Country Article / Postcards
Colombia the Retirement Haven…?
Date: 02/14/2007
A good friend relocated to Bogotá from Cuenca, Ecuador, because he found Colombia to be a better place to run his import-export business. I understand the attraction.
International Living Postcards-- your daily escape
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007
Pasto, Colombia
The modern bus slowed from the cruising speed we’d been enjoying along the Pan American highway, south of Cali. Craning to see out the window, I could just make out the four machete-bearing Colombians dragging a freshly-cut tree across the road, stopping us in our tracks, while a handful of men dressed in camouflage emerged from the bush. Most of them waited outside, while the two who had boarded indicated silently with their machine-gun barrels that we should get off. As we exited, the women were corralled into a tight group while the men were lined up against the side of the bus. “ Manos arriba,” our handler said quietly, and we obediently raised our arms.
Once again, something less than the perfect retirement haven, I thought. But as it turned out, these were the good guys. After a brief check to make sure we weren’t carrying any weapons, we were allowed to re-board the bus. The incident, quickly over but not forgotten, a shadow on this otherwise-magnificent country.
Located at the tip of South America, Colombia is where the Pacific and the Caribbean collide with the Andes and the Amazon. It’s a country that is more beautiful, dramatic, and diverse than any you’re likely to see--from its sparkling colonial cities in the highlands to its homey residential towns to the world famous (and safe) resorts along the Caribbean. What’s more, it boasts some beautiful areas where the cost of living is the lowest you’ll find anywhere in South America--even Ecuador.
At first I was surprised to hear from readers interested in Colombia, including a few who had plans to explore the country for retirement. Then a good friend from North America relocated to Bogotá from Cuenca, Ecuador, because he found Colombia to be a much better place to conduct his import-export business. And now that I’ve seen this country, I understand the attraction.
Lee Harrison
Roving Latin America Editor, International Living
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