Life after Pablo

"Today, Columbia is a land of vivid color, lively music, and an optimistic view of the future. Some in Columbia believe it one of the countries which will lead us into the future..."

Our visit to Cartagena, Columbia was interesting to say the least. It was my first visit ever to South America. It is one of the few continents I have not set foot on. So, I was somewhat excited to visit. However to be very honest, I was reticent about visiting Columbia. Drugs, gang wars, and of course, Pablo Escobar.

A bit of history first. When Pablo Escobar was alive and kicking, he was something. Some referred to him as "Mr. Cocaine" in Columbia. It is estimated at one time he was responsible for 80% of all cocaine coming into the United States. In fact he did so well at his craft, it is estimated he was one of the 10 richest men in the world. When cocaine was king and Escobar ruled the roost, life in Columbia was more like the wild, wild west. It was not a safe place to visit nor to live. In 1993, his luck ran out, compliments of a bullet in the ear.

On our tour, it was very important for our guide to tell us over and over how safe Columbia currently was. In particular, Cartagena. In fact he told us as safe as Columbia is, Cartagena is the safest. And it was quite a city. It is a city steeped in history. A city which has now become a major seaport. A city which hundreds of years ago, was conquered and reconquered by foreign invaders. That is, until they "threw the bums out" and took their country back.

Larger than any city in Minnesota, it bristles with skyscrapers. And like many large cities, it had wealth and it has poverty. But unlike many cities in the United States, Canada and Europe, poverty is acute in the poorer areas. 

Our guide also told us the cocaine trade has been almost totally eviscerated from Columbia. It now resides in somewhere else. After Pablo died, people said "enough!" They no longer wanted to live that way. They did not want to live in fear. They did not want that poison sold on every street corner. They did not want the gang wars. They did not want other countries fearful in visiting Columbia. So they ended it. 

Today, cruise ships and airliners visits Columbia with regularity. They are a trading partner of countries such as ours. Relations are good - very good. For me, it was one of the high points of the cruise for this simple reason - it destroyed a stereotype I harbored. No longer am I cautious to visit Columbia. It is a beautiful country with beautiful people. Both my wife and I are enriched from visited that fine land. I would not mind a return visit.