Kidnappings,
guerrillas and drugs? Let us show you another side to this overlooked
retirement haven…
By Lee
Harrison
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March 2007
| US$1
equals 2,246.36 Colombian peso
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 re-boarded the bus and continued
on our way; 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. |
This article is
excerpted from International Living Newsletter - You can subscribe to International
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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.
Don’t look
down!
If you’re
faint-of-heart, avoid looking out the window on the approach to Pasto airport,
or the sight of the narrow runway carved into the side of the mountain
- with its 1,000-foot drop at either end - will surely make you wish you’d
taken the bus down from Bogotá. (If you’re not faint of heart,
sit on the left side of the plane and have your camera ready.) Either
way, by the time you’ve completed the 40-minute taxi ride through the Andes
from the airport to Pasto, your landing will have been forgotten in favor
of the jagged peaks, dramatic cliffs, and endless views.
Founded in
1537, Pasto is not as spectacular as the highway that takes you there,
but I found it a comfortable, pleasant, and inexpensive place to live.
When we arrived
in town, we checked into the Hotel Oro Verde, where we were quoted a rate
of just $14 per night for a double room. (This hotel is not related
to the luxury chain of the same name in Ecuador.) Our first meal
in town was at a crepe restaurant called El Gastronóm, owned by
a French expat living in Pasto. He served a rich soup made of fresh
corn and manioc, followed by a mouth-watering beef burgundy, with rice,
a cauliflower casserole, and fresh mango juice. This was topped off
by a large helping of chocolate cake. The bill came to $3.90 per
person.
During my month-long
stay in Pasto, I came to appreciate the routine of the locals. In
the aerobics class, the first group started promptly at 7 a.m. and was
attended by about 40 people daily. Just around the corner, the well-equipped
gym opened at 6 a.m.
Situated between
the two, the bakery opened its doors at 7 a.m., and filled the neighborhood
with the rich smells of baking bread. Most mornings, I enjoyed a
cup of Colombian coffee and two buñuelos (doughnuts) fresh out of
the cooker for a total of 26 cents.
While the churches
in Pasto are impressive colonial structures, much of the rest of the city
is not - after a couple of earthquakes the colonial-style was often neglected
in the rebuild. But the large town square is friendly and bustling
and surrounded by all types of commercial establishments, from banks and
restaurants, to markets and even a couple of modern shopping malls.
In the afternoons, we’d often stop on the square for a cappuccino (40 cents)
and sometimes add a rich pastry or slice of apple pie, both rarities in
South America.
On the real
estate front, we looked at an apartment of 1,150 square feet, with three
bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, and two balconies. It was located
on the small river that runs through town (with a river view) and was selling
for $60,800. In a neighboring building, a new unit of 1,350 square
feet had an asking price of $82,600. The most expensive listing on
the realtor’s books was a new, two-story penthouse apartment with fantastic
views of the river and the city, selling for $108,600. The least
expensive listing in a nice neighborhood was a two bedroom older apartment
selling for $26,000.
We looked at
a modern single home just two houses from the river, of about 1,400 square
feet. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms and the asking price is $76,000.
If you’re renting,
expect to pay at least $100 to $200 per month for a two-, or small three-bedroom
apartment. For more information on real estate in Pasto, contact
Eduardo Martínez at his office on Calle 20 #30-47, Local #3 (in
Pasto); tel. (57)2-731-1511.
Popayán
- where Americans don’t go
Popayán
is without a doubt the most livable and beautiful colonial city that I’ve
seen in all my Latin America travels…and I say that without hesitation.
This town of
300,000 people is clean, tasteful, and elegant, not only for a few blocks
around the square, but throughout the entire centro historico. Expanding
outward from its tree-lined central plaza, all of the commercial buildings
are bright white, with any signs being restricted to a burnished gold color:
no dangling electric wires, garish cell phone billboards, or restaurant
signs to be seen anywhere. Even the lamps on the buildings are of
the same style, with bulbs of the same hue.
Founded in
1537, Popayán was populated by wealthy Spanish families from Cali
seeking a better climate. The city was hit by an earthquake in March
1983, which partly explains its high architectural norms. During
the rebuilding process, any colonial standards which may have been lost
over the years were faithfully restored.
The lifestyle
here is calm and relaxed, and the city feels safe and secure. We
spent several lazy afternoons enjoying the many coffee shops, sampling
the offerings of the bakeries, and trying out the numerous fine restaurants.
This is a city
that’s geared towards tourism, but one that sees almost no foreign tourists,
including North Americans. In fact, the only English speakers I met
in more than a month in the Colombian Sierra were three Irish girls touring
South America. It was refreshing to see that the Colombians keep
Popayán so beautiful because it’s their own colonial treasure; not
because they’re after the international tourist dollar.
Paying a
small price for colonial charm
Prices in
Popayán tended to be a bit higher than those in Pasto; a small price
to pay for its colonial charm. The six-hour bus ride to get here
was $10, a new pair of stylish jeans from a high-end shop cost $14.75,
and a good cup of coffee costs 28 cents. We had dinner at what was
reported to be Popayán’s nicest restaurant - six wonderful courses
and a glass of wine for $14.75 each. A room in a nice hotel with
a window overlooking the park costs $35 per night.
On the property
market, there’s a casa antigua, with an interior courtyard and two commercial
locations on offer for $86,900. An apartment overlooking Parque Mosquera
with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a garage has an asking price
of $32,600. A modest apartment in Villamercedes is going for $10,870
(this one is not downtown). A new apartment of 1,000 square feet in a restored
colonial with a view of the courtyard was selling for $41,700.
At the higher
end, we toured a house built in 1776 that was more than 11,000 square feet.
Its 23-foot-high ceilings and courtyards were impressive, and it would
be a good property for a fine mansion or a boutique hotel. The asking
price was $521,000 and it’s currently a private home, still occupied by
descendents of the original family. We also saw a colonial property with
17 bedrooms that would be excellent for a hotel. The asking price
was $434,000.
On the rental
market, we looked at a nice apartment with three bedrooms, three bathrooms,
and a community pool in Santa Ana. They were asking $180 per month.
For more information
on the real estate market in Popayán, contact Central de Finca Raíz
(Juan David Delgado); Calle 4, #7-82, office 107; tel. (57)2-824-0438.
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Monthly utilities
for $50
The mountains of Colombia are beautiful,
but to me, the cost of living is the main reason for a potential expat
to explore this region. Not a day went by when I wasn’t surprised
at what I was paying for things. An hour of high-speed Internet access
in a café was 43 cents; a cab ride across town—20 minutes—was $1.30;
gas was $2.30 and diesel fuel was $1.78; the average utility bill runs
about $50 a month. The list goes on…Granted, Colombia has its drawbacks.
But if budget is your main concern - then you’ll probably find the Colombian
Sierra to be one of the last places you can live a nice lifestyle for $800
to $900 per month.
What about the terrorists and
the drugs?
The first things that most of us
think of when Colombia is mentioned are guerrilla activity, terrorists,
drugs, and kidnappings. You may be expecting me at this point to make a
case as to why these things are nothing to worry about; that however, would
be a misleading and dangerous assertion.
Yes, I felt safe in the areas where
I traveled, and there are parts of Colombia (such as the Caribbean coast)
that have been apart from the danger all along. But remember that I avoided
areas (like the eastern and southern jungles) where much of the guerrilla
activity is located.
The threat imposed by guerrilla activity
in Colombia has declined dramatically since Álvaro Uribe - whose
father was a victim of the revolutionaries - was elected president of Colombia
in 2002. Much of the country that had previously been dangerous to travel
is now safe; but not all of it.
The main drawback - perhaps the only
drawback - that I found with respect to living in Colombia is the fact
that I couldn’t explore the country from end to end without needing to
avoid the areas where guerrillas were active.
Another drawback (for some) is that
this is a Third World country with virtually no North American expat community.
(There is in fact somewhat of an American expat community in Bogotá,
as well as Medellín.)
Who’s who among the guerrilla
groups?
The main player today is FARC (Fuerzas
Armadas Revolucionarias Colombianas), a group originally inspired by the
Cuban Revolution that has been around since the 1960s. Their original goal
was to overthrow the government and create a socialist regime, but focus
on this objective seems to have been lost. Moreover, these groups support
themselves through kidnapping, extortion, and income derived from protecting
producers, processors, and traffickers of illegal drugs. These activities
tend to undermine their commitment to original ideals and goals.
Now after more than 40 years of conflict,
the insurgency itself has become a way of life, and many revolutionaries
no longer bear their original objectives in mind. In talking to people
on the street, most Colombians couldn’t tell me why FARC was fighting,
or what their demands were. Estimates of FARC combatants run as high as
18,000. (The population of Colombia is almost 50 million.)
The second major player is the ELN
(Ejercito de Liberación Nacional), who currently has a few thousand
combatants. Originally, their goal was to nationalize the Colombian oil
industry, and they caused this industry significant damage by blowing up
oil pipelines. The ELN’s influence has diminished recently however, as
U.S. troops stepped in to protect the pipelines.
Why would you move to Colombia?
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 been there, I understand the attraction.
The Colombian Sierra has comfortable,
spring-like weather, a low cost of living, inexpensive properties, and
a comfortable friendly lifestyle. We enjoyed its beautiful parks, took
in some great concerts and shows, and felt like we could really settle
in.
Day of the blacks…and whites
One of the most interesting traditions
I saw in Pasto takes place at the start of each New Year. Jan. 5 is Día
de los Negros (day of the Black people) and Jan. 6 is Día de los
Blancos, or day of the Whites. On the first day everyone colors their face
black, and goes about town partying and singing. The next day, everyone
colors themselves white for another day of festivities. On either day,
tradition dictates that you must allow your face to be colored by passing
partygoers if you should find yourself in the street and not of the appropriate
race for that day.
The tradition dates back to the days
when slave owners allowed African slaves to make themselves up one day
per year, and travel about as white people. While this festival would be
offensive to many North Americans, it is enjoyed immensely by the people
in Pasto, whether of African, Indigenous, or European descent.
Trade your English for Spanish
instruction
The Spanish spoken in Colombia’s
highlands is clear and precise. Colombia would, in fact, be a great place
to study the language. Due to the low tourism in the Sierra however, I
was unable to find a single Spanish school.
But each of the language schools
I visited was desperate to find a native English speaker to teach English.
If you’d like to teach English abroad, this would be an easy place to sign
on. The best school I found was Cambridge Language Centre, e-mail: cambridgecentro@hotmail.com.
Also see: English Solutions for Colombia, e-mail: fundacionesC@yahoo.com;
website: www.ciudadblanca.com/esc. Both are willing to discuss trading
English instruction for Spanish lessons.
Buying property—five
easy steps
There are
no restrictions on foreign buyers. Here are the steps you’ll go through:
1. Check
for clear title
Unlike many
other countries—where you sign the agreement first—impartial lawyers in
Colombia will advise you to verify that there is a clean title before any
money changes hands and before any official contracts are signed. A good
lawyer is indispensable here, as title insurance is not available in Colombia.
2. Effect
a separación
This is a
reservation, or a formal “tying up” of the property.
3. Execute
a promesa de compraventa (also known as a promesa de venta)
This term
in Spanish means “promise to buy” and is a sales contract. This is a private
contract in Colombia, in the sense that it’s not publicly recorded. Use
of a notary to execute the contract is optional, but I’d recommend it.
By law, this step itself is optional. Buyers who already have the money
and are ready to close can go directly to the Escritura Pública.
4. Escritura
Pública (compraventa)
This is the
final transfer document, which is executed at the notary.
5. Register
the Escritura
This is done
at the Oficina de Instrumentos Públicos, which serves as the property
registry. Here you’ll obtain a certificate (Certificado de Tradición
y Libertad) that proves you to be the rightful owner and proves the property
to be properly registered. The registered Escritura is the final deed to
the property.
Closing
costs
There are
a number of items included here, some of which are based on the assessed
value of the property, while others are based on the market value. Most
professionals agree that the average is around 4%.
Condo fees
and maintenance costs
These fees
of course vary with the type of property and the services provided. The
average of the condo fees for the properties in this report was $78 per
month.
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