Travel Journal
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Crossing the Panama Canal by Boat – A childhood dream come true
On the way to Nicaragua, we landed 3 days in Panama City to realize one of my childhood dreams: Crossing the Panama Canal by boat. Unlike the Suez Canal which is at sea level, the Panama Canal has several locks. The Panama Canal is 77 km long and crosses the Isthmus of Panama to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The French thought they could apply the same techniques used in the Suez Canal but failed miserably because of the technical difficulties (the excavation of the Culebra cut is too difficult for the means of the time) and the loss of human life (malaria, yellow fever)…. The project was then…
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Being Digital Nomad in Bogotá (Colombia)
We spent about ten days in Bogotá, between two planes. The city is much less cool than Medellín but it is a very convenient transportation hub, to visit Cano Cristales or the Colombian Amazon. If you hesitate to come to South America, don’t hesitate any more because Colombia is very well adapted to digital nomads. Where to stay in Bogotá? We did not bother much, we booked a room in the hotel Vilar America(link Booking), which I highly recommend. It offers spacious rooms at 30€/night. Since we stay a long time, we were even upgraded in a huge room (50m ² ?) with kitchen. Luxury! With daily cleaning + buffet…
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Bogotá (Colombia): Flower Market & the Emerald Museum
We came one day to Bogota to visit the city with JB’s father. Here we are again, because it makes it easier for us to travel to the Colombian Amazon. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary This time, instead of taking the plane, we endured 11 hours by bus between Medellín and Bogotá. We are no longer staying in the middle of the candeleria (historical city center) but in the Chapinero business district, very safe, with lots of banks, coworking areas and trendy restaurants. We are delighted with our hotel Vilar America(Booking link) with a good internet connection, a huge room (with kitchen) (we have…
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Visit of the Colombian Amazon Notebook 4/4: Grey Dolphins, Peruvian San Antonio de Cacao Primary Forest, Mirador and Cabanas del Friar
It’s already our last day in the Amazon jungle, the time passes much too quickly. Today we are going to the Peruvian Amazon, we just have to cross the Amazon River. If you missed the previous episodes, read first the 1st part, the 2nd and the 3rd part Note: travel books contain a lot of spoilers and photos. If you’re going there soon and you’re only interested in practical information, you should know that we have published this practical guide to the Amazon on the blog (you’ll find our agency’s contact details, advice and detailed budget) Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary DAY 4: Discovery…
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Visit of the Colombian Amazon Notebook 3/4: Medicinal Plants with a Shaman, Piranha Fishing and observation of the Caimans (Crocodiles)
I am very excited today because we will spend the whole morning with a shaman/healer and go fishing for piranhas in the afternoon. If you missed the 2 previous episodes, it’s here and here Note: travel books contain a lot of spoilers and photos. If you’re going there soon and you’re only interested in practical information, you should know that we have published this practical guide to the Amazon on the blog (you’ll find our agency’s contact details, advice and detailed budget). Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary DAY 3: Visit of another Ticuna village We take the boat back today, to go to another…
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Visit of the Colombian Amazon Notebook 2/4: Puerto Nariño, the secondary forest, venomous insects and pink dolphins
Today, we continue our series of articles on the Colombian Amazon. If you missed the previous episode, you can read it here Note: travel books contain a lot of spoilers and photos. If you’re going there soon and you’re only interested in practical information, you should know that we have published this practical guide to the Amazon on the blog (you’ll find our agency’s contact details, advice and detailed budget). Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary DAY 2 : Puerto Nariño Boat Leticia => Puerto Nariño Exceptionally, our hotel prepares us a good breakfast, simple but homemade, at 6 am (instead of 7 am) because…
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Visit to the Colombian Amazon Notebook 1/4: Leticia (Colombia) & Tabatinga (Brazil)
This article is part of our series of articles “JB & Anh in the Amazon”, to see all the articles of the series, click here. To read our practical guide, click here. DAY 1: A day in Leticia Bogotá => Leticia From any city in Colombia, to visit the Colombian Amazon, it is absolutely necessary to pass through Leticia, a small town on the edge of the Amazon, bordering Brazil and facing the Peruvian island Santa Rosa. There is no road leading to Leticia and the only Colombian city “linked” to Leticia is Bogota, 2 hours by plane, or 27 days by boat. The small cars that drive to Leticia…
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Route Medellín – Bogotá (Colombia) by bus with Flota Magdalena: 11h drive, Rates, Reviews
Usually, we don’t talk much about our bus trips, but we talk about them if it was particularly funny or trying, like the one between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia. After a month in Medellín, we decide to spend our last 10 days in Colombia in Bogotá, to facilitate our travels for our trip to the Amazon, then our next stop in Panama. As we were much too late for the plane tickets, we choose the bus, much longer but more economical. I ask JB to choose us a “luxury” bus for tourists, with Wifi, touch screen like the one we took from Salento to Medellín, and two companies with a…
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La Comuna 13: a ghetto transformed thanks to graffiti – What to do in Medellin #3 (Colombia)
It is the last day of Philippe (JB’s father) in Colombia and we chose to bring him to see the best of the best of Medellin: the Comuna 13, formerly the most dangerous district of the most dangerous city in the world, because directly associated with Pablo Escobar in the 80-90s. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary The history of Comuna 13 There are 16 comunas (boroughs) in Medellín and Comuna 13 is the best known for the wrong reasons. After Escobar’s death, the municipality passed into the hands of organized gangs. Only the inhabitants could enter, the others were mercilessly killed. The metamorphosis began…
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Escobar Tour, Plaza Botero, Parque Bolivar, Cultural Center – What to do in Medellin #2 (Colombia)
At 2am, we are woken up by muffled noises, which come back every 5 to 10 minutes. For an hour. Even if a careful analysis of the noise makes us conclude that it isn’t shooting but rather a firecracker or fireworks… it makes us startle every time. Confirmed by locals during the day who tell us that birthday parties are often accompanied by fireworks or firecrackers… especially at 2am. Unfortunately, this is only the beginning of a day that will end badly. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Escobar Tour We start the day with the Escobar Tour. Meeting at 9am in front of one…
