08 March 2013

scenes from the car, La Ceja



I just thought that I would share a couple more photos/ stories from Colombia.  One day, I asked Pablo to show me his grandparents' farm.  The farm is located just on the outskirts of La Ceja, the cute town pictured above.  La Ceja is a classic example of what is happening in many parts of Colombia (and no doubt countless other South American countries).  La Ceja is growing at a massive rate.  Right now, the town is caught between modernization and traditional agriculture.  Horse-drawn carts are still seen driving down the street, but now they are also sidelined by taxis and SUVs.  The fincas surrounding La Ceja are being swallowed by the expanding city.  Beautiful old haciendas are becoming apartment complexes.  Green spaces are concrete.  Soon the horses will no longer be needed.

I'm not trying to say that progress is necessarily a bad thing.  Bigger city means more jobs for more people to have a higher standard of living.  Poorly paid farm helpers and mayordomos can get office jobs, and save their backs a lot of pain.  It is sad, though, to see beautiful spaces disappearing.  To see the end of a lifestyle, to feel that one day, La Ceja will be just like any other urban area, crowded and loud.

1 comment:

  1. It is an ambivalent situation, that follows other cities in Columbia that are written about in the Book "Columbia"

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