Impressions of Colombia so far

 

Impressions of Colombia so far-


I am only a few days into the trip, so these opinions can only be based upon my experiences so far, most of which have been in the capital city. So, these opinions might change.

Firstly, and probably most importantly, the people here are lovely. Not just nice, or polite, but actually very kind and genuinely friendly. They love music and dancing and seem to take any opportunity to sing. There is a real zest for life that is quite infectious.
They don’t see tourists as a problem in the way that some countries do (including the UK sadly), but they really want you to have a good time. I have lost count of the times that I have been asked what I think of the country. Which brings me to the next point, they are very proud of their country. Not in a far-right, flag shagging, let’s set fire to a mosque kind of way, but in a collective belief that they can shake off their violent past and build a better country. Since the Uribe and Duque governments were removed ,and a more liberal president in Gustavo Petro was appointed, they have tried to make the streets safer and improve employment opportunities. Notwithstanding this, there is still a very long way to go. But I do like the idea of a government that is at least accepting that change is needed.
Thirdly, it is beautiful. Although I have only seen a small part of it so far, I have been blown away by the landscape, the architecture, the bright colours of the houses and murals that adorn any exposed wall. Colombia is an assault on the senses, but in the best possible way.

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