Colombia

Medellin is a surprise, in many ways

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 20:15:28 +0000

What terrifying things we heard about Medellin from our friends and family. A murder city with an incredible high rate of crime. It’s incredibly unsafe, especially at night. You might be shot by some drug dealers or will at least be robbed. You must be crazy to go there.

Well, the city still has a very bad reputation due to the events in the 80’s and 90’s. The famous drug lord Pablo Escobar lived in Medellin. But he is just one of the famous persons involved in the drug war during that time.

Cocora Valley - feel the magic

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 19:19:36 +0000

The Cocora valley is located in the central cordillera of the Andean mountains, about 20 minutes by Jeep („Willy“) away from Salento.

It’s a mystical scenery -

high mountains with their tops wrapped in clouds...

...soft green hills to your left and right...

...and majestic wax palms that seem to end in the sky.

Coffee - it takes a lot of love...

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 21:45:01 +0000

Did you ever think about the coffee, that used to save your life after a rough night?

I need coffee in the morning to be able to talk in my mother tongue, but never spent a second thought, how much work and love it

needs, to actually reach my mug.

As Salento is located in the middle of the Colombian Coffee Triangle, we took the chance to find out more about our favorite drink.

Salento - the Highlands of Colombia

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 21:49:08 +0000

Salento is a small town in the department of Quindío and lies within the triangle of coffee („Eje Cafetero") in Colombia.

In the colonial area the main route from Popayán to Bogotá traveled over the Quindío pass and passed Salento. When the route was diverted, Salento became isolated and did not develop as fast as the rest of the region.

The colonial heritage, the many coffee farms and the relaxed life style made it a main tourist destination.

Cartagena de Indias - it's sad, it's hilarious

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:37:22 +0000

Cartagena de Indias has a lot more aspects beside the obvious, also more than the ones I talked about yet.

Let me show you some other facets of the city.

Some beautiful, some sad, some really hilarious! :-D

Here's the second part.

Cartagena de Indias - it's beautiful, it's rough

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 14:16:50 +0000

I waited a long time until I tried to formulate my impressions and feelings about Cartagena.

It wasn’t love at first sight. It is a rather complicated relationship.

But aren’t those the ones that are the most interesting?

A friend said, he loves Cartagena this much because of its diversity.

And maybe that’s the key. Cartagena has so many aspects; for some you will fall immediately and some will try you.

But like a good lover Cartagena knows to hide its problems behind a smile and keeps the magic alive.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Part 3

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 12:39:56 +0000

Setting sail and leaving San Blas with direction Cartagena. Part III of our sailing trip.

24 hours just blue water and blue skies.

And time came to a stop...

Pirates of the Caribbean - Part 2

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 22:04:43 +0000

For 4 days we will be playing pirate on a sailing vessel built in 1903. This is Part II.

In the afternoon we drop the anchor at one of the many islands of San Blas.

How would you imagine a Caribbean island?

Pirates of the Caribbean - Part 1

animal@animalinside.net (Animal) — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 18:02:48 +0000

For 4 days we will be playing pirate on a sailing vessel built in 1903.

A recomendation of a colleague and a birthday present for Markus.

We didn't quite know, what to expect having heard a lot of good ("San Blas islands are a dream come true!") and bad things ("The crew was drunk almost all of the time...") about the ships sailing between Panama and Colombia.

Well, we were about to find out! :-P