Update

Things have been amazing here in Bogota; we've done everything from play basketball to touring the city on bikes (after these hills at this altitude and the traffic here, riding a bike in Baltimore this fall should be no problem!!), drinking, and attending the Bogota Gay Pride Parade. All of it's been enchanting; I really don't ever want to come home.

In order to get some more experience out of my time here, I'm leaving in a few minutes for Santa Marta, which is up on the Caribbean coast. I'll be going on a 2-day bus trip to get there with Teresa, from Great Britain. We'll also meet up with another girl from our group here at the hostel, Nancy, also from Great Britain. I'm looking forward to soaking up some sunshine for a few days before returning to Bogota Saturday for Rock the Park, a large 4-day long outdoor music festival.

Drums, Gays, and Crepes

After the fun of Friday night, most of us were feeling the need to have a relaxed and laid back Saturday. The morning was spent lounging and watching movies, followed by some delicious Asian rice and sushi at a little place in El Chorro. Then we decided to walk around, ducking into little stores as they caught our fancy. One of the places we really liked was a hair salon which also sold clothing, journals, and knicknacks. It's manifesto was related to providing an open space for creativity and self-expression; it appears that they hold cultural and musical events there each Friday night, so I will have to check one out.

On our walk, in the Parque de los Periodistas, there was a Colombian drumming group playing. It was definitely the kind of music which compels you to dance, demands that you do not sit still. We spent at least 45 minutes in thrall to their rhythms.

To clarify the 'we' to whom I refer, I was spending the afternoon with Tess, Nancy, and Alex, all from Great Britain. Those of you who have followed my travels know that this has been my first experience with hostel life. I love it! It's quite incredible to have the ability to meet all different people, and as you are drawn together in the pursuit of travel, you already have certain base commonalities. Once you find people you really click with, then it is truly an amazing find. There are people from this trip that I may never see again but will certainly never forget.

Saturday was also the birthday of Whitney's friend Raquel, so we had a delicious Italian dinner, albeit with lousy service, and later drinks and a shisha bar. It was a quiet night, followed by a few rounds of Never Have I Ever at the hostel to keep it interesting.

Sunday was a exuberant day in Bogota. The annual Gay Pride Parade was on, and everyone was out in their most fantastic gear. Everyone was drinking in the streets, dancing to the music, and celebrating life. The parade wound from the La Macarena neighborhood down Septima towards PLaza Simon Bolivar, where it ended in a concert performed by Lady Gaga impersonators. It was my first gay pride parade, but it certainly won't be my last!

Thanks to the day drinking that occured, I decided not to join the groups going out. Instead, I stayed at the hostel, discussing Canadian politics with Cam (hostel worker from aforementioned country) and playing cards with Frann.

Monday was Alex's last say, so we went out ot lunch at a nearby Italian place. I wasn't hungry yet, so I later joined Whitney and Yoav for some food at Crepes and Waffles, which is as delicious as it sounds. The rest of the afternoon was passed with Whitney meditating in the park. At night, we drank a bit, and I ended up watching another movie with Frann.

Lago Guatavita and Biking in Bogota

Thursday morning, we set out from Bogota and headed for the Transmilenio station. This is the main form of transportation around the city, which I´d already experienced when accompanying Whitney to her class. Luckily, this time we were not taking the bus during rush hour, and we were able to get seats. Good thing, because the ride to the other side of Bogota had to have taken 40 minutes to an hour. We spent all of it talking nonstop. At the Portal del Norte station, the last on the line, we switched to a smaller bus, a bit bigger and nicer than the one pictured here. This next bus took us to Sesquile, a small town maybe another 40 minutes from Bogota. I have to say, I´ve never had a trip with better conversationalists than Peter and Tess!

Sequile was a small and beautiful town set in the foothills of the Andes mountains. It was a bit of a foggy morning, as you can tell from this picture, but it only added to the mystical atmosphere of the mountains.
Despite its relative lack of size in comparison to Bogota, Sesquile hosted one of the most impressive pastry shops any of us had ever seen- we´re talking possibly thousands of croissants, watermelon decorated cookies, and a giant coconut and cream ball that, much to our chagrin, we never got around to tasting.

From Sesquile, we boarded a smaller colectivo bus like the one pictured above, and our driver dropped us off at a lane which led to Lake Guatavita. A fifteen minute walk led us to the entrance to the park for Guatavita, and another fifteen or so led us to the beginning of the actual climb. Besides the continued discussions about random topics from vegetarianism to movies (both seen and in script form) to outer space travel and death, we were able to enjoy being out of the city and really in nature- see side picture. Finally, I got my wish to hike in the Andes! Parts of the upward climb definitely had me out of breath, but once we got to the top it was absolutely worth it.








As I mentioned, it was a foggy day. I´m sure the lake would be beautiful under any circumstances, but I think I prefer the view that we had. It made things seem so mysterious and incomprehensible. Muisca (people indigenous to the area) chieftains in the past had painted themselves with gold dust and immersed themselves in the lake as part of religious ceremonies, which is how the legend of El Dorado began. To be honest, the way we were able to see the lake, and given that there were few other tourists there on a rainy, gray day, made you feel that at any moment the low hum of beating drums would be heard, and a brightly decorated boat would emerge from the riachuelo into the lake for the ceremony to begin.

Alas, it didn´t, and instead we eventually walked back down from the lake. The colectivo driver who had dropped us off was supposed to come back around 5:30. Since it was only 2:45, we decided to stop by one of the small restaurants along our walk up. We were accompanied much of the way by an adorable black lab puppy dog, who was our self-appointed guide for the trip. We ended up eating in the foyer of a lovely Colombian woman, who served homemade arepas, agua panela, and cafe tinto. Muy delicioso.

At this point, we realized that it was still nearly two hours earlier than we were supposed to be picked up. We decided to start walking to Sesquile, since it was only supposed to be about 4 kilometers (less than 3 miles). Shortly down this beautiful country lane, though, some lovely gentlemen in a wood truck passed by and we were able to grab a ride with them into town. We passed the trip singing and dancing along with the music they were playing.

A note on the people of Colombia. It's incredibly impressive how nice and generous people are. For example, these guys gave us a ride with nothing in it for them. People routinely will offer to help you if it seems that you are lost. Everyone is ready to provide advice and the drop of the hat, and it all contributes to making your experience in Colombia very heartwarming.

After the trip, we eventually arrived home and bought some rum from our favorite little shop in the barrio, run by an older woman who always wears a crisp white apron to serve her customers. A few mixed drinks and some dinner later found us in the Hostel Fatima, where Tess, Alex, Peter, Eli and I spent the night drinking beer and requesting fun songs. It was an awesome night, and I do believe there are some pictures on my disposable camera that may eventually be posted.

Friday morning we woke up and went to work off the hangover by playing some basquetbol in a local park. Dad, you would not be proud of how many peepers I missed at first. A few hours of basketball got us ready for a bike ride. We were able to rent bikes for 4 hours for only about $6-7, which seemed like a great deal. Eventually we realized it was because the bikes were so crappy. Thank goodness for Frann and Victor- I'm not even sure how many times they had to help me put the chain back on the bike! We did get to see much of the city, including the bullfighting ring, and although it was difficult biking on some of the hills, it was a great feeling to have been able to accomplish everything.

At night, there were supposed to have been street performances occuring, but we must have missed some of them- not sure what happened. After a failed attempt at a reggae bar, and finding the jazz bar to be too expensive, some of us ended up back at Fatima with pizza and beer again. My night then ended with watching "Un Novio para Mi Mujer" with Frann (great movie, fans of foreign films should definitely check it out!).




occer, bike ride, drinking/out same little bar

Naturaleza y Musica

Our walk today took us partway up the mountain; we didn't get near Monserrate or even the Jesus statue or cross that also figure into the mountainscape here. The view was absolutely unbelievable, so I can't imagine how much more we'll see from the top. In a sense, Bogota also reminds me of Salt Lake City because it is situated in a bowl between mountain ranges. We came back down from the mountain, and Whitney and I decided to go watch the sunset from a nearby bridge. Despite being a beautiful day, the sunset was obscured by clouds, but on the way home we found the cheapest prices on rum in the city, so it was still definitely a win for us.

We had found out from one of Whitney's students that there was a free concert of traditional Colombian music about one block from the hostel, so 7:30 found us at the local teatro. For some reason I was picturing more of a rock concert atmosphere, with people maybe having seats but getting up and dancing when the mood strikes. However, it was actually a traditional concert space (think high school band concert but nicer and certainly better music). The musicians, whose group name I do not know, were actually an entire musical family. They clearly worked together really well, and played a bunch of traditional songs...think folkloric/country style music, but the Spanish version.

We met up with some of Whit's friends who had also attended the concert, then we came back to the hostel to drink and pass some time before going out to the local nightclub, Quiebra Canto. It was really fun, but other than the music was no different from something you'd experience Stateside.

There are pictures that go with this post, but they are actually on a disposable camera which I'll get developed in the US. Right now, I'm waiting for breakfast to be served before a couple of us head to Lake Guatavita, where the myth of El Dorado was born.

First Days

OK to pick up where I left off...from the cafe, we continued walking through the city. I am just beginning to feel comfortable with names and knowing directions, which is great. We walked back along La Carrera Septima, or 7th Avenue. It's basically the 5th Avenue of Bogota, for comparison. You can buy just about anything on that street, or find any type of food. We then turned onto Avenida Jimenez, another major thoroughway. This is also a street on which you can apparently find roasted ants and try them, which I did. Photo to come soon, courtesy of Whitney. The ants were very crunchy and tasted like salt roasting. The worst parts of the experience were A) you can't stop thinking about the fact that you are eating an ant; and B) the crunchiest parts of the shells and legs linger in your mouth for much longer than you'd like.

We passed through a nice park where, along with a view of other neighborhoods higher in the mountains, we were able to see one of the destinations on my to-do list, Monserrate. The photos didn't turn out very well, but it was impressive. There were some dogs playing in the part as well; stray dogs can be seen on almost any street in basically any part of the city, and they're very friendly (although, no, I won't pet them).

A few steps away from the park was a small market where we picked up a plantain to cook tostones and some mini plums, which were delicious. We were able to watch an impromptu soccer game on a fenced in court. We also spoke briefly to siblings Angela Sofia y Michael deSalinas, who were very curious to know what we gringos were doing in Bogota.

We walked up into an area called El Chorro, which is sort of a hippie/rasta hangout. You can find tons of little artisanal shops selling all sorts of handmade products, from ponchos to jewelry to statues of spiders constructed from wire and rocks. Everyone in the area is friendly and willing to talk to you; without us buying anything, one of the proprietors shared with Whitney certain pattens for making hemp bracelets. El Chorro is a winding street which eventually deposits you into a little plaza with a fountain. It wasn't very busy when we passed by, but I have since walked through at night and it seems like a major place to hang out. The photo is a view from the park down the streets of El Chorro. Note behind the vendor a statue of a man cropping out from one of the buildings. We have seen many such statues, especially in the older section of the city. I haven't seen any Banksy works (though many copies exist of his style), but finding these statues at various points of the city is always a small delight, because they are often so unexpected.

From El Chorro we returned briefly to the hostel, where I was able to write the post, then I accompanied Whitney to her English class. We took the Transmilenio bus, which is an express cross-city bus. It's decently cheap, and except for the fact that rush hour made it SUPER crowded, it was a great experience. It also made me realize that Bogota is enormous; we were on the bus for at least 45 minutes, plus we had walked to the station from our hostel as well.

After Whitney's English class, we returned to the hostel and spent time talking with our roommate Yoav. Then I watched a movie with Frann while he was working in reception, and it was time for bed after a great first day in the city!

My sleep schedule has been really off because of staying up all night before my flight, and catching short naps, plus each night that I've been here I stay up late talking and interacting with others. Yet somehow, I still wake up early in the morning. Yesterday, we decided to take it easy in the AM, since Whitney had to plan for her lessons. I spent the morning reading and dozing in a hammock in the courtyard...pure heaven. I don't know the last time that I've let myself just relax and truly "be", but I'm finding it to be an easy process here in Colombia. It's also fascinating; many of the people, both Colombians and those staying in the hostel, with whom I've interacted are very spiritual people. Even after just two days, I think it's been a huge growing experience for me and it's definitely helping me to dig deeper in my own mind.

For lunch, Whitney and I went to the house of her friend, Raquel. Raquel was born in the Phillipines and raised in the US, and is friendly and warm. We spent hours talking with her about spirituality, politics/international economics, and education. Raquel lives in a neighborhood called La Macarena, and it's worth noting that each of the neighborhoods in Bogota has its own feel. Whitney and I have been discussing how many of the areas remind us of different places that we've been. For instance, La Macarena could just as easily be found in a suburb of Boston, while our own neighborhood La Candelaria is muy parecido a Trinidad en Cuba.

Last night, we were going to attend a concert, but then found out about a philosophy lecture on spiriuality and the world. We walked to meet her friend Daniel to go to the lecture, but he was unable to find out the exact location of the talk, so instead we grabbed some food (I had my first arepa, which is a Colombian specialty. There are different versions that come from different parts of the country. I had the Boyacense version which was basically cornmeal wrapped arond cheese, and it was superbien) and a box of wine and headed back to the hostel. We passed the rest of the night talking with various people coming in and out, which was absolutely amazing. This is the first time I've ever lived in a hostel and I love it. You are able to come in contact with so many people that you otherwise would never meet, and you can get new perspectives on many issues. My night didn't end till about 2:45 AM, because I stayed up talking with Diego and Fran about politics in our countries (Colombia, Argentina, and the US, respectively). We got into specific politicians, corruption, political parties, and even the voting process itself. You know how confusing the electoral college is? Imagine trying to explain it in Spanish...

This morning I woke up to join a meditation session at 8 AM. It was very peaceful and relaxing. One of the women who participated also worked individually with each of us on an exercise to connect us to our ancestors. The theory is that the vertebrae in the spine each hold the memory of one of our ancestors. If you can tap into these energies, your ancestors will help you stay on the path which you are supposed to walk. You lay on your stomach and she utilizes pressure points along the spine to activate the energies. I don't know how aligned with my ancestors I am now, but I can certainly say that she was able to crack parts of my lower back by touching the top of mine spine, so it was certainly enjoyable nonetheless!

Whitney eating a fruit called la pitahaya, which is sort of like a kiwi, but more sweet than sour. The big seeds also give it an awesome texture.

Whitney is currently teaching class as I write. I'm going to grab some breakfast and later this afternoon go on a walk with Frann when he's back from the leather market. Tonight we are going to a free concert of traditional Colombian music, then out to a nightclub/dancing spot.