Colombia | Three siblings

Marta here! Another Colombian hit to get you through the below post. The lyrics are about love at first sight, of course.

As our creative powers are heavily depleted, we are sorry for what you are about to read. Think of Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena as three siblings. Now, keep reading once you stopped laughing at our (ok, Oskar's) obvious metaphor.

Bogota was the first child, a daughter lavished from birth with gifts but also beset with high expectations for future achievements. Inward-focused, she worked hard and excelled through academia, studying incessantly and spending afternoons with a coffee and book in hand. When she rebelled, it was quick and painless, almost a rite of passage. In a way, the reputation for being a bit boring or not obviously attractive suited her - she knew that a closer look would reveal the depth of her character. She also knew that her career, monetary success, and social position speak for itself to those who didn’t want to get to know her better. No photos of Bogota I'm afraid. She is very shy.

Medellin came second, and seemed perfect. Unburdened by expectations, he flowed through his early years. Free-spirited and witty, he would befriend strangers within minutes. While not obviously attractive, he never spared it a thought - he was popular enough, with friends to spare. Teenage years brought gloom, only darker. The wrong crowd, maybe a misstep or a wrong decision - friends moved away, just to keep observing from the distance. He became an outcast. And just as quickly as the fall came, so did the redemption. Now in his twenties, he slowly put himself together again. Started drawing, joined an art collective, got involved in local community projects. His wit, free spirit, and undeniable appeal never left. Only this time they were joined by a quiet undertone of maturity, some unearned and most unwanted. Amused by how preoccupied his old and new friends were with unpacking his past, he even liked it, as long as it could teach them something.

Comuna 13, once Medellin's most notorious neighbourhood is now famous for its graffiti art

Police is still at most corners in Communa 13

Local breakdance crew, one of many urban rejuvenation initiatives

Cartagena is the youngest, a daughter born to a different father and wealthy through his family. If you met her last, she would surprise you at first sight. Louder than her siblings, she carried herself with the ease and obvious confidence that could put you off. You could even mistake it for shallowness. But then, you slowly got to know her better and understood that she became who she was not by choice and neither should she be blamed for any of it - looks, wealth, popularity, and cheerful disposition just came to her and she took the fullest advantage of them all. Muse to Marquez, she woos you and never lets go. And if she does, she etches herself in your memory for good.

Cartagena in all its glory

Getsemani - less glamorous part of Cartagena. Still charming.

Some houses are freshly painted

Some are forgotten by time and its owners

¡Vive Colombia!

Old city walls with modern neighbourhood of Bocas del Toro looming behind

Door knockers identify the profession of the head of the house. Here we have a sailor.

Oskar didn't let go G&T of his hands for the whole stay in Cartagena

Just in case you need us to unpack this shallow metaphor. We liked Bogota, mostly for the comfortable and cafe-rich respite it offered us after all the incessant travelling but we would not choose to live there. Medellin won us over immediately and across the board - from its Saturday night bacchanalia through constantly pleasant weather and greenery all the way to impressive attempts at urban rejuvenation after decades of violence and conflict. Cartagena scared us at first when, arriving late in the day, we were hit by scores of souvenir stores and hordes of tourists. But then, just as quickly, we fell for it - its stunning architecture, easygoing feel and the Caribbean mood made us never want to leave.