Is It Safe To Travel In Colombia? VFC's Travel Tips

VFC's Travels says:  

"The most important thing to remember is that Colombia is open to tourism and is an absolutely beautiful travel destination with great prices, beautiful beaches, splendid hotels, so many outdoor activities and such welcoming people!" 

One of the questions I get asked most regarding my travels to Colombia is "Is it safe?"

Many people remember the old stories of Colombia - the cartels, the FARC, the paramilitary groups and the violence that dominated the news reports of 20-30 years ago.  Books were written about those times and TV programs such as NARCOS imprint those memories on people that probably paid the area little attention back then, if they were even old enough.  

While there are still concerns and dangers involved with traveling around Colombia - as with anywhere in the world you travel - that should not be enough to keep you from exploring this absolutely beautiful country.  Tourism is taking a bigger and bigger role in the economy and that is a benefit to all - especially since prices are still far less expensive than most other popular tourist destinations, including Europe.

For a sample of the fantastic adventures to be had in beautiful Colombia, take a look at the "Colombia" playlist on my YouTube channel.  For the sake of this blog post, tho, we will keep it simply to safety.

For the video version of this post, visit the video I've recently posted to my channel.

Regarding safety in Colombia, common sense plays the biggest role in staying safe, as it does anywhere you travel - the key points will sound familiar, and these were all learned based on personal experiences or on the advice of locals:

- Don't be alone at night.  That's one you here anywhere, yeah?  In any big city or even small town, it's not recommended to go out alone at night.  Early evening is one thing, but no matter where you are, riff raff tend to haunt the streets the later it gets at night into the early hours of the mornings.  Don't be alone during these times and if you are out, stick to comfortable surroundings and travel by taxi or Uber.  You don't really want to be in a taxi alone at night either, so it's that much more important to stay with your group or have someone with you.  

- Don't be a baller.  If you usually wear a bunch of bling, fair enough, but be smart about it.  Especially if you are out at night, take the bling off.  The key is to not make yourself a target.  If you carry yourself like you are a baller and you've got a lot of value to what you have on, you may be making yourself a target.  Demonstrate modesty, no reason to walk around town looking like Mr. T - unless you are Mr. T and can whoop some ass if you're going to get mugged.  Doesn't mean to take everything off, just don't be excessive.  Apply common sense.  Leave the valuables in a hotel safe or at least in your pocket if you are walking around town.  

- Cell phones and wallet:  Keep your cell phone and wallet secure.  Don't be one of those who is walking around with their eyes glued to the cell phone screen and not paying attention to your surroundings.  Robbers will zip up on you and snatch your cell phone from you if given the opportunity.  That includes leaving the phone on the counter of a store if you are doing streetside shopping.  Be smart, keep in clenched in your hand or even better, in your pocket. If you are in a vehicle, keep the window at least half up and pay attention to your phone, as well.  Be conscious that if you are stopped at a red light and your window is down, your phone is a target to someone zipping by on a moped.  Regarding the wallet, I usually only take out the cards and cash I will need and one form of ID.  Leave the rest in a hotel safe.  Again, apply common sense - if your wallet gets stolen, are you losing everything?  Would suck to be stranded in a foreign country and you have no forms of ID or any cards left because you carried everything in your wallet and lost it.  That is one thing that many amateur travelers do that I like to call "dipshit traveling ideas."  Just take what you need.

- Restaurants:  Don't sit streetside, sit to the interior of the outside dining area or sit inside.  This is especially applicable at night.  Sitting streetside makes you easy prey on someone slipping by on a moped and grabbing some valuables before disappearing into the night.  Again, be consious of what you are leaving on the table, but even better, sit somewhere that does not leave you easily accessible.

Prices:  Your biggest danger while traveling around Colombia is getting torched by gringo pricing.  The locals have on price and gringos have another.  This does not include regular stores in shopping malls or established restaurants with regular menus, but it does apply just about anywhere else.  Always ask for your pricing up front, even at beach bars and cafes.  Any time you are buying anything from a street vendor or street store, always try and negotiate down, especially if there are no prices on what you are trying to buy.  If you know a local, get a good idea of what things cost before you go out, or let the local do the negotiating for you.  Definitely be aware of gringo pricing, it is a thing!

Taxis and Ubers:  Taxis and Ubers are dirt cheap in Colombia.  See above for pricing, tho, as taxis will definitely give you gringo prices if you are unaware of what you should be paying.  Negotiate a price with the taxi before you start the trip.  Ubers are pretty much stuck with what the app gives you for price, so it is a little bit more stress-free to utilize an Uber.  Be aware that Ubers in Colombia are not necessarily legal, so at least one from you party should sit in the front seat so it looks like a normal ride.  Don't be alarmed if the Uber driver requests that you sit up front.  Also, and this is key, DO NOT SLAM TAXI DOORS!!! The only time I got yelled at by a Colombian (aside from my prometida yelling at me) is because I shut the taxi door too hard.  I'm not kidding.  These guys think their taxis are made of glass I think, but they take it seriously if you close the door too hard.  Gently close the taxi doors!

These are the basics.  There will be more to come and if you have any questions, please ask in the comment section or email!  

The most important thing to remember is that Colombia is open to tourism and is an absolutely beautiful travel destination with great prices, beautiful beaches, splendid hotels, so many outdoor activities and such welcoming people!  

Live life and enjoy!

Bahrain Street Food - The Shawarma

There is so much good food to choose from in the Middle East - skewered meats and the platters of Middle Eastern delicacies are so enticing and delicious.  So much foreign food to choose from, too; Thai, Chinese, French, Italian - you name it and you'll find it  Even many of America's diabetes-causing fast food chains can be found on just about every street corner, although you'll rarely catch me in any of them, if at all.

Click the video link below to take you to the Bahrain Street Food Shawarma video on VFC's Travels!

The King of Middle Eastern food, tho, is the shawarma.  Love it.

So gently wrapped around seasoned meat cooked on a rotating skewer with a blend of fresh spices, sauces and veg.  Very similar to the souvlaki and gyro that have been featured on a lot of my previous food videos, but the shawarma has a personality of its own and a thinner wrap.

In Bahrain, the best shawarmas - or at least the most famous ones - are located in "Shawarma Alley," just around the corner from the Gulf Hotel and the King's Palace in Adliyah.  Many other Middle Eastern traditions are located near the "alley," too, such as carpet shops, carved wooden ornaments, and the Grand Mosque is also not too far away.

But it's the shawarmas that draw one to Shawarma Alley, of course.

If you can't make it out to the alley, luckily one of the moped drivers will bring them right to your door.  Can't beat that!

In the linked video, Lou and I rolled down to shawarma alley to watch them in action carving up the meat and mixing it with all the addings to create heaven.  We also take a little roll around the island and end up down at the Bahrain International Circuit for some drag racing and - you guessed it - shawarma.  Take a look at how delicious those shawarmas are and you even get a bonus of the BAPCO Mustang launching from the starting line on the drag strip.  Nice.

Enjoy!

This video is also a reminder to the hard work put in by those who make up the global food service industry.  In these Covid19 times, it's not the Hollywood stars or the millionaire athletes keeping us going, it's the every day, often underpaid food service professionals keeping the world fed.  Cheers to them, and continued Cheers to our healthcare professionals fighting on the front lines of the Coronavirus.

Always a fan of travel, when the lockdowns are over and it's safe again, let's see and enjoy this beautiful world.  The 'CheapOair' link below will take you to some special travel deals!  Pre-pay or pay later.  Let's appreciate what we have out there to see.

Covid-19 Healthcare Heroes, Nurse Manager Mary Ellen Porter, Staten Island, New York

Mary Ellen Porter was a nurse manager at Richmond University Medical Center on Staten Island, New York.  I was alerted to her passing from an article posted to the Staten Island Advance (link here).  According to the article, she fell ill with reported Coronavirus on 21 March, and she never recovered.

There are still those who do not believe the severity of Covid-19.  The numbers, they say, of people dying from heart disease, cancer, smoking, even the common flu far outweigh those dying from Covid-19.  Maybe so, for right now.  These Coronavirus deaths are happening even while the entire world is staying home.  There are draconian measures in place to keep this thing from spreading, yet it still attacks and kills at alarming rates.

A nurse manager does not treat a patient for heart disease, then catch heart disease and end up on a ventilator days later.  Or cancer.  Even the common flu.  This thing is real.  People are scared.  Heroic healthcare workers keep going back to care for the sick, desperate, and dying.  This is New York City today, it could be your city tomorrow.

Thank you, Nurse Mary Ellen for giving humanity the ultimate sacrifice.  You will not be forgotten.
You made the world a better place and you will not be forgotten.

Keep these healthcare professionals in your thoughts and prayers and stay home.  Stay safe.

Lives could depend on it.

Yerba Cha, Local Colorado Business Going National. "Yerby" is a Fresh and Natural Beverage Option With A Lasting Energy Boost!

Throwing this out there for you guys and gals to try.  @yerba_cha - a healthy and lasting energy boost, minus the crash and a great substitution for the morning coffee or cappuccino.  "Yerba_Cha" is a local start-up in Colorado, my brother and his crew being the entrepreneurs they are came up with a fantastic blend of natural ingredients to create a great "Yerby" product.  I ordered myself some to give it a go (Amazon link below) and I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Used it as a morning substitute for a Celsius and as a pre-workout boost.  On both occasions Yerby gave me the energy boost I needed, minus any crash when the boost wore off.  It contains natural stress-reducing ingredients, and we can all use a little bit of stress reduction these days, too.

Gluten free and vegan, if you were wondering.

This is not a paid promotion.  I'm fully supportive of my brother and his team getting this thing off the ground and I hope you all give it a try, too!  Big move for them heading to Amazon, after starting out locally in their area.  If you check out their social media pages, you'll see Yerby is supportive of a healthy lifestyle, the team loves the outdoors, nature, adventure, and healthy living.  A great image to create for their brand.

Ah yeah.  Give it a try, and let us know the results!  Amazon link below, and additional information from the official website below the link.



"Every ingredient in Yerba Cha products are sourced ethically and from sustainable sources. Each farm we order from is carefully picked for a reason. Our packaging is 100% biodegradable and we give back 5% of proceeds each year to sustaining ecosystems and educating people on the need for green lifestyles."

Covid-19 Healthcare Heroes, Nurse Tina, Staten Island, New York City

Yesterday we featured Doctor Keith Diaz as a Healthcare Hero battling the global pandemic from the front lines of the USA in New York City.  Today we bring you Nurse Tina.  At the height of the pandemic in NYC - hopefully we are on the downswing, looking at the numbers - the quotes from Nurse Tina were those of the valiant staff at her hospital being "mentally and physically exhausted" from fighting this invisible enemy.  Support from the community meant a lot, and still does.  It's an honor to wholeheartedly support these medical warriors day in and day out and it's an honor to call this one my cousin!  Good job, Tina!

This is my cousin Nurse Tina. She is a hero. She is currently putting in overtime hours working the frontlines of the Covid19 pandemic at a New York City hospital, where approximately 90 percent of new patients are Coronavirus patients. Coronavirus quarantine to us is catching up with old friends and new ones with Facebook games and passing the baton from coffee to wine in our free time. For her, it is extended shifts working long hours in overcrowded conditions while caring for patient after patient, at the same time taking every precaution to protect herself, her family, her own loved ones.

This is New York City today, it could be your city tomorrow.

The staff of our wonderful healthcare heroes are physically and mentally exhausted. But they keep going back day after day, caring for those stricken with the illness, and taking care of those that still need emergency care not related to Covid19.

Nurses are the first line of defense. They are selfless. If you want to help Nurse Tina, stay home. Abide by the quarantine, don’t spread the virus. The support and respect from the community keeps them going.

It’s not easy for these heroes, but Cheers to you, Nurse Tina, Thank you for what you do. We know you are giving your best and we are proud of you and all your peers who are fighting this war with you. You got this. Ah Yeah.

Continue to applaud your healthcare heroes.  This fight would be too easily lost without their perseverance and bravery!

Together, united, we will prevail.