PBH / Colombia / Start Forums▼ (active) Travelguide Cheap hostels Pictures

Gringo back from Bogota. ;o)

Hello all, I just wanted to do a quick note concerning my trip to Bogota, Colombia. For some imagery, I'm originally from West Virginia, living in Florida now for the past three years. I fell in love with salsa music/dance and wanted to learn more of Latin cultures so started exploring the Caribbean and South American. Trips include Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Peru and Colombia. I look like somebody plucked me off the Irish coast and my conversational Spanish is close to zero. ;o) It was some what difficult deciding to head down. One, I was going alone to meet a girl off myspace (haha, I know), two, besides taxi's and restaurants my Spanish was blah, and three, my friends from Colombia were giving me extremely mixed opinions. "It's beautiful you're going to have so much fun." to "Dude, you're crazy!".

First off, Bogota was amazing! Being from the mountains originally, it was great to see them surrounding almost the entire city. It was like stepping in to a cool, fall day back home. I wish I had more than 5 days to explore the city, but that's all I could swing for this trip. My first thought of the city was "Hey, this seems more modern than the other South American cities I've visited." The motorcycles weren't taking over the streets because they're required to register and wear orange vest. There was a cleaner and more orderly feeling about it. The restaurants (mmm, the food) had a level of service I've never experienced. Taking your coat, pulling out the chairs, your general comfort, etc. The only "Colombian" dishes I was able to enjoy was the Bandeja Montanera and the Ajiaco soup, both incredible. The museums alone are world class. I really needed a couple months to explore this cultural Mecca. Side note, there was a Harley Davidson rally downtown my first night there. I was like "What the hell?!" haha

The only semi-threatening event (which I didn't know at the time) occurred when I was walking alone during the day to the grocery store a couple blocks from my hotel. I GQ looking (well-dressed) guy was walking along the same sidewalk and started a conversation with me by saying "You from England?" I'm thinking "Oh, a local interested in learning about people who come to his city" Well he showed me a flip open id wallet saying he was police and that he checks out-of-place looking people because of the drug problem. The only reason I gave him any time was because I wasn't familiar with local police actions and he also stopped an older Mexican man. He said he needed to walk to the office for a moment and came back with some paper for us to put our information on. Then he wanted to know about the money we brought to the country and to show him. (yeah, I know). Well if he was a crook he didn't follow through with anything. Either he didn't think I had enough money (~$100) or he thought I would cause a ruckus because I kept asking me if I did construction and doing a push up motion. Who knows. Moral of the story, just keep walking I guess. ;o)

In general, I felt very secure in the city. I'm sure by trailing along with my local friend, I was guided to the right areas. I plan on seeing Cali and Medellin next.

Some pics:

http://flickr.com/photos/jcook311/sets/72157601617866740/

By jcook311 on Oct 19, 2007, 08:42 in Friendly Talkzone.

Mr. Hollywood says on Oct 19, 2007, 10:02:

The way the fake police thing usually works is they "check" your money and then count it back to you. Except they hand you back some fakes and keep your real money. So he probably got what he wanted.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

webmanco says on Oct 19, 2007, 10:11:

I hope you don´t mind me posting one of your pictures here.

Amigos de Colombia

Did you happend to see the band playing an accordeon? You wrote they were playing Cumbia and Vallenato, the latter it is played 99% of the time with an accordeon

Thanks for the report, your experience does not match a lot on how people both some Colombians and some Foreigners want to portrait the citiy.

Quotes
First off, Bogota was amazing!
In general, I felt very secure in the city.
a couple months to explore this cultural Mecca

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jcook311 says on Oct 19, 2007, 10:35:

esanch36, haha. The friend I met down there kinda gave me the "What the hell's up when the chancletas." look when I got off the plane. I gave people the same look when I moved down to Florida, but being down here three years if I'm don't working or going out, I've got flip-flops on. ;o)

Mr. Hollywood, he didn't actually handle the money. I just flashed it and he nodded. I understand it's a good idea to keep walking, but at the time I'm like "Is this really happening?!" because it was all most like paint-by-numbers the way he was going step by step with the scam, but yet I still gave him reasonable doubt since he was all GQ looking with ID. It was probably morbid curiosity why I kept talking. I had limits in my head of not getting in a vehicle and not handing him any money though.

Webmanco, the pic post is ok. This one was the only picture I took of them playing. There was a mix of military people playing, one with accordeon. I think they were playing more "marching band" music in this photo.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

nine inch nails says on Oct 19, 2007, 13:08:

This is cool. Saw many troops in BOG but not any Navy.

The Hedge funds have all gone wild on us!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

MaSep says on Oct 19, 2007, 14:09:

I always tell my Gringo fiance to DO NOT talk to any body on the streets, so what I´ve told him to say if some one ask him for x thing or document is: I can not give you any thing please contact my hotel PH:57657656765576 etc..and walk away. (learn that pharse in spanish) and if you have to show somethings ask them for their ID.

Yes Bogta is a nice city but like in all the cities in the world there are god and bad people.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Lcacique says on Oct 19, 2007, 14:38:

Great stuff! Love the photos.

I had a similar experience when I decided that I wanted to go to Colombia. I had been working in a place with many latinos (from puerto rico, cuba, colombia, mexico). I got super tight with all of them, because only a couple spoke english and none of the gringos ever tried to speak with them. No hellos, no smiles, no acknowledgement. It drove me nuts! At the time my spanish was horrendous, but I knew some basic conversation. The moment I spit out a couple of broken phrases the atmosphere there completely changed. Nevertheless, I developed a close friendship with a couple of the Colombian women that worked there and I developed a strong interest in learning more about this place that media always seems to paint in a negative light.

After a few years of me begging, I got the opportunity to go with my friend's sister and mother to visit the rest of their family in Colombia. To get to the point, when I told people I was going to Colombia most looked at me with their eyes popping out of their skulls before saying something like: "Have you gone mad?!?" Followed by the list of dangers: narcos, guerillas, kidnappings, knock-out drugs. I had people ask me why I'd want to go to Africa. Africa!!! Others told me to go to Cancun or Puerta Vallarta instead, praising the beautiful luxuries of the resorts there. But I wasn't interested in resorts, i simply wanted to spend time immersed in a culture that I was growing to love.

I went anyway, and it was easily one of the greatest experiences of my life. In general, I feel that people are people throughout the world. That all cultures have something beautiful to offer. But for me, there is something uniquely wonderful about the majority of Colombians. I too enjoyed the museums, La Candelaria, Monserrate, Coffee Park, termales, etc. but easily what I enjoyed most was simply talking and spending time with the Colombians that I had the pleasure of meeting on my trip.

I'm glad you had a great trip!

Hoy se nota en la floresta un ambiente de alegría. ¡Y el rumor de ranchería es mas dulce y sabe a fiesta!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Oct 20, 2007, 10:50:

"I saw you wearing sandals in a picture...did anybody give you the "what the fuck are you doing where sandals in bogota look"? Only us americans would do that..hahahha"

Not. All my Colombian brothers-in-law (six of them - how many have you got?) all wear sandals. I never wear sandals. So much for the "only us americans" nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jcook311 says on Oct 20, 2007, 12:25:

I believe esanch was going for the idea of "only us americans" don't always flow with the local standards, not as sole flip-flop wearers. ;o) I didn't see any people with shorts or sandals in Bogota.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

capitan_centella says on Oct 20, 2007, 15:11:

People who wear sandals in bogotá are often call "calentanos". That´s a nickname from people who are new in bogotá, come from other places like b/quilla, melgar. . . and aren´t aware of the weather here. So, they used sandals, stripe shirts ( I don´t know how it´s the proper name to it¡ . . . sorry ;-) ). . . and kind of things you normally use in a more benign weather.

Of course, not ALL COSTEÑOS are calentanos. Just a few, who are new in bogotá.

"When you open your eyes, you turn around with the world, But it can change, if you only close it, and see a dream to yourself." Me.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

kat1 (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Oct 20, 2007, 15:37:

hahaha Capitan Centella, you are right!!!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

capitan_centella says on Oct 20, 2007, 15:49:

Thanks kat. . .

"When you open your eyes, you turn around with the world, But it can change, if you only close it, and see a dream to yourself." Me.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gold digger says on Oct 20, 2007, 21:43:

How did it work out with your myspace girl?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jcook311 says on Oct 21, 2007, 18:41:

Hmmm, well we hit it off right from the start and had a great time together. It would have been nice to have a lil more than 4 days, but back to our own worlds. ;o) Myspace has been great for my travels. I used it for Peru and Dominican Republic too and have made a lot of new friends. People I'll see again when traveling.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

gold digger says on Oct 21, 2007, 23:06:

My stopmother is from West Virginia, she's one of the Hatfields.
What part of FL are you in? Lakeland here, unfortunately.
The worst part of travelling is leaving the girls. Been there a few times but it's never easy.
I never thought of using Myspace, great idea!

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Oct 21, 2007, 23:39:

The worst part of travelling is leaving the girls....

and the best part is.... knowin you're coming back in just a few more months

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jcook311 says on Oct 22, 2007, 05:14:

Just a lil Hatfield blood in me.
I've been down in Orlando the past three years.
I'm trying to think of when I'll moved back north but it's getting harder each year.
Peru was the only place where it was tough leaving because of a girl. I was extremely close to just saying "screw it, I'll fly back next week" and deal with the boss's wrath then. lol.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

john_stark says on Oct 22, 2007, 16:51:

Nice comeback, dude. Come on, try to be creative at least.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

NJ C Rep says on Oct 22, 2007, 18:21:

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them!

0 funny, 0 helpful.