The HDL Experience - Cali, Colombia

Cali is one of the most popular places in the world for SALSA dancing, sin duda (no diggity).

HDL = Hips Don't Lie

"This guy's a good dancer."

This is 'the game' we play often here which I seem to be losing a lot lately. It's one of those games when you have to be ready to play cuz you just never know when your opponent will strike.
Whenever we're out in a place where they play salsa music, (which is pretty much everywhere here) Muzz loves to point at me and tell a girl that exact quote. And once these Caleñas hear those magic words, there's no stopping them. All of a sudden I find myself being pulled on to the dance floor and there's no turning back.... ooh Baby. Nice trick, 1 point for Muzz. And the best part: I seriously have no idea how to shake what my Momma gave me (don't let the full black attire fool you - I ain't no dance instructor). But hey....I'm always down to give it a whirl.



Seriously. Who dances casual salsa with friends in the family room? I never hear and dance the 'Todo - Todo' whenever I hang out with my homies at Foxwood. Salsa Machines for reals...

"Oh I know I am on tonight my Hips Don't Lie
And I am starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see baby, this is perfection
Shakira, Shakira"

We arrived in Cali during their biggest festival of the year:
La Feria de Cali

This week long festival leading up to the New Year has the whole city out and about the streets all day and all night. Eating, dancing salsa, drinking, partying, more salsa dancing...



Streets are shut down and 10's of thousands of people gather around to for the Big parade. We didn't stay around long enough to catch the show and it was just too hot to be out there in the sun.


Fruiterias are everywhere.



Salsa and Reggaeton dance shows move the crowd.




COUCHSURFING

Here's the man himself: Francisco aka Pacho (aka Slater), our CS host.


Pacho hosted us in his 3 bedroom apt. during our entire stay.

We call this 'barf bag'


Pacho also has a huge dvd collection including Salsa dancing lessons. One night before going out, we popped in one of these bad boys and danced in his family room. Not with each other but with an air salsa partner. I imagined my partner to be sizzling hot. Good idea for practice, Bad for pre-going out sweats. We got about 4 basic steps down (mas o menos) and couple of killer twirl moves.


Pacho drove us around and showed us his city in his Mazda 323. On our first night here, he picked us up from the bus terminal and wasted no time at all. We met up with his BMX crew who introduced us to Colombia with the local drink: AGUARDIENTE & Poker Beer. Here, the liquor stores provide you with little white plastic cups to take shots with. Then we chilled around the Avenida Sexta area soaking in the Colombian lifestyle. Chévere.






Pacho & friends and the Cali Couchsurfing crew took us on a walking tour of the city where we listened to live music, checked out the bright holiday lights on display around the park, and chilled at a local bar...

"Cali es en la casa!"







We ended up at La Fuente salsa club and it was crackin'! A great opportunity to play 'the game.' This hot corner spot is basically just a dance floor with a capacity of only about 16 people, a tiny bar in the back, and speakers that blast the music out into the streets. Everyone else (todo el mundo) is outside chillin' on the sidewalk sippin' on booze or literally dancin' in the streets! So dope! Salsa looks freakin' cool if you know what you're doing. But there's no if in Mark.



As we are kickin' it outside the club, these 'Chiva' party buses cruise right by us with everyone onboard dancing to salsa of course, screaming & cheering, and drinking all the rum (or 'ron' as it's called here) they can drink.







On numerous occasions we would stop by Pacho's Grandma's house and every time they would offer us food in the form of a complete meal: soup, main dish, juice and sometimes dessert. Excellent eats.




And on New Year's Eve, Pacho's family served up 'something special.'





I practiced the countdown earlier in Spanish just to get used to it. When the time came, we shared a prayer together and next thing you know it was midnight. No countdown this year but nevertheless, we toasted and greeted each other with Happy New Year hugs.



Feliz Año Nuevo!!!! We even go outside to greet everyone else on the block.


We continued the festivities at an apartment with some couchsurfers from all over Colombia and representatives from England, Australia, Germany, Denmark, & Venezuela.

Surprise Surprise! The Salsa Machines are in the building tonight ...



Major sacrifice for Salsa dancing with no air conditioning.
I used up all the 4 moves I practiced earlier in just one song.... Now what?


Catching some fresh air outside wondering, "Why I am wearing pants?"






"I never really knew that she could dance like this
She makes a man wants to speak Spanish
Como se llama (si), bonita (si), mi casa (si, Shakira Shakira), su casa
Shakira, Shakira"