Hola! My name is Hans Kolland; I am Austrian, that's the reason why the hostel is called ‘VIENA’. After traveling 6 years in Asia, I came to South America for the first time in 1990. I started in Venezuela, went down the coast to Brazil then traveling in Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Ecuador. I planned to cross though Colombia within two or three days, because of all the bad stories I had heard along the way. But in the end, I spent the most time in Colombia. 1992 i started up Casa Viena and still am here... together with Yaneth, my Colombian wife and our three kids.

Don't worry, Colombia is not this dangerous country like some people say, people that mostly don't even know it personally. Colombia of course has its own minor and major problems like other countries in Latin America, but these problems normally won’t affect you as a "backpacker". One of the advantages to traveling Colombia is that Colombians are some of the friendliest people in South America. There aren't many tourists coming to this country, so that rarity makes for romantic travel. Places aren't swamped with typical tourist shops you’ll find elsewhere.

Like in most other countries, as well here in Colombia, you have to follow some rules, like not to go out with all your valuables, not to change money on the street, as there are crafty “Quick-Change Artist” about. Most incidents of people got involved you could have been avoided. How? Just don’t "give papaya", which means, that you should not do anything that lets other people take advantage of you. But this rule isn’t unique to Colombia of course! In following common sense rules: taking precautions by learning where and where not to go, what and what not to do, you will not have more problems than in other countries.

Colombia is great! Come and enjoy it!