I spent a few days in Guatemala’s capital city to get a sense of the local culture before I continued on to Antigua, after my sister, Tracy, arrived. Guatemala City left a comfortable impression on me, though other than the archaeological museum that I visited, and random wanderings around my neighborhood, I wasn’t able to get a real sense of the history or people. What I was able to perceive was genuine kindness from the locals. People greeted me with warm smiles, and eye contact and were happy to endure my Spanish as I asked questions and for recommendations. I also caught a glimpse of Maya culture which is still very prevalent today as Guatemala City itself sits atop multiple archaeological sites and burial grounds that the Mayans built. I spent three hours on a Sunday afternoon fascinated by the technologies that they developed — building materials, aqueducts, agriculture, roads, and even a fascinating number system.
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Another month and a half were spent enjoying the enigmatic charm of Bogotá. This time, I had the pleasure of hosting family and friends and becoming an ambassador of sorts for a city that can be a challenge to appreciate. However, once you learn to enjoy Bogotá’s unique character, it becomes an entirely different experience. Navigating the city’s complexities is no small feat, with its notorious traffic, unpredictable downpours, and hidden gems. Yet, I take pride in my ability to unveil Bogotá’s special qualities while circumventing its less appealing aspects. On this visit, I had the opportunity to stay in the upscale Parque 93 neighborhood for the first time. While it’s undoubtedly one of the city’s most desirable areas, I often strive to avoid such comforts and conveniences. Embracing these luxuries can be a slippery slope, as they quickly become indispensable. I’ve even caught myself splurging on priority seating for flights to expedite my passage through immigration lines. It’s crucial to remain vigilant, as these indulgences can quickly consume any budget! Despite my love for Bogotá, I inevitably find a reason to depart its embrace. Yet, the city’s allure never fails to draw me back, time and time again.
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My Spanish teacher, Sebastián, invited me to visit his hometown — Manizales, Colombia. He had told me about the yearly feria (“fair”) in Manizales which is the largest in Colombia and a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I only caught the last night of it during my visit, as I had been in Pasto prior to my arrival. The feria that I did experience has me excited to return next year — Manizales was a welcomed departure from the war zone of carioca and talco in Pasto. My three days in Manizales were guided by Sebastián – he showed me huge cathedral in the center of town (the third tallest in Latin America) and took me to eat so many local foods like Kumis, dedos (bread sticks filled with melted cheese and bocadillo) and arepas de choclo. We went bowling with the family and even to hot springs outside of the city, at night. We also visited some towns outside of Manizales, collectively known as the Coffee region of Colombia, where I saw the world’s largest cup of coffee in Chinchiná. Apparently once they actually served coffee out of it to a crowd over 1,000 people. It sure seems like they […]
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The Negro y Blanco Carnaval is celebrated in the beginning of January every year in Pasto, Colombia. The carnaval is a historic and cultural tradition going back hundreds of years to when slaves existed in Colombia. The festival lasts a week but the two most important days are Black day and White day when people cover eachother’s faces in black paint, white foam and talcum powder. I’m not really sure the original intentions still hold up in the modern interpretation of these traditions, but the idea was to celebrate the ethnic diversity of Colombia by equalizing everyone’s race (if for one day a year) by taking on the guise of black and white. The Carnaval itself is the second largest in Colombia after Barranquilla’s Carnaval in February and has been on my bucket list ever since I first heard about it a few years ago. Pasto is the capital of the southern department (or state) of Colombia called Nariño, which I had never visited before. Like Bogotá, it is at a high elevation of over 8,000 feet (2500 m) and so the weather is considered cold, often cloudy, and often wet. The culture of Pasto and Nariño is similar to […]
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I met my sister, brother-in-law and three sobrinos in Caragena, Colombia for New Year’s. It was my first time visiting and as expected it was really hot and there were a lot of tourists. I didn’t venture outside of the city but enjoyed my time there looking around and taking photos, like all the other white people. Next time I plan on renting a boat and cruising to the surrounding islands and less-accessible beaches outside the city.
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I was so happy during the two weeks that I stayed in an apartment in the neighborhood of Meireles in Fortaleza, in the state of Ceara Brazil. I was a block from the beach and half a block from a beautiful, boutique gym. This is the type of gym that has personal trainers scattered everywhere waiting to intercept your last reps on the bench press (even when you’d prefer they don’t), eager to offer advice (when none is solicited), and generally hoping to be needed. That was all part of the premium price I paid for a gym so conveniently located near where I was staying (and no other options existed). I made friends with Giordano, one of these trainers, and though he doesn’t speak English we managed to communicate through grunts and gestures and smiles and laughs. I like to think that Giordano saw real potential in me compared to his other gym clients who seemed to phone it in a couple of times a week. I may have been a welcome distraction for the two weeks I was in attendance – diligently appearing each day to get the cost-per-visit I paid as low as possible. So Giordiano took […]
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I’ve barely scratched the surface of Brazil – having only visited Rio de Janeiro on a couple of occasions and Sao Paulo for six weeks earlier this year. This time around I wanted to explore Ceará, one of Brazil’s 26 states and is situated in the northeast corner of the country with beautiful beaches and a lot of wind that makes for great kitesurfing and windsurfing. Twenty years ago, Jericoacoara was an off-the-map place for beach bums and kite surfers to visit, 4 hour drive from Fortaleza, Brazil. These days it’s developing at a quick pace to match the tourist demand, but for me very much retains a rustic and simple charm. Jeri is more of an adventure destination than a beach destination — the surrounding wind-swept sand dunes abutting the ocean support the local tourist industry bringing money to the locals. Adventure outfitters and tour operators are everywhere – making the 4×4 wheel drive cars that are necessary to navigate in all directions more accessible to the rest of us. I spent two days riding one of these open-air 4×4 wheel dune buggy, sort of like a horse, standing on the back end of it gripping a handle behind […]
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Bogotá

by Reid Peryam· July 26, 2022· in South America, Travel· 0 comments tags: bogotá, colombia
I spent three months back in Bogotá for the first time since the winter of 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic. I chose Bogotá during the worst (weather) time of year — it usually rains and days pass without seeing the sun. Most people hate this weather, but I feel cozy and focused here. I spent each day working from within a WeWork co-working space, spreading time between my job, classes (Spanish and business school), etc. Having spent time here over the past six years, Bogotá feels less like a foreign destination and more like a routine resting place. I kept it fresh by hiking a 5,000-meter volcano, and that helped to focus my morning training regimen each day. Alongside weekend hikes to Monserrate the cardio grind wasn’t so miserable as it would have been chained to the treadmill. My Spanish continues to steadily improve, however spreading my focus among so many goals over the past years has slowed my progress (in all of them). I’m fine with that; I prefer steady, incremental improvements compared to alternatives. Sleepy, rainy Bogotá is the perfect place to grow.
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I climbed a 5,215m volcano in Colombia over four days and 3 nights.
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The fastest month I’ve spent was in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s been a long time since a daily routine of a morning gym session a day spent working felt so fulfilling. My first time here, I was surprised to find a city covered in trees, beautiful plants, and people. Brazilians from Sao Paulo may be the most friendly people on earth. While my attention was mostly focused on a new job I started, the rest was spent enjoying the posh neighborhood and people of Vila Olimpia, the posh neighborhood that became a real home.
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