Colombia Local Customs

  men are most colorful too
by richiecdisc
 
  • men are most colorful too
      men are most colorful too
    by richiecdisc
  • Phone booth in the central square
      Phone booth in the central square
    by grandmaR
  • Bathrooms along the beach front
      Bathrooms along the beach front
    by grandmaR
  • life music at one of Cartagena's plazas
      life music at one of Cartagena's plazas
    by mircaskirca
  • bon appetit!
      bon appetit!
    by mircaskirca
 
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Nativity Scenes

by MrRandMcnally

Colombia is a strongly Catholic country and Christmas is cellebrated in all parts. The Streets are lit up, everyone has a tree and, most amusingly, everyone has a nativity scene.I say amusingly because, while a few are strictly traditional, In colombia, just about every figurine imaganable follows that star to Bethlaham. Baby Jesus is adored by trolls, nights in armor, little army men, it doesn't matter if they are on a whole nother scale, they just want in on that nativity. Even in the churches you find this odd plastic mix. Pios and paradoxical

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Salsa!

by MrRandMcnally

Colombians are rightfully known for their music and dancing. Salsa, Marangue, Vallenato, Cumbia. No colombian party is complete without a dance. If you plan to get anywhere with the beautifully Colombian women you better have the stamina to dance right on through the night.

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Blessing the cars

by MrRandMcnally

Driving can be rough in Colombia so the locals have turned to a higher power for help. It is possible to get your car blessed by a priest, there are shops that specialize in statues of the Virgin Mary for the dashboard and on every road there are shrines for protection. Many give offerings of headlights to gain protection for their auto. On some well traveled stretches I've seen over 30 headlights around a shrine

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Colombian vs 'Spanish' Spanish

by sjvessey

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.

Speak Spanish if you can

by sjvessey

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.

Greetings

by Lodestar

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 :)

Army

by Ossi.P

In Colombia it's common to see Army in many places. From the streets of Bogotá to a small village...Travelling on the road not only the Guerrilla might stop you, but also the Army searching for terrorists.One day on a road there is an army roadstop every 10 km, the next one you won't find any soldier there.Unfortunately there might also be roadstops of the AUC (Paramilitaries) or the FARC, ELN (Guerrilla) which would be less funny...

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Currency: Peso ($) ...

by frqtflyr

Currency: Peso ($)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...

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People are friendly and...

by depresno

People are friendly and welcoming, but if you doesnt speak ANY spanish, there will be problems, because very few people do speak english. I dont, but my crazy mixture of portuegiese and spanish worked out just fine. As long as you're trying they'll help you along. So just relax and have a great time. Dont rush anything. Mañana amigo!

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Cartagena is a must for...

by AndreasK

Cartagena is a must for visitors to Colombia. No doubt Cartagena is the most beautiful city in Colombia. Stroll down the narrow cobblestone streets lined with balconies of old Spanish mansions such as Bodegón de la Candelaria and Casa del Marques de Valdehoyos. The city was built within thick walls in 1533 along a beautiful Caribbean harbor.

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Local traditions and culture in Colombia

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Local Customs: Cities in Colombia
  1. Bogotá Local Customs
  2. Cartagena Local Customs
  3. Cali Local Customs
  4. Santa Marta Local Customs
  5. Barranquilla Local Customs
  6. Isla de San Andrés Local Customs
  7. Medellín Local Customs
  8. Parque Tayrona Local Customs
  9. Popayán Local Customs
  10. Villa de Leiva Local Customs
  11. Salento Local Customs
  12. Manizales Local Customs
  13. Bucaramanga Local Customs
  14. Cartagena Local Customs
  15. Isla de Providencia Local Customs
  16. Ciudad Perdida Local Customs
  17. Mompós Local Customs
  18. Zipaquirá Local Customs
  19. San Agustín Local Customs
  20. Guatapé Local Customs
  21. Silvia Local Customs
  22. Cocuy Local Customs
  23. Leticia Local Customs
  24. Tunja Local Customs
  25. Santa Fe Local Customs
  26. Ipiales Local Customs
  27. Naranjal Local Customs
  28. Las Lajas Local Customs

More Cities in Colombia

 

Popular Regions in Colombia

Departamento de Cundinamarca Local Customs  Departamento de Bolívar Local Customs  Departamento del Magdalena Local Customs  Intendenciade San Andrés y Providencia Local Customs  Departamento del Valle del Cauca Local Customs  Departamento de Antioquia Local Customs  Departamento del Atlántico Local Customs  Departamento del Cauca Local Customs  Departamento de Boyacá Local Customs  Departamento del Quindío Local Customs  Departmento de Santander Local Customs  Departamento de Nariño Local Customs  Departamento de Caldas Local Customs  Departamento del Huila Local Customs  Departamento de La Guajira Local Customs 

More Regions in Colombia

Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hola Travelers - I'm planning a three week trip to Colombia. What is the cheapest way to fly from Bogota to Cali, from Cali to... 

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A: bookmarking 

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