"ADVENTURE TRAVEL" IN COLOMBIA - MOMENTS OF MAYHEM

Mark J. Curran

Description

Professor Mike Gaherty and Assistant Expedition Leader Amy Carrier experience wonderful travel, but also moments of mayhem and danger while scoping out the country of Colombia for a future Expedition Trip.
"ADVENTURE TRAVEL" IN COLOMBIA - MOMENTS OF MAYHEM
Or, Colombia Revisited is a return to the author's travel and research in Colombia years ago, but now revised and made into "historical and cultural fiction."
Professor Michael Gaherty and "Adventure Travel" Assistant Expedition Leader Amy Carrier travel to Colombia to research and scope out the country for a possible Expedition Trip by the Company. They experience wonderful travel moments, some moments of mayhem, and scary, dangerous surprises while on the journey.
Medellín, Santa Fé de Antioquia, Bogotá, Cali, Popayán, Silvia, Tunja, Places of Interest in Boyacá State including Villa de Leiva, and finally, Cartagena de Índias and Colombia's "Microcosm of the Caribbean", Isla San Andrés round out the itinerary.

Sujets

• Alternative History
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Trafford Publishing
• Date de parution: 26 juillet 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781698715032
• Langue: English

Extrait

“ADVENTURE TRAVEL” IN COLOMBIA - MOMENTS OF MAYHEM
 
OR, COLOMBIA REVISITED
 
 
 
 
Mark J. Curran
 
 
© Copyright 2023 Mark J. Curran. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6987-1502-5 (sc) ISBN: 978-1-6987-1503-2 (e)
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
Trafford rev. 07/25/2023
www.trafford.com North America & international toll-free: 844-688-6899 (USA & Canada) fax: [phone]
CONTENTS
Disclaimer
For the Inquisitive Reader
Preface
1     Travel To Colombia And The Introduction To Medellín
2     On The Road To Santa Fé De Antioquia
3     On To Bogotá And Its Pleasures And Perils
4     The “Primera Salida” - West And South To Cali, Popayán And San Agustín
5     On The High Road To San Agustín
6     A Return To Girardot And Taking Chances
7     The Foray To Tunja And Highlights Of Boyacá State
8     Highlights Of Boyacá State
9     The Best Of The Best – Cartagena De Índias
10   San Andrés Isla – Microcosm Of The Caribbean
Epilogue
About The Author
 
 
Map of Colo mbia
DISCLAIMER
In my recent book “‘Adventure Travel’ in Guatemala – The Maya Heritage,” I wrote a “Disclaimer” before proceeding with the book. Such is the case with this new endeavor on the country of Colombia.
Today as I write this new story and adventure in 2023, I am now much more aware of the happenings, strife, and bloodshed in much of the recent history of this beautiful country, but as with Guatemala I do not choose to write a negative or even depressing book about a country I love. Once again, I will write of what “could have been” in an idealistic way, albeit with dangers my wife and traveling companion did face, and with created “moments of mayhem.” Our story will be fictionalized in this book - Mike Gaherty and Amy Carrier of A.T. (Adventure Travel.)
Background to this book: My wife Keah and I were in Colombia in the Spring of 1975, a sabbatical from Arizona State University to investigate the Spanish Colonial Heritage in that country. There was always a police presence, but no more than in other travels in Brazil in the 1960s. The big fears were thieves and rampant crime from pickpockets and constant vigilance of possessions and luggage on local and inter-city buses. We were incredibly naïve, but I daresay our hosts who were caring people did not express undue fear for us and our itinerary. They never discouraged our exploring and trips but rather helped us plan them, and with great enthusiasm. Thinking back, someone surely watched over us, walking on city streets of Medellín, Bogotá, Popayán, Tunja, and especially Cartagena de Indias, and country lanes throughout the country, hitching rides at bus stops or on the open road. We were warned, for example, of danger and to avoid the “emerald zone” of old Bogotá, but we walked other nearby historic streets, and plazas, everywhere we wanted, and we saw all we wanted, albeit not at night.
I can only assume that the dangers expressed in the events list of the 1940s to 1990 (to be seen) were primarily in the jungle, deep mountains, and isolated forests and farms, ahem, with certain exceptions. We did not witness one such event.
At any rate, this book cannot be about violence, drugs, repression, guerrilla warfare and national upheaval. It will be as in Guatemala, a view pointedly IDEALISTIC of what Colombia had to offer. At least that is the intent.
FOR THE INQUISITIVE READER
A CALENDAR OF GENERAL EVENTS IN COLOMBIA FROM 1948 T0 1990
1948 to 1958. “La Violencia” - warfare between Liberals and Conservatives in Colombia
1958. There is an agreement to share power for sixteen years. Liberals and Conservatives will alternate in power until 1974.
1960s. The Catholic Priest Camilo Torres, the “Revolutionary Priest,” states that “Reform is only possible through violence.”
The 1960s
FARC begins (made up of Communists and “Common Liberals”)
ELN begins (made up of followers of Cuban style revolution)
EPL begins (made up of Maoist style revolutionaries on the Atlantic Coast)
The 1970s. There is an entirely new generation of rebels called M – 19.
Drug traffic is now essential to the entire national economy. It is a livelihood for the rebels. There is widespread social upheaval.
1978. The Federal Government initiates the “Public Safety Statute,” that is, dirty war tactics from Argentina: repression, disappearances, tortures, and political assassinations.
1982. There is a short hiatus brought about by a peace process and amnesty proposal by President Betancur from 1982 to 1986. (Note this is when our protagonists of the current book, Mike and Amy, are in Colombia.)
1985. M – 19 seizes the National Palace in a bold raid. Supreme Court Justices are killed as are civilian bystanders and some M – 19 Rebels.
1986. Drug traffickers are now big landholders. They establish their own militias to avoid extortion from the different Rebel Groups (FARC, etc.)
1989. Colombia declares the War on Drugs.
1989. Pablo Escobar of the Medellín Cartel commands cartel attacks.
1990. M-19 offers a cease fire; then its leader is killed.
1990-1994. President César Gaviria institutes Constitutional Reform, changes the national drug policy, lifts the state of siege, and stops the extradition of criminals. The result: the Medellín Cartel declares a truce. Escobar gives himself up in 1992 but escapes from his prison in 1993. This author met President Gaviria on the National Geographic Explorer Ship in 2013 and he spoke of reform rather than confrontation as the solution in Colombia.
The Cali Cartel now fights the Medellín Cartel. The Cali group helps the government find and kill Escobar in 1993.
1995. There are mass killings; the drug cartels rule over life. FARC, cartel mercenaries, para-militaries and government troops are all enmeshed.
2000. U.S. President Clinton declares war on drugs and offers millions of dollars in aid to Colombia and other countries to fight the war. $860 million go to Colombia alone. Guns, planes, arms.
PREFACE
Professor Mike Gaherty and Assistant Expedition Leader (AEL) of “Adventure Travel,” Amy Gaherty, are encouraged to join once again as “partners” in an “Adventure Travel” fact-finding trip to the country of Columbia in 1982 to scope out possibilities for an A.T. trip. If all goes well, A.T. travelers will make the same trek in1983.
The reader familiar with this series of “Adventure Travel” books will know that Mike in July of 1972 was invited to give cultural lectures for Adventure Travel’s trip from Manaus, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina on the flagship “International Adventurer.” On that wonderful trip Mike was introduced to Amy Carrier, an Assistant Expedition Leader on the ship, and a friendship (and later romance) flourished. They hit it off and became true “soulmates.”
Due to the success of that trip, Mike and Amy paired up again to scope out an A.T. trip to Mexico, told in the book “‘Adventure Travel’ in Mexico – Plans, Pitfalls and Perils.” It is 1974. Surprises and danger ensued.
Once again, due to past success, they performed the same task in Portugal and Spain, all recounted in the book “Portugal and Spain on the ‘International Adventurer’”. The trip was in 1977 in post – Franco and post – Salazar nervous days.
And, finally, the pair were together in Guatemala in 1981, reported in the book “Aventure Travel” in Guatemala – In Search of the Maya Heritage.” These were dangerous times in Guatemala, and all caution was advised.
We begin this narration in April of 1982 when Mike and Amy are in the central office of Adventure Travel with CEO James Morrison and are ferreting out first plans and itinerary for the trip.
Adventure Travel Headquarters in Westwood near U.C.L.A.
Spring break at the University of Nebraska, 1982. Just as in past times I flew into Denver from Omaha and spent the night at Amy’s parents’ house. The reader may recall our last night in Guatemala when I asked Amy where we stood (recalling all the ups and downs of seven years). She just said, “We are in a beautiful place, we are safe and maybe a little in love. We can leave the rest to ‘mañana!’”
That was nine months ago. In that interim I was “out to pasture” in Lincoln, busy, content with work, but lonely. Amy was busy on several A.T. trips all over the planet. The idea of a reunion of sorts, maybe even a rekindling of our off and on romance excited me, and when I called Amy with the idea of Colombia, she at least was initially curious and may I say, even enthusiastic. I worked out a tentative itinerary and precis for the trip, sent it to her, and after several long phone calls, she said, “Okay ole’ professor and friend, why not? Let’s give it a try. One provision: when we talk to James in April and present your/ our plan, I reserve the right to ask lots of questions and get some answers! Okay?”
Agreed!