Running Salsa Capital: Cali, Colombia

The 'looks familiar' Ermita church in the city center.

In my neck of the woods, the mere mention of Cali and Colombia conjures up images of a beverage, coffee, sugar, any or both of those two powdery white stuff, salsa music, and, yes, beautiful women! Having been there, I can attest that a few of these notions, to use a statistics term, are false negatives. Cali or Santiago de Cali, as the city is officially known, is Colombia's third largest city, founded in the country's western region by Spanish conquistadores in 1536. Before this, the place was inhabited by local Indian tribes, including cannibals, with the word 'Cali' being derived from one such tribe - the Calimas.

The Cali Tower: 3rd tallest building in Colombia.

With more than two million inhabitants, Cali is located on the Cauca Valley to the west of the Cauca River and to the east of the Western Mountain Range. The fairly flat city is about 1,000 meters (3,280 ft) above sea level making temperatures a bit cool and pleasant and the vegetation lush all year round. Among the interesting sights to visit are the Plaza de Caicedo, a park in the city center that is flanked by the National Palace, the Cathedral, and the San Francisco monastery. Within walking distance is the third tallest building in Colombia- the Cali Tower- and on the other end of the city is the famed Cali Zoo- rated among the top five zoos in Latin America.

The popular MIO: 243 km of dedicated bus lanes.

One of Cali’s unique features is the massive public bus transit system- the Masivo Integrado de Occidente or MIO- that is similar to the one I saw in 2004 in the world-renowned model for urban planning- Curitiba, Brazil. Using dedicated bus lanes running in the middle of major thoroughfares and designed to become the primary system for connecting the entire city, the MIO is presently 243 km long but already integrates to the transport system other public services and amenities such as sidewalks, parks, gardens, public squares, and recreational facilities.

Oval in front of my Cali hotel: street running not advised.

Sporting events are popular in Cali. As early as 1971, the city hosted the Pan American Games, which earned the city the tag as the 'sports capital of Colombia'. In fact, the city will host the World Games 2013. Football and basketball are the two most popular sports. The city will soon have two football stadiums, one each for each of its two professional football teams. Bullfighting, another local favorite sport, is held every year during the Cali Fair and is very popular with locals and tourists alike.

A 12K running route along the riverbank to the city center.

In running, Cali hosts the Rio Cali Race which is actually composed of two major events- a mid-year half marathon and a December 10k race called Carrera del Río Cali. The pedestrian paths on both sides of the Cali River, flanked by many restaurants, hotels, and museums, dotted by a number of parks with benches, and planted to various palm and other trees, is a very nice place to do some running. The western portion leading to the Cali Zoo is specially recommended as it is considered one of the most peaceful zones in the city.

Bike and running (?) lanes along a highway near Palmira.

I was recently able to some running in Colombia during a work-related visit to Cali and Palmira, a smaller municipality 17 miles east of Cali, where the major airport of the Cauca Valley is located.  The Palmira run, along sugar cane plantations intended for sugar and bioethanol production was most pleasant and worry-free. In the distance and on practically all sides could clearly be seen the mighty ranges of the Andes mountains. Also good places to run in Palmira were the dedicated bike lanes as well as some of its beautiful parks. The riverbank run in Cali, on the other hand, was one to enjoy due to the greenery. It also afforded me the chance to go a bit back in history, with beautiful Spanish era landmarks being aplenty.  The only problem was in crossing the streets traversing the riverbanks due to incessant traffic and the 'my vehichle is king' mentality.

Running the palm-tree adorned parks along the Cali River.

But if one is not into running or sports, there is no reason to despair. There is always the Cali Fair to enjoy during the last week of each December with activities such as horse parades, cultural shows, and concerts. Then there is the Salsa Festival held in early July where the world's most popular salsa bands perform and the best salsa groups dance in competitions. Cali has produced famous salsa groups such as the Sonora Carruseles, Orquesta Guayacan and Grupo Niche. Known also throughout South America for having the most beautiful women in Colombia, Cali is also a prime destination for those seeking affordable cosmetic surgery. The city’s surgeons are said to have shaped some of the country's most beautiful women though, exactly who and which part was tinkered with, nobody is telling!

The banana-based patacones and delicious Cali dishes!

Finally, for those preparing to run marathons, as I was during my stay there, the banana plantain-based patacones could provide the more common pasta and pizza truly and literally very stiff competition!  Now, wouldn't these all make Cali a runalicious, danceable, and beauteous destination?