The Capital
Bogotá. Capital of Colombia. A city where the right turn can turn into a passionate night full of wonderful people. A city where a wrong turn can turn into an empty bank account and a late night walk back to your hotel room in nothing but your underwear. The city where I have touched down.
I make my reservation in the nice part of town. An area where aside from a beggar or two(hundred) and some unsavoury offers one can walk around without thinking too much about the bad things Colombia is associated with.
Colombia is a melting pot of passion, excitement, overall kind people and, yes, an invisible world the average foreigner shall forever remain ignorant of. As will I.
As the sun rises I meet up with a friend made in the former country and we start the tourist itinerary.
We drive to the neighbourhood where all the souvenirs, selfie sticks and “Oh, my god’s” can be found and heard. A place where I can spend a few hours, before I start questioning humanity and the reason of existence.
We walk through narrow alleys embellished with graffiti, change pesos for local culinary treats and visit the museum of my favourite painter. The late, great Fernando Botero.
Salsa music and reggaeton smash into each other from restaurants on opposite sides. Music waves steer us towards the end of these streets full of tourist traps and people trying to make an honest living. We cross one road full of cars and suddenly find ourselves in the real Colombia.
No westerners, no people offering guided tours, no people telling you they are your best friend. These are streets where police are posted up at all corners and where you get offered so much sedatives that even the most ignorant of rookies would walk out a renowned drug expert.
A fun experience for one that isn’t too impressed by the parts of town that are a little rougher around the edges. A reminder for those that think that Colombia is the Latin American version of Disney Land. Eyes open, guards up.
After taking pictures with Juan Mickey and Donald Pato we head out to the Monserrate, the mountain range bordering Bogotá. We ascend and have a marvelous overview of the city. The capital of the country that has a special place in my heart.
I inhale, close my eyes, exhale and open my eyes. Mental pictures taken every time I blink. I smile and combine goosebumps with excitement for the next destination. We descend and I head out to a country that was never on the itinerary.
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