Bogota, Colombia, travel blogger Juan Camilo Velez is changing the perception travelers have about his country one Instagram post at a time. The 27-year-old uses his travel blog, Kasedna_Travel, to show Colombia’s peaceful beauty. And perhaps a bit of his own, too.
Even as he travels “each corner of the world,” he makes it a point to truly discover his own region. An electric highlight of his region is one of the world’s biggest gay hot spots, Theatron, which he says is one of his favorite places to party.
He took time out of his travel schedule to chat with GayCities about his hometown, Colombia as a destination, and his marital status.
Where were you born? A small town in Colombia called Andes, which is two hours away from Medellin, in the middle of a beautiful and traditional coffee area.
Where do you live now? Currently I live in Bogota, but moving to Medellin soon.
How do you identify sexually? I’ve identified myself as gay since I was born. No question about it.
Are you singled, married, dating? Currently single. Just me, myself and I haha.
Favorite travel destination: Without a doubt, my own country Colombia. I have decided to explore it and it keeps surprising me every time I get to discover a new place.
Worst travel experience? My first time abroad in Mexico I was all by myself. On my way back to Colombia, I had confusion with the flight’s timing so I lost my flight. I was completely out of money because I spent it all, so I just started crying not knowing what to do. I called the airline and in the end the lady on the phone managed to help me, but there were a couple of really stressful hours for me not knowing what to do. Although it all worked out pretty well, I still remember that moment as if it was yesterday.
Dream travel destination: India. It’s a country that is so rich culture-wise and different from every place I have visited. I’m pretty sure it’s a place that can teach me so much and help me keep evolving as a person.
Where are you traveling next? A small town in Colombia called La Vega to explore the nature. And outside Colombia, my goal is to visit Europe this year.
Your first plane ride was 20-hours. Where were you going: My first long flight was to amazing Australia. I went there a couple of years ago to study English. I was both nervous and excited as it was my first time so far away from home and was going to a country that didn’t speak my native language, so I was scared to confront what my life would be there.
What are your favorite gay hangouts? Living in Bogota, of course one of the favorite hangouts has to be the club Teatron. It has a total of 13 different levels and is considered the biggest gay club in South America.
How do you relax while on vacation? I love being on the water, so the ideal vacations for me are close to a lake, river, the sea. I can get relaxed on vacation just by getting refreshed in the water and staying there as much as possible enjoying the moment and the nature around.
Carry-on bag must-have: My camera is the must have. Can’t travel without it.
What else we should know about you? For a couple of years now I gotten even more passionate about discovering and traveling in my home country Colombia to help change the idea most people abroad still have about the country. Although it’s true that we have had a lot of conflicts that haven’t allowed us to have a positive reputation around the world, this has changed over the last few years. So I love to show via my pictures the other side that people might not know and encourage them to visit this amazing place.
Find Juan Camilo Velez on Instagram.
Photos courtesy of Juan Camilo Velez
