Crazy about Trees... I mean, Palms - Salento, Quindío, Colombia

I wouldn't say I'm an outdoorsey person, and I'm certainly not the camping type. I appreciate natural beauty: waterfalls, mountains, bushland etc, but usually after an hour or so I'm ready to move on. Over these last six months things have changed. I've been inundated with and spoiled by nature and have certainly taken the Australian Blue Mountains up a notch. The Amazon, the Iguazu Falls - there's so many natural gems in South America that have that amazing factor. For me, one of these places was not far from a quaint little farm high above the Colombian town of Salento.

Salento is in the 'Zona Cafeteria' and is one of a number of regions that produces delicious Colombian coffee. We blew into Salento with plans to spend one night, two at most, and to take a tour of a coffee plantation before heading north to the coast. Well it only took my lending a camera cable to a fellow traveller for our plans to change. While uploading her photos, Katherine told us about her plans for the following day. She was being picked up at 6.30am for an overnight stay at the 'Eagle's Nest', a dairy farm an hour out of town owned by Salento-native Don Omar. Dairy farm? I found myself thinking, what happened to all the coffee bean talk? There wasn't too much arm twisting before we decided that we too would check out the Eagle's Nest.

Salsaaa!!

La 33 are a 12 piece Salsa band from Bogota who are currently touring the world with their unique blend of different rhythms reflecting the vibes and energy of modern Colombia.. Check out their official site in English http://www.la-33.com/indexeng.html

Picture of the Week - Colombia

This photo was taken at the Candelaria neighbourhood in down-town Bogotá were the colonial architecture still prevails.

Many thanks to Daniel Parra, a local photographer.

Colombian Ruana: A Four Cornered Coat – Abrigo de Cuatro Puntas

The Colombian Ruana is not just a woolly poncho nor Europe's Celtic Ruana! The Ruana is a Colombian cultural icon just as the Sombrero Vueltiao is, from the country's hot lands. People from the cold lands like me get gifted our first Ruana when we are just toddlers, sometimes this version comes with a hood. It is one of the most common presents from a relative, specially grandparents who are always concerned about the little ones getting a cold. It keeps you warm and cosy on a cold rainy day. But Ruanas have more than one use! You could use it as a blanket, if you don't mind the slit in the middle that's there to poke your head through. As well as a piece of modern organic clothing accessory showing unique colours. As picnic blanket or folded to be a cushion. Their use even extends to local festivals where young bulls are teased with the Ruana in place of the Bullfighter's cape (the calf’s live is speared in these events). Or even as a more handy survival element, wrapping it around ones arm using it as a shell in a machete fight!

PRESS RELEASE: Colombia Beyond the Clichés - This Is Colombia - Seeking Contributors

This Is Colombia - is the Internet's fresh new take on Colombia. Offering visitors with little or no knowledge of Colombia, a new look on the wonderful experiences Colombia has to offer those with an open mind, and an interest in the undiscovered.

We feature articles providing a real account of travel and life in Colombia as well as beautiful and revealing photography, news, advice, recipes and general information on Colombia's undiscovered.

Since the site's founding in February of this Year it has seen a Month on each Month increased of no less that 488%. To a point where the site is gauging two hundred unique visitors per day, with a total of 5228 unique hits during this Month to date.

We would like to reach out and offer our site as a platform along with it's popularity, to those who have had a real experience of Colombia. We want to hear about your own experiences of this wonderful, exciting and intriguing land. We will publish your own articles, pictures, news articles, recipes... In fact anything you can offer, just as long as it is an accurate account of what Colombia is. You will of course be given full credit with your material if used.

To contribute your material please use this email address: contact@thisiscolombia.net

This Is Colombia - Colombia Beyond the Clichés

Picture of the Week - Colombia

'Angelita'

My cousin Angela; picture by Andrea Chaparro taken near Medellin.

Adventure to the Rio Vaupés

Expedition to the Rio Papuri and Rio Vaupés, 10 - 19 of February 2009, article by Thomas Doyer

It is Tuesday 10th February 2009 and we are at El Dorado airport in Bogota, here is where we will meet our companion for the trip; his name is Jan Willem Meurkens and he is a photographer by profession. I am with with my father and my brother Bram, and we're going on a journey never made before. The plan is to see the two rivers which form the frontier between Colombia and Brazil in the Amazon region of Vaupés. These rivers we are going to see are the rivers Papuri and Vaupés. I said this is to be a trip 'never made before' well I mean not the route we're taking. We aim to go by small plane to Piracuara, then by canoe from Piracuara to Yavarate along the Papuri river and from there back to Mitu by motorboat..

Library on a Donkey

The beautiful and inspiring story of Luis Soriano Bohorquez who created the Biblioburro, or Library Donkey, in an effort to bring books and the gift of reading to the children in his community of La Gloria, Colombia.

The Scene at London's - Carnaval del Pueblo

Here's a handful of pictures sent from the scene of Europe's largest Latin American Festival.

If you are reading this in London, then you still have time to see the action and experience latin american party spirit. Scheduled to go on at least until 7pm.

Lentejas – Easy Lentils

Lentils Colombian style is the easiest dish to cook. If you want to cook to impress some of your Colombian friends this is it! It'll draw a smile on their face or win someones heart. Enjoy your meal! Buen Provecho!