by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 19, 2013 | Colombia, Cooking, Food, Health, Nutrition, Recipes
Now that the first snowflakes are blowing our way here in Canada, I am missing the warmth of South America even more. Since vegetables in Colombia, South America are often hard to come by in traditional dishes, I often find myself piling on the “hogao”, a delicious vegetable salsa. I’ve since come to associate the taste with travelling, smiling friends and happy memories in the Andean sunshine. Here is a recipe for the delicious Colombian food staple that can be used as a dip for fried plantain, yucca, crackers or tortilla chips. It can also be used as a topping to meat, soups or sandwiches. (more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Oct 22, 2013 | Colombia, Culture, South America, Travel
I have been on hiatus from this blog because I went back to Colombia for vacation. Colombia is a country in which I’ve spent a lot of time in in the past few years, since living there from 2008-2010, and disconnected completely from technology.
My smartphone (poor neglected thing) lay buried under dirty laundry at the bottom of my backpack and I removed my watch for the next few weeks, relying on the kindness of neighbours to tell me what time it was, when it mattered enough to ask.
There was something liberating about the simplicity of it all, the way life felt slower yet fuller, as though each moment had space to breathe. It was a stark contrast to the frenetic energy of my usual days, and I soaked it in like a parched traveler finding an oasis.
Interestingly, this trip reminded me of another cherished destination, Bondi, where a similar rhythm exists amid a completely different landscape. The relaxed vibe of Bondi, with its sun-drenched beaches and laid-back charm, shares that same ability to make time feel irrelevant. Whether it’s lounging on Bondi’s golden sands, watching surfers carve through waves, or strolling along its famous coastal walk, there’s a quiet invitation to pause and be present.
Much like the mountains and villages of Colombia, Bondi offers a reprieve from the digital grind, urging you to trade notifications for the natural world. It’s these kinds of places, where connection is more about people and place than Wi-Fi, that remind me how much beauty there is in simply existing without distractions.
Each time I venture across the Western Hemisphere to return to Colombia, it feels like trying a favourite dish in new ways; the past 11 months of life experience bring out certain flavours that I never noticed before and that add an exquisite richness to the palate of cultural experience. The more times I go, the more it feels like home, as if the culture has nuzzled its way into a part of me and I can never consider myself simply a “Canadian” again. Here are some of the experiences I had that, I believe, can only be found in this loving South American nation.
You know you’re in Colombia when…
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 29, 2013 | Colombia, Community, Food, Human Rights, Nutrition, Protests, South America
Globalization has selected its next victim. In July, 2012, Colombia signed a free trade agreement with the United States. Fuelled by the desire to “develop” economically, i.e.: have access to the amenities and material goods of the first world, the initial reaction was quite positive. Citizens flocked to multinational brands like GAP and many excitedly awaited the promise of the arrival of Starbucks. On August 1, of this year, the free trade agreement with the European Union also came into effect.
Since signing the free trade agreement, imports from the US to Colombia have increased by about 70%, according to Counterpunch, “In 2011, Colombia imported 5,000 tons of rice from the US. In the year after the fta came in, 98,000 tons were imported.”
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Mar 18, 2013 | Colombia, Dessert, Diet, Digestion, Food, Health, Jungle Medicine, Nutrition, South America
While traveling in South America, people sometimes ask me what I do for a living. Unlike some of the reactions I sometimes get in North America, when I tell people from South America that I’m a naturopathic medical student, I usually get warm, excited responses.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 3, 2012 | Colombia, Nature, Outdoors, Philosophy, Photography, Travel, Travel Stories
The trail in Tairona National Park, from the entrance of the park to the campsite we stayed at, took 4 hours to hike. Burdened with heavy backpacks and cotton shirts sticking to our backs with humid sweat, we traipsed through the jungle. Straw hats scratching hairlines, shoulder straps pressing into flesh and legs shuddering with the extra weight we climbed, feeling the rain tickling our skin, diluting our sweat in the hot, sticky air. There was nowhere to go but onward.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 27, 2012 | Colombia, Long Distance, Love, Relationships
I have been in a long-distance relationship with J since August 2010. Here is my reflection. It’s a rollarcoaster of emotions – the oscillation between being OK with it – the “it’s better this way, we’re both so busy we wouldn’t survive if we were physically together” – and complete dejection and despair.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 10, 2012 | Art, Colombia, Nature, Nature Cure, Photography, South America, Travel
Treat yourself to some visual nature cure with green scenes from Colombian towns around Bogotá and Medellín. 2012.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 3, 2012 | Balance, Colombia, Cooking, Culture, Diet, Digestion, Elimination Diet, Food, Food Sensitivities, Gluten Free, Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Photography, Restaurants, South America, Travel, Travel Stories
It´s been a while since I´ve talked about food on this blog, which is a shame, since this blog is about naturopathic medicine and, as Hippocrates said, “let food be thy medicine.” Any naturopathic doctor will tell you that a great diet is the key to health, happiness and longevity. I´ve just gotten back from my fourth trip to Colombia and have decided to reflect on my most recent experience with Colombian cuisine.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 23, 2012 | Balance, Colombia, Community, Culture, Emotions, Family, Music, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Politics, South America, Summer, Travel, Travel Stories
The first thing I notice about Bogotá, when descending the rickety stairs of the airplane, is the smell: a strange mixture of damp clay, lush green vegetation and diesel smoke. The altitude provides a lightheaded feeling of well-being and forceful palpitations of your abdominal aorta begin somewhere between your sternum and navel.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Apr 25, 2012 | Art, Balance, Beauty, Colombia, Colour, Culture, Photography, Travel, Travel Stories
Some photographic memories from Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. 2009.
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