# Colombia: The only risk is wanting to stay!



## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the world's best kept secret.

*Caribbean*

*Cartagena*




































*Tayrona* National Park


















*Teyuna* - the Lost city









*La Guajira*



























*Andes*

*Bogota*













































*Sierra Nevada del Cocuy*



























*Tota Lake*









*Chicamocha Canyon*









*Villa de Leyva* (Traditional Colombian Village)









*Medellin*



























*Tatacoa Desert*


















*San Agustin & Tierradentro* (Ancient Sites)



























*Sanctuario Las Lajas*









*Llanos - the Colombian Savannah*














































*Caño Cristales* (River of 5 colours)



























*Pacific*




























*Bahia Solano*









*Tumaco*









*Nuqui*
















*Amazon*




























*Chiribiquete*









*Inirida*


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

*Colombia Map*










Here you can see how Colombia is split into different geographical regions. This complex geography has kept people of the same country isolated from eachother for many years and the cultures and racial make-ups of these regions are very different from one another.

What makes Colombia special is that it's the only country in South America where all the major ecological sites of the continent meet. As you can see in the following picture the neighbouring countries only have some of the natural geograhy.









*Caribbean - Andes - Pacific - Amazon - Savannah*


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Nice thread! Colombia is a true paradise!


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## Veinticinco (Sep 13, 2005)

It looks amazing, I'd visit for the women alone!


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Edited


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## Veinticinco (Sep 13, 2005)

nevermind.


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

LOL. The funniest thing I've ever heard. Keep up the good work dude!


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## Veinticinco (Sep 13, 2005)

Yeah yeah I know - you hear it all the time. Lose the chip on your shoulder. Wasn't the whole point of mentioning 'risk' in the title to reference the crime? I think it was..


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

The guerillas are almost completely over...

*Medellin*, Colombia's second city, and phoenix bird.


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Veinticinco said:


> Yeah yeah I know - you hear it all the time. Lose the chip on your shoulder. I know the kidnap rate has dropped massively. *Wasn't the whole point of mentioning 'risk' in the title to reference the crime? I think it was..*


No, It wasn't the point. The point was that many people still think that Colombia is a dangerous place, but really the only risk is that you like it so much that you'd like to stay.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

Lovely paisas :drool: sure colombia is the best hidden pearl :master: 

btw the ancient site in the second pic is called Tayrona not Teyuna


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

> btw the ancient site in the second pic is called Tayrona not Teyuna


Teyuna is the indigenous name for the Lost City or Ciudad Perdida...It's what the Kogui call the site.


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

alejoaoa you're always going to get people mentioning negative things about Colombia...the world is ignorant about this amazing country and yes people need to realize that what's a joke to them is a very sensitive subject to Colombians becuase they've had to live through a lot of pain for many years although things are so much better now.

People need to show a bit more respect and sensitivity, but there's no point in getting angry...tackle the argument with facts, if they don't want to listen just carry on enjoying this amazing place!


Peaceful March against violence - *Bogota*


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Otra cosa alejoaoa...le quiero pedir el favor que me quite las fotos de esas niñas...esto no es ponoscrapers!!! (Bueno una que otra no hace daño pero se paso...) 

Ademas el pais esta corriendo riesgo de convertirse en el nuevo destino para el sex tourism y nada me parece mas feo que una cantidad de gringos cuchos llegando al pais y comprando las bellas mujeres de Colombia...Mejor dicho vamos de una cara mala a otra!


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Tranquilo viejo, ya mismo las quito todas. Es tu thread al fin y al cabo.

Y desde cuando tener mujeres bellas es algo malo? Ademas, puse alguna en pelota? Que exagere...


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## Veinticinco (Sep 13, 2005)

alejoaoa said:


> Tranquilo viejo, ya mismo las quito todas. Es tu thread al fin y al cabo.
> 
> Y desde cuando tener mujeres bellas es algo malo? Ademas, puse alguna en pelota? Que exagere...


I agree, having beautiful women is a good thing! Of the 2 I posted, one is an actor and one is a singer, both famous (one more than the other obviously) - Sofia Vergara and Shakira. I removed them anyway.


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Thanks for editing the other thing. You know, for us that is not funny at all, because it has brought us a lot of problems and a very bad image that seems to not disappear though all the country's improvements. Including of course the security.


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Edited


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

PuebloFuerte said:


> Teyuna is the indigenous name for the Lost City or Ciudad Perdida...It's what the Kogui call the site.


*:O*


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Thank you guys and of course the women are beautiful, but lets keep it cultural not XXXplicit...it suits the post better I think.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

eklips said:


> I was there yesterday


where in the forums or medellin?


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

The real deal.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

:sly: san javier? moravia?


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

nah I just mean I was in Medellin :laugh:, will post the photos when I get back


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

^^but did you visited the slums?


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

well I did "visit" the area next to the library, reachable with the acevedo metrocable to eat at a friend's house over there, don't know if you consider that slum or not.

And then I walked a bit in shabby areas next to the center, but again, don't know if you consider that the slums.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

you mean this one? biblioteca españa?








if so then yes I consider them slums, mainly because the families are either status 1 or 2 which means poor. 

the shabby areas in the centers aren't slums, they are just bad areas unfortunatelly.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

These are pictures that I took, this is the andian department of Antioquia 

*This is a famous mountain in the central area of colombia called Farallones. *









*This is some kind of a valley...simply beautiful..btw I took this pic very early in the mornign *








*
a nice chill place. Hotel *









*Some mountain views*









*beautiful flowers are everywhere*








*
more flowers lol *









*mountains are everywhere :happy:*









]


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

D.D. said:


> you mean this one? biblioteca españa?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yep, around there.

Also the shabby areas were not part of the center, they were your usual red bricks latin american district.


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

^^you lost me there. :nuts:


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

"And then I walked a bit in shabby areas next to the center, but again, don't know if you consider that the slums."


I meant by this that these areas were outside of the center, and looked more or less like the area next to the metrocable, they'd probably be 1 or 2 for you guys.

I was not talking about the gritty areas of the center full of drug addicts :s


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## alejoaoa (May 11, 2006)

Outskirts Medellin:






















































































































































































*This year (as previous years) the 81% of Medellin's budget will be destinated to social investment. Thats a lot. While many (to not say all) Latin cities are inveting in makin beautiful parks with gorgeous flowers, Medellin is investing in things that do matter. Medellin is trying to end that huge social inequity.


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## Nadini (Mar 19, 2006)

The nature of this country is magnificent and my type  Would love to visit one day


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

^^yes colombia is one of the mos biodiverse countries in the world :yes: you are welcome to visit anytime...:hi:


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## D.D. (Nov 26, 2007)

The climate in this reagion is mild/cold 









Crazy car 










more pics..this area is in the outkirts of Medellin...this is el Santuario 









*beautiful flower i found *


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

A cool Video of the celebrity food critic Anthony Bourdain in Colombia


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Carnival of Barranquilla pics...the biggest in America after Rio's


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

I'm telling you those of you that think Colombia is dangerous and won't go because of that are missing out...Look at recent news reports of all the improvements the country is going through and has made already...anyways something to think about at least...


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Some more pics of the Colombian Countryside


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

and another


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

And a few others....


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## lidieth (Jan 13, 2008)

i've always said that i love colombia, and I say it again, I LOVE COLOMBIA!!!!

:dance::dance:

I can't wait to go! Together with Brazil are my two favorite countries in South America. :happy:


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## ♣628.finst (Jul 29, 2005)

alejoaoa said:


> *This year (as previous years) the 81% of Medellin's budget will be destinated to social investment. Thats a lot. While many (to not say all) Latin cities are inveting in makin beautiful parks with gorgeous flowers, Medellin is investing in things that do matter. Medellin is trying to end that huge social inequity.


For the majority of the population, this seems much better than the capitalist approach employed by Hongkong. Here, the disparities is still growing, despite the relatively high living standard. Medellin is for sure doing right steps in avoiding the terrible social consequences in Northern US and Hongkong.


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Medellin :banana:


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

*Bogota, Colombia 
at Night*


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## corredor06 (Oct 13, 2008)

nice night shots of bogota


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

corredor06 said:


> nice night shots of bogota


Thanks Brother kay:


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Some more shots...this time of 
*downtown Bogota*






























































































































*Bogota looking North*









*Bogota looking South*


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## jeisonpaixa (Jul 26, 2009)




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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

^^

Picture of the new Bancolombia building under construction in *Medellin*. 

Remember to put a name on the picture so that people know what it is/where it is?


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## SqueezeDog (Sep 6, 2009)

Cooool!


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

SqueezeDog said:


> Cooool!


Glad you like it kay:


Ok this page is already overpacked with pictures (It wasn't me! :angel lol) 

Help pass the pages so that I can take you on a virtual trip around the country...First stop will be the frontier town of Maicao...near the Venezuelan border.


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## SqueezeDog (Sep 6, 2009)

Yes, Pueblo! I like it!

I heard the president Uribe said that he envisions a new Colombia, where most people are middle class. With the great reduction in crime and military groups, and strong economy as a result (even in recession!), can this become reality maybe in 10-15 years? I think Colombia has a lot going for it. It has great climate, good geographic location, hard working people, a sound and very stable economy.

With a good leadership focused on the people for the next couple of decades, Colombia could be transformed and become a fully developed "first world" nation by 2030. I think Panama has a vision of 2025 for this, I don't see why Colombia couldn't too.


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

SqueezeDog said:


> With a good leadership focused on the people for the next couple of decades, Colombia could be transformed and become a fully developed "first world" nation by 2030.


Current indicators seem to show that this is possible although I would realistically extend that to 2040 perhaps. Colombia still has extreme divisions in wealth. Over 35% of the general population are under the poverty line second only in the region to Brazil.

Uribe has been good for the country in many respects, but I for one believe Colombia needs a new president for 2010 there are good options this time Sergio Fajardo former mayor of Medellin and Antanas Mockus (of lithuanian descent) former mayor of Bogota is another possible candidate.


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

Ok so now for the tour around Colombia in Pictures.

Crossing the border from Venezuela, 1st Stop: *Maicao* http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Maicao+map&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Maicao,+Colombia&gl=uk&ei=--mzSpH5Oc2a4gaK6PB8&ll=11.385802,-72.251587&spn=2.468855,4.22699&t=p&z=9&iwloc=A

Home to the largest Muslim community in Colombia.


































































​


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

PuebloFuerte said:


>


Can someone translate this for me please?


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## PuebloFuerte (Nov 30, 2008)

A video about Islam in Maicao...unfortunately some of you might not understand because it's in Spanish.

Un video sobre el Islam en Maicao.


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