Image: CIAT/Flickr
I’m not a huge fan of the old bucket list. I’m not the kind of traveller who likes to cross things off my to-do list when I visit a new part of the world. I like to take things slow. I like to meet people and learn about a places in time, rather than just pass through with a camera to take photos of all the local landmarks.
Travel, for me, is about learning and appreciating difference: in landscapes, in people, in local customs and in food. Next month I’ll be heading back to Colombia and there are so many things I want to do while I’m there. Rather than being a bucket list, though, I guess this is more just a personal reminder of some of the things I’d like to do while in the country. What do you think? What else should I add to the list?
Here goes, here’s my Colombia bucket list:
1. Climb the 659 steps to the top of El Penol, Guatape
Image: Angie Carvajal/Flickr
2. Brew my own cup of coffee in the Coffee Region and meet the people who make that possible
Image: CIAT/Flickr
3. Visit Salento and cycle through the old town
Image: Triangulo de Cafe Travel/Flickr
4. Do the Bogota Graffiti Tour and learn about the local artists who bring colour, vibrancy and political history to the streets of the city
Image: McKay Savage/Flickr
5. Have a chocolate completo at La Puerta Falsa
Image: William Neuheisel/Flickr
6. Visit Lake Guatavita, where the story about El Dorado originates
Image: “LagunaDeGuatavita” by Masanalv – Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
7. Visit the Paloquemao Markets in Bogota
Image: Jack Zalium/Flickr
8. Meet up with some of fellow bloggers in Colombia
9. Hike through the Wax Palm landscapes in Quindio
10. Take a trip on the cable carts of Medellin and learn about the outskirts of this growing city
11. Explore the old city of Cartagena
12. Do a tour of the mangroves in Cartagena
Image: Ealmagro/Wikimedia
13. Visit the Rosario Islands and Baru
Image: Randal Sheppard/Flickr
14. Learn more about the history of Santa Marta
15. Visit Playa Cristal
Image: Ben Bowes/Flickr
16. Walk to the top of Monserrate
17. Buy myself a ruana (a Colombian poncho)
Image: Momentcaptured1/Flickr
18. Eat as many different types of arepas as humanly possible
19. Drink as many tropical fruit juices as humanly possible
Image: Rosipaw/flickr
20. Visit the Cristobal Colon theatre in Bogota
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What else should be added to my Colombia bucket list? Share your tips and ideas with me in the comments section below. I’d love to hear what you think I should add.
What about Villa de Leyva or Zipaquira?
So true, Luis! Lucky this is only Part One! I’m afraid I might get up to Part 50, though! 😛
Excellent beginning list. Hope you include us in local bloggers to meet. We have done almost all those things except what heavy physical exertion stuff that the heart docs said, “No,” to. But Michael did make the hike to Guatavita. And we substituted San Andres & Providencia for Rosario Islands and Baru, though the latter are on our list. Looking forward to reading your part 2.
Thanks so much, Michael and Graciela! I would love to catch up with you both while I’m in the country. I’ll track you down on Facebook and see what you’re up to. 🙂 Happy travels in Colombia and thanks for taking the time to comment. Looking forward to reading more from your blog, too! 🙂