Instead of my usual forays westward to
Asia and the South Pacific or eastward to Europe and Africa, I'm on
a flight southbound to a totally new destination—Colombia. Located
on the northwestern coast of South America, it has had an image of drug lords, violence and corruption rather than a
destination with much natural beauty, fascinating history and
gracious people.
Although our primary purpose is to
attend Travel Mart Latin America (a major trade show bringing
together tourism suppliers from Latin America with buyers from all
over the world), Rachel and I want to experience
first-hand what many consider to be the up-and-coming
destinations in South America.
As my flight continues on from Houston,
I finally have had time to read about Colombia. It is the
3rd largest country in Latin America after Brazil and
Mexico and is the oldest democracy in South America despite its
history of internal conflicts. Following WWII, much of the country
was riddled with violence and drug wars.
In 1999, however, the US began
supporting the Colombian government in its war against drugs,and a
few years later a program called the Democratic and Security Policy
(DSP) was instituted by President Uribe to make Colombia a safe
place. Great progress has been made in the last decade, and, with
the help of a strong tourism initiative, tourists are returning to
Colombia. From its ancient civilizations rich
with gold that were exploited by the Spaniards to bloody civil wars
and ruthless drug lords, this land of emeralds and coffee beans is
emerging in the 21st century with renewed hope and greater
security.
We'll be landing in Cartagena shortly
where we'll be attending the trade show for the next 4 days. Rachel will be flying home then, but I'll be heading west to the coffee regions near Armenia in the Andean highlands
for 2 days and then on to Bogota located higher up in the Andes.
Depending on internet access, I hope to share my adventures with you in
this new and exciting destination.
More from Cartagena soon.
Linda
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