My trip to Colombia started a year ago, in Koh Tao (Thailand) hwne Erika my diving buddy told me I should go to Colombia because it was one amazing country.
What did I know about Colombia? The FARC, Pablo Escobar, Valderama, bananas and 100 years of loneliness. Hummm...it does not really sound exciting and with less than 3 months in SOuth America, flying to Santiago and out of Buenos Aires, I had no time to go. Moreover the overall reputation of the country is bad: the French governement has a map of the country with the usual color schemes to tell you where it is safe or not. I reproduce it below and believe me a few months ago there was just one green stain on it. I read also on a forum that two girls who went to Colombia and who got robbed got a lecture from the embassy when they asked for help instead of getting help. Once again bravo to the French diplomatic personel!!!
Throughout the following months the people I mewt who had been to Colombia usualy found Colombia the country they had preferred in South America. So, when I decided not to fly back to Europe and after checking several sources about safety in Colombia I decided it would be my next adventure after Patagonia.
2 months later, when I crossed the bridge from Ecuador into Colombia I remmeber I has a bit of anxiety but it all vanished really quickly because COLOMBIA IS SAFE. To me it is much safer than Peru or Ecuador. 7 weeks and not at any moment I felt threathened . I walked in the streets (incl late at night), I took taxis, went to markets, it was all fine. I had locals helping me many times, advising me on where to get and where not to go. There are still places where tourists should not go but they are remote. Colombians are great they love their country and want to share it with you. They are also aware of the bad reputation their country has (8 years ago they could not get our ot fthe cities irt was too dangerous) and they are eager to show thsi is undue. For instance all the taxis we took in Medellin where really helpful and probably among the nicest I have taken in my life and they all said please tell the people around you Medellin is not the bad city everyone thinks it is.
So it´s my turn to relay to you that the idea that Colombia is too dangerous is one the myths from the medias
Next time you meet a Colombia instead of talking about the FARC or drugs ask him/her about la ciudad perdida, la vallee de Cocora or el rio de la 5 colores, I am sure he/she wiull be delighted to tell you more about that.
2 months later, when I crossed the bridge from Ecuador into Colombia I remmeber I has a bit of anxiety but it all vanished really quickly because COLOMBIA IS SAFE. To me it is much safer than Peru or Ecuador. 7 weeks and not at any moment I felt threathened . I walked in the streets (incl late at night), I took taxis, went to markets, it was all fine. I had locals helping me many times, advising me on where to get and where not to go. There are still places where tourists should not go but they are remote. Colombians are great they love their country and want to share it with you. They are also aware of the bad reputation their country has (8 years ago they could not get our ot fthe cities irt was too dangerous) and they are eager to show thsi is undue. For instance all the taxis we took in Medellin where really helpful and probably among the nicest I have taken in my life and they all said please tell the people around you Medellin is not the bad city everyone thinks it is.
So it´s my turn to relay to you that the idea that Colombia is too dangerous is one the myths from the medias
Next time you meet a Colombia instead of talking about the FARC or drugs ask him/her about la ciudad perdida, la vallee de Cocora or el rio de la 5 colores, I am sure he/she wiull be delighted to tell you more about that.
Rio de las 5 colores and the vallee del Cocora
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