Are We There Yet?

I decided it was time to cross over the boundaries of stereotype and explore reality in December of 2008.

Always introducing my boyfriend to new people, one word in particular is frivolously thrown out somewhere amidst the hand-shake: "Cocaine." To settle this argument before we continue, Colombians never dip their pen in the company ink. Yes, Colombia is the largest nation that cultivates this particular substance, producing nearly three-quarters of the world's annual supply. However, cocaine does not profit within its boundaries, which therefore, makes it more readily available to more wealthier nations such as the United States. Behind marijuana, cocaine is the second largest drug in the United States, and has now become the largest consumer of cocaine. The next time I present Andres to any of you, in all actuality, his first assumption should be one particular word: "Cocaine." Throughout this entry, I will distinguish common stereotypes and portrayals from realism and way of life. 

We booked our tickets with Avianca, a Colombian airline. I highly recommend traveling to South America with this airline. Although you may pay a little more extra, their television sets, video games, and hot meals make a complimentary bag of peanuts seem so trivial.

Avianca Airlines

My Stereotype: There are no buildings in Colombia.
Reality: Cartagena's coast provides a breath-taking view with all the asymmetrical buildings in the distance. 



My Stereotype: Gas is cheap.
Reality: Gas is MORE expensive. The price in which you see here has been converted to pesos. 1 U.S Dollar= 1,910 Colombian Pesos. (Almost 2 to 1) Therefore, gas is over 3 dollars for regular and almost 4.50 for diesel. (This was back in 2008; prices have gone up since then in both countries.)


My Stereotype: Pesos were coins.
Reality: Pesos come in paper form as well as coins. Here is me holding up 5 U.S dollars in the back, and 25 U.S dollars in the front.


Me posing with pesos.


My Stereotype: Colombia would not have our fast food joints.
Reality: Ronald McDonald has also poisoned their food as well.
McDonald's is actually really popular in Colombia. A lot of our restaurant food-chains have made their way over seas. Sometimes, they can even be more expensive. Just as Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Thai are widely popular amongst Americans, our American food makes just as big of impact on other cultures. (It is just a shame that McDonald's has to represent.)



My Stereotype: Colombians would not have taxis.
Reality: They even have MotoTaxis. Besides the fact that Cartagena is covered in taxi cabs, they offer passengers with a quicker and easier way to dodge traffic, even providing safety, lice-infested helmets to ensure your well-being. Cabs in Colombia are not measured by meters or time machines. Haggling is their method of payment, and never settle for the first offer. 


My Stereotype: All cars and trucks looked like this.
Reality: Move out of the way Double-Decker tour bus-- Chiva coming through!
A Chiva is a guided, no air-conditioned, and very claustrophobic tour bus that allows tourists to view the city from a unique point of view. All passengers are provided maracas, congas, and other instruments in order to add a sense of musicality to the tour. From Andres's grandmother's house, we could hear the Chivas passing by at all hours of the night. The unsynchronized performance instantly becomes the soundtrack to your stay. 


My Stereotype: I would not feel safe during my stay.
Reality: Andres's Grandmother's house is also known as a landmark in Cartagena, a Chiva pit stop for a photo-opt, and also featured in a videography clip- destination section on one of our upcoming cruises to Cartagena, Colombia.


I thought this was very interesting-- the entire back of the house is opened and a gated fence serves as a wall. The structure of the house is unbelievable and just absolutely marvelous.



My Stereotype: Do not drink the water, ice-cubes, fruits and salads.
Reality: Just be-careful.
On my very first trip to Colombia, I was very conservative with the foods that I was consuming, in fear of parasites. I made sure to not drink my soda with ice-cubes (because if the ice-cubes melted, then I would be drinking water) and I made sure not to eat any of the fruits and salads that were washed in water. By the end of that trip, I have never been more sick in my entire life! I was so cautious and aware of everything going into my mouth, that I turned into Charlotte in Mexico! (Sex and the City reference.) The next few trips to Colombia, I became exhausted of watching myself rather than enjoying my stay. I figured if the worst that could happen is an upset stomach- then my trip would be worthwhile. I ended up eating all the fruits and snow cones that Cartagena had to offer... And I never got sick again! Just keep in your mind that it is a different country, and the oils and ingredients are not what our bodies are accustomed to. 


Snow cones are served from a cart off a bicycle, and you have to keep an eye out while driving. They do not always look entirely clean and you might wish that you had gotten your Hepatitis shot before coming, however, the taste of the snow cone is something that the United States could never provide. On top of the flavored ice, they pour a generous amount of "leche condensada" (condensed milk) and it adds a sweet touch to the tart taste. It is definitely a recommendation!

Mazorca Desgranada is a "safe" and delicious dish that consists of sweet corn, cheese, crushed potato chips, tarter sauce, and your choice of meat mixed in. 


This is a photograph of my favorite restaurant in Cartagena-- Mr. Chuzz. I ate there for my entire month stay. I highly recommend "Pollo a la Plancha." It is a paper-thin slice of chicken with a disclosed, special sauce, served over a bed of rice. It is absolutely incredible. I personally cannot wait to go back just to eat there again.


My Stereotype: I would not be able to capture the beauty of the city from ground view.
Reality: Correct!
La Popa is a mountain standing over 490 feet tall located in the barrier of La Pie de La Popa. Before they gained their independence in 1607, the mountain was used as a militair area. It is now one of the most visited sites in Cartagena, Colombia and makes a great photo opt from the top. At the top of the mountain, sits a Pope Convention, which lights up at night and complements the black sky. It is a nice day-activity to go inside and see the churches and paintings. 


Adult Entrance- 3500 Pesos
Child Entrance- 1800 Pesos


Me holding a sloth at the top of the mountain.


My Stereotype: There is a lot violence within the walls of Cartagena.
Reality: The violence technically faces out of the city.
When Colombia was founded in 1533, it was an instant pirate-magnet and was no stranger to burnt homes and pillaged towns. The natives covered their walls in cannons at the end of the 16th century, after the attack of Francis Drake and French pirate, Martin Cote. The stone fortresses and iron cannons were built facing the coastline to ward off the sea-assaulters as they made their way toward land. 
Suggestion: Take a walk over the wall during sunset. Many nice bars and restaurants have been built at the top, to relieve weary minds of Johnny Depp plundering such a marvelous landmark, dressed in eye-liner and a Rastafarian dreadlocks. 


A really cool shot from the top of the fortress overlooking the city. 


My stereotype: Everyone in Colombia dresses like this.
Reality: Only the women from an old African town called "Palenque" sell fruits and nuts off the streets dressed like this.
These women are called "Palanqueras" and they are dressed in loud colors in order to reflect the city's bustle. They walk around the coast with all different types of fruits, such as bananas and watermelons, and they balance it on top of their heads with the greatest of ease. They were kind enough to allow me to take a picture with them for 1000 pesos (50 U.S cents.)


This is how people dress in Colombia! Here are most of the 25 people from Andres's side of the family in a photo-shoot on New Years. (Andres and I are third and fourth from the left.) Did I mention this is just his father's side of the family?


My Stereotype: There are donkeys on the street.
Reality: There are donkeys on the street!
Andres's father had woke me up early one morning to come outside and check out our delivery. A man had come by to the house on a donkey to deliver some construction materials. I was very ecstatic to have my first donkey encounter, and whoever said that opportunities don't just knock on your door? (I look at my UPS man in a whole different respect now.)


My Stereotype: The people in Colombia cannot relate.
Reality: Some of the greatest friendships have come from our trips there.
Andres was born and raised in Colombia and he did have the privilege to move to the United States until he was 15. All of his childhood friends are from Colombia, and by the time we made it to Colombia together, that was that first time since he has revisited his country in 6 years. My first impression before arriving in Colombia was that I would not have much in common with a lot of his friends-- although I am fluent in Spanish, it is still hard to express some thoughts in other languages other your own. The first couple of nights upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed with the way that we connected with each other. We compared stories and lives and it turned out that language was not even a barrier anymore. We shared similar interests in our relationships, studies, and we had the same goals and we were all graduating college around the same time. It is amazing their interest in learning from Americans and people of other cultures. In this picture above, Andres and I had taught them how to play a couple of drinking games that are popular at home in the United States, such as Beer Pong and Flip Cup. We had such an amazing time teaching and learning a lot in return.


"Aguila" (Eagle) is the typical Colombian beer. During our drinking games, it is safe to say that I became very well familiarized with this particular drink. In stores, you can find one of these beers for 1000 pesos (50 U.S cents.) If you were to go out in El Centro (The Center) you can easily find this beer for 10,000 pesos (5 U.S dollars.) 


Here are Andres and I during his childhood friend's barbecue. We made a trip back to Colombia to celebrate his friend's graduation as a Dentist. We were so thrilled to be in attendance during his special day.

My Stereotype: Over the years, Colombia has not only enlightened me with knowledge of their lifestyle and culture, but it has also made me more conscious about the things that I take for granted as an American. I now completely understand the value of the dollar, and I can never look at store bought pair of earrings the same again, after watching it being strung together by hand from pieces of coral. After living with Andres's family for months at a time, I appreciated family values more; coming from such a small family, I loved being a part of something big and I was grateful to always be welcomed at the table during Saturday afternoon brunches. 

Reality: It is too good to be true.