Bogota Theater Festival 2010 Opens to Great Acclaim

The 2010 edition of the biennial Theater Festival in Bogota, Colombia is underway. Officially called:

"XII Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogota"

it has its own youtube and facebook pages:
http://www.youtube.com/festivaldeteatrobog

http://www.facebook.com/pages/XII-Festival-Iberoamericano-de-Teatro-de-Bogota/79745145817#!/pages/XII-Festival-Iberoamericano-de-Teatro-de-Bogota/79745145817?v=wall

and of course its website

http://www.festivaldeteatro.com.co

The above pictures are from the newspaper El Espectador and from the festival's flickr album.

Gay Parade at Carnival in Barranquilla, 2010

These pictures are from the gay parade held a week before the main Carnival parade in Barranquilla, Colombia. It features many transgenders, including both drag and transexuals.

Schedule for Bogota Music Celebrations 2010

From Colombia Reports:

Bogota authorities determined the dates for the festivals to be held in Bolivar park the coming season. Apart from 2010's edition of Rock Al Parque, there will be festivals focused on salsa, jazz, hip hop and world music.

The country's biggest festival, Rock Al Parque, will be held from June 23 and June 29. The 2010 edition is the festival's 15th anniversary and more than 60 bands are expected to perform.

From August 22 until August 30, the park is reserved for next year's edition of Salsa Al Parque. This year's edition of this salsa festival wll be focusing of Colombian composer and singer Joe Arroyo this year.

Jazz Al Parque, planned between September 7 and September 13, will offer jazz concerts and workshops.

Hip Hop Al Parque, despite unrest the past year, will go on and is scheduled for October 13 until October 18. The concert is the biggest hip hop event in Colombia and will not just show the country's best rappers, but also have dance demonstrations and the Second Encounter of Hip Hop Formation Houses.

The only festival that hasn't had its date set is Colombia Al Parque, a festival focused on Colombian culture, but this year with great emphasis on the traditional cultures of other parts of the world.

UNESCO recognizes two Colombian festivals as cultural heritage

According to Colombia Reports,

Colombia saw two of its most important festivals added to the UNESCO list of intagible cultural heritages; Popayan's holy week and Pasto's black and white carnaval.

The two festivities are added to the 90 other officially recognized intagible culture heritages from around the world.

Already on the list were Barranquilla's world famous carnaval and the culture of San Basilio de Palenque, a town in the north of Colombia, famous for its afrocolombian music and dance.

UNESCO's own website describes the two events as follows:

Pasto's Black and White Carnaval:
Arising out of native Andean and Hispanic traditions, the Carnaval de negros y blancos (Black and White Carnival) in San Juan de Pasto in south-western Colombia is a great celebration lasting from 28 December to 6 January each year. The celebrations begin on the 28th with the Carnival of Water − the throwing of water in homes and on the streets to initiate a festive mood. On New Year’s Eve, the Old Year’s parade takes place, with marchers carrying satirical figures representing celebrities and current events, and culminating in a ritual burning of the passing year. The main days of the carnival are the last two, when people of all ethnicities don black cosmetics on the first day, then white talcum on the next to symbolize equality and integrate all citizens through a celebration of ethnic and cultural difference. The Black and White Carnival is a period of intense communion, when private homes become collective workshops for the display and transmission of carnival arts and a wide range of people come together to express their views of life. The festival is especially important as the expression of a mutual desire for a future of tolerance and respect.

Popayan's Easter Week:
The Holy Week processions in Popayán are one of the oldest traditions in Colombia, practised since the colonial period. From the Tuesday to the Saturday before Easter, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., a series of processions take place. The five processions, devoted to Mary, Jesus, the Cross, the Laying in the Tomb, and the Resurrection respectively, follow a two-kilometre route through the town centre. Each procession is set around reliquary floats, or pasos, which are created and assembled according to complex rules. The reliquary floats are adorned with ornate, flower-decked wooden statues, most of which date from the late eighteenth century and depict the Easter story. The route is flanked on either side by worshippers carrying candles and wearing special clothing. The processions are remarkable for their artistic quality (gilding, cabinetwork), sounds and smells (incense). Preparations, which last for a whole year, follow instructions passed down to children from age five, and from generation to generation. The processions have their own vocabulary and expertise, and the roles and responsibilities of each individual are precisely allocated. Some inhabitants of the town, who have formed a general assembly to protect the tradition, act as the organizers and work with the authorities and various bodies. The processions, which attract many visitors from around the world, are a major factor contributing to social cohesion and the local collective psyche.

Gold and Coffee: 10 Day Escorted Tour in Bogota and the Coffee Growing Region, Colombia

Vamos Colombia Tour, LLC is offering our latest trip: 10 Days of Colombian Beauty and Flavor in October, 2009 (escorted by Walter Rey)

Escorted 10 Day Tour
Detailed Daily Itinerary
October 22-Nov 1, 2009

Double Occupancy $1979, plus airfair to Bogota
Single Supplement $400

www.VamosColombiaTour.com

Thursday Oct 22 - Bogota
Arrive in Bogota; Welcome dinner.

Friday Oct 23 - Bogota
9 am. On an included city tour we visit the highlights of Bogota, including: La Candelaria neighborhood and Monserrate for a great view of the city.
La Candelaria is the historical colonial center of Bogota, and contains many political, recreational and historical sites. We will visit the Donacion Botero Museum, the Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango, La casa de Marques, and the Plaza de Bolivar. We will then explore the one-of-a-kind Gold museum where there is a rich display of our pre-Colombian indigenous gold artifacts in many forms. There are some very good restaurants and coffee shops to enjoy as we stroll around, including a delicious French-Colombian bakery.
3 pm. Back to hotel, relax. Dinner is on your own. For special dinner, we recommend the following high-end restaurants (reservations required): Leo Cocina y Cava (gourmet Colombian, very upscale) , Donostia (Spanish-Colombian, with emphasis on fresh ingredients), or Itanos (Italian-Colombian). We can assist you with transportation arrangements.
10 pm. Optional evening at the bars. We will help you with arrangements.

Saturday Oct 24- Bogota Environs
9 am. Tour through the picturesque countryside of green rolling hills and small towns. An all day tour of the Sabana of Bogota. This includes the traditional towns of Calera with the great Mercado , Sopo with it great and only Alpina creamery where we can taste the sweets of the milk products with a Swiss twist. Guatavita where the legends tell us about the Indigenous Cacique who bathed in the lake wearing gold on all his body. Zipaquira has the well known cathedral carved out of the underground salt mines. We will end up at Chia for a 6:30 pm. For dinner at Andres Carne de Res which defies description. Dinner here is a uniquely Colombian fiesta, including full dinner, live music and entertainment. Dancing always ensues, so bring your shoes!


Sunday Oct 25 - Bogota
Free day. Sunday in Bogota offers many options which you can explore during this free day, including the treasure-filled Sunday market in Usaquen (known for crafts and antiques); bicycling through the major city streets closed to car traffic; strolling though the botanic gardens; or brunch buffet filled with Colombian delicacies in an aristocratic setting (Club Colombia followed by shopping in the upscale northern boutiques and designer stores).
Additional optional half day trip: 11 am we drive to the lovely town of Subachoque, to visit an orphanage that takes in and cares for children with HIV while trying to place them with families followed by lunch at a lovely hacienda restaurant in the farming community outside of Bogota. Will be returning around 4pm.
We suggest a lighter fare dinner at Crepes and Waffles.

Monday Oct 26 Coffee Region (Armenia city, Quindio department)
We will be flying to Armenia, principle city of the Zona Cafetera, or Coffee Region. We will stay at an old hacienda on a coffee plantation or farm, which has been restored with period antiques and modern amenities. We visit Recuca, a working coffee farm where the visitor can experience the history and production of coffee, including harvesting the beans right off the plant, and then sitting for a tasting of the local product.

Tuesday Oct 27 Coffee Region
We visit one of the highlights of the region, the picturesque town of Salento, with its beautifully painted main square and attractive streets containing crafts, shops and cafes. From there it is a short drive to the Cocora Valley, home of Colombia’s national tree, the Wax Palm, rising from the green hills into the fog above, making for an incomparable sight.

Wednesday Oct 28 – Coffee Region
Free Day. As an option, spend time relaxing at the Santa Rosa de Cabal natural hot springs for a warm bath in a beautiful natural setting. A dip in the pool at the hacienda is an inviting alternative.


Thursday Oct 29 Coffee Region
Free day. Some options include a ride down the river on a balsa raft, a visit to the natural gardens with a butterfly encounter, or visiting other quaint and traditional towns, for example Manizales, famed for its beauty.

Friday Oct 30 – Fly to Bogota
Relax in the morning at the hacienda, and return to Bogota in afternoon.

Saturday Oct 31 - Bogota
Free Day We can provide additional suggestions for shopping or other activities.
Evening Halloween party at Teatron

Sunday Nov 1 Bogota; tour ends
Return to USA

Pictures from Barranquilla Carnaval in Colombia

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

From Barranquilla Carnaval 2009

For a complete slideshow of Barranquilla Carnaval pictures, check out our galleries:
Flicker/Yahoo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vamoscolombiatour/sets/72157622047963646/

and Google/Picasa:
http://picasaweb.google.com/vamoscolombiatour/BarranquillaCarnaval2009#slideshow/

Cumbia from Carnaval, Barranquilla, Colombia

Hundreds of dancers parade for blocks while performing professional level cumbia and other dances, accompanied by live music, while in traditional costumes and with a big smile! It is an enchanting sight as part of the Carnaval festivities in Barranquilla, Colombia. Join us next year for a front row seat!

Check our our trip in 2010 that includes the Carnaval in Barranquilla Colombia!

http://vamoscolombiatour.blogspot.com/2009/08/colombian-carnaval-and-machu-picchu-13.html

Medellin's Flower Festival Video

This catchy video featuring the group Piso 21 singing a pop song honoring Medellin's Flower Festival gives one a good idea of the festive atmosphere this time a year in Medellin.

Vamos Colombia Tours plans a tour to the event next year in 2010. Pictures of Medellin are below the video.

Bogota Event a True Experience of Gay Pride

Welcome to the new readers and the return followers of the Vamos Colombia Tour blog!

I must tell you that I was amazed, impressed and very proud of the work that my fellow Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) friends are doing in Bogota, Colombia.

AL ROSA VIVO

Bogota, Colombia hosted a great Gay Pride celebration in June, 2009.

The theme of the Pride parade was: “Discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity is not a game. We come from a family and we are a family.”

The public events took place over a period of several days, culminating in the Sunday Pride Parade (June 28, 2009).

I also was able to attend several events such as:

The Supervisor of Chapinero (the LGBT neighborhood in Bogota) is Blanca Ines Duran (pictured here with Walter Rey). She is an out and proud lesbian who is organizing our community at different levels. She has been in this position for a year and she presented her report to the community in a very creative way. She used one of the biggest gay club of Bogota, which was previously a theater, and presented a true multi-media presentation: a mix of video and live theater to present her report.

The place was packed and she informed us of the several campaigns for the Chapinero area, ranging from the reduction of noise, the campaign against parking violation, to education of the community and police on respect and behavior toward LGBT people. She also clearly made a point of including everyone, gay men, lesbians, transgender, and straight – noting that we all are working together for a better world. From what I have seen, she is doing a great job!

The Chapinero area also had a big stage in the center of he district, at a well known public park called “the park of the Hippies.” They presented shows during the three nights prior to the parade.

Some of them were informative, educational or just fun. They had a runway show were 8 designers were participating for best design outfits for the transsexual community. The outfits looked great at the fashion show (as did the transgendered models). They had a DJ contest, as well as the participation of several groups such as the gay radio station of Bogota, which can be accessed through the internet.

http://www.eledenradio.net/

The parade itself went down the principle boulevard of Seventh Avenue (Carrera Septima) for about 30 blocks. (From Parque Nacional to Plaza Bolivar in the Candelaria district). At the end in the heart of the histric old city and downtown there was another big stage was welcoming all to celebrate.

There were several floats and a great turn out of people. We all marched with pride. What it was different at this pride event from others in the world is the energy of the people. Having been to several gay pride parades in the world (including such welcoming places as San Francisco, New York, Sydney and Vancouver), I can say that I had never seem such strong energy and pride among the participants. I was very happy to be a part of it and by my presence add a little grain to it.

Still it is interesting that most of the people on the parade were young as many of the over-40 community were out of the city for the long weekend holiday (which coincided with the event) or just were not comfortable in the public environment.

The closet doors are heavy but slowly opening. I believe that is why is so important that everyone who is able (that means you!) can join us in future parades. Just being present sends an important message to the LGBT community and the city and country of Colombia and a whole. The mainstream press is starting to get the message and change is swiftly on the move in Colombia!

Vamos Colombia Tour continues to promote Colombia as a Gay and Lesbian travel destination and we would like you to join us. Currently we are preparing the 2010 calendar – it is sure to include nest year’s gay pride. If you would like a change from your local gay pride celebration, or perhaps would like to experience gay pride in a location where it is truly making a difference, then join us!

More pictures can also be found at:

http://vamoscolombiatour.blogspot.com/2009/07/more-pictures-from-bogota-gay-pride.html

and

http://vamoscolombiatour.blogspot.com/2009/07/bogota-gay-pride-parade-2009-exceeds.html

Colombia and Bogota are the new kids on the block in gay travel. Find out why everyone who goes has an unforgettable time!

Walter Rey
Vamos Colombia Tour
check us out on the web: www.VamosColombiaTour.com

Bogota Gay Pride Parade 2009 Exceeds All Expectations!

The Gay Pride Parade (in Bogota, Colombia) that marched down the heart of the downtown of the city, 7th Avenue, and ended in the Plaza Mayor, the seat of government of the city and the country, exceeded all expectations as a political, cultural and social event in the fast-changing cosmopolitan city of Bogota.

Floats from LGBT rights organizations, as well as clubs and other businesses the cater to the gay community spread the word of gay pride to the onlookers from all walks of life - gay, lesbian, straight, questioning or just plan curious. All classes of persons mixed in the fun in the peaceful march which became a party as the music energized the mostly younger crowd which sang and chanted in unison as the parade made its way through the wide boulevard that became a smaller street in the more historic downtown. Traffic was stopped for quite a while as the crowd overflowed into other lanes and streets. At the end, a rally sent the message of the right to safety, protection and to live proudly as members of the LGBT community as the institutions of Colombia society, the capital, the Supreme Court, and the Cathedral, stood around, as if a natural part of the scene.

Surely this was the largest gay pride event in Colombian history, and one of the largest in Latin America as well. The Colombian LGBT community has much to be proud about as the Supreme Court in this past year has recognized same sex relationships as worthy of the same rights as those of opposite-gender ones. Gay people have achieved much attention in recent years in Colombian life and society, although the local paper reported the next day that there had been threats as well. No violence was in evidence, although many revelers did not linger in the main plaza (or did not attend the rally altogether) perhaps due to the unusual nature of having a gay pride event in front of the seat of power of the country. Colombia is a historically conservative and traditional country. Clearly, things are changing - how fast remains to be scene, but the combination of recent legal developments, combined with one of the best and largest gay pride events on the continent certainly puts Colombia well on the map of LGBT life!

Fore more information about travel to Colombia, check our our website,
www.VamosColombiaTour.com