PARADISE COLOMBIA Packaged Holidays

Hi and welcome to our blog.

My name is Gerard McGarrigle, founder of Paradise Colombia and I'm not Colombian, I'm actually Irish!! So what am I doing in Colombia? Of course the cliche responses are usually, "trying to be the next Escobar McGarrigle??", "Are you mad living in Colombia, how many times have you been shot at?!? but these responses are generally from people that think Colombia is ran by drug traffickers, that 'Narcos' represents present day Colombia. It couldn't be further from the truth. The responses from people who have actually been in the country know only too well how it captivates you and how wonderful Colombia really is, "My favourite experience in South America" or "Going to Colombia first while travelling around South America was a bad idea, we didn't want to leave", "It's so diverse, there's too much to see and do, I need to go back..."

I must admit when I first travelled to South America, Colombia wasn't on my bucket list. I, at that time, associated Colombia as a country full of violence and not worth the trouble, for all I knew I could have been forced to traffic drugs back to Dublin as a mule!! A place where talented footballers who represented their country are shot dead in the street for scoring an own goal or where a known criminal puts bounties on the head of police men just doing a job!! No thanks, I passed on Colombia. My ignorance got the better of me.

It was in Argentina where I met my now wife, Colombian of course, she immediately captivated me and I was like Alice in Wonderland, I entered the rabbit hole and didn't look back. She invited me to Colombia, eager to show me the real country, it's diversive beauty, it's warm and friendly people and it's dynamic culture. I never looked back, Colombia, "The only risk is wanting to stay".

Carolina, my wife, had the dream of owning a luxury hostel or hotel in the style of an hacienda. What is an hacienda you say? hacienda means large estate, generally a plantation, originally used for coffee and plantain cultivation in this part of Colombia. The properties are redesigned to cater for a more luxury fitting, it's amenities are modern, very comfortable, relaxing, great food and amazing scenic views . We soon realised that getting a property to lease in Salento or in the surrounding areas was more than a challenge, never mind finding one for the right price! While we waited for the ideal location to become available I thought English as a foreign language. I had achieved a TEFL certificate before moving to Colombia but I always knew the profession wasn't something I wanted to do long term. Fast forward some time and I was offered a temporary position as a guide for English speaking tourists. This was more like it, meeting new and interesting people almost everyday, trekking through Cocora Valley, soaking in the ambience of Salento and Filandia, immersed in coffee tours in Buenavista with it's stunning views and of course the wonderful scenic drives through the Andes and Colombian countryside. Most people with tight timelines pass through 'Eje Cafetero' with the intentions of experiencing a coffee tour, Cocora Valley and Salento only, they are always amazed at how much more there is to see and do that they usually leave unfulfilled, wishing they had spent a week here and allowed themselves to really enjoy 'Eje Cafetero' in a relaxed manner.

After spending some time as a guide I could pick out what people really enjoyed. So many times, people just wanted to stop and simply observe. From looking up to see how tall the wax palm tree's really are, scanning the skies and Andean mountain range for the Condor or to simply stop and enjoy the views and sounds of nature.

Although coffee is designed to give us a 'pick me up' and send us on our merry way, the culture that surrounds 'Eje Cafetero' is slow, relaxed and tranquil. Simply pause and soak it all in, everyone feels it, there's no rush, order a coffee, a slice of cake and watch the world go by in the shade while the chirping of birds sends another wave of enchantment to lure you into it's haze of total contemptment. Sometimes the simple things in life are the most fulfilling. The original colonial towns, still representing a time long gone, pull you in and try hard not to let go. it's so easy wanting to stay and enjoy "just another few minutes". Stress is not a feeling that exists here, it's forbidden it would seem. No matter how down and out some people are, they just keep smiling and it's energy is always content and positive. It's charming and always puts a smile on people's faces. I always felt for our short term guests, taking them to the airport was an emotional experience. "Did you enjoy your time here?" I would ask. "Oh, we had a wonderful time, it was just too short". While people really enjoyed their time here you could sense that they had the feeling of leaving something behind, something personal that they didn't want to let go of. It was always the same, they felt a belonging almost and that their time in 'Paradise' was cut too short. It was something I understood only too well when I first visited 'Eje Cafetero'.

The birth of Paradise Colombia is a long labour, but a labour of love. My wife and I wanted to deliver exceptional holiday packages for those looking to get the most from their time here in this part of Colombia. Our commitment is to remove the hassle of transportation, delivering accommodation, tours and experiences that fulfill your expectations and more. From the moment you land in 'Eje Cafetero' to the moment you have to depart we take care of you in privately arranged vehicles with a private guide. Like I say, stress is an emotion that doesn't exist here and we want to keep it that way.

Viva Colombia, Viva Paraiso.

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