La Ciudad de Hierro, Colombia

 

 Ferris wheel operator, Puerto Asis

A New Moon Rising

The oldest show on earth

A kid looking at the rain from the terrace of a resort near Florencia, Caquetà, Colombia.

Putumayo dreaming

Rio Caguan, Putumayo (Colombia).

By this river

Taken during the Carnival Regata in the Rio Caguan, Putumayo (Colombia).

Weirdities - Moment of bliss

Taken in San Augustin, Huila, Colombia.

Santa Cruz de Mompox, Colombia (Part 2)

Continues from here.

Santa Cruz de Mompox, Colombia (Part 1)

It took me at least 20 hours (maybe a bit more) to get from Cabo de la vela to Santa Cruz de Mompox, in the Bolivar Department of Colombia.

To arrive in this little colonial-style village - declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1995 - at the junction between Magdalena and Cauca rivers I had to travel two days no-stop, to change 7 times of vehicle, and to use 4 different means of transport (colectivo, taxi, motocycle and raft).

Cabo de la vela, Colombia

One hour flight from Bogotà to Medellin.

Eight hours bus from Medellin to Cartagena.

Seven hours bus from Cartagena to Riohacha.

Three hours "colectivo" from Riohacha to Uribia.

Six hours from Uribia through the desert in a pick-up trunk with other 12 people, in dust, sand and rain.

To la Guajira.

To Cabo de la vela.

Weirdities - Colombia

Apparently, Ben Hur had some pretty strong influence over Colombian drivers.

Colombia and Uribe's "Seguridad Democratica" plan - Security or makeup?

Democratic security or Democratic Security policy is the revolutionary Colombian security policy implemented during the administration of President Álvaro Uribe (2002-2010).

Streets of... Valle de Leyva, Colombia

Villa de Leyva is one of the finest colonial villages of Colombia, located in a high altitude valley at 2,144 m altitude in the Boyacá Department.

It was declared a National Monument in December 17, 1954 to preserve its architecture, but the valley itself is worth such honor.

Smile Paipa, you're on TV!

Thanks to Manuela Gomez Salgado, reporter at Noticias Uno, I had the chance to participate to a press trip to one of Oxfam main development projects in Colombia. Destination of this mission was Paipa, a small town in the Boyacá province.

Streets of... Bogota: La Candelaria

I arrived in Colombia on Friday 11th, to volunteer with a friend of mine's NGO, to practice Spanish, to attend a Summer Course on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and to experience some work period in South America. Gerardo from RGOS was waiting for me at the airport, and he took me to my temporary place in Bogota. This temporary accommodation is a hostel in downtown Bogota, a nice and informal series of flats in a unique compound with all apartments looking to the inner court. Nothing gives you an idea of how europecentric we are, until you realize that the center is not always the best place in town to stay.

La Candelaria is the equivalent to the Old City. The architecture of the old houses, churches and buildings has Spanish Colonial and Baroque styles. It houses several universities, libraries and museums. Unfortunately, is not suggested to wander around after sunset, because of the high rate of micro-criminality.

Apart from that, it's a pleasure to get lost in its streets, and to enjoy early Sunday morning atmosphere.

Weirdities - Bogota

Top 5 weirdities in Bogota:
1) A truck playing "La Lambada" when driving in reverse (a "beep" wasn't enough);
2) A street seller of "steamed dogs" (perros al vapor);
3) The saddest McDonald ever (really, you can only understand power of design when it's missing);
4) The shortest Presidencial Guards ever;
5) The most confusionary museum ever (Botero Museum);

More will follow for sure...

New horizons

I am two days far from leaving Italy to Colombia, where I will spend around three month. I have no specific plan, or maybe it's better to say I have too many.

Hopefully, I will have time to close the "Trip back home" series of photos (Istanbul is still to be uploaded) and to work out some unedited taken in Kyrgyzstan, and the new Colombian series.

More news coming soon...

Hopefully.