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COLOMBIA GUERILLAS, COCAINE, COFFEE AND SOME OF THE MOST STUNNING SCENERY IN THE WORLD
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Welcome to Colombia...
The Colombian flag is the same as the flag of Venezuala and Ecuador (with some stars and emblems on the others). All the countries were part of Gran Colombia (Venezuala, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Bolivia) and were liberated from the Spanish by Simon Bolivar. |
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The Colombian numberplate
Cars have numberplates with their town on whereas motorbike numberplates have Colombia written on the bottom.
Motorcyclists are required to wear vests with their numberplates on
Colombian money, the Peso ($), which comes in the form of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000 and 50000 denominations.
At 2007 exchange rates, $4000 = £1. |
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BOGOTA |
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Vew over the city of Bogota
Plaza de Armas
Hard Rocking with British Biker Jason who was on his way north |
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MUSEO DEL ORO
The Museo del Oro in Bogota has the world's largest collection of gold artifacts with over 34,000 pieces.
Precolombian nose rings form part of the collection
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EMERALDS
Colombia is the world's largest producer of Emeralds
One engagement ring please! |
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CARTAGENA
An encouraging reason to ride the buses in Colombia. This list presents the names of the bus companies and the number of accidents, injuries and deaths.
The 20 hour bus ride north to Cartagena took us from 2500m in Bogota down through cloud covered mountains down to the roasting Carribean coast.
The stunning UNESCO city of Cartagena
Jean Christophe came to join us for our trip around Colombia.
The city walls were constructed after the constant bombardment of Francis Drake's fleet trying to ransack the city. Construction started in 1614.
The film Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner was filmed in Cartagena.
...and the chase scene was carried out at the the Bovedas. |
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PLAYA BLANCA
20km from Cartagena is Playa Blanca an idyllic palm roofed huts strewn down the beach. The sad thing is that there are rumours that the Sheratton and Hilton are moving in to take over the beach.
It is hard travelling sometimes! |
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VOLCAN DEL TOTUMO Colombia is located at the meeting point of 5 continental plates. There is a lot of volcanic and seismic movement which results in hot fumes coming up through the plate leading to the formation of the Volcan del Totumo.
This 'volcano' was formed 6 years ago when it started bubbling out of the ground
...and formed a mud volcano
It is 300m deep and you float on top of the mud
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BOTERO
Botero is the famous Colombian artist from Medillin
He is famous for painting fat figures...
...and fat fruit...
..and a fat Jesus! |
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Colombia is famous for its coffee - which according to the Costa Ricans is mixed with 50% Costa Rican coffee.
The classic black and white colombian hat worn by the countryside people |
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