Life in Barranquilla

Although not wealthy and luxurious with its large port and large immigrant poplution Barranquilla is a vibrant cosmpolitan city. Located not far from the Equator it is more suited to those who like the heat and wanting to avoid cold winter weather.

Most first time visitors and tourists to Barranquilla will spend much of their time in the main commercial area of the city between Hotel El Prado and Centro Comercial Buenavista or possibly just outside the city on Barranquilla’s beaches. Despite the fact that the north is the most affluent area of the city and where everyone would like to live it is probably the noisiest area during the day as well as the most polluted – and just as humid as the rest of the city.

Given the size of the population of Barranquilla it is suprising how you can see same strangers several times in the space of two weeks in completely different areas if you are observant. This is partly because only a very small percentage of the city live in the north and very few from the south will ever travel to the North apart from to go to work and the businesses in the North of the city (restaurants, bars, shops) tend to cater to a small exclusive community within the larger population.

Barranquilla Culture

Life in Barranquilla is full of colour and contrasts where despite an easy going attitude found on the coast cars race through the streets, often crossing into oncoming lanes while mules pull carts laden with across the busy intersections. Pause too long near the side of a road and a swarm of bright yellow taxis will head towards you like bees.

Middle class families will often rely upon a maid to take care of the mundane tasks and richer families will rely upon a team of people to help them through the day. The low minimum wage (about 200 US $ a month – depending on the exchange rate) means that where a person can carry out the work there is no incentive to invest in costly equipment, gardners for instance will sit on the grass slowly cutting away at the lawn with clippers and why buy bottles of juice when you can pay the maid to squeeze it freshly?

When you arrive in Barranquilla you are arriving in a different culture where it is still typical for the man to be the main earner for the household. Although there are an increasing number of women who do work in the professions such as lawyers and dentists many still consider that if you are financially well off the wife should not work. Work for many takes second place to maximizing your happiness and enjoyment and being with family. Colombians are passionate about life and live to live not live to work.