Joe and I recently accompanied a Belmont University alumni group on a cultural trip to Colombia. We visited Bogota and Cartagena, which were really interesting places. To be sure, the Colombian culture is very different from the United States. It truly felt another world away. Here are some glimpses. . .
San Felipe be Barajas Castle in Cartagena
View of the city of Cartagena from San Felipe
It was about 112 degrees in Cartagena that day, and we were sweating buckets as we walked the city! But what fascinating history and culture. And the food was delicious! A bit harder to eat #Keto in that culture but I managed fairly well. : )
I love pretty doors! Here are some pics that reflect that adoration. . .
Colombians really love their geckos!
Views of the streets in Cartagena. Aren’t the flowers gorgeous!
One of the places we stayed had a toucan named Tato. He was gorgeous! And spent most of his day sitting around the bar and chattering. ; )
While I was there, I was on deadline so I spent a fair amount of time in my room writing. But what a place to write!
What’s a place you’ve visited that represents a culture vastly different from your own? Did you enjoy it?
Blessings on your Tuesday!
Tamera
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Tamera Alexander
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Tamera, thank you for sharing your adventure! In May, I was in Israel and LOVED it!
Oh Caryl! I’m headed to Israel next March for a two week Biblical studies trip and am already so excited about going. I’d love to hear more about your trip, if you’re willing to share with us!
Ken and I lived in Colombia for two years. Yes it’s a fascinating place! We did visit Cartejena, too. Weren’t the Andes mountains beautiful?
I had forgotten you and Ken lived there for two years, Lynn! Yes, those mountains are gorgeous!Colombia IS a fascinating country. We went to the Gold Museum and learned all about the history of gold in that country as well. Very interesting culture in that regard, and in all the religious aspects too.
Life in Honduras was quite different from our American culture. We went to a rural part of the country to minister to some medical missionaries we helped support. I was teaching a class to the wives and their children, who were all homeschooled, in an outdoor classroom. A thatched roof covered overhead, and one wall of bamboo separated the room from the dirt road nearby where horses, bicycles, and vehicles kicked up dust and made noise. Cats wandered in and out of the room during class, and we had a great view of the wife of the caretaker of the horses doing her laundry by hand and then hanging the wash over the fence to the corral where the horses galloped and stirred up more dust. The ordinary Honduran lived in huts with open windows and doors and dirt floors–so different from what this city girl had experienced.
Thanks for sharing all that, Suzanne. And thanks for your service to those people in Honduras. I’m a city gal, too, so share those “eye-opening” moments.
We lived on Guam for four years in the early 70’s. Slower pace, hot. People were very friendly.
So you lived in Guam, Paula. Didn’t know that about you! Cool. Isn’t it amazing that even as much as cultures vary—and do influence our behaviors and choices—that, at heart, peopler are truly very much the same. Same Maker and Pursuer of our souls.
Loved seeing your photos from this trip, Tammy! Traveling outside the U.S. is still on my bucket list (we have been to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and just barely into Mexico over the California border) but we lived near New York City for two years early in our marriage and that truly felt like a foreign culture to this Kansas farmer’s daughter! It was a great experience and now that I’ve lived a few years of life—and live in a small city—New York no longer feels quite so different, but it was culture shock for sure forty years ago!
I really loved the door photos in this piece. They are certainly one of the things I live about Latin America as well. The bougainvillea cascading over the walls is also wonderful to this CO girl.
The most unusual place we have been was a small village in Niger when we visited our son who was serving there in Peace Corps. In some ways it helped me understand more about the story of Jacob going to Laban’s home for a wife. Certainly a surreal experience in that Muslim village.
Thanks for sharing the story of your trip and photos.
We lived in Cyprus for two years, experiencing both Greek and Turkish culture. We loved seeing all of the castles. One of our memorable events was taking a donkey ride up the mountains from Bellapais Abbey to Buffavento Castle. I was scared to death – picturing myself plummeting over the side. But donkeys really are surefooted.
I’m curious… do you know the purpose of the small door inset on one side of the double doors? It’s in all your pics of the beautiful doors. 🙂
Five years ago, I visited friends who lived in Hong Kong.
The city itself was very modern, the people could not have been nicer and respect full of this “old” gray haired lady, but unfortunately, I could not eat the food they prepared due to my allergies.
Thanks for sharing your pictures.
Hi Tamera,
Loved seeing your pictures, especially the doors! I love doors as well.
Last year my son and daughter in law’s wedding was in Quebec City, Canada. Sooooo charming in the “old city” which was founded in 1608!
Btw, our book club is reading A Beauty So Rare for July. One of the ladies on our field trip to Carnton and Belmont Mansion picked it!
Blessings,
Karen