by DL Cohen I thought Costa Rica, with its abundant natural beauty and incredible beaches, was my home away from home. That was before Colombia. Colombia is a different animal. Costa Rica feels a little like a playground by comparison. Colombia is a big country with country with big country problems. You could fit over 22 Costa Ricas into Colombia. Perhaps consequently, the main difference is in the cities. Costa Rica’s only city is San Jose, which for the most part is ugly and boring. Colombia has Medellin and Bogota and Bucaramanga and Cartagena and Cali—all large and interesting and very different from one another. If you prefer your vacations, or your life, centered around a bustling, growing metropolis, you couldn’t do better than a city in Colombia. There’s a palpable energy there.