PROFLORA INTERNATIONAL FLORAL SHOW
Bogata is the capital of Colombia, where many flowers are grown,and shipped all over the world. In fact Columbia is the second largest importer of flowers in the world. Pro Flora is an association of flower growers and distributors in South America Central America and in Europe. This conference only happens every few years. I had no idea when I decided to visit my friend in Columbia that I would be able to see something I’ve never seen in my life a part of my industry that is just so overwhelming and sensor overload that I never dreamed I’d be capable of attending this event. It’s so many vendors from all over the world but mostly in Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. For those of you that do know me or new readers I have traveled around for quite a number of years on my own but I am a event designer who does weddings and events and Decore landscape and much much more. The flower industry has been a huge part of my life for almost my whole life it started back when I was 10 years old and went On a trip with my father. We went for a four hour ride to buy some parts for something that we needed for our pool and on the way I saw flower growers and fields and fields of flowers and I begged my father to stop and let me run through the flowers as a little girl. On the way over he wouldn’t let me do that but. on the way back he stopped and just let me run as much as I wanted to through acres and acres of all kinds of flowers. I really think that was my introduction to the love and passion of the floral industry.
We went to pro Flora very early in the morning, we attended the inauguration ceremony which was in a huge auditorium packed with people from all over the world mant. had headsets on for translation of the Spanish, and everyone was dressed in business attire. The association of floral board had members from all over the world. It was very impressive, and I was happy to see that there were three women that actually were a part of this association in high places. The public can attend pro Flora, but only after the first day, the first day is trade only and is something that I’m familiar with but lost touch up. In the shows they have live music they have food they have wine they have cocktails and basically what they do is whine and dine you so that they can attain your business and gain clients through their hospitality. After the presentation they shot confetti throughout the crowd and then they honored a man, a man who was over 100 years old. He flew all the way from United States, he was the first person to ever ship flowers to United States. It was pretty emotional for everybody to think that he was smart enough to know that the product from these countries are just impeccable and that the rest of the world needed to see how beautiful these flowers really are. It’s a huge industry here in fact, it’s a port so many people that most of the country now grows flowers in many areas. At this time I’m in Rio Nigro, there are so many farms and green houses here that I plan to go with my friend to visit some more just to see the processes and learn more about life. Pro Flora was one of the most incredible experiences I know I’ve use that word a lot but it really was incredible!!
I just couldn’t believe the smell, and the look of all the most beautiful flowers in the world from tropicals to tiny little daisies the most beautiful roses someone 10 feet tall. The displays the arrangements the colors just so pretty. I think I made one of my bucket list. If you ever come to Columbia you must check out the flower farms it’s so inexpensive and it’s such an interesting thing to do. Plus if you do it through a tour company which normally cost about $30 and you see two farms they treat you as kings & Queens.
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