Patrick

Passed through Cali for the first time in 2011, on his way from the US to Brazil on a motorcycle. Ended up kissing a caleña on his last night and the rest is history. Has been a resident of Cali, Colombia since 2013 and currently living in Barrio Bellavista with his girlfriend and 2 daughters.

My Experience Taking the Colombian Citizenship Exam: What to Expect

Patrick

March 11, 2026

Plan to stay·Visa

If you’ve been following the blog, you know I recently obtained my Colombian citizenship. This post is designed to help anyone preparing for the citizenship exam if you’re considering the same path. To be clear from the start: the questions have changed since I took the test, so this isn’t a list of current exam answers or a guaranteed shortcut

Accommodation·Plan to visit

Our First Building Built Completely From Scratch – Opening Just in Time for La Feria de Cali!

As some of you might know, my daily job is the development and operation of our short term rental (Airbnb) business here in Cali. For the past six years, our guests have told us what their dream stay in Cali looks like – and we’ve listened. Until now, we’ve built

Cali, Colombia: Your Next Nearshore Tech Hub – An Insider’s Guide for Digital Leaders

Beyond the Salsa Capital: Why Cali is Colombia’s Best-Kept Tech Secret Welcome

A 3000 km Colombian Road Trip: Exploring Culture, Nature, and Adventure with the Family

Last summer, with the kiddos on break (which, let’s be honest, makes

Barrios in Cali: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

August 23, 2015

Accommodation·Neighorhood guide·Plan to stay·Plan to visit·Safety

According to wikipedia, Cali has 249 barrios or neighborhoods. It would be impossible for me to mention all of them here, but I’ll divide the city into districts and comment on the ones most relevant to you, the expat, the tourist or the curious adventurer. I’ll also be listing the most dangerous barrios that

How to buy Property in Colombia and Avoid being Scammed

August 19, 2015

How-to guides·Investing·Plan to stay·Rent / buy apartment

It was the perfect piece of land for an apartment complex. Located in the upscale neighbourhood of Cristales in Cali, slightly elevated and with an amazing view of the city. The lot was begging to be developed. A long story made very short, we bought the lot mentioned above only

Cali’s best Pizzarias

August 14, 2015

Restaurants·Things to do

We all know pizza is bad for you, but once in a while, it’s hard to avoid the temptation. I’m no stranger to the cravings and I once spent a week in Italy eating pizza for both lunch and dinner every day. Thank God, I’ve been blessed with a great

My 10 Favorites from the Colombian Kitchen

August 12, 2015

Culture·Restaurants

I think it is fair to say that few people visiting Colombia have been very impressed with the local cuisine. An I have to agree. For a country that has such a rich and diverse selection of fruits, vegetables, fish and meat, they should have some of the best food

Ciclovía: Run, Skate or Bike without Traffic every Sunday

August 11, 2015

Cali with kids·Events & Festivals·Sport & Recreation·Things to do

Ciclovía may be the coolest idea to ever come out of a public office in Colombia. An initiative that started in Bogotá back in 1974 and eventually spread to Medellín, is finally beginning to gain momentum in Cali, where it is known as the CicloVida. The idea is to give

El Petronio Álvarez – Pacific Music festival

August 5, 2015

Cali with kids·Events & Festivals·Making friends·Music & Dancing·Things to do

Next week, from August 10-16 Cali will be hosting the 19th edition of the annual Pacific music festival, Petronio Álvarez. The festival is named after famous musician Patricio Romano Petronio Alvarez Quintero who was born on the island of Cascajal outside Buenaventura in 1914, and who dedicated most of his life to

San Cipriano – River Tubing and Waterfalls in the Jungle

August 4, 2015

Daytrips·Nature·Things to do·Weekend trips

Nestled in the jungle between Cali and Buenaventura on the Pacific coast, lies a natural reserve and tiny Garifuna village known as San Cipriano. Calling it pretty is an understatement. San Cipriano is a nature lovers paradise with a great share of cool things to do and this little oasis

CrossCamp – Awesome Outdoors Crossfit

July 30, 2015

Making friends·Plan to stay·Plan to visit·Sport & Recreation·Things to do

I love a good workout. It clears my head, releases stress and makes me feel great. That being said, I’m not a big fan of going to the gym. I’d much rather be outside, especially in Cali where the weather is great all year round. For a long time, I

7 Steps to Starting a Business in Colombia

July 28, 2015

How-to guides·Investing·Plan to stay

This post applies to people interested in starting a business on the ground in Colombia. Being a stranger to how the system worked here, I found the process to be awfully complicated, compared to my home country, where one may open a business in 15 minutes online through a government website.

Driving in Colombia: Avoid Fines and Bribes

July 21, 2015

How-to guides·Plan to stay·Plan to visit·Safety

I have a Colombian friend who had her car taken by the Transito in Cali. She was with her daughter when she got pulled over. Her car insurance was expired by 2 days. She begged the officer permission to go around the block to renew her insurance. When she came back her car

Previous 1 … 8 9 10 11 12 … 14 Next

Patrick

My Experience Taking the Colombian Citizenship Exam: What to Expect

Our First Building Built Completely From Scratch – Opening Just in Time for La Feria de Cali!

Cali, Colombia: Your Next Nearshore Tech Hub – An Insider’s Guide for Digital Leaders

A 3000 km Colombian Road Trip: Exploring Culture, Nature, and Adventure with the Family

Barrios in Cali: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

How to buy Property in Colombia and Avoid being Scammed

Cali’s best Pizzarias

My 10 Favorites from the Colombian Kitchen

Ciclovía: Run, Skate or Bike without Traffic every Sunday

El Petronio Álvarez – Pacific Music festival

San Cipriano – River Tubing and Waterfalls in the Jungle

CrossCamp – Awesome Outdoors Crossfit

7 Steps to Starting a Business in Colombia

Driving in Colombia: Avoid Fines and Bribes

Our Vacation Rentals in Cali

Colombian Visa Services

Love us on Facebook