Farsighted Fly Girl

When you visit the charismatic city of Cali, Colombia , you will immediately notice a few things. First, there is music and dancing everywhere but mostly at night and mostly salsa. Secondly, there are cats scattered all around the Cali River. Although music and dancing and cats might not seem to have anything to do with each other, in Cali, they are interrelated. In 1996, the famous Colombian painter  Hernando Tejada, , donated a three ton bronze cat sculpture to the city he called home. Called El Gato Del Rio , or the River Cat, he sits grinning on the banks of the river. In 2006, Calenos decided that the cat needed a few novias or girlfriends. So artists created 15 different cats that complete Parque El Gato de Tejada. If you stroll along the riverwalk, you'll see an array of pretty kitty sculptures, much smaller than the original gato. There's La Gata Dulce,  pictured in the first photo. She's covered in sugarcane branches and leaves to reference Cali's sug...

This week, I'll be exploring the vibrant culture of Colombia, specifically the Pacific city of Cali, otherwise known as the Salsa Capital of the World. Hosted by Tia Stephanie Tours,  I'll be learning about Afro Colombian history and traditions, highlighted by the Petronio Alvarez Music Festival , which celebrates the region's music and dance. My adventures will also include salsa lessons, a cooking class, museum visits and hopefully, a climb up to Cristo Rey,   the towering Christ statue shown above. It's not as big as Rio's but it's the largest in Colombia and is a landmark for Cali, the country's third largest city.  I'm looking forward to picking up some (much needed) salsa moves and discovering the intricacies of this rich culture so stay tuned!