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Travel

Colourful Cali

written by Brenna Holeman September 20, 2012

Cali Colombia 1 Cali Colombia 2 Cali Colombia 3 Cali Colombia 4 Cali Colombia 5 Cali Colombia 6 Cali Colombia 8 Cali Colombia 9 Cali Colombia 10 Cali Colombia 11

Cali, Colombia

Cali was a city in Colombia we didn’t really plan on visiting; it was more of a stopover between Salento and Popayan than a planned destination. Famous for its salsa, we thought a weekend there was in order, and the nightlife certainly didn’t disappoint.

Like every place in Colombia, however, the city itself had so much to offer in the light of day, too. With only one full day to wander, we walked through the city’s congested streets, photographing all of its colours, running through pigeons, sampling sour mango, perusing stalls of books, drinking coffee, making new friends. The city is known for being one of the most dangerous in the country; it was and still is a centre for one of the largest drug cartels on the continent, if not in the world. And while it is dusty and gritty, I felt nothing but safe, and received nothing but smiles. It felt like nothing bad could happen to us in a city with such sunshine and such music, and I basked in all that day’s naivety and joy.

I like reflecting on my past travels, and of all the places I’ve discovered because of little more than a recommendation, a necessary stopover, or a quick glance at a map. Last year, I didn’t even know the city of Cali existed; now, I know it to be bursting at the seams with energy, with sex and salsa and heat.

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ColombiaColoursPhoto EssaySouth America
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Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

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5 comments

eye-on-thee. September 20, 2012 - 7:12 am

I’m love with the picture of you and the pigeons. Such a great shot!

Reply
Christine loves to Travel September 20, 2012 - 1:48 pm

Sooo beautiful!!! Love the green mangoes 🙂

Reply
domestiphobia September 20, 2012 - 2:44 pm

That last picture cracks me up. Exhilaration, defined. 🙂

(P.S. I’m not sure how you changed your comment publisher thingie, but this won’t let me comment with my correct WordPress ID. Which makes me sad.)

Reply
This Battered Suitcase September 21, 2012 - 1:24 am

Eye-on-thee – Thank you! My friend Kerri took that and it was timed perfectly!

Christine – Cheers, thanks!

Domestiphobia – Yes, I like it, too! As for the commenting, unfortunately I was getting tons of spam comments when I allowed anonymous commenting (sometimes 20 or 30 a day) so I’ve had to limit who can comment. I will try to change it again, though…

Reply
That Time We Went to St. Augustín, Colombia - This Battered Suitcase March 27, 2014 - 4:45 pm

[…] We had very vague plans for Colombia; we had heard of certain cities, Bogotá and Medellín and Cali, and had been told of the beauty of Tayrona Park. We didn’t know much else about the country, […]

Reply

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About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

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INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

About Brenna

This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

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Last stops: Manitoba, Canada

Currently: Manitoba, Canada

Up Next: Manitoba, Canada (are you sensing a theme?)

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Please note that some links on This Battered Suitcase are affiliates (at no extra cost to you); I only recommend products I use and love. This Battered Suitcase is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

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WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA

Last Stops: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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(AKA: STAY HOME)

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