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Yipao Parade: Week 239
Parades are the kind of public events that often sound promising, but can easily turn into masochistic affairs. There are many ways this can happen- perhaps there are too many people, or the traffic...
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The Hike to La Gruta: Week 240
I play volleyball with my SENA colleagues twice a week after work. The volleyball court is across the road from the campus and is reached via an underground tunnel. From here, the view of the school...
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Colombian Campfire Stories: Week 241
The entrance to Ecoparque Regional Alcázares-Arenillo was hidden at the end of a neighborhood cul-de-sac. Of all the nature reserves in Manizales, this one is one of the quieter ones. A large bamboo...
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Halloween Homesickness: Week 242
October 31st came around before my zombie costume was finished. All I had was a ripped sweatshirt and an arm’s length of pantyhose intestines. I could have worn it as is, but I wasn’t feeling that...
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Cinespiral & Independent Cinema in Manizales: Week 243
During the ‘winter’ in Manizales, it is not uncommon to have sunny mornings and afternoon showers. The dove gray clouds creep over the mountains and sink down into the valley later in the day. Some...
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Two Kinds of Andrés: Week 244
We were walking through a rural town when a boy named Andrés stopped us. It was a Wednesday afternoon and he and his friends were on their way home from school. While his friends giggled, Andrés...
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Villa de Leyva & Terracotta House: Week 245
Villa de Leyva is a colonial gem several hours north of Bogotá. It was founded in the late 1500s as a retreat for the well-to-do and high-ranking officials. Because the town was not located on...
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Thanksgiving in Manizales: Week 246
Colombia has so many holidays that people sometimes forget the reason they don’t have to go to work. Because I’m distracted by the profusion of holidays here, I often forget to celebrate, let alone...
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Buga: Week 247
Barret was out on the balcony with a cold glass of beer. I laid down on the double bed and listened to the motorcycles drive by on the street below. I’d heard that sound before, years ago, the echo of...
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Día de las Velitas: Week 248
Día de las Velitas, Day of the Candles, is an important holiday in Colombia that celebrates the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. While some cities like Medellin and Villa de Leyva hold...
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Holiday Mail: Week 249
In Colombia the bills never arrive in envelopes. They are left in a pile at the main entrance of our apartment building, along with everyone else’s. It’s an odd thing to miss, but I really do like...
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Christmas at Home: Week 250
I was really looking forward to having Christmas in Manassas at my parent’s house. It had been five years since I’d been home for Christmas and the first one in which all of us ‘kids’ had moved out of...
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Colonial Williamsburg: Week 251
Between 1699-1780, Williamsburg was not only the seat of power in Virginia but also the most influential city in all of the colonies. For strategic reasons, the capitol was moved north to Richmond...
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Aruba: Week 252
Aruba is a very arid island. The contrast between tropical Caribbean dreams and the desert landscape couldn’t be any starker than it is on the coast, where cacti grow straight out of white beach sand....
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Curacao: Week 253
Curacao is the largest member of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao). It has a much more European feel than Aruba, which could partially be attributed to the beautifully preserved UNESCO...
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Mompós: Week 254
The first thing people tell you about Mompós (or Mompox), is that it’s beautiful. The second thing they tell you is that it is difficult to reach. Difficult is even the name of a little vereda you...
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Cartagena: Week 255
Cartagena de Indias is a very hot Caribbean destination in Colombia filled with beautiful architecture and great restaurants. It was founded in the 1500s by the Spanish to protect their access and...
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Quindío Botanic Garden: Week 256
The butterfly-shaped mariposario is the most iconic building at the Quindío Botanic Garden, but it is just one of many sights to see. The 10 hectares of subandean forest is located in Calarcá and is...
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The Goodlands Release: Week 257
What would it be like if people never died? I realized it was not a new theme in literature, especially in romance, but it still got me thinking. How would the government work? What would motivate...
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Dance Classes: Week 258
The first time I went to a salsoteca in Manizales I quickly realized that dancing was serious business. The women I was with picked a table next to the dance floor, bought a bottle of aguardiente, and...
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