"The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay"

The only risk is wanting to stay”, are words that echoed loudly in my ear and resonated therein for a long while. As I read from a promotional brochure, thought of them as mere empty words intended to attract visitors to a country.
 Not  just any country, but one that was desperate to have tourists and other interests arriving in droves, probably to solve some deep economic crises or reputation that may be flawed.

Over the years, I have traveled significantly for one reason or another; whether it was business, or simply a well deserved vacation to recover from my hectic lifestyle. It appeared I was transferred to a different world with all load lifted from my shoulders when I’m visiting another country. I get excited about immersing in the culture and learning their way of life. Understanding how others live on a daily basis is intriguing. Yet I looked forward to returning home to Jamaica - land of wood and water, at the end of every trip.

My visit to Colombia was different! This country has somehow managed to make a successful return from the periphery of the chasm that many have known. With its very continuity threatened for many years by the joined effects of drug-trafficking, guerrilla warfare and terrorism, its resurgence is awe-inspiring.

Located in the middle of the Americas and on the equator, the country is without seasons and enjoys a pleasant tropical climate all-year round. It didn’t take long to realize this warmth is rivaled only by its people. Passionate, warm and customer oriented, everyone provided superb service from arrival at the José María Córdova International Airport and from every point thereafter during my four (4) day stay in July 2011. 

Several buyers from across the world were invited by the Spanish speaking country to attend the leading fashion and trade show, Colombiamoda.  I was one of them. Hosted by their second largest city, Medellin, Colombiamoda is the premier fashion event of the country showcasing their vibrant manufacturing and fashion industries.  The show went on for two (2) days. Amidst the glitzy backdrop of an ambiance alight with excitement, the country’s major fashion brands showcased their ready to wear collections while designers feted patrons with expensive tokens to allure the local and international media, buyers and patrons alike. 

It was there that I witnessed some of the most organized trade exhibitions which ran concurrently with professionally produced fashion shows to showcase the work of their talented designers. That they stopped at nothing to prove they are a viable contender on the global fashion stage was not to be missed. From the effectively branded goody bags filled with high end merchandise, to the highly charged air with a combination of music and models – the atmosphere was abuzz with excitement and much fan fare. I was pleasantly amazed to find things contrary to the stereotypical view I once held. My experience belies the stories that have pervaded the media over the years.

The sight tours had me thinking twice about living in another country besides Jamaica. It was no secret to me anymore. Colombia is passion, a story told through observing the petite girls dressed in dazzling floral costumes and brightly colored head and hand pieces as they welcomed patrons to the fashion show venue. The tale continued as I toured Medellin, the city with lush vegetation in the hills, providing the backdrop for the monumental buildings erected for commerce, tourism, and other interests. Not to be outdone was the picturesque beauty and cleanliness of the environment with its uniquely creative people – I was hypnotised. I absorbed as much as I could whilst there. The atmosphere oozed a breath of fresh air akin to what I could expect in the countryside.

Buses that traversed the city showcased a kaleidoscope of colours matched only by what I saw at Christmas time. Of the numerous places visited whilst on our three (3) day visit in Medellin, the Botero statue park showcasing the work of Ferando Botero has left an indelible imprint on my mind’s eye. Botero is a world renown artist who after his father died of a heart attack at the tender age of two (2) years old, grew up feeling empty and lonely.  This emptiness was later turned into his gold mine as he developed a love for bull fights and began to paint pictures of bullfights and trade them for pesos.  As his love for painting grew, he became widely known for his paintings on ‘inflated’, ‘rounded’ figures to an exaggerated size. Though these rounded figures are meant to be satirical and humorous, they also provide social and political commentary. 

In addition to his paintings, Botero also depicts sculptures of women, men, daily life, historical events and characters, milestones of art, still-life, animals and the natural world in general, with larger-than-life and disproportionate figure, accompanied by fine details of contemptuous disparagement, irony, humor, and ingenuity.  His art is collected by major museums, corporations and private collectors the world over.

It is said that though Botero is a very creative and imaginative artist, providing great details in the creation of his art form, that talent and craftsmanship does not appear to transcend in the names he chooses for his pieces. For example, one of his sculptures of a woman lying down is entitled just that, “woman lying down”.  Suffice it to say, one cannot underestimate the creativity with which he finishes his work.  The feeling of being in a larger than life environment was not to be missed. After all, such were the sculptures that this was inevitable.

 As for the food, it could only be described as a delectable adventure for my taste bud. A fusion of African and European cuisine, a unique blend with a mouth watering impact was the result.   I vividly remember a soup based dish made of pork, avocado, potato strips and a host of other scrumptious ingredients playfully tantalizing my appetite.

It never took long to convince me of their fitting tag line, “Colombia - “The only risk is wanting to stay”.