Colombia highlights

The holiday is over and I long to go back to South America. I'm already planning! Cuba is also still high up on the list. Here is a list of highlights (in no particular order):

• The salsa and tango music that you hear everywhere
• The way everyone says "con gusto" when you say "gracias". With gust. Love it.
• The way that each of the places we visited had a different climate. Cool in Bogata, "eternal spring" in Medellin, tropical in Cartagena
• Each of the places we visited also had a different personality. Commerce in Bogota; edgy efficiency in Medellin; laid back & chilled Caribbean in Cartagena.
• Women celebrating their curves with figure-hugging clothing
• The talented artists
• Larger than life Botero paintings and sculptures
• The metro cable in Medellin
• The bario of Santo Domingo high in the mountains of Medellin
• The bougainvillea and balconies of Cartagena
• The well-preserved 16th century buildings
• The fruit sellers of Cartagena
• The fruit! Goldberries, strawberries, papaya, mango, pineapple
• The beautiful white sand Caribbean beaches of Baru
• Toucans. Emerald toucans in the wild. Tame toucan (Tatto) in one of our hotels that liked to sit on David's arm
• Arroz con coco
• Parillas
• Frijoles
• Arepas
• Tamales
• Queso blanco
• Mojitos
• Aguila light beer
• Readily available free wifi
• Courtyards
• Parque Arvi
• Night view of Medellin
• Seeing Gabriel Garcia Marquez' house. Eek!
• Gold museum in Bogota
• Fine old churches
• Just hanging out in colonial Cartagena
• Air France. Best flights ever.

Lowlights?

• Bus through the Andes. Never again.
• Mad taxi drivers
• Chaotic Medellin airport
• Wine (lack of availability & options, also the price)
• Tea. Mostly not available, but I did have a few cups of something that they call "te en agua". I mostly stuck to coffee.
• I left my kindle on the return flight to Paris. I reported it within 15 minutes but they never found it :(