Bogota, Colombia, is like so many of the world’s big cities — crowded, bogged down by traffic, leafy neighborhoods and the desperately poor, an interesting old town and, increasingly, a vibrant bar and cafe scene. Lots of music, trees and churches. Bogota is also one of the most painted cities I have ever visited. Art is everywhere.
Cartagena is a dream vacation spot on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The old town is a maze of narrow streets lined with colorful colonial-style houses, shops and hotels. Vendors sell fresh fruit and Panama hats on every corner. Horse-drawn carriages breeze by the neighborhood’s many plazas, where musicians and dancers perform. Most of the music is Afro-Caribbean, a reminder that this was once a busy port for the slave trade.
During the years that Medellin was the center of a civil war, Comuna 13 was one of the city’s most troubled neighborhoods. Winding up a steep hillside near the main highway, the neighborhood was well-situated as a conduit for drugs, guns and cash. Paramilitary groups recruited young men living there as terrorists and gangs controlled the streets. Residents lived in poverty, hopelessness and fear.
Not long ago, Medellin, Colombia was one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The whole country suffered for decades in a four-way fight for power and money and justice. A right wing militia, a left wing militia, drug cartels and corrupt politicians wreaked havoc, leaving thousands dead and many thousands more homeless, injured, terrified. Medellin was the center of the violence and of the drug empire of mafia boss, Pablo Escobar.
An early Feliz Navidad from Costa Rica! With its wonderful jungles and beaches, this is a place for outdoor adventure and serious relaxation, and we have gotten a lot of both during our week on the Pacific Coast — hiking, kayaking, eating and walking on beaches.
Sculpture in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
I love taking photographs when I travel, but I am selective about it because cameras can make you an outsider, an observer instead of a participant. One thing I like about having a camera is that, even if I don’t use it, I pay a little more attention to the details.
No one seems to think very highly of Costa Rica’s capital city, San Jose, even though everyone seems to agree that the rest of the country is full of wonders. My own first impression is that San Jose is gritty and lacking in charm, and I haven’t found anything that seems distinctively Costa Rican. But, like everywhere else I have visited, San Jose has its attractions.
My “real” home in California
In traditional cultures, where you live is a big part of who you are. Many Americans, on the other hand, tend to view our communities as way stations to somewhere else. Most of us leave home at an early age and don’t return to raise our kids in the communities where we grew up. As we age, many of us move again for economic reasons or to be with the grandchildren our children are raising somewhere else. Continue reading
