Bogota

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September 20th 2007

Published: November 22nd 2007

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elluco

Bogota2

it goes on a bit

I have taken a quick decision not to go to the town of Cali and head for bogota, well to be truthful, I couldnt face getting up at 6am and walking 3kms with my ever increasing heavy backback.
The town of Cali boasts the best salsa schools in Colombia, the most attractive girls and the new home of the drug cartels. Wont be missing that one!
Bogota on the other hand is the capital of Colombia and its biggest city and I suspect it will also have salsa, girls and a few drug lords. Its also known for a great nightlive and some great food! After 2 weeks of chicken and rice or pizza, i am in need of a steak!
I get awoken at 3.30 am on the bus, we have arrived 2.5 hrs early. Strange times are upon us, this is a first! We hit the only hostel listed in the Lonely Planet, ´´Platypus´´. That says it all, the edition is written maybe 7 years ago, and shows the popularity of colombia back then, it also tells of the dangerous area I was previously in and not to travel by night bus! This I have mentioned in a previous

City Lights

lights beginning to illuminate

post is very out of date information. This hostel has also seeminly not been renovated in 8 years, not worth it! Hostel Su is better.
First thoughts is, Bogota is cold! It is definitely not the war torn underdeveloped city one imagines. It is clean, has plenty of infrastructure and is as vibrant and buzzing than any other modern city I have been to. The people again tend to be very friendly, and I dont get the vibe that I am about to be robbed. One thing for it, go clubbing!
There are some serious clubs in the city. I met a few locals, who kindly brought me to a few great haunts, and deposited me in a heap at my hostel at 8am! Even met a local who wanted to sell me 2kg of his finest colombian! I declined.
Sights worth seeing here are Musem of Gold, a great display of pre colonial colombian crafts before the spanish arrived and took it all back to spain!
Bodero Musem, ever heard of the artist who paints all his characters as fat people, well its worth a look at some of his stuff, especially if you have a fat fetish, or

bodero1

wanna feel better about yourself or both.
Police Musem, i didnt make it there, although I tried 3 times, but it has a display of killing Pablo Escobar and his guns and an interesting manican of the position he died after finally being shot in the early 90s. He is of course is the famous drug baron, known to have a fondness for killing Police, Judges, and anyone else he didnt like and supplying nearly all of the coke in the US in the 70s and 80s. The 2nd city of Medellin, is his home town.
A local football game (see another post), these fans are completely bonkers, seriously I have never witnessed supporters like the Colombians! It explains the shooting of their defender after their last world cup appearance.
Andres Carne de Rys, this has to be the best steakhouse in the world!
Other sights is the colonial old town and its abundance of cool and hip cafes restaurants and bars!
Thats it for the big city, i am fed, watered and heading for the coffee zone of Colombia!

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