Breakfast with the Colombian Ambassador. Arriba!

Jacinta and Declan from Travelbiz met with Her Excellency Sra. Betty Escorcia Baquero, Colombian Ambassador to Ireland at her gracious Residence in Bray, Co Wicklow on Friday 27th June. This was a special breakfast meeting where we learned not only about the 6 distinct regions of Colombia but had utterly delicious food from each area. It was a gastronomic tour of Colombia from east to west and north to south.

Juliana Torres (Senior Tourism Specialist of ProColombia UK) joined Her Excellency in welcoming us and offered a superb insight to the country and its fantastic heritage. Deeply proud of Colombia, the byword is HUMANIMAL tourism which encapsulates the bond between animals and humans and emphasises this Country of Beauty striving to care for nature and protect its riches. Sergio and Carlos from the Embassy were on hand for information and Miriam Abuin gave us the benefit of her huge knowledge of coffee.

Geographically, Colombia is vast (with 55 million people) and being 5 times the size of the UK, little old Ireland would sit comfortably in the green palm of her hand! The emphasis here is on green too as the unique biodiversity of the country is a hugely important and prominent factor in tourism promotion. Bordered by both the Caribbean and Pacific (the Atlantic even rims the most northerly tip), little wonder Colombia is a haven and heaven for wildlife, endemic bird species, whale watching and conservation in its seas. Land mammals include the Capybara (the world’s largest rodent!), anteaters, monkeys, puma and the magnificent jaguar is even being reintroduced. The lush forests are brimming with life and Bogota (the capital), Cartagena and Medellin are vibrant, colourful and bustling cosmopolitan cities.

The Greater Colombian Caribbean offers much more than sun and sea; the Colombian Pacific has flavours of forest and sea; Western Colombian Andes has its mountains, coffee plantations and myriad-hued flowers; Eastern Colombian Andes is the legendary home of moors and verdant valleys; The Colombian Amazon-Orinoco has sacred rainforests and plains and, lastly, The Colombian Massif with its ancestral origins and incredible ancient monuments. All of these truly diverse regions have indigenous peoples, each having unique cultures and their own laws. Naturally, the mighty Andes regally rule the skies and you might even spot a condor skimming a zephyr.

Easily accessible from Europe (10 hrs away), Colombia has 11 international airports and 55 domestic airports, so travelling to South America is a dawdle. I think Her Excellency Betty Escorcia and her Embassy cohort have done a good job engendering interest in this beautiful destination. Vamonos!

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