It’s hard to explain why Cali, Colombia is my favorite city in the world. It’s not over the top beautiful. There’s just something about Cali. Something under the surface that makes me never want to leave.
On the surface, it seems like a pretty average city. The food here is just okay. There aren’t any organic juice bars or really good vegan restaurants (reasons I usually like cities lol). Lima, Peru has amazing food. Baños, Ecuador has breath-taking expeditions. Mexico City is super cool and livable. Cusco, Peru is magical and authentic.
There’s more to Cali than meets the eye. makes a city more special than beautiful buildings and sculptures. Let me try to explain.
The Energy
The energy of Cali, Colombia is magnetic.
It’s Impossible to Leave
It’s one of those places where people claim they are only going to stay for a month then stay 5 years. Beware you may come for a couple of days and stay for a lifetime.
The People of Cali
I fell in love with the short daily encounters; they seem small, but they made a huge impact on my heart.
One day I started petting an old man’s dog and we ended up spending two hours chatting in his living room about his former life in the US. He introduced me to his whole family. On my way to school every day I would stop and talk to the lady who sells orange juice. The other week I stopped in for coffee at a local bread shop and ended up chatting with the owner for an hour. Just today, I was walking and stopped to pet a chunky bull dog and it’s Colombian owner told me how he lived in Chicago for 20 years. He told me about job opportunities here and urged me to move here.
These are just a few examples of the kind people of Cali.
The Nature and City
Cali, Colombia is surrounded by beautiful mountains and only 2 hours away from the ocean. There are cute towns and coffee farms close by. Darien and I honestly didn’t leave the city once.
I am enjoying taking Spanish classes, salsa classes, cooking at home, sitting in the neighborhood park, and going to the gym.
I rented a small apartment for a month and made it home.
The Best Part: The Salsa
I danced almost every single day for a month and a half. It’s magnetic.
You can go out dancing and dance with 20 different people with different styles and personalities. The male dancers are absolutely fantastic, over the top good. AND they don’t try to pick you up or take you home. There’s no pressure or awkwardness (which is often annoying for women). Everyone is just there to dance.
It’s also possible to just sit for hours and watch dancers. They are the most incredible dancers I have ever seen in my life. I’ve traveled all over Latin America and experienced dance culture around the states as well. Nothing will ever compare.
Thank you so much for all the love and support.
Xoxo,
Court
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Guatape, Colombia – Do NOT skip it! – twotalltotravel
May 31, 2018 at 8:42 pm[…] spots in Colombia, I’d have to say Guatape is still one of my favorites. Like I mentioned in my Cali post, the energy of a city or town is crucial for me. If the place is beautiful but the energy […]