Cali
Large art piece found on the road to Cristo Rey
Hotel Colours – I stayed at this hotel in Cali. To view their website, click here. Their phone number is +572 680 6885. The address is Calle 23 No. 2-22, Santiago de Cali. I enjoyed my time at this hotel because of the staff. They were all very friendly and really seemed to care that the guests were happy. I arrived very late but they helped me order takeout. They even waited for the food to get there at around 1am so that I wouldn’t have to sit out in the lobby. They called taxis that gave fair prices and I saw them accompany two female guests to find a taxi so that they wouldn’t have to walk alone at night. The hotel was as bright and clean as you can see in pictures on their website. The hotel is a bit outside the city center past some car shops and other miscellaneous businesses. Be prepared to always take taxis at night. I even considered it during the day. Also, there was some confusion about my room. Several guests and I were moved to different dorms on two occasions. If the staff hadn’t been so friendly I would have been more upset. They have a ways to go to become better organized.
Feria de la Salsa – I neither know nor have much interest in learning how to dance salsa. But I spent much of my trip with friends who were interested in that. The feria was not exactly what I had anticipated. I thought that I would see a lot more dancing in the street. What I got instead was a series of music and dance performances with people watching while swaying side to side. Only a few people really danced. That is not to say that it wasn’t fun. There were plenty of places to buy food and drinks and the best dancing could be seen outside the performance areas. Walking around, I saw gas station parking and refueling areas transformed into dance floors with music blasting from car trunks. The most fun part was the foam fight. I didn’t even have a gun but enough other people did to make it a blast. The foam fights took place in the street but outside the performance spaces. What I enjoyed so much was everyone’s good nature about being hit with the foam. Even people, like myself, who came unprepared just responded with a laugh and a smile. I like seeing things be that pura vida.
OJO: A friend was pickpocketed at the feria. Leave valuables at home or keep them very close.
Cali Zoo – Nope, it’s not the San Diego, Cali zoo. 
But the Cali, Colombia zoo still gives the San Diego Zoo a run for its money. The animals all looked happy and healthy to me. There’s an argument to be made about keeping animals in captivity but when I see them in zoos it draws my attention to their existence and makes me want to know more about them. If you have a free day in Cali, check out the zoo. Being at the zoo and walking a bit of the neighborhood around it felt like being in some city in the US. If you want to live outside the US but have some feelings of being home, look into that area. Seeing people running the trails outside, families buying overpriced souvenirs, and a number of nearby townhouses made it all feel like home to me.
Cristo Rey – The Cristo Rey is a large statue depicting Christ. It stands 26 meters tall with the pedestal included. Christ the Redeemer in Brasil is 38 meters tall including the pedestal. Around the Cristo Rey are flags from many different countries and a wide view of the town below. It is free to visit if you have transportation. I went with a private driver. His name was Alexander Vargas. He can be reached on WhatsApp at 316 622 1840 or by email at elprincipe844@gmail.com. He drove a late model, mid-sized sedan with A/C and turned on WiFi hotspot on request. You can ask him to stop for you to take pictures of the large art pieces carved into the hillside on the way up to the statue.
OJO: Two girls from my dorm at Colours decided to walk down from the statue and were robbed on the road. You can sometimes find officers guarding the road but not always. On this occasion men came out of the bushes with machetes/large knives and took everything they could from a group of about 5 tourists. Both girls were pretty shaken up. Talking to them informed my decision to go in a car.
Cartagena
Walled City – I stayed inside the walled city but there was more to see and do outside. There is
a nearby beach which I didn’t make it to. In and around the center there are bars, restaurants and shops. I stayed out late in Cartagena and was not alone. There are plazas both in and outside the walled city where people hang out all night. Cold beer is sold on the street as well as abundant street meat. Bars and clubs were also open but it was much more fun to have a cold drink, eat some unhealthy food and people watch.
San Felipe de Barajas Castle – The castle is a short distance from the city center. I had a lot of fun taking pictures of it and the city of Cartagena as seen from atop the castle. You can explore the castles many dark tunnels and passageways alone or with a tour guide picked up just outside. It seemed to me that there were supposed to be lights in certain areas of the castle where there were none. In the middle of a bright, sunny day, it was impossible to see my hand in front of my face while walking some of the passages. While it was a blast to run around in the dark with my friends like we were little kids, a flashlight would have helped.
Have you been to these places or are you planning to go? Tell me about it.
Check back next week when I’ll post about the airport ordeal.
