Ibagué, Colombia
SEPTEMBER 2010
Colombia 2010 playlist
“Memories” - David Guetta (ft. Kid Cudi) [fun fact: this was my ring tone for awhile]
“Atrévete-Te-Te” - Calle 13
“Se Vale To-To” - Calle 13
“Voy a Extrañarte” - Andrés Cepeda
“Just the Way You Are” - Bruno Mars
After the four hour bus ride from Bogotá, we arrived in Ibagué and I moved into a mother-daughter’s apartment where my friend was staying.
Sunday hike with friends in Juntas
Oblea: arequipe, jelly, & cheese
manizales Trip
We wanted to get out of Ibagué and take a little trip so we decided to go to nearby Manizales. Even though it is only 115 miles away it took 7 & 1/2 hours to get there by bus. We had planned to go to an eco park but it was closed for an event that day so we went to Recinto Del Pensamiento nearby. Later we went to Chinchiná to Hacienda Guayabal for a coffee plantation tour since we were in the mountainous coffee-growing region of Western Colombia.
@ Hacienda Guayabal
Coffee in Production
Coffee fruit
Coffee-growing region
Fencing
My friend and I fenced back home in the states and while she was in Colombia she joined a local fencing club so that’s where we spent a lot of our time, and that’s where I met most of my friends there.
Fencing practice
épée fencers
Went to Bogota for a fencing competition with the Tolima Fencing Club
nights out
Colombia’s most popular drink, aguardiente
Turning up
Friends
Dancing fools
Miscellaneous
Mary’s students gave me some dance lessons
Trying to dance
Colombian avocados are massive & I love them!
Finca trip
Some of the fencers I became friends with went to an uncle’s farm/finca for the night and we had a good night eating, drinking, and swimming.
Halloween Celebrations
We went out the night before Halloween and Halloween night.
“¡Triqui triqui halloween, Quiero dulces para mi, Si no hay dulces para mi, Se le crece la nariz!”
Met some locals on the way to a club
Halloween Eve
Halloween Night Out
Farewell to all my new friends
I had a great month-long stay in Colombia. Although I didn’t get to tour around much I got a more localized view by staying put in one place for the majority of the time. Plus, since I was in one place I was able to develop relationships with those I saw on a regular basis and become friends. They were all extremely welcoming and friendly to me. I would love to visit again someday.
One of my good friends I met in Colombia back in 2010 passed away in 2017.
Julio Cesar Montoya Polanco
Your light shined upon me and in that brightness I knew happiness and love.