Calle del Arte

Last weekend was one of my favorite cultural events that takes place in Cali. I wasn't going to blog about it because I forgot my camera, and you really need to see it to understand it, but thanks to some stolen pictures from friends - here you have it!

Calle del Arte (Street of Art) is held one Saturday every September in San Antonio, a neighborhood close to ours and one of the oldest in Cali. They literally shut down the entire main street for the day and all sorts of vendors come out to sell things on the street.

Looking down Calle 10 at the street of art!

One particular hat salesman takes a little afternoon nap in the shade :)

This year we started things off at a co-workers house who happens to live on the main street of Calle del Arte. She and her husband had opened up their home for the day to a sort of make-shift restaurant where they were selling delicious quiche! Starved after a full morning of curriculum meetings at school, about ten teachers crowded into their kitchen for some much needed nourishment.

After replenishing we headed out to the street to explore. From jewelry and artwork to purses and handicrafts, there is something for everyone at this unique street fair. While I didn't end up buying anything this year, mostly because I don't want to deal with shipping large things back to the Unites States, I loved strolling the streets and looking at all the options! Calle del Arte is definitely a unique crowd of people too, so the people-watching is also excellent. Despite the hot sun, strolling the streets this year once again reminded me of how awesomely talented people are and how much I love Colombia - and Cali in particular.

Kelsi and I at Calle del Arte with Amanda, a teacher visiting for the conference from another school in Armenia, Colombia.

Ingrid Betancourt on Oprah

Last spring I read Ingrid Betancourt's book 'Til Death Do Us Part and discussed it on this blog. (Remember she was the French Colombian woman who wanted to run for president in 2002 but she was captured by guerillas before she got a chance to do so...) I have yet to read her second book, Every Silence Has An End, the one she wrote after being kidnapped by the guerilla for six years, but I still am very interested in her.

I think she is as much of a conversation topic for Colombia today as she was eight years ago before she was kidnapped. She remains a controversial and political figure in this country, who I happen to find fascinating.

Last week she talked on Oprah about some of her experiences in captivity and since. Check it out by clicking on the picture here:

"I have never heard a more incredible story of survival,

of strength, of courage in my life," Oprah says.

For more from this appearance on Oprah check out all the video of Ingrid here.

What President Juan Manuel Santos Wants For Colombia

Last June, Colombians elected Juan Manuel Santos as the next president of Colombia. Since Santos took office I really haven't heard too much about him - probably because a transition takes awhile to really take effect. However, after hearing about Obama and his first 100 days non-stop in 2008, this is quite a change.

For those interested in what Santos plans to do in Colombia, specifically in reference to the FARC, security in Colombia, the ongoing issues between Colombia and Venezuela, as well as the relationship between the United States and Colombia, check out this article from the Washington Post.