| Learn the local customs of Colombia. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Colombia locals. Map |
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Warning! This tip is for adults only.
I wasn't sure whether to include this and I'm sorry if it's inappropriate, but it genuinely is a local custom, and I think it would be helpful for travellers to know about it.
As I was told by several Colombians in Santa Marta, it is common practice in the north of the country for adolescent boys to have sex with donkeys. This is not just a one-time affair, like a rite of passage that a boy has to pass to become a man. Rather, it's more like a substitute for masturbation. Young boys are expected to do this, and they are told by their fathers when they reach a certain age that they should not have sex with the dogs because they could catch a disease, and they must not do it with the chickens because the chicken will die afterwards, but with the donkeys it's just fine. At first I wasn't sure if the guys who told me this were just joking, but a few days later I read the non-fiction book Smokescreen by Robert Sabbag, in which the author recounts how he was told the same thing. And just now a quick google search brought up a scientific article which also cites the same practice.
I guess the moral of this tip is that before you get into a sexual relationship with a man from the northern coast of Colombia, you should consider who (or what) he might have been with before you. This is one tip that I'm quite happy to write without an accompanying picture!
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In the Department of Santander, which includes Barichara and San Gil, the locals always use the formal 'usted' to address someone rather than the informal 'tu.' This applies even to family members and to boyfriends/girlfriends. So if you try to befriend the locals and they keep referring to you as 'usted,' don't think that they are being distant; it's just their manner of speaking.
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 by AndreasKLeave a Comment
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Colombians are more polite than Spaniards in terms of how they speak to each other. The most noticeable example of this is if you ask a question and they don't hear you properly or understand what you mean. Instead of simply replying with 'Que?' (which a Colombian would regard as extremely rude) you will hear 'Senor?' or 'Senora?' - even between mother and daughter. It will probably be appreciated if you do the same. Leave a Comment
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Colombians generally greet eachother by kissing on eachothers cheek once. It's actually not proper kissing but more like just tpuching the other person't cheek with your cheek, usually the right one... Depending on the degree of familiarity this may be accompanied by a hug or just a pat on the back. Depending on the occasion this kind of greeting is alos used when two people are intoduced. The alternative on more formal occasions is a hand-shake.
So don't be afraid that the people are trying to sexually harrass you or hit on you, just go with the flow and you'll soon learn to like this custom :) Leave a Comment
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Not only will this be appreciated in a country where tourists are relatively rare, you will find that there may be monetary benefits for you as well if you are able to chat to the locals in their native language (you are likely to get a discount).
To be honest, being able to speak (and understand, which is much harder) some Spanish is really a must, as English is not widespread outside the educated middle classes. Leave a Comment
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 by depresnoLeave a Comment
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 City Streets in Old Town by frqtflyr
Relative Costs:
Budget meal: US$2-5
Moderate restaurant meal: US$5-10
Top-end restaurant meal: US$10++
Budget room: US$5-10
Moderate hotel: US$10-15
Top-end hotel: US$15++
Colombia is not an expensive country. Budget
travelers can get by on around US$10 per day;
while those staying in more comfortable hotels
and eating at restaurants will spend around
US$20-30 per day. Splurgers should budget
on US$50-70 a day.
Some banks change cash and/or travelers' checks,
but others don't. Some branches of a bank will
change your money while other branches of the
same bank will refuse. This seems to vary from
bank to bank, city to city, day today, and can be
further complicated by a myriad of local factors,
eg the bank may have reached its daily limit of
foreign exchange. On top of that, the banks usually offer
foreign exchange services within limited hours, which may
mean only one or two hours daily; your best chances are in
the morning.
You can change cash dollars on the street, but it's not
recommended. The only street money markets worth
considering are those at the borders, where there may
be simply no alternative. You can use credit cards (Visa is
the most widely accepted) for car rental, air tickets and
in most top-end hotels and restaurants. Plastic money is
also becoming popular for purchasing goods and payment
for services in many other commercial establishments.
There are an increasing number of cajeros automáticos
(automatic teller machines) which accept Visa and
MasterCard, and will pay you pesos. Leave a Comment
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In addition to its numerous museums, Santa Fe de Bogotá enjoys cultural activities such as shows, concerts, art exhibitions and conferences throughout the year. The Modern Art Museum, the National Museum and the Luis Angel Arango Library, have exhibition rooms where there is always something worth seeing.
Numerous art galleries display and sell the works of both Colombian and international contemporary artists. Concerts are held in theater halls such as Teatro Colón, Colsubsidio, Camarín del Carmen, Teatro Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, or in specialized rooms such as in the Luis Angel Arango Library and the Léon de Grieff hall at the Universidad Nacional. Their programs include the presentation of symphony orchestras and chamber groups, both Colombian and from abroad, as well as ballet, opera and shows with internationally renowned artists.
Several theater groups are based in Bogotá and present both classical and modern works. The principal groups include the Teatro Popular de Bogotá, Teatro Libre, Teatro Nacional, La Castellana, and La Candelaria. In addition every other year during Easter the Ibero American Theater Festival is celebrated in the capital.
The pre-Columbian Art left in the country real master-pieces that can be see in the gold Museums of Bogotá, Cartagena and Armenia. Important architectural examples, from colonial period are found in Bogotá, Cartagena, Popayan, Villa de Leyva and Tunja. Art Galleries located in the most important cities, show permanently the work of the most famous outstanding painters. Music and theater life is very active all over the country. Leave a Comment
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Haggling over prices is normal... (exept in shops or restaurants with fixed prices!) ...but don't expect too much discount! Leave a Comment
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