Wherever my home is, It will always be my paradise ❤ Cali la sucursal del cielo ✰✰✰✰✰✰
Cali welcomed me with nice weather and the best group of friends anyone could ask for. When I arrived I could see their happy faces waiting for me. I was so excited to come back home after almost two years. It seemed as though everything had stopped while I was gone, but on the contrary, life continues without you and now you’re the spectator. One of my best friends got married, the least expected of us all. My godson has grown so fast, he is huge now! My dad is wiser than ever. And my beautiful Luna is getting older. It was tough to see my friends and family once again. I felt mixed feelings between happiness and sadness because I had missed lots of important events in their lives and they in mine.
Hugging my dad and Luna over and over again was well worth the trip. After all this time and distance between my dad and friends, it was amazing to share some time with them. We spoke about my experiences in New York and my new life. They all shared their experiences and new lives since I had been gone. It is incredible how time flies. One minute you’re in one place and the next you may be in a different with just memories.
After all the nostalgic hit me I began to explore my old room where I lived most of my life. The different pictures reminded me of the different boyfriends of my past, the letters, furniture, souvenirs, and old clothes brought back so many great memories. I even tried on my old jeans, shorts, blouses, and shoes to make me feel at home.
45 days of laughing and traveling in my own land. Cali was better than ever, fresh nights, nice conversations and most of all delicious food everywhere. Everything you can imagine of a typical Colombian food dish was around me: champus, empanadas, marranitas, rellena, bandeja paisa, tamales, and sancocho. I could not overlook el cholado a mix between ice and various fruits. When you drink a cholado you feel all of the valley’s flavors in your mouth.
Apart from eating I also toured the Cauca Valley. I visited Cristo Rey, a statue 86 ft tall located in the western part of Cali. As you climb towards Cristo Rey you can see carved shapes in the rocks and as the breeze hits your face from the Pacifc it gives you a cooling sensation. From Cristo Rey you can appreciate the entire city’s view. At Cristo Rey it is traditional to eat sweet corn and buy the locals souvenirs.
I took advantage of my time to ride my bike and roller blade in the southern part of Cali, which is bordered by Jamundi where they have been constructing and building lots of apartment buildings.
I was not able to visit all of the main tourist places in Cali, but if you get a chance to travel make sure to visit Pance’s River, La Chorrera del Indio, Pico Loro, San Antonio and El Parque del Perro. Each place has great restaurants and thus get ready to gain some weight as you travel through Cali!
The best part is that I was able to enjoy my home with my father and Luna. I also spent a good part of my time in Cartagena and Armenia. I’ll have to tell you about these two great cities in my next post!
Ximena Cuenta 