Colombia! |
| May 20, 2004
- Palmira, Colombia |
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| I
PROMISED
MYSELF I WOULD BE GOOD.
But one thing led to another
and I ended up drinking half of the bottle of Aguardiente,
pictured above center. And look what it did to my breath!! |
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Seriously
, I did drink most of the bottle myself. Aguardiente
is made from sugar cane, plentiful in much of South
and Central America. I've sampled it in other countries
and it always seemed like the low budget, rot-gut,
cheapest buzz you could buy, kind of liquor. But
in Colombia it has some flavor and not just fire.
A nice anise or licorice flavor. It is served in
very tiny little shot glasses. Everyone encouraged
me to have another tiny shot. An after all they
were very small. Even those I didn't speak with
would smile and nod as if to say "Come on,
down the hatch!" |
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Just like
cutting a large piece of cake into two and eating both
of them; the result is the same but part of you feels
better about yourself. At least until the next morning... |
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It started
out as a nice family gathering. Friends of friends. I
trusted my friends but was a little leery of their friends.
The host was just a little too outgoing. He wanted me
to know that I was safe in his home. He said he made sure
there were never any problems for his family. He pulled
a shiny silver revolver out of the back of his jeans as
his demonstration of security. Great! I feel so secure!
Can I leave now? |
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We
did leave the party. This evening evolved to a tour
of the local niteclubs. Palmira is not a big town
so the tour didn't take long. Cruising the central
plaza in search of latenite munchies was actually
much more entertaining. |
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BOGOTA WAS
NOT WHAT I EXPECTED. In spite of the revolver incident
at the party elsewhere, Colombia is not at all what is
represented in American media. Bogota, the capital, is
a huge city with a burgeoning middle class and it is 'business
as usual' everywhere you go. Far fewer guards with guns
than many other Latin cities. The populace is educated,
even somewhat sophisticated. On Sunday mornings in Bogota
the major thoroughfares are closed to motorized traffic
and reserved for walkers, joggers and bikers. Not exactly
what you would expect from a country supposedly overrun
with drug lords and rebels. |
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Don't
get me wrong, Colombia has its problems, but day
to day city life is not affected to the extent we
are led to believe. Tourists from all over the world
enjoy cities as well as the beautiful coasts and
islands. |
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I MET SOME
COLORFUL CHARACTERS IN CALI, including the firebreathing
street performer pictured above. At the end of his fiery
show at a busy intersection, Luis showed me around to
some of his favorite spots in town. |
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Another
Cali character was an artist as well, with more than his
fair share of talent. Eccentricity was part of his package
also. At the age of 15, his talent as a concert pianist
brought him all the way from Cali to Washington D.C. He
spent almost 20 years there, pursuing that passion. He
treated me to a private concert. After a few phone calls
he gained access to the massive but empty Metropolitan
Theatre. He had performed there before to a packed house
but this time I was the entire audience! |
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His fingers
flew across the keyboard and the sound poured out of the
massive grand piano. I was mesmerized. I recognized some
of the numbers but many were original compositions. I
requested 'Flight of the Bumblebee.' Instead he offered
up an original piece with comparable intensity and tempo. |
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In
spite of the talent I witnessed, Diego is
no longer pursuing his piano career. His
passion has shifted from the piano to painting.
He asked if I could help him market his
portraits in the U.S. I photographed much
of his work and put it on CD for him. |
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He
does personal portraits from photographs so it is
not a problem long distance. Establishing personal
relationships from afar seems to be his biggest
challenge. His rates are reasonable and if you would
like to contact him, his Email address is: diegocortesescobar@yahoo.com
CARTAGENA WAS THE LAST STOP on my visit to Colombia.
It is probably the most historic and picturesque
city in Colombia. Also a lively beach party town.
Time and weather conspired against me when came
to taking picture of the magnificent colonial walled
city. That's ok. I will certainly be back for another
visit. |
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