Bucaramanga, Colombia
I believed I knew a little about countries and geography...but here is a city with 1,000,000 people that I had not heard of.
Bucaramanga is an industrial and market town in the heart of Colombia. Growing quickly it has outrun it´s infrastructure with resulting horrific traffic, a little pollution trapped down in the Valley but friendly helpful people and many pretty plazas or parks scattered around the city.
We stayed at a Hostal for the first time during this trip near the ritzest part of the city and walked the streets seeing banks, Motocycle dealerships, Auto dealerships, very fancy dress shops and an enclosed four story Mall with central floor to ceiling atrium. Among errands to do I needed to have a pair of pants shortened (forgot to do that before leaving Colorado) which allowed for local interaction. One day service.....$2.50 US cost.

With limited tourist sites to see, we added a "rest" day to just catch up and get off the constant tred of travel. Adds a lot to the experience.
Bucaramanga is an industrial and market town in the heart of Colombia. Growing quickly it has outrun it´s infrastructure with resulting horrific traffic, a little pollution trapped down in the Valley but friendly helpful people and many pretty plazas or parks scattered around the city.
We stayed at a Hostal for the first time during this trip near the ritzest part of the city and walked the streets seeing banks, Motocycle dealerships, Auto dealerships, very fancy dress shops and an enclosed four story Mall with central floor to ceiling atrium. Among errands to do I needed to have a pair of pants shortened (forgot to do that before leaving Colorado) which allowed for local interaction. One day service.....$2.50 US cost.
With limited tourist sites to see, we added a "rest" day to just catch up and get off the constant tred of travel. Adds a lot to the experience.
Comments
Mid-vacation rest days are the best. :)