COLOMBIA
Published By, KAYDEN PHAN
When most people think of Colombia, one of the first things that comes to mind is it’s history with Pablo Escobar and the drug cartel which can very intimidating. Let me cut to the chase and just tell you Bogota was not my favorite city. I didn’t feel too safe, I felt at any point I could of been robbed and the people running the hotel weren’t too nice. Luckily I was only there due to a delayed flight so the next morning I jetted off to the city of Catagena. As I arrived, I instantly felt more safe.
I came to Colombia to meet a friend and didn't do much research prior to coming. When I arrived I discovered theres way more to do than I thought. I defiantly felt the history as I walked through the cobble stone streets and colorful buildings. Restaurant tables filled the courtyard and the culture was so alive. Music played through the streets, people laughing and enjoying themselves, it all just made me feel happy. It was relaxing to hear the sound of horses trotting through the alley ways and seeing them pull carriages of people. It was really quit romantic.
The next day came and we decided to visit the San Felipe de Barajas Castle. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Colombia and built by the Spaniards as a defense in colonial times. I loved the history and the views were a bonus! If you visit, I suggest going early to beat the midday heat and also wearing good walking shoes. At night, this place lights up and looks so beautiful.
Colombia was the first place I ever tried scuba diving. The water was stunning and there were plenty of fish but I must warn you to stay away from the coral reef. This is defiantly a looking sport. I was trying to dodge another scuba diver and in doing so ran into the coral. I barely scraped against it and it still ended up getting infected. Coral is home to many microscopic living organisms and can be very dangerous if you scape against it and let it go untreated. So let my mistake be your lesson. Keep your distance from the reef.
We decided to venture off on a boat ride over to Isla del Encanto. It’s a place many only spend the day hanging out to jet ski, wake board, snorkel or just lounge at the pool. We got lucky and not many people were there so we pretty much had the place and the staff to ourself. If you have time I’d highly recommend checking this place out.
