Projeto ExploreI am very excited to tell you that now this blog is in English!
That’s crazy, right?
But I realized I was missing writing (yes, I know I’ve disappeared), and I must improve my English, so here we go!
Colombia has the colours that your life needs
I came back from Colombia yesterday, and you can’t imagine how amazing was my holiday!
Before I go there, I haven’t realized how much I needed to have good energy. And Colombia has it.
During the 10 days, I danced, ate (a lot!), drank, sightsaw, met wonderful people and got delighted with so many colours.
Colombia had the happiness that my life was begging for.
And now, that I restored myself, I would like to share with you some places that shined my life (and heart) while I was there.
Cali
As some of you know, I went to Cali to spend the New Year with some friends.
Cali is a Colombian city in the Valle del Cauca department, known by the rest of Colombia as the “Rumba Capital” and by the world as the “Salsa Capital“, thanks to its characteristic street parties and dance.
To get there, I took a flight from São Paulo to Bogotá and then another one to Cali. It took me 7 hours.
I wasn’t able to visit more cities in Colombia, as I had a short holiday, so all the great experiences I had there, I give credit to Cali.
So, let’s start it!
Places you should go in Cali
Boulevard Del Rio
I will start with the BEST one.
Boulevard Del Rio is a big avenue in Cali. It is full of colours, music, food and people.
There, I felt like a carnival!
All year you can find different things to see. As it was Christmas, there were these art below:
My recommendation is to go there in the afternoon and evening. In the afternoon you will see the artisanal shops and food street. But at the night it’s full of colours and music.
Extra:
As you are already there, do a stop at Iglesia La Ermita. It’s a Neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church with a revered 18th-century painting & Italian marble altar.
Another extra:
And, if you go there in the evening, you should clubbing at La Pérgola, they say it’s one of the best clubs in Colombia – But, there is a sad part: people under 21 are not allowed.
La Topa Tolondra
Did I hear salsa?
The best place in the city to learn to dance Salsa!
The entrance cost 10.000 Colombian pesos (around $2,06 USD), and it has salsa classes on Mondays at 7 pm.
I will be honest here: I failed hahaha But, it was so much fun learning salsa with my friends.
And if you are afraid of dancing in public like me, don’t worry, you will dance by yourself in the beginning and in the end you can dance with a partner (only if you like to).
My recommendation for you is to arrive there early (before 7 pm), so you will find a good place in the front, otherwise, it’ll be difficult to see the teacher’s moves.
After the class, the club is open to drink and dance.
Iglesia de San Antonio
Full of tourists, the Iglesia de San Antonio was built in 1757 and is located in the area of San Antonio, which is probably the oldest town in Cali. It is on top of a hill, offering a great location to relax and see the view of the city from an aerial point.
There you will find Obleas to prove, it is a traditional wafer from Colombia. I will talk more about it later.
Parque de Los Gatos
When I arrived in Cali, I saw cats’ souvenirs everywhere and I couldn’t understand why… Until the day I went to Parque de Los Gatos.
El Gato del Río is a sculpture by Colombian artist Hernando Tejada. The sculpture was inaugurated on July 3, 1996 and is located on the side of the Cali River. The area near the sculpture has turned into a park with cat sculptures by several artists known as the Parque El Gato De Tejada.
This is a famous landmark of the city and a nice place to visit.
In 2006, the city planned a revitalization project for the area, which included adding new sculptures near El Gato del Río by other artists. The project consisted of adding 15 new cat sculptures of the same size and shape but painted by different Colombian artists. These new cat sculptures became known as Las Novias del Gato (“the cat’s girlfriends”).
Today, there are more than 15 cat sculptures exhibited and you can find cat sculptures all around the city.
Parque El Ingenio
I’m hungry only to think about this place.
At the Parque El Ingenio, you will find street food for every taste.
This is the place to eat Colombian food, there are many different types of food and drinks. You can walk around the place and prove raspado, lulada, aborrajado, empanadas and much more! 🤤😋
Ruta Turística – Mio Cable
Do you like adventures? Because for me, being in the Mio Cable was a big one!
The Mio Cable is a cable car not originally for tourism but a means of public transport for a humble community.
It has 2.08 km and takes about 14 minutes. The ticket cost only 2.400 Colombian pesos (around $0,49 USD).
There are four stations: Estación Cañaveralejo, Tierra Blanca, Lleras Camargo and Brisas de Mayo. We drop off only at the last one and we didn’t go out of the station (it’s safer this way). At the last one there is a panoramic view of the city, you will also find some panels that tell you the myths and legends of the place.
Loma de La Cruz
It’s time to buy souvenirs!
The place is full of shops to buy souvenirs and has a beautiful view of the mountains and the Cerro de Las Tres Cruces.
You should stop at Loma de La Cruz before going home, and take some cute things with you.
And, if you are lucky, you will see some street presentations there.
Cristo Rey
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit Cristo Rey as it was closed to a reform 😥
Even though, my friends recommend this place to you.
Cristo Rey is a statue 26 meters tall located in the Cerro de Los Cristales, and it was inaugurated in 1953, the statue is an image of Christ in celebration of the fifty years following the end of the War of a Thousand Days.
The music you should dance to in Colombia
Are you ready to dance?
Colombia is the perfect place to dance Salsa and Reggaeton. You will always find places playing it, restaurants, pubs, clubs or streets.
In Cali, as I said before, La Topa Tolondra is a perfect place to learn how to dance Salsa and for Reggaeton, I recommend you to go clubbing at Espacio 10-60.
This club has 4 floors and a rooftop. On Saturdays, all of them are open, and each one plays a different type of music, so you will listen to Salsa, Reggaeton, Tecno and Pop.
You can’t imagine how much fun I had there!
Foods you have to try in Colombia
By now, this post is already huge! So, I decided to separate the delicious part into another one.
You can check the foods you have to try below:
That’s all folks 💛💙❤️
Gracias y ¡hasta luego!