In my previous post, I talked about Barranquilla and its lovely carnival, but that does not do justice to the rest of the beauty that is Colombia.
For years, Colombia did not have the best reputation due to several historical incidents with drugs. In spite of the fact that it has given many wonderful cultural and artistic contributions to the world, people often think of cocaine and coffee when this country of diversity is mentioned.
Colombia combines cultures from all over the world (from Arabs to Jews and Europeans), with a geographical and climatic variety making the country optimum in its uniqueness. Thanks to this, tourists are pleased to know this is a place for everyone: for those who enjoy the highlands, the Andes mountain range will be a completely delightful experience; for those who love the sea, the Atlantic and Pacific coast are ideal. The religious, ecological, archaeological and gastronomic tourism, along with many others, are also widely known around the world.
I know for a fact that not every Colombian knows the magnificence of the country he or she lives in. Yet, I am thankful because I was given the opportunity to go to many cities of my country and was shown how truly marvelous it is. I got to see that my country, even if not everyone knows it, is one to be proud of. It has habitats that are breathtakingly beautiful and species of animals impossible to even begin to imagine.
People like Shakira, Sofia Vergara, James Rodriguez, Carolina Herrera, Radamel Falcao, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nina Garcia and the current Miss Universe Paulina Vega, among so many others, are all Colombians who are great examples of how much talent there is here. We are people who are passionate about who we are and we embrace that with the hope that others will also notice how much good there actually is. Slowly, we are showing the world what Colombia is truly made of–not characterized by the mistakes of a certain few, but of the hard work of so many others.
I am eager to share the culture I have always known, admired and loved with everyone. I am proud to be Colombian, and if you were from the happiest country in the world, you would be too.
