chismoso has left 5 comments

chismoso comments on Getting married soon in Colombia, but

Re: Getting married in colombia Tranquilo. I'm sure if you were suddenly to get all jazzed to buy a few cars and start your own driving school in Colombia, she'd be just as happy to live there with you. Ask her. You'll see.

chismoso comments on Food

¡My Fave! My very, very favorite Colombian dish is Ajiaco, served with big dollops of sour cream and lots of fat alcaparras!

I never missed a chance to scarf a bowl of this divine substance whenever I'd stop by Café Oma (Cra 15?) for my weekly Time and Newsweek fix.

chismoso comments on There goes the neighborhood

Every Opinion – Backed By Cash! I have to say, I can't argue with fzrdan. Each time you spend a dollar (or a peso or a cruzeiro) you're VOTING. No one should pay the least attention to the words escaping your flapping lips if they're contradicted by your spending habits, don'cha THINK?

(I admit it. I've sat in the funky little plastic chairs at Dunkin Donutl I even had the cojones to ENJOY it!!)

But personally, I usually look for a Starbucks first, but then look for the little Mom & Pop coffee bar across the street that was there first and vote my dollars there instead.

For perspective though – true though all this may be, let's not get mired in ire and vitriol. Don't lose your sense of humor. We're all so ridiculously silly. It doesn't really matter. Save your mad-juice for stuff like treachery, violence, cancer!

chismoso comments on Board Games/Games to Bring

The Best Games In Life? I sort of like a board game called "Risk", dunno why, guess I'm just into... er... **WORLD DOMINATION**!!!!! Mma-ha-ha! Seriously, you can get strange and radically power-mongery on this game. Some caution is advised!

On the lighter side, there's an odd little book called "The Book of Questions" where you take turns asking each other questions. The idea is to explore yourself and your friends' hearts and minds.

A couple of examples:
Would you accept 20 years of extraordinary happiness and fulfillment if it meant you would die at the end of the period?
When you are given a compliment do you usually acknowledge it or suggest that you really do not deserve it?

There's also a "Book of Questions - Love & Sex" edition:
Would you rather have a strikingly attractive spouse who was disappointing in bed or a plain-looking spouse who was fantastic?
If you could be twice as passionately in love with your partner as you are now, would you want to be?

There are a host of similar books, plus you start making up weird questions of your own. (If you were forced to have a tattoo on your forehead, but could choose the design, what would it look like? Would you rather be 20% smarter or 40% better in bed?)

I dunno, maybe it's not for everyone, but I've always found these kinds of questions to be fascinating. And they can create some interesting situations, too. ;-)

Cheers!

chismoso comments on place to stay in Bogota

Pied a terre This consejo is probably too late to help Inge, but I offer it for anyone in the same position. While you're looking for a permanent flat in Bogotá, here's an "Aparta Hotel" with nice-sized rooms, mini kitchens, 24-hour desk and it's in the "priveleged" part of the city. You can use it as your command center. :-)

Compañía : Aparta Hotel Retiro 84
Dirección : Calle 84 No. 9-95 Esq
Ciudad : Bogotá, D.C.
Departamento : Cundinamarca
Teléfono : +57 (1) 616-1345

I haven't been there in a lo-o-ong time, but they still have a listing in "!Qu'hubo! The Colombian Yellow Pages" which is another resource that might be helpful. It can be found at quehubo dot com slash colombia (http://www.quehubo.com/colombia/)

I don't know how much they charge these days, but when I was there I remember thinking, "These guys are cheaper than a Best Western, with WAY nicer rooms and WAY better service!"

Good luck!