Felipe’s Casa & Deliflor in Guamito, La Ceja, Colombia (May 22, 2026)
I feel like I’ve been transported home to California. Felipe’s home is stunning, modern and this is my view from the sliding glass doors that open out to his back yard:
This is a truly wonderful view to wake up to as well as smell and hear
What an incredible first day! I just took in the neighborhood. That was truly enough. It started by waking up to my bird friends who have just had a few chicks and are teaching them how to bird.
Proud bird parent (1 of 2) singing their praises of their newborns
And then Mila wanted to play … hurry up already!
And then Felipe and I walked around the neighborhood to see the balance of the homes that have already been built and the lots that have been purchased, but currently being held (i.e. “land banking”) with no immediate plans to sell or build.
After walking around his neighborhood, Felipe took me across the street where we had an impromptu guided tour of a wholesale flower grower that comes from Holland. Yes, flower companies from the Netherlands recognize the rich soil and extended growing time available in this area of Columbia.
Despite growing a ton of flowers, the main purpose of this center is to grow and ship the seedlings all around the world. These are hybrid flowers that have been scientifically grown to combine rich, beautiful colors with various properties of flowers. My mother-in-law, Connie Knies, would have been in heaven here.
Juana Restrepo, responsible for PR, gives us a tour of Deliflor
This very much felt like a VIP tour. Juana Restrepo took the time to explain the rigorous testing process and the fact that they don’t sell any of the flowers they grow here. All we’re seeing is the final approval process before the flowers are approved to be converted into the seedlings they will then wholesale around the world. Meanwhile, the view is breathtaking. So many wild colors, shapes and exquisite beauty everywhere you look.
Felipe and I stand at the designated picture spot overlooking Deliflor
And the day wasn’t over yet. Now we get to spend quality time with Felipe’s wife, Angela. She wanted me to see another incredible town only 30 minutes away. I’m so glad that she did. Sitting down and talking about life, family, retirement, kids, and the world is one of the things I enjoy most about traveling the world. Here, we tried an incredible dish made of melted queso (cheese) with a mango-based marmalade, pecans and blueberries. It was like a combination of fondue drenched in a mango syrup.
The food was as delicious as our conversation.
Bill, Angela, and Felipe in front of Entrecote restaurant
That’s ONE way to kick off the experience of a totally new side of Colombia. Visiting a country like a local simply can’t be beat. I’m so incredibly fortunate to know Felipe and Angela. Together, I feel like I know this part of the world extremely well even thought I just arrived. I know my next few days here are going to be epic and I’m so glad I both came to Bogota and agreed to take a side trip to another part of Colombia to get immersed in more of the culture.
