Colombia: The Senses of “La Tierrita”

Here in Colombia, everything is connected—from the guy selling green Claudia plums from his cart downtown, to the girl working at one of the country’s top companies making ten million pesos or more. Wondering why we’re so connected? It’s simple: we’re a country full of physical, social, and sensory contrasts, and in our daily life we interact with everything “la tierrita” gives us. That place we’re increasingly proud of and that makes us more attractive to visit every day.

To help you get it, here are some particular reasons or facts that explain it all—from what you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste.

Through Sight:

Here in La Tierrita, you’ll find sprawling mountains in endless shades of green—even from the moment your plane is landing. But it gets even better once your feet hit solid ground.

You’re met with all the colors the city has to offer—it doesn’t matter if you see a modern building with a señora’s empanada stand right at the entrance, a cart roaming the neighborhoods with a megaphone selling seasonal products, buñuelo and fritter stands on every corner, people heading to work, cars rushing to their destinations, streetlight performers, and suddenly—there’s a tree-filled park, a tiny craft stand where the vendor just wants happiness and shares it, and those characters wandering around like they have no direction but still complete the scene. That’s who we are.

And if not, just take a look at this character… A legend!

Have you ever taken a moment on your route to truly take things in? What if you try it once and tell us about it? That’s when you start enjoying La Tierrita more—through what your eyes can offer. You’ve got to please them and yourself. It’s not just about following the same old route.

And what about seeing the outfits, messages, and colors worn by people who want to express something but can’t say it out loud? Their perfect outlet and a way to unleash their essence is through what they wear. If you like what you see but haven’t found how to express it yet—we can lead you to that. With FOU, you can do it. Though stereotypes may threaten our identity, here fashion truly is a form of personal expression and identity for everyone.

Take a look here after reading the article and see for yourself:
https://fou.com.co/36-yage

Through Touch:

“Looking and not touching is missing out on something amazing.” The magic of touch can be felt in everything you do here in La Tierrita. Let’s start with the basics—which, just because they’re basic doesn’t mean they’re not incredible. Have you ever enjoyed the warmth of your hands around your first coffee mug of the morning? Or what about feeling the leaves of the trees, water, the hands of someone selling you something or greeting you, street fruit vendors, the crafts from the hippie you bump into?

Heading to the farm and finding seasonal crops, getting your hands dirty with wet soil and grass only the countryside gives. Have you ever felt a farmer’s hands? There’s no better sensation—no better representation of having a close relationship with Mother Earth.

Through Hearing:

Hearing is one of the senses you can engage the most in Colombia. Your ears are nourished from the moment you get out of bed—the breeze shaking the trees, birdsong that, if you stop to listen, you realize comes from different species.

And once you step outside, you can even enjoy the passing cars, the street performer playing the day’s set for a few coins. But the best part is that if you get tired of the urban vibe, you don’t need to teleport to reach something more natural. The best thing about La Tierrita is that no matter where you are, you can enjoy the sounds of any natural landscape—desert, sea, rivers, lagoons, reservoirs, páramos—giving you a different soundtrack of the land.

You can also hear and catch the smile of someone just walking by—“the beautiful faces of beautiful people.” Let that curious side of you roam free while you “accidentally” listen to the conversations of people walking the streets—proudly “from the tierrita.” That’s who we are!

Or, if you prefer, put on some headphones to create your own soundtrack while you move through the places you want to enjoy—just mix it with what you see, so your eyes give visuals to the music you’re hearing. What if you turn it into your own movie? A real and brutal film of what it’s like to walk the streets of your city or explore the hills of your region.

Here, according to our team of music lovers, are some soundtracks to help you enjoy your surroundings:

1. Eric Burdon and War – Spill the Wine (1970)
   A perfect morning track—smooth, ideal for being out in the countryside with a view and, like the song says, a good wine. Just don’t spill it—drink it. We recommend heading to eastern Antioquia to enjoy the chilly mornings and that sneaky fog in places like Marinilla, El Carmen, San Vicente, El Peñol, Guatapé, Santuario, or Rionegro. Ever had a natural adventure and enjoyed the cold?
   
   
   
   

1. Stavroz – Talabout
   The fascinating mix of sounds in Stavroz’s sets can help you enjoy La Tierrita at any time of day—even at night—with a mellow hangout and good conversation. And what better place for that vibe than the calm beaches of Palomino, between La Guajira and Santa Marta, where you can even see the Buritaca River meet the sea.
   
   https://youtu.be/w7Si6jbupTQ
   
   

1. Gabor Szabo – Spellbinder
   Spellbinder is a perfect track for exploring the city, letting the mix of exterior sounds and colors move you—people, music, walking to the rhythm. Just watch your step. Everyone has their own soundtrack whether exploring downtown Bogotá or the heart of Medellín—you’ve got a great tune to make your own urban film.
   
   

1. Pink Floyd – One of These Days
   If we want movement—energy, guitar, drums, rock—Pink Floyd is essential for doing what we feel like one of these days. You can enjoy a bike ride through any of the cycle routes across the country and run into pleasant surprises—or not-so-pleasant ones, like whoever blocks the path.
   
   https://youtu.be/yAgx-gHrOAM
   
   

And if we’re talking about “la tierrita,” why not talk about traditional Colombian music? Because we’re Seres Fou—and while we value our culture, mixing all the senses mentioned in this blog is a win for us.

Stimulating Smell:

To experience the best of La Tierrita, you don’t need to go to the usual tourist spots. The more hidden, the better—and the better the scent. Every place here has its own smell, and if you closed your eyes, you’d know exactly where you are. It’s completely different to walk through the mountains and smell flowers and earth than to walk a street with both pleasant and not-so-pleasant smells. The steam rising after a sudden rain on a sunny day, the scent of people, commerce, nightlife, buses—each smell is either enjoyed or adds to the picture you’re part of. Everything is scenery here—but if you let your senses guide you, everything shifts and becomes more enjoyable. That’s why your sense of smell needs real scents.

What if you close your eyes for a moment on your walk and just smell?

Through Taste:

Just like the places you see and visit don’t always have to be the same, food works the same way. It’s not all bandeja paisa. There are different options that appear on the scene and you miss out on them because you sink into habit and monotony—hotel food or a tour guide who only wants money. Why not explore—with care—the different flavors that show up, from a street food cart or the guy selling mangos with salt and lemon, to a well-known restaurant? Either way, you’ll always find flavors from La Tierrita that make your taste buds explode with delight.

When you’re from La Tierrita, it doesn’t matter where you go, where you are, or how much money you have—you’ll always find your way back here. And it doesn’t matter if you’re visiting or local. It’s so true that even people who aren’t from here stay—or promise to return. And it’s not just the tourist looking to explore their sexuality or get high—it’s people who come to truly know La Tierrita from its essence. So the invitation is open to everyone—those who live here and those who visit.

In the end, the point is that you go for it and, as always, understand that the best of La Tierrita isn’t what you always see—it’s the things that are out of the ordinary.