Colombia: Cali

In San Agustin we had booked the bus ride to Cali. We had made sure to inquire that it would be a direct connection to Cali. Of course! So we set off in a relatively comfortable bus. After a few hours of driving and as the bus became emptier, suddenly it was announced that this bus would no longer continue and we would have to transfer. And so, despite protests, we were squeezed into another tiny bus, which was already very full. We should have known. The whole procedure repeated itself again after a few more hours, and this time the bus became even smaller and more crowded. However, the locals made a great effort to make enough space for the big Gringo, they moved around, squeezed together, really very lovely. And eventually, we finally arrived in Cali.

The first time we were in Cali was to look for a ticket shop, so to speak, the local ticket corner. I had bought tickets online for the salsa circus "Delirio" some time ago. I paid for them with my credit card, but never received a confirmation for ticket pick-up. We didn't get a response to several emails from the company, so we decided to search for a sales point on site. We found one, and there we also found a rather unmotivated lady who made a few calls to her boss, but otherwise showed little effort to solve our problem. The conclusion was: Your tickets don't exist. The stupid thing was that we had paid quite a lot of money for the tickets, and it had actually been deducted from my credit card. So we stood at this stand for a total of about 3 hours (!) and alternated between talking to the unmotivated lady and her boss, without making any progress, it was simply desperate. At some point, we were on the verge of just buying new tickets because we really wanted to see this show and had come to Cali especially for it. Jörg was getting angrier and angrier, and at some point the lady seemed to have gotten scared, so she secretly called security, at least suddenly 3 young men in uniforms were standing around us. We explained our problem to the men, and they started making phone calls themselves. And behold: one of the security guys managed to reach the company's headquarters in Bogota, and presto, our tickets were there and could be printed immediately. Thank goodness. We were very relieved and grateful for the efforts and help of the security guys.

The second time we were in Cali was when we returned from Buenaventura. Finally, the long-awaited salsa circus "Delirio" took place. We had read a lot about it, and the show was highly praised everywhere. It takes place once a month in Cali, and we had planned this part of our trip in southern Colombia specifically around this date.

The venue is located outside the city, about 35 minutes by taxi. What we saw was simply fantastic. The entrance area in front of the tent was huge, it resembled a festival, there were various stands where you could get free drinks or have your photo taken. Everything was beautifully decorated, there were masked entertainers, the atmosphere was very lively and festive. There was a smoking area with small tables and fountains, a souvenir stand, and as I said, plenty of alcohol everywhere.
When it was time for the show, we were led to our table. We had one in the second row just to the right of the main stage. Here too, everything was very festive. The drinks were only offered as whole bottles, so we treated ourselves to a small bottle of rum and an appetizer platter.
And then it started. I think my jaw was open the whole time during the show. It was typical Colombian salsa: fast... very fast...! However, I have to correct a statement I made in a previous travel report: I said back then that I didn't really like Colombian salsa because you don't notice the individual movements due to the speed. Correction: If they are such professionals as these, then you definitely notice the movements anyway! It was unbelievable. I think this is probably the best salsa the world has to offer! The stage design and costumes were also very elaborate and impressive.

Nevertheless, it must be said that it is mainly about the dance. It has relatively little to do with a circus, apart from some acrobatic performances like on the trapeze. Here, I also noticed the only negative thing: there was always a little too much shown at the same time. For example, during the acrobatics, there was always simultaneous dancing on the stage. So you didn't have the opportunity to really pay attention to both. Personally, I would have preferred it if dance and acrobatics had alternated.

When the show ended, we returned to the hotel quite enchanted, in a good mood and a bit tipsy.
"Delirio" is really absolutely recommendable! If you are nearby and can arrange it, you should definitely not miss it. It is relatively expensive by Colombian standards, but firstly it is definitely worth it and secondly, you can get more value for your money if you take it easy on the free drinks in the beginning. 😊

Otherwise, we didn't see much of Cali itself. But we often read and heard that there isn't much to see, except that it is known as the salsa capital. Apart from that, it is not considered a very safe place. Let's see, maybe we'll have more time next time.