Sitting in a penthouse apartment over looking downtown Bogota I realize this isn't exactly "roughing it". We lucked out with our stay in Bogota. My older brother has a friend, Adam, that has been living in Bogota for the past four months, and he very graciously let us stay with him. He had pizza ordered by the time we got here, took us to a few of his favorite eateries, let the girls sleep in his bed, made us dinner one night, and basically went above and beyond to make our stay the best it could be.
Despite being 274 miles apart, it took us nearly 12 hours by bus to get from Medellin to Bogota. There are no highways here. Our bus weaved up a winding two lane road, surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes you can imagine, ignoring double yellow lines and passing trucks and other buses until at long last we arrived in Bogota.
Bogota is Colombia's capital. Home to almost 9 million people, it is the third highest capital city in South America (8,612 feet) behind La Paz and Quito. This city was not made for someone 6 feet tall or above. I have hit my head on a few over hanging signs, the roof of the taxi, and struggled to squeeze in to some of the tables at cafe's. I also seem to draw a lot of attention when we walk down the street, but that's more likely because I am a gringo.
I'm would venture a guess that Colombia does not have 'smog tests' for vehicles. We have been blasted with black billowing exhaust from countless buses and trucks. Near the main roads the air is polluted which, mixed with the altitude, makes breathing a bit difficult. Stepping into the less crowded areas the air clears up quickly. It is surprising that the sky still manages to be a deep blue when the clouds part, rather than the ugly brown that stains the sky above Los Angeles.
The drivers in Colombia are crazy. I don't mean that every so often one will dodge between trucks and cabs, almost hitting one. Everyone is all over the road but we are yet to see an accident. It is a controlled chaos on the roads. I find that it is much less stressful not to pay attention to the driver and what is happening in front of you.
Police presence is everywhere, but I think it is more for intimidation than anything else. There are a few dodgy areas that Adam told us not to venture to at night. He also advised to crack a window every time we enter a cab because on occasion cab drivers pump a gas through the vents that causes you to pass out. Once unconscious they rob you and dump you on the road. I have also heard a few horror stories about bus rides but I'll wait until we get to Ecuador before I share those... Don't want to jinx it.
We leave Bogota on Friday and head west to the small town of Salento. I find that I have become a voluntary PR rep for Colombia. Is there crime? Sure, but what major city is 100% safe. The people of Colombia are always so quick to help out. They smile at me as I struggle to explain something in Spanish and then help me out with a quick game of charades. That's pretty much all I have to share at this point. The next step is, once again, relatively unknown. If I do not have internet access then it may be a while until my next post so, just in case, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
I'm would venture a guess that Colombia does not have 'smog tests' for vehicles. We have been blasted with black billowing exhaust from countless buses and trucks. Near the main roads the air is polluted which, mixed with the altitude, makes breathing a bit difficult. Stepping into the less crowded areas the air clears up quickly. It is surprising that the sky still manages to be a deep blue when the clouds part, rather than the ugly brown that stains the sky above Los Angeles.
The drivers in Colombia are crazy. I don't mean that every so often one will dodge between trucks and cabs, almost hitting one. Everyone is all over the road but we are yet to see an accident. It is a controlled chaos on the roads. I find that it is much less stressful not to pay attention to the driver and what is happening in front of you.
Police presence is everywhere, but I think it is more for intimidation than anything else. There are a few dodgy areas that Adam told us not to venture to at night. He also advised to crack a window every time we enter a cab because on occasion cab drivers pump a gas through the vents that causes you to pass out. Once unconscious they rob you and dump you on the road. I have also heard a few horror stories about bus rides but I'll wait until we get to Ecuador before I share those... Don't want to jinx it.
We leave Bogota on Friday and head west to the small town of Salento. I find that I have become a voluntary PR rep for Colombia. Is there crime? Sure, but what major city is 100% safe. The people of Colombia are always so quick to help out. They smile at me as I struggle to explain something in Spanish and then help me out with a quick game of charades. That's pretty much all I have to share at this point. The next step is, once again, relatively unknown. If I do not have internet access then it may be a while until my next post so, just in case, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Jesus Kevin...could have gone all day without thinking about you guys being gassed and dumped on the side of the road! Keep in mind.....nervous mother following your blog (haha). Have fun...be safe...protect my kid ;).
ReplyDeleteFeliz Navidad!
Linda