{"id":2579,"date":"2014-04-18T22:55:29","date_gmt":"2014-04-18T21:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.danielebesana.com\/blog\/?p=2579"},"modified":"2014-04-18T23:22:51","modified_gmt":"2014-04-18T22:22:51","slug":"dance-salsa-barranquilla-colombia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danielebesana.com\/blog\/salsa\/dance-salsa-barranquilla-colombia","title":{"rendered":"Where to dance Salsa in Barranquilla, Colombia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lonely Planet guide to South-America says pretty clearly to skip Barranquilla because is too dangerous, too dusty and uninteresting.<\/p>\n

But in the city of world-famous Shakira, Salsa music is more popular than anything else and if you’re a Salsa lover would be a terrible mistake not to stop for a weekend here!!<\/p>\n

The Barranquilla I found is a big city going under a massive renovation, filled with very proud people ready to party anytime and not accostumed to tourists.
\nBarranquilleros<\/em>\u00a0were so friendly that I felt suspicious at times \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“La Troja” Salsoteca<\/h3>\n

\"Troja<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

In Barranquilla I visited (and re-visited the day after) one of the best Salsoteca I found so far: La Troja.<\/p>\n

As funny as the name sounds for an Italian, the place was awesome.<\/p>\n

It was recommended to me by random people I spoke with: I should have thank them more \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

The music, busting in the streets between carrera 44 and calle 74,\u00a0could be heard hundreds meters away making very easy to find this place.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0898.jpg\"<\/a>
“musicians”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once there, I found the most happy, friendly and party-like atmosphere.
\nLocals listening good music, drinking the night away with agua ardiente <\/em>bottles, dancing a bit, and even playing, as there were folks there with caw bells, claves and maracas!
\n“bacano!!” <\/em>as they say here in the coast, it’s the equivalent of the American “awesome!”, just used more often \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0924.jpg\"<\/a>
choosing a Pete Rodriguez LP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This cultural center (yes, is not a club!)\u00a0is the temple of Salsa in Barranquilla, a\u00a0real celebration of the good Salsa music playing from an impressive Salsa selection of 10.000 LPs and 2.600 CDs<\/span>, from the very old school Salsa till the latest hits – and on Sundays afternoons they even show videos and discuss about Salsa artists!<\/p>\n

I asked at the bar if I could take pictures of the place, and they showed me the huge music collection and introduce me the DJ… that soon after announce me at the microphone <\/strong>as a special guest from Italy! Bacano!!<\/em>
\nDidn’t I say that here are not used to tourists?? \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Here some pictures taken in the 2 nights… includng a man on a wheelchair dancing Salsa with his wife, a local Salsa beauty I met and one of the many drunkers that fell asleep with the 100+ DB music \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0894.jpg\"<\/a>
after Fidel the dictator of Salsa, here they have el guerrillero…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IMG_0934.jpg\"<\/a>
he was DANCING with his wife… Salsa is amazing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"IMG_0922.jpg\"<\/a>
not everyone could make it…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

As for the other places so far, also Barranquilla has the best music available but a dance culture very easy going.
\nNo spins, no cool moves, no shines. Just easy steps and lots of sabor for everyone to enjoy!<\/p>\n

All the pictures are here:<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0894.jpg\"<\/a>
after Fidel the dictator of Salsa, here they have el guerrillero…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

People told me that there are good Salsotecas also in calle 8<\/em>, but everyone warned me that the area is more dangerous and people not so nice, so I decided not to check that out… anyone knows something about other Salsa clubs in Barranquilla?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The song of Barranquilla: “En Barranquilla Me Quedo” (Joe Arroyo)<\/h3>\n

Joe Arroyo is not only popular in Cartagena.
\nAs I said already, it’s so popular all around Colombia that they even have a soap opera based on the life adventures of “El Joe”, broadcasted daily on a main TV channel!<\/p>\n

And the most popular Salsa song here is exactly from el Joe: “En Barranquilla me quedo”, that means “I stay in Barranquilla” is the perfect song for the Barranquilleros that are proud people, very in love with their own city and their costeno<\/em>\u00a0culture.<\/p>\n

It’s no doubt that here Joe Arroyo, Fruko y Sus Tesos and Latin Brothers are more popular than Shakira!<\/p>\n

Here is the video of this song, a real tribute to Barranquilla in the heart of all its citizen.<\/p>\n