Colombia

Garbage Museum
Picking coffee beans

The moment you arrive in Bogota you will smile as it’s a city with tremendous energy and vibe. I was escorted around Bogota and its surroundings in 2016 by Nadja Grote who runs the company AlternativeColumbia.com.

Bogota is absolutely choked by traffic which can challenge any visitor’s patience. Before visiting, its best to decompress and just enjoy, paying no attention to the world’s worst city-wide traffic jam.

I started off my time in Columbia with a bike tour through the central city. Weaving through the city’s streets was both energizing and incredibly informative. We visited many different parts of the city, new and old, learning its history along the way. The following two days I visited a coffee plantation, located about 2 hour outside of Bogota (strongly recommended). I helped some migrant farm workers pick carrots, cut bacon at a carniceria and hauled potatoes at the city market.

One of Bogota’s coolest hidden treasures was the Garbage Museum. Overall, a wonderful place and I am eager to return to see Medellin and the mountain coast.

Nauru

Country Information:  Formerly called Pleasant Island, Nauru is a phosphate island country in Micronesia that gained independence in 1968. The capital is Yaren. About 10,000 people live here, though with immigration, there may be more. The official languages are...

Ireland

Country Information: The capital of Ireland is Dublin and the country’s population is about 5 million (2022). The dominant religion is Roman Catholicism and the official languages are Irish Gaelic and English. Ireland is 4 hours ahead of EST. Jim's Perspectives: A...