Lonely Planet Colombia

Thanks to my dad, we learned that just this past week, Lonely Planet released a new and updated edition of their Colombia guidebook. Actually, Dad din't just tell us about the book--he shipped us a copy. It arrived at the end of last week, much to our surprise.

We haven't had too much a chance to flip through it yet, but hope to do so soon. We'll pass on any thoughts and reviews we've got. In the meantime, any of you thinking about planning some vacation time in Colombia and interested in picking up a guidebook would be well served to consider this one: we can't yet say whether or not it's the best, but we can certainly say it's the freshest.

Here's an uncensored reproduction of the introductory section about Cali, the city where we're getting married (and Diana's hometown):

Population: 3.5 million
Elevation: 969m

Cali is not an immediately likable city. For one thing, it is muggy and hot. For another, it's an industrial and transportation hub whose business is business, not tourism. Caleños shrug off criticism about their city with the saying "Cali es cali, y lo demás es loma, ¿oís?" (Cali is Cali, and the rest [of Colombia] is just mountain, ya hear?).

Those who dig deeper and spend some time here will find a welcoming, friendly city with great nightlife, good restaurants, and plenty to do, especially in the evening, when a cool mountain breeze dissipates the heat of the day.

Go to San Antonio, the old Colonial Center, and linger over a beer or ice cream in the park, or better still, a champú or
lulada both fruit drinks made with lulo, a unique Colombian fruit typical of the Valle de Cauca, of which Cali is the capital. Wander through Barrio Granada's many upscale restaurants and boutiques, or hang out at Chipichape shopping mall and marvel at the local plastic surgeons' prowess.

Nowhere are Colombia's racial diversity and harmony, and the incredible beauty of the Colombian women, more apparent than here. Cali women are nationally renowned for their sense of style and beauty, and the way they carry themselves.

HISTORY
After helping Francisco Pizarro conquer the Incas, Sebastián de Belacázar (also known in Latin America as Benalcázar) quarreled with his former boss and moved north to strike out on his own. After founding Quito and Popayán, he arrived in the Valle de Cauca in 1536, where he dubbed his new settlement Santiago de Cali.

Over the centuries Spaniards shipped in thousands of African slaves to work the valley's sugarcane and cotton plantations. The Valle remains a major agricultural producer, and in higher regions also produces grapes and coffee.

Cali was a small town in orbit to departmental capital Popayáan well into the 20th century, when railroads, and later highways, overtook the rivers as the dominant form of transport. To this day more than half of Colombia's exports pass through Cali on their way to Buenaventura.

ORIENTATION
Cali is built along the western edge of the wide Valle de Cauca. The city center is laid out in a grid plan around the Plaza de Caycedo. This is where you'll find most of the historic churches and museums.

Southwest of the center lies San Antonio, the colonial heart of Cali. North lies the bustling, upscale Av Sexta, and nearby Av 9, where you'll find Granada, the city's dining district. Further north along Sexta is Chipichape, one of the largest shopping malls in Colombia