Colombia is a country full of contrasts: drug wars and joy of life, natural beauty and environmental destruction, jungle and million-strong metropolises. Fifty million people live along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, between the Andes and the Amazon. After half a century of civil war, one of the oldest democracies in Latin America hopes for stable peace. However, poverty, crime, and corruption remain significant challenges for politics and society. Simón Bolívar, Gabriel García Márquez, the FARC, and a president who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - Martin Specht tells the story of the country's turbulent history and its tense present. He also honors the remarkable resilience of its inhabitants in facing everyday problems.