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Portena has written 24 posts

Tango Stage at the Cafe Tortoni

http://i26.tinypic.com/vhxr87.jpg

Alternatives to Andres Del Carne Res?

To follow-up, I posted a question about restaurants and some of you had negative opinions of Andres Del Carne Res. Any alternative venues in or near Bogota you would recommend for a combination of dining and dancing? Not a place totally overrun by twenty-something singles looking to get picked up. ...

What are your favorite restaurants in Bogota?

And, where are they located? What kind of food is served? What are the price ranges for entrees? Looking for places worth going to. : ) Also, any good ones in Zipaquira or Villa de Leyva?

Question for the Motorcycle and Gun Experts

Whenever I read about motorcycle assassins in Colombia there are two persons on the motorcycle, one driving and one shooting. Too difficult to handle a motorcycle and shoot accurately at the same time? or does it depend on the size/maneuverability of the motorcycle and the size of the firearm? Different kind of question - I know - but I read a lot of action adventure novels and I'm wondering about this type of scenario. ...

It would be funny if it wasn't looking like a real possibility...

http://aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf

What are your favorite spy and conspiracy theory books?

For me: Underworld: The Life and Times of a Reluctant Spy by Larry Kolb; The Game Player: Confessions of the CIA's Original Political Operative by Miles Copeland; and The Search for the Manchurian Candidate by John Marks ...

Tequila!

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=quKiuTug5Ls

For the Southerners Here

Sent to me by a Southern friend: Only a Southerner knows the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption fit , and that you don't 'HAVE' them, you 'PITCH' them. _____ Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up 'a mess.' _____ Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of 'yonder.' _____ Only a Southerner knows exactly how long 'directly' is, . as in: 'Goin' to town, be back di ...

A New Term to Add to Your Vocabulary

* Electile Dysfunction: * the inability to become aroused over any of the choices for President put forth by either party in the 2008 election year.

Colombian Boy's Childhood of Anguish

Austin American Statesman http://www.statesman.com/shared-gen/content/shared-gen/ap/Latin_America_And_Caribbean/Colombia_Hostage_Baby.html?cxntlid=inform

Fun times on Colombia's roads!

Took me awhile to get used to the dare devil drivers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzcHKpMrmIE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNxMqqiYMks

Accents/Dialects: Bogota vs. Southern Colombia

There were some previous posts (months ago) comparing the speech of Colombians to Cubans and other Spanish speakers. I'm wondering if anyone here can compare and contrast Rolos vs. the Southern Colombians (such as those in Caqueta or the jungle areas). In the book More Terrible Than Death, the author, Robin Kirk, of Human Rights Watch described the speech of a Southern Colombian as follows: (German) spoke with an accent characteristic of southern Colombia, a purr of the r's and a singsong way of ...

Ciudad Perdida Trek

I don't really see much information here about this trip. Any thoughts or recommendations (still not that safe?). Is it true that the Hotel Miramir is the only place where you can book a tour? How difficult is the trek? What about accomodations along the way? ...

Problems on Hiking Trails near Bogota

There have been some robberies on these hiking trails - above Avenida Circunvalar in Bogotá and on trails at Rocas de Suesca in Cundinamarca Department. Just wondering exactly where they are.

This Bird Can Dance!

http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html

Decoding Dictionary for Women and Men

Subject: Dictionary *DICTIONARY FOR DECODING WOMEN'S PERSONAL ADS:* 40-ish.................................49. Adventurous.........................Slept with everyone. Athletic..............................No breasts. Beautiful.............................Pathological liar. Free Spirit.............................Junkie. New-Age.............................Body hair in the wrong places. Old-fashioned.......................No B.J.'s Open-minded........................Desp ...

Photos from My Recent Trip to Bogota and Surrounding Areas

1. The Botero Museum. http://i19.tinypic.com/4pnhp8h.jpg[/IMG] 2. La Candelaria http://i13.tinypic.com/6ain4eq.jpg[/IMG] 3. A hazy photo of Bogota taken from the peak of Monserrate. http://i2.tinypic.com/6gv7590.jpg[/IMG] 4. Hazy day at Monserrate http://i12.tinypic.com/6eyj6s2.jpg[/IMG] 5. Hazy day at Monserrate http://i7.tinypic.com/4u40f1u.jpg[/IMG] 6. Villa de Leyva http://i17.tinypic.com/53fx5qh.jpg[/IMG] Enjoy! ...

Trip to Bogota

Just returned from a week long trip to Bogota and surrounding towns, including Guatavita, Zipaquira, and Villa de Levya. I had a great trip, and appreciate the helpful advice provided by fellow PBHers. : ) Though Colombia may not be high (yet) on most people's travel wish list, I think the visit was definitely worth it. Anyway, there was no way not to stick out (I'm too blonde), but most people I met were very polite and friendly. Those mountain roads were something else. Absolutely amazi ...

Trip to Colombia

Just wondering how cold it actually gets in Villa de Leyva? In all the photos I see people are bundled up like it's a Canadian winter. What type of jacket is recommended? Light jacket like a windbreaker or something with a little insulation? Thanks! ...

What is the best photo size (i.e., pixel dimensions)

and resolution for downloading photos to this site? Thanks, Portena

Making a flight connection

Many of you have mentioned going through Houston GB Int. Airport on your return flight from Colombia. Someone even mentioned a relative getting hassled there.

I have about an hour and forty minutes between connecting flights once I arrive in Houston. Is this generally plenty of time for making the next flight? Am I going to have to retrieve my luggage and check it all in again for the domestic flight? Just wondering what to expect. Thanks! ...

Any advice regarding best/most useful

cash denominations to carry for touristy activities - to for pay museum fees, meals...?

You PBH regulars seem to advise against carrying too much money or looking loaded with money so I'm wondering how much to carry.

Mostly $2K, $5K and $10? What about coins?

Thanks! ...

Can anyone tell me

about the drive from Bogota to Villa de Leyva? I'd really like to see that town while I'm in Colombia. I know it was mentioned here that Bogotanos like to go there on the weekends. What about driving there and back in one day? How long would it take to get there? Any cool places I should consider visiting along the way?
And, lastly, any safety issues to be aware of? Is the route secured by police/Army? Army checkpoints? If I have the opportunity to go, it will be on a weekday. (I'm not go ...

Cell phones and International calls

Trying to decide whether or not it's worth it to get my cell phone unlocked and get the SIMs card so I can make calls home. If I'm not at the hotel - where, of course, a phone will be readily available - I would probably be out sightseeing. Is the phone going to work if I called from a rural location like Guatavita? I've had my cell phone not work when traveling in the US because there wasn't a tower around. So am I going to run into the same problem??

Thanks,

Porte ...

Ok - another safety question

My plane to Bogota arrives at night - around 8:30 pm. People here keep mentioning how dangerous certain -central sections - of the city become at night. So does the route from the airport to Hotel de la Opera necessitate travel through these dangerous areas? ...

Travel + Leisure Magazine Article

T & L magazine has an article entitled 'Colombia's New World': How does a nation ravaged by civil war and drug trafficking turn itself around? One road at a time. Daniel Kurtz-Phelan reports from Bogota and Medellin - the beautiful, notorious route between them - on a country in transition. ...

Interactive Spanish language programs

I would like to improve my (very basic) Spanish before I visit Colombia. I once had a computer course that included interactive games, video based conversations, and a skills meter that indicated whether your pronunciation sounded like that of a tourist or of a native speaker (rather amusing part of the course).

Anyway I'd appreciate any advice as to similar programs I could purchase that people here have found helpful.

Thanks! ...

Hope someone here can tell me more about this hotel...

I've been invited to wedding in Bogota. Have always wanted to go to Colombia, but have never been. So here I am at Poorbuthappy.com trying to learn more about the country. The hosts are planning to pay for my stay at Hotel de la Opera. It looks like a beautiful, historic hotel from the website, and the offer to pay my way is extremely generous and enticing.

I am wondering though about the security of this place. When I travel abroad I like to stay in hotel rooms that lock up like ...

Safety in Colombia

Interesting website for those concerned with safety issues and wanting to make comparisons among countries...

globalincidentmap.com

Portena

Contact Information for Hotel de la Opera

Hi,

I'm interested in making reservations at Hotel de la Opera and getting more information about their tourist packages. I found a website and sent an e-mail, but have gotten no response. The address was for the sales department - didn't sound like it was for a reservation desk. I'm not fluent in Spanish so I need to talk to or e-mail one of their staff members that speak English.

Thanks,

Portena ...

Colombian Sayings

Is there a Colombian equivalent of the saying "Out of the frying pan and into the fire?"

People here have made lists of Colombian slang words. I'm interested in seeing a list of Colombian sayings and what they mean. :)

Portena ...

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