Barranquilla - Culture

A colourful, dynamic port city located where the Magdalena River spills into the Caribbean Sea, has been the setting for a number of suspense novels. It is that kind of city- a place of surprises, of easy-going character, of vivid Colour, of action and movement It possesses something special for all visitors its port provides lively commerce for businessmen, there are palm-shaded plazas and after-dark excitement for tourists, and a live-and-let-live attitude for those who are not certain what they are seeking. Barranquilla has been described as many things, but it has never been described as dull.

A city of over a million people, Barranquilla’s streets are filled with all the bustle and motion of a Middle Eastern marketplace. One hears a strange mixture of languages in the crowded bars and cafes, where Chinese, Arabs, Americans, Frenchmen and Italians speak to each other, and where the Spanish of the native Colombian is sometimes drowned Out altogether in the conversation of the streets. There are few cities in the world more cosmopolitan and worldly than Barranquilla, and there are few cities where pleasures are more robust and where life is lived more fully and enthusiastically.

While the city is dominated by its port and the commerce that is generated by an important shipping center, there is another aspect to Barranquilla not generally known. It is also a lively cultural center and one possessing some of the country's major educational institutions. In Barranquilla are located the Universidad del Atlantico, The Universidad del Norte, the Universidad Metropolitana and Universidad Libre. Together these institutions of higher learning offer instruction in architecture, economy, engineering, medicine, law, and liberal arts. The Academy of Arts is located here, together with one of the finest libraries in Colombia. Giving additional weight to the city's cultural life is the famous hall of the Banco de la Republica where permanent exhibitions of fine paintings and sculpture are held. There is also a first-rate Botanical and Zoological park in the city. The universities. as they do all over the world, add another interesting thread to the cultural fabric of the city, bringing in great numbers of young people from all over the country.

Tourists travel thousands of miles searching for uncrowded beaches. The small town of Puerto Colombia is located only 15 kilometers from Barranquilla, and here are the most beautiful beaches of the area, the most popular of which are Pradomar, Salgar, and Sabanilla. These are as fine as any beaches in the Caribbean, and all have whatever beach facilities are needed such as food stands and seafood restaurants. None are crowed, and the water one swims in is clear and unpolluted. Another fine beach is that at Puerto Caiman, somewhat further from Barranquilla than Puerto Colombia. Here, surrounded by a secluded bay lies Barro Azul, a glistening strip of white sand ringed by palm trees. It is one of the outstanding beaches in the Caribbean Sea.

Only five minutes from Barranquilla, across the Pumarejo Bridge over the Magdalena River, is the National Park on the Island of Salamanca where there is abundant and strange fauna. This bird sanctuary is believed to be a stop over for the migrant birds during the change of seasons in the south and north hemispheres. The beauty of the mangrove swamps and the channels of Cuatrobocas, Atascoso and Cienaga Grande, can be seen by boat.

Among the best golf courses in Colombia are those of Barranquilla. To play golf you must present the membership card of any U.S. Golf Club that has exchange privileges with any of those in Barranquilla or be introduced to the club by a member or request to the hotel manager to arrange playing privileges on a temporary basis. Playing clubs are not always available so it you are serious about playing golf bring your own. Caddies and green fees are reasonable. Lagos de Caularal: Golf and tennis club. 18 holes par 72. Country Club of Barranquilla: 18 holes par 72.