DAILY PHOTO: Comuna 13

Photograph taken in Comuna 13 featuring large bust sculpture and an overview of part of Medellin.
Photograph near the primary entryway into Comuna 13.
Photograph of a pretty girl with heterochromia in Medellin's Comuna 13. The neighborhood, once famous for its crime and hidden guerrillas is now famous for its art.
Photograph of a mural map of Comuna 13.
Photograph looking up the hill on which Comuna 13 is located.

DAILY PHOTO: Réplica del Vieja Peñol

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Photograph of the town square of Réplica del Vieja Peñol, a copy of a village that was flooded when a river was damned to make a reservoir.

DAILY PHOTO: Huge Knockers of Cartagena

Photograph of a lion head door knocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.
Photograph of a reptilian doorknocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.
Photograph of a lionhead (or possibly doghead) doorknocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.
Photograph of a reptilian doorknocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.
Photograph of a tribal art doorknocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.
Photograph of a fish doorknocker taken in Cartagena, Colombia.

DAILY PHOTO: Three Views of Bogota’s CBD from Monserrate

Photograph of Bogota's Central Business District taken from low on the Monserrate trail.
Photograph of Bogota's CBD from the middle of the Monserrate trail.
Photograph of Bogota from Monserrate with yellow flowering trees.

DAILY PHOTO: In the Salt Mine, Zipaquirá

Photograph of a stone carved Virgin with baby Jesus in the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral in Colombia.
Photograph of colorful lights in the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, Colombia.
Photograph of a blue dome inside the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, Colombia.
Photograph: entering the cathedral of the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, Colombia.

DAILY PHOTO: Plazoleta de Los Zocalos, Guatape

DAILY PHOTO: Inside Centro Comercial Palacio Nacional, Medellín

PROMPT: Longest Trip

Daily writing prompt
What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken?

So far, life is the longest trip I’ve ever taken. The challenge of this question is knowing what counts as a “trip.” I lived in India for over 12 years? Was that a trip? It didn’t feel like it. It felt like my home was in a different country. I think I once spent about two months one Summer in Hungary back in the 90’s? Was that a trip or family time? I’ve spent about a month (just under what would be required to do a “visa run” — more of a fresh stamp run) in Thailand. I suspect the latter is what the question aims at. While I’m pretty far toward the traveler end of the Traveler – Tribesman continuum, 30 days moving about without being someplace that feels home-like is where it starts to wear on me. (Of course, being a traveler, any place can feel homelike if I don’t need to think about where to eat on a daily basis or how to do laundry on a weekly basis.)

Of course, maybe the question is drug related. In which case, I once had psilocybe mushroom tea, and that trip lasted about five hours?

DAILY PHOTO: Iglesia de San Francisco, Bogota

PROMPT: Budget Travel

What’s your best tip for budget travel?

Learn to love living lean.