Bogota

I am so far behind writing this thing that it is not even funny. I have been in Bogota for two weeks but don’t ask me what I have done here or where I have been. Everyday, I say that I am going to leave tomorrow but there is ALWAYS another party to stay around for. I was planning on being here for a couple of days and here I am. I am not the only one though. Last night when I told another extranjero (foreigner) friend from Puerto Rico who happens to be the only other AMERICAN that I know or have met here that “I am stuck here” he said “you’re stuck, I have been here for four months!”. And my Australian friend has had his bag at the reception of our hostel for a week and every day he says that he is leaving tomorrow. We all have this problem. Bogota is great place where there are really no “TOURISTS”. I have not seen any annoying families on vacation nor do I ever hear English in the streets. When I started to feel bad about being here for so long and partying more than usual it was easily justified by the fact that I have learned more Spanish in two weeks here than anywhere else that I have ever been. I am forced to speak Spanish all day long. Almost all of my friends here are Colombianos. They are a little crazy but very good people.

It is funny how everyone told me that it is really dangerous in Colombia and that I should not come here but I feel safer here than I do when I walk around Baltimore. I have been with Colombians every day and I have had the same lighter the entire time that I have been in Bogota… That would never happen at home. It is almost as if they realize that they have a bad reputation and make sure that you know that they are not theives. I have learned very quickly that the more that people tell you not to go somewhere the better it usually is. So far, Colombia has been very good to me and I know that there are many beautriful places that I still need to go… once I can get out of this town!!!!! Colombia has mountains as tall as the Rockies, Jungle, great cities, a Pacific Coastline AND Carribean beaches!

The first night that I was in Bogota I made friends with a the Marquez family (Carolina, Luisa and Juan Carlos) who have taken me in and treated as if I was family. Both girls are clothing designers who will end up in New York one day and Juan is a sculptor. I have spent most days with them exploring the city or just hanging out in their apartment cooking a big traditional Colombian lunch with Carne and Ensalada, my favorites. Of course they have have showed me the nightlife as well.. I now know every place to go every night of the week in Bogota. The only night off being Sunday of course. We are in Latin America.

They have great music here and there is always somewhere to dance. Whether you want Latin music, afro latin, hip hop or electronic. There is also A LOT of great art all over the city. Everyone that I meet paints, designs clothes or plays some type of music.

As for the mornings, I have seen a bunch of those too. Usually on the wrong side though. BUT, I have learned a lot of Spanish along the way J Much better than spending all day in Spanish school.

The hostel that I have been staying at is pretty cool too. There are many beds for travellers and lots of cool people come through. The first few days there I shared a room with a Japanese artist who has been travelling for 2 years and filled the room with his work, a couple of very cool Isaraelis and a turkish guy who sleeps all day and hangs out all night (he has been there for a couple of months). I lost my roomates and they were replaced by 5 Chilean girls, then some Argentinians, then a French Jazz trio who plays in the hostel bar 2 nights a week for a free place to stay. The bar in the hostel always has good music thanks to my Colombiano friend Danny who DJ’s there almost every night.

The biggest problem that I have had in Colombia of course is trying to find a pair of shoes. I literrally went to about 40 different stores and found one pair of shoes that is a size too small but bought any way because they are really cool… The have great “tenis” here. Yes they call sneakers tenis. The other really strang thing is that they don’t have seats on their toilets. What the hell!

I did have a special treat last Friday as I got to hang with Sandra, a friend of an old friend who happened to be here visting family for a week. It was great to see a familiar face and show a Colombian American what goes on in Bogota.

The only real problem that I had was a dude that I know who told me to “fuck off” and “get the fuck out of his country”. He is a nut job but much smaller than me.

I even have a replacement for Daymond here. The Marquez family lab Kuma (bear in Japanese) who walks through the city streets with me every day with out a leash. She is the best.

There is a really good party tonight. I am leaving tomorrow.

And yes, this is my g rated version of Bogota.