Tierra Santa

In Barranquilla, there is a clothing store chain that is really popular among the inhabitants of the city, but which is practically unknown to outsiders. It was recommended to me by several of the people I met in Barranquilla, and I must say... I was amazed!

There are three warehouses located in strategic places in the city, I found two on the street where the North Station of the main city transport is, and the other one near the Autonomous University of the Atlantic.

The one near the station is located inside a shopping center, although it has a large sign with the name outside so that you can recognise it. There is also a small craft fair in front of the station, which is quite interesting and reasonably priced, so it is a good plan to buy clothes and souvenirs from your visit to Barranquilla.

The other, which is near the Autonomous University of Barranquilla, is more difficult to access by public transport, but has the advantage of having good parking next door, which makes it ideal for those who go in their own car.

The warehouses are owned by Arab immigrants who arrived in the 1960s fleeing the political wars that took place in that region of the world. Colombia, and especially the Atlantic coast, gave refuge and asylum to many Arabs at that time, including many Lebanese people.

Descendants of these immigrants are the owners of this store, hence the name "Holy Land" alluding to Jerusalem, the image that appears on the signs of the store is the dome of the Al Aqsa mosque, located in that city.

A bit of history

The Al Aqsa mosque was built on the land called "the embankment of the mosques" because there were three of them. It is a very ancient place of worship in Islam, in fact, it is said that the Prophet Muhammad visited it and from the ancient piece of stone (that the Jews claim is the same one Abraham was going to use to sacrifice Isaac on), he ascended to heaven guided by the angel Gabriel and spoke with other Prophets including Moses and Jesus.

Unfortunately in present times, the mosque has also become a place of conflict, due to the fact that the largest Jewish temple of the Roman Empire was built here as well by Herod the Great (the father of the Herod who gave the order to kill all the firstborn sons). This temple was destroyed in the '70s of the Christian era by the Roman army following the orders of the emperor Titus in his fight against the expansion of Christianity and against the third Jewish revolt that rose against the administration and power of Rome.

source

Only one raised wall remains of the majestic temple that was located there, which is known today as the famous "Wailing Wall". It was called this because of the many Jews that came to mourn the fall of the great temple and left prayers in each of the cracks. Today, the tradition of crying is maintained but instead of prayers, petitions are now placed there.

During the advance of Islam, many mosques were built including the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem that was on top of the rock from which the Prophet ascended to Heaven. However, as they were on the grounds of what used to be the temple, the Jews have always thought of the building to be an insult to them. With the conflict in Palestine, the majority of mosques have been destroyed, among them the Dome of the Rock, which some famous myths have said that it was the famous temple of Solomon, from which he gave orders to the winds and geniuses who were under his command.

The one that survived and was still standing complete was that of El Aqsa, however, in the recent bombing at the end of last year (2014), where there were 12 days of intense and uninterrupted bombings, the mosque was bombed and its walls resisted but the ceiling and minaret are on the floor.

Back to the warehouse

Returning to the conversation about the warehouse, they sell informal clothes for all ages for men and women and unisex. A lot of this clothing is imported from the Middle East, India and Pakistan so it is ideal for those who like long skirts, wide clothes and prints.

I would especially recommend the cotton clothes from Pakistan, they are soft, pretty, well-made and very comfortable and fresh for the hot climate. The quality of the clothes is excellent, I would say that I visited Barranquilla three years ago and the clothes that I bought then are still in perfect condition.

Furthermore, the prices are very favourable as well, there are clothes for every budget and there are also times where there are sales and promotions like 2for1, as well as discounts if you buy a lot of stuff, which is an excellent opportunity to stock up for your family.

One thing I loved about the store is that everything is ready for the buyer to see, compare and try on, and there are very nice employees who are willing to help, but also if you want to browse and choose at your own pace then you can also do that as well.. This was especially good for me as I like to buy clothes calmly and without having salesmen trying to convince me that anything I try on make me look like a pop star!

There is only one small problem, and that is that the fitting rooms are tiny and therefore slightly uncomfortable for someone who is a bit bigger or taller, I didn't suffer of course, I am the kind of person that fits into a suitcase but my husband is tall and he had to do a lot of juggling to be able to try on a pair of trousers! Furthermore, in the two warehouses that I visited, there were only two changing rooms and so there was a queue and you had to wait for your turn. But of course, this is fine with a bit of patience and free time.

In general, I would totally recommend a visit to the Holy Land shops, with a bit of money and a good amount of time, I'm sure you will be able to find some great bargains for your entire family. If you are from a cold part of the world and don't have many clothes for the heat in Barranquilla, then this is a great option for you to fill up your wardrobe.

Happy shopping!