woodworking from <strong>Brazil</strong>'s <strong>Pernambuco</strong> state. That's not even counting the edible and potable delectables you cannot easily find...<em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/souvenir-shopping-in-latin-america" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>coffee tourism in Colombiahttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/coffee-tourism-colombia2015-04-20T18:03:20.000Z2015-04-20T18:03:20.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><a href="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/L2F-Oct-14-pic-coffee-Guatemala-Filadelfia-Coffee-Resort.png?width=760" target="_blank"><img src="http://love2fly.iberia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/L2F-Oct-14-pic-coffee-Guatemala-Filadelfia-Coffee-Resort.png?width=250" width="250" class="align-left"/></a><span>Java hounds sniffing after both a copacetic cuppa and the chance to experience key aspects of history, culture, and ecology relating to coffee in several Latin American countries have the opportunity to have it all in a number of regions which have facilities that receive visitors, from small organic farms all the way up to major industrial operations... </span><em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/coffee-destinations-americas" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>In Colombia, the real rock stars are emeraldshttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/in-colombia-the-real-rock-stars-are-emeralds2015-03-24T12:52:10.000Z2015-03-24T12:52:10.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Gachala_Emerald_3526711557_849c4c7367.jpg/320px-Gachala_Emerald_3526711557_849c4c7367.jpg?width=320" target="_blank"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Gachala_Emerald_3526711557_849c4c7367.jpg/320px-Gachala_Emerald_3526711557_849c4c7367.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-right"/></a><span>Few people I know aren't impressed by emeralds - their mystique, and their deep, striking, verdant splendor. What I’ve found fewer people are realize is that by far the majority of the world’s supply of them (well over half), as well as the purest quality, comes from one country, namely Colombia. Which is why if you’re a jewelry aficionado, visits to various of this country’s larger cities will provide you with the world’s most varied and high-quality selection of glam green gems and settings (sometimes at surprisingly... </span><em><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/colombia-s-real-rock-stars-are-emeralds" target="_blank">keep reading</a></em></p></div>Zapaquirá, the salt mine turned cathedralhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/zapaquira-the-salt-mine-turned-cathedral2014-08-08T14:20:52.000Z2014-08-08T14:20:52.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><br/><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106865588?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="250" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/106865588?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="250" class="align-left"/></a><span>Sodium chloride has been a world-shaping mineral, prized since antiquity and beyond, and over the centuries contributing to the growth of trade and civilization. And though much has come from the ocean and open-air salt ponds, a good deal of salt has been mined from underground as well. On a recent trip to </span><strong>Colombia</strong><span> I had the pleasure of visiting a very cool salt mine (both figuratively and literally), which in turn brought to mind another fascinating experience on a visit to </span><strong>Poland</strong><span> some years ago... </span><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/zipaquira-wieliczka-salt-mines" target="_blank">keep reading</a></p></div>Bogota's tasty historic centerhttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/la-candelaria-bogota-colombia2013-07-01T16:11:22.000Z2013-07-01T16:11:22.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}10978179256,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}10978179256,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="10978179256?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" /></a><a href="https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/la-candelaria-bogota-colombia?edited=1" target="_blank">Pedro Szekely</a></em></p>
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<p>For reasons that certainly don’t need repeating, until fairly recently informing your nearest and dearest you’re considering a vacation in Colombia might’ve been considered grounds for dialing the dudes in the white coats. But these days, the country’s capital is optimistic, as safe as anywhere in Latin America, and in the midst of a boom in restaurants, la rumba (nightlife), and the economy and society in general. Apart from an impressive mountain setting and comfily cool weather all year round, what makes a visit well worth the flight is Bogotá’s intensely atmospheric colonial core, La Candelaria...<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/bogota-and-its-tasty-historic" target="_blank">read complete post</a></p>
<p> </p></div>why in Colombia on New Year's Eve do many down 12 grapes at midnight?https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/why-in-colombia-on-new-year-s-eve-do-many-down-12-grapes-at-midni2012-12-31T22:00:04.000Z2012-12-31T22:00:04.000ZTripatinihttps://tripatini.com/members/Tripatini<div><p><a href="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/The-12-New-Years-Grapes.jpg?width=640" target="_blank"><img src="http://passportto.iberostar.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/The-12-New-Years-Grapes.jpg?width=640" class="align-center"/></a><br/><a href="http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/new-year-s-eve-in-spain-latin-america-the-twelve-grapes-of-fortun" target="_blank">Find out on our blog</a></p>
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<p></p></div>Questions about a 5-week honeymoon in Latin Americahttps://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/questions-about-a-5-week-honeymoon-in-latin-america2012-10-27T19:12:19.000Z2012-10-27T19:12:19.000ZEd Wetschlerhttps://tripatini.com/members/EdWetschler<div><p>One of our members is looking to travel South and Central America (especially Panama) on a five-week journey, and would appreciate suggestions, logistics advice, etc. Please reply NOT here but <a href="http://www.tripatini.com/forum/topics/5-weeks-south-cental-america" target="_blank">at this link to our Ask A Travel Pro forum.</a></p></div>How do you find an English teaching job?https://tripatini.com/group/colombia/forum/topics/how-do-you-find-an-english2009-10-08T23:04:33.000Z2009-10-08T23:04:33.000ZWilliam Dilgardhttps://tripatini.com/members/WilliamDilgard<div>How do you really get hired to teach English in Colombia if you have a Masters Degree in TESOL?</div>