1.  Colombians make foreign food almost better than they make their own food.

During my almost three months in Colombia I came to realize that perhaps the only slight disappointment the country had to offer was a lack of culinary excitement. Food is tasty but simple in general. Very Carb heavy and never spicy. Most of the best meals I had were either due to the freshness of the Seafood on both coasts, or because I ventured in to restaurants offering international cuisines. In San Gil I had some of the best pizza I’ve have since Italy at 7 tigres Pizzeria. In Salento I had perhaps the best burgers I’ve eaten in my life (that’s a lot of burgers) at a charming little restaurant called Brunch. And don’t even get me started on the Peanut Butter Brownies there. Medellin boasted Wild Wing or higher quality chicken wings. In Cartagena I found the best burgers on the coast at a little street stall stationed at plaza de Trinidad each evening. And of course who can forget Donde Sam, my second home in Guatape Colombia which served up delicious and authentic Indian and Thai curries amongst a myriad of other options. So, while Colombian food was a slight disappointment off the coasts, food in Colombia was anything but that. This marked an undeniable change from Asia where eating western food was a mistake not just for the wallet, but for the taste buds too at least 90 % of the time.

2. If someone is selling you something on a bus accepting it into your hands is not in any way a contract to buy something.

In Asia you never accept a shop keeper handing you something unless you are pretty sure you’re going to buy it. The reason is simple, it’s nigh on impossible to get them to take it back into their hands. It’s almost as if you’ve handed out the money already once it’s in your hands. Colombia that’s been different. Vendors on buses are inescapable, but in my experience they are all friendly and most of them are damn good salesmen too. They sell a vast variety of things, in my three months this is the list I’ve compiled: Snacks, Drinks, Ice cream, Handbags, Jewelry, Coffee, Rap Verses, Gum, Wallets, Belts, Miracle Herbal cures, Googly eyed Rocks… and.. well you get the picture. The difference here is that after giving their opening spiel in a passionate and quick Spanish, they circulate through the bus and hand their product to everyone who will take them. At first I of course shook my head and they seemed at least mildly put off. After a few times through of watching most of the bus hand the products back without incident I started accepting their offered samples. That always earned at least a small upturning and their lips and was definitely worth it.

3. Every city or town of consequence has at least one vendor who sells exclusively shoelaces.

This one is pretty self explanatory, and probably not unique to Colombia but it thoroughly amused me. When I’m back in Colombia at the end of my South American Circuit I’ll have to give them some business as somehow, they never appeared that busy.

4. Taxi drivers are insane about their doors (and seemingly nothing else)

I don’t know if Colombian cars have really poorly made doors, or if Taxi drivers are just the type to worry, but from my first taxi from the Cartagena airport to my Collectivo taxi to the border in Ipiales, it was a rare thing to find a taxi driver not clearly and intensely concerned with how his passengers open and close his doors. Beers or whiskey open in the taxi? Often not a problem. A bunch of smelly messy food? Why not. A mud covered backpacker dirtying up the seats and floor? As long as he pays his fare. But slam a door and the horror on their faces tugs at all but the coldest of hearts. I don’t understand why this is exactly, and probably never will, but it was observed again and again all across the country. So please, for the sake of the taxi drivers children who don’t want their dad dead of a heart attack before they even start walking, don’t slam your taxi door.

P.S. (If anyone has observed these activities in any other country please leave a comment. Some weird Colombian custom I’ve left out? Let me know in the comments too!)