As a belated celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I wrote about some scientists I had the pleasure of meeting last October in Bogotá #WomenInSTEM #MujeresEnCiencia
Mujeres poderosas
Armero
Good afternoon! This post is the second of a trilogy of entries inspired by my recent visit to Colombia. In this piece, I reflect on my visit to the town of Armero, a site well-known to volcanologists worldwide for the tragedy that befell it in 1985. In the picturesque town of Honda, elegant bridges span … Continue reading Armero
How To Talk Like A Colombian
This is the second of a series of three posts on the vocabulary of the three countries I visited in Latin America: Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico. I collected expressions from friends and from conversations around me. Most of the three vocabularies are in Spanish, but include Quichua, Nahuatl, and Czech, among others. Language is a fascinating … Continue reading How To Talk Like A Colombian
Travels in Colombia No.5: Volcan de Totumo
On the Caribbean coast of Colombia is one of the strangest tourists attractions you'll ever find: an isolated clay pot, twenty metres high, bubbling inside with warm, scented mud. Visitors to Volcan de Totumo come to bathe in the mud, receive unctuous massages, and take hilarious selfies. I went to Totumo twice. The first time, … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.5: Volcan de Totumo
Travels in Colombia No.4: Feria de Manizales
April 18th, 2016The year began excellently, with a week-long stay at the 60th Feria de Manizales in the Eje Cafetero in Caldas Province, Colombia. While we were in Manizales we saw beauty queens, jugglers, birdmen, wild dancers, rappers, artists, street vendors, beggars, tourists, touts and vendors. This is a city that is painted red by … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.4: Feria de Manizales
Travels in Colombia No.3: The Cocora Valley
December 30th, 2015What is it that makes an experience unique?Yesterday we discussed this on our walk to our campsite (beyond the 'Al Rio' sign we found at the end of this post). We had believed Salento to be a picturesque little town curled sleepily among the sunlit coffee bushes, waiting to be discovered. Instead, we … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.3: The Cocora Valley
Travels in Colombia No.2: The Coffee Zone
December 29th, 2015In the central highlands of Colombia, a crop grows like wildfire. It flourishes on every hill and valley as far as the eye can see: enamelled green leaves with crinkle-cut edges, and glossy, dark red berries hanging like earrings below, spaced out on the vine. Coffee is intimately familiar to me. I associate … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.2: The Coffee Zone
Reasoning With Volcanoes 