Let me leave all self-righteousness aside for a sec and just talk about how much admiration I have for the Colombian people. Colombia is a beautiful, dynamic country, with amazingly nice people and lots of possibilities. Its only problem is that like 30-40% of its territory is a no-man's land where guerrilla fighters and paramilitary groups battle over cocaine profits. That's, like, the only problem. And this ugliness doesn't really make it to the other 70% of the country.
The other thing is that the leaders of the different factions of Colombia's civil war all totally know each other and deal with each other on an everyday basis. They make deals, they dialogue. It's not like they're surprising each other with dastardly surprise terrorist attacks at every turn. Not at all.
In general, this is a gorgeous country, and I urge everyone (don't laugh) to give it a chance. It's gorgeous. I've had an awesome time so far, and not one single problem. I've visited San AgustÃn, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas (pictured left), which was amazing. For example.
Now I am in the coffee zone, outside of Armenia, where I am staying at a traditional finca, or coffee plantation. It's so great. They wait on me hand and foot (they'd better, it's mega-expensive) and are so nice. The owner of the finca took me around teh town of Armenia today. I also visited the
Coffee Amusement Park today, which included coffee roller coasters and a field of different kinds of coffee. I also learned about the process of picking, peeling, drying, toasting, packing and exporting coffee. Fun AND educational. Which describes the entire country of Colombia, in a nutshell.
Let me leave all self-righteousness aside for a sec and just talk about how much admiration I have for the Colombian people. Colombia is a beautiful, dynamic country, with amazingly nice people and lots of possibilities. Its only problem is that like 30-40% of its territory is a no-man's land where guerrilla fighters and paramilitary groups battle over cocaine profits. That's, like, the only problem. And this ugliness doesn't really make it to the other 70% of the country.
The other thing is that the leaders of the different factions of Colombia's civil war all totally know each other and deal with each other on an everyday basis. They make deals, they dialogue. It's not like they're surprising each other with dastardly surprise terrorist attacks at every turn. Not at all.
In general, this is a gorgeous country, and I urge everyone (don't laugh) to give it a chance. It's gorgeous. I've had an awesome time so far, and not one single problem. I've visited San AgustÃn, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas (pictured left), which was amazing. For example.
Now I am in the coffee zone, outside of Armenia, where I am staying at a traditional finca, or coffee plantation. It's so great. They wait on me hand and foot (they'd better, it's mega-expensive) and are so nice. The owner of the finca took me around teh town of Armenia today. I also visited the Coffee Amusement Park today, which included coffee roller coasters and a field of different kinds of coffee. I also learned about the process of picking, peeling, drying, toasting, packing and exporting coffee. Fun AND educational. Which describes the entire country of Colombia, in a nutshell.
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Today we watched a short clip from the Jim Carrey movie "Bruce Almighty." In the clip, God has given Jim Carrey the opportunity to be "God-for-a-Day." Carrey is overwhelmed by the constant prayers of people all over the world, beseeching him for help. As the millions of emails of people praying to God for help are downloading on Carrey's computer, he falls asleep. When he awakens, he needs a cup of coffee. No sooner does he wish for a cup than there is a knock on the window. It is Juan Valdez and his burro, the symbols of Colombian coffee, bearing a load of fresh coffee beans, and Juan pours Jim a steaming cup.
This is a perfect example, Carl, of your comment that the USA views South America as its own backyard. The sight gag on "Bruce Almighty" works because it is no surprise that Juan Valdez is ready at the window. We US consumers are like gods, gods who get what we want. In relation to us, Spanish-speaking peasants are the back-yard labor. They exist to supply what we crave. The only relief to this bleak picture is that Jim Carrey learns an unpleasant lesson. He can get his coffee the moment he wishes it, but he cannot get the love of the girl to whom he is attracted. Paul McCartney said it well in 1965: "Can't Buy Me Love."
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