If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
Joe Escalante ·
January 17, 2013 at 6:54pm
Colombia tops a recent survey of happiest countries in the world. I took my teen bride there shortly after we were married to celebrate with her relatives in the mid-90s. The place was sketchy, but since Pablo Escobar had finally been killed, my in-laws gave the green light to travel there. The immediate family had avoided it during the Medellin Cartel's reign of terror.
Kidnappings persisted, so eventually we halted our annual trips
Eventually they cleaned it up enough to top this list at least. We've resumed our regular visits.
For an excellent depiction of how it used to be, the tele-novela "Pablo Escobar: Patron Del Mal" is must see TV. Can the U.S. do the same?
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
Judging by a couple of other countries in the top ten on that list, one might question the methodology.
Apropos of nothing: Did y'all know that Nicaragua has the lowest crime rate in Latin America? Now there's a country that has done a pretty decent job of turning itself around.
Plus, it's the only place on the planet where they have freshwater sharks, which is totally awesome.
Jul '11
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
There is always hope.
When there is absolutely nothing else, there is always hope.
Even when Pandora emptied her box, hope remained.
Jan '12
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
First link is broken. Has an extra 'h' in front of http.
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
And the new Pandora almost went out of business once!
Jul '10
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
My father spent the formative part of his twenties in Columbia, and insists that in Columbia is found the purest Spanish since Cervantes laid down his pen.
I hope he is right, since he taught it to me. He also taught me a great affection, even love, for a country I have never seen, despite a violence which in his time was confined to the emerald trade. To this day there are few more lovely syllables in any language for me than "Bogota."
May '11
Re: If Colombia Can Turn Itself Around, Is There Hope For Us?
Good to hear from you Joe. You've been missed.