{"id":10385,"date":"2013-09-23T12:24:23","date_gmt":"2013-09-23T17:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/seecolombia.travel\/blog\/?p=10385"},"modified":"2021-08-23T10:46:24","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T15:46:24","slug":"and-the-winner-is-colombia-for-the-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seecolombia.travel\/blog\/2013\/09\/and-the-winner-is-colombia-for-the-win\/","title":{"rendered":"And the winner is… Colombia, For the Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don\u00b4t know how to put this, but Colombia is kind of a big deal<\/strong>. We\u00b4ve been going on about how amazing this country is and how special travel in Colombia is for a few years now, and it\u00b4s quickly becoming obvious that the rest of the world is finally catching on. After seeing Bogot\u00e1 and Medellin make it onto the FlipKey list of Top South American Destinations<\/a>, we thought we’d delve a bit deeper into what awards Colombia has recently won. Here\u00b4s a list of our favourite ways Colombia is getting recognised internationally:<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Medell\u00edn: Most Innovative City<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"JL<\/a>
JL checking out the innovations with his enormous mobile phone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We\u00b4ve already had a go <\/a>at bragging about how Medell\u00edn beat New York and others<\/strong> to be named\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00b4s Most Innovative City of the Year<\/a>, but we reckon that no other city in the world deserves such accolades than this bustling, energetic, and forward-thinking metropolis<\/strong>. Bravo, City of Eternal Spring, Bravo<\/a>!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Bogot\u00e1: City Climate Leader<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Transmilenio in Bogota; the first of its kind<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now, before you all get up in arms here and tell me that Medell\u00edn has a way better climate, let me explain. Although I personally love the exciting roller-coaster that is Bogot\u00e1\u00b4s daily weather, that\u00b4s not what I\u00b4m talking about. What I\u00a0am\u00a0<\/em>talking about is the prestigious, inaugural, C40 and Siemens City Climate Leadership Awards<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>given to those international cities that are actually doing something to reduce their environmental impact<\/strong> and improve their sustainability.<\/p>\n

Bogot\u00e1 picked up the honours in the Urban Transportation category. If this confuses anyone that\u00b4s ever taken part in one of the moving moshes that is peak-hour Transmilenio, remember that this system with its dedicated bus lanes is just the start. Apart from the impressive cycle-ways<\/a> that Bogot\u00e1 has been a world leader in from the get-go, the Colombian Capital is home to Latin America\u00b4s first fleet of electric taxis<\/strong>, and we\u00b4re well on our way to converting the city\u00b4s bus fleet to hybrid and electric buses.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Goldman Environmental Award<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Nohra<\/a>
Nohra Padilla, getting the recognition she deserves. Image from Goldmanprize.org.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

While we\u00b4re on the subject of the environment, Bogot\u00e1 has won again! Proud Bogotana, Nohra Padilla<\/strong>, has picked up the prestigious Goldman Prize<\/a> for South and Central America for her ground-roots work in fighting for the rights of the city\u00b4s vital, yet oft-ignored informal recyclers<\/strong>. From her arrival in the big smoke after being displaced in the rural conflict, Nohra\u00b4s story is truly inspirational, and she deserves all the recognition she gets<\/strong>. Much respect from all of us adopted rolos.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. Colombian Beaches in the Limelight<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Tayrona<\/a>
Don\u00b4t go changing for anyone, Tayrona.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

We done told you that Colombian beaches be cray<\/a>. Both San Andres and Tayrona beaches figured in the top ten finalists for the World Travel Award\u00b4s Leading South American Beach Destination<\/a>. We all know that wild, secluded Tayrona should\u00b4ve won, but let the more mainstreamsy Argentinian beach baby have its bottle. We all love our Colombian beaches the way they are.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oh yeah, and in the very same awards, Bogot\u00e1 sanctuary, Hotel 101 Park House, picked up the title for South America\u00b4s leading boutique hotel<\/a>. Boom.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Colombia Goes Pop<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Shakira,<\/a>
Shakira, not lying. Sitting down, actually.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

And in the sexiest way possible. Not only did that heart-throb, Juanes <\/a>pick up the Latin Grammy for Best Album of 2012<\/strong>; and that other dreamy crooner, Carlos Vives, go double diamond<\/a> with his latest album; but Shakira has picked up the prestigious Victoria\u00b4s Secret<\/a> prize for the world\u00b4s sexiest curves<\/strong>. Just like hips, Science doesn\u00b4t lie; so don\u00b4t try to argue with it, OK?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. Bogot\u00e1: Hipster Leader<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Bogota's<\/a>
Bogota’s just so, like, hip…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Just beating out Portland and Melbourne, Bogot\u00e1 blitzed it<\/strong> in the Totes Inaugural Hipster<\/a> Leadership Awards That Gilesy Just Made Up. At the time of publication, the thriving Bogot\u00e1 hipster community reamained unavailable for comment, apart from citing that awards are “totes mainstream,” and that “we\u00b4re not hipsters: you don\u00b4t know us, brah.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These, of course, are just the top 6. Other citations include the founder of Lonely Planet<\/strong> naming Bogot\u00e1\u00b4s International Airport as one of his favourites<\/a>, Cali, as usual, being touted the world\u00b4s Salsa Capital<\/a>, and Colombia picked as the world\u00b4s friendliest country<\/a>. But, we already knew that, right?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I don\u00b4t know how to put this, but Colombia is kind of a big deal. We\u00b4ve been going on about how amazing this country is and how special travel in Colombia is for a few years now, and it\u00b4s quickly becoming obvious that the rest of the world is finally catching on. After seeing Bogot\u00e1 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":88889,"featured_media":10387,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[35,286,3,115,70,66,392,12,69,56],"tags":[2910,58,2891],"yoast_head":"\nAnd the winner is... 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