http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Colombia , Bogota en-us Sat, 17 May 2008 16:30:31 BST Sat, 17 May 2008 16:30:31 BST So I arrived in Bogota's El Dorado Airport today Alone. My friend was coming to pick me up outside the airport. But first I had to get through the hectic tumuluous somewhat cramped El Dorado International Airport. For anyone who is going to Bogota or Colombia for that matter be warned that when you land you don't just walk off down a ramp and into customs You walk out the door climb down http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-272325.html Wow Im supposed to be partaking in a game of cards at the moment but I feel I should tell you a tad bit about my time in Columbia. Its been great from start to finish. The thing that I noticed most is how nice and helpful the people are. My first day after crossing over from Ecuador I had some troubles finding a bank where I could withdraw money. So the cleaning lady from one of the banks ju http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-271375.html After a 10 hour daytime busride from Cali we arrived around 8 PM in Bogota. Our Footprint travelguide recommended a good hostel in the Candelaria area called Platypus. What a shithole this was We got put up in a house next door which is best described as a hangout for squatters. No door to the patio a cat following us around everywhere and a room full of dust and that smelled awful because of http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-269691.html Zo het heeft even geduurd maar ik ben weer ontsnapt aan het dagelijkse leven in Nederland.Er is best veel gebeurd het afgelopen anderhalf jaar. Ik ben onder andere tot mijn eigen verbazing met veel plezier aan het werk. Desalniettemin heb ik per jaar genoeg verlof dagen om nu maarliefst 5 weken op vakantie te gaan. Bestemming is dit keer Colombia beetje onverwacht misschien als je af moet gaan o http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-267825.html Hopefully this blog will allow you all to see where I am and to know that I am safe.I have been in Colombia and so far there have been no problem apart from my foot falling down a drain no damage done. I spent a month in Cali with my Aunty and cousins. I had a brilliant time and loved spending some time with them as it dosent happen very often I also had the opportunity to help at the Collegi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-267103.html Our expectations surpassed tenfold we ended our three week journey through Ecuador with an overland border crossing to Colombia. Yes Mom Colombia. Colombia is a country that was not even on our radar when left the States last September but conversations with fellow backpackers convinced us that we had to see Colombia. To most Americans who lets face it are not the most adventurous peop http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-264848.html Bogot Kolumbien http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-260378.html Amigo Arrives in South America Hola Chicos ChicasSo I am back on the air typing this blog of Colombian adventures while I am here in EcuadorS.A has been interesting so far and I am enjoying the ride even though some of the rides in Colombia were expensiveColombia 3 x the size of France bordering Venezuela Panama Ecuador and Brazil with a northern Caribbean coast and a western Pacific coa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-260373.html Kolumbien Maerz 2008 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-260118.html Bogota is a city of contrasts offering a huge range in everythingfrom cheap to expensive a full lunch for 2.50 to a dinner in the nice parts of town for 35 from rudimentary to hightech horses pulling carts on the street next to their rather advance bus metro from beautiful to disgusting cool parks and colonial buildings to abandoned buildings surrounded by trash and from welcoming http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-259187.html Did I mention how much I love my kids Some of the random moments in Bogota... http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-257740.html and how...Seven million salutations to you all I'll make this short. I'm doing my best to keep up...There's sexy parties come out of every parkway pathway roofway and highway....Been running around Bogota like a headless salsa dancing chicken...you heard me. I've gotta run back...I'll leave you in Carols capable hands...not just a pretty weathergirl...she has a much better idea of the past wee http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-253810.html MoiNiinkuin varmaat useimmat ovat kuulleet niin taalla Kolumbiassa armeija paasti paivilta yhden FARC guerillajoukon ykkoshepuista. Muuten ihan hyva homma mutta kun se tapahtui Ecuadorin puolella ilman etta Ecuador oli tietoinen asiasta niin nyt on pienta poliittista vaantoa naapurusten valilla mutta eikohan ne siita rauhoitu ja paasta mut vaihtamaan maata muutaman viikon paasta. Toistaisek http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-253559.html Okay so it looks like I ruffled some feathers with my last post.Through messages which I choose to not post....and encourage a flame war I was accused of being ethnocentric biased unChristian and angry. So I will address those dissenters in this post.First off throwing someone's faith back at them for voicing their opinion is not an effective argument. I am not 'less Christian' for judgin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-252464.html I'm sorry I haven't updated this in nearly a month. So much goes on that its hard to sit down and just organize my thoughts and write them into a coherent narrative. But let me try...As a school we traveled out of the mountains and into the rainforest. It was a little worrisome at first as we were traveling into paramilitary area. Not exactly FARC ground but really close. We arrived at ou http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-251626.html Well it seems again I have delayed writing my blog until there is just too much to tell you allI left Barranquilla pretty exhausted after the carnaval and so couldn't bring myself to join the other gringos in San Gil for any of the adventure sports offered there. I had a look round the small villages of Guane and Barichara which were pretty but not all that interesting to be honest apart from th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-248442.html Bogota was my first stop in Colombia and is a pretty interesting city. I did most of the major sighseeing on the first day starting in the historic center Plaza Bolivar. From there all the interesting buildings Cathedrals presidents residence older buildings are quickly covered. Entrance to museaums was also free so I visited the Gold museum as well as the Botero gallery which much to my http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-245198.html Somewhat sad to leave Cartagena we arrived at the airport nice and early and excited to be heading to Bogota. The airline decided to put us on an early flight so we literally walked straight on to the plane which was great and also meant an early arrival into Bogota.My first impression of Bogota was that it wasnt so bad after all. I felt perfectly safe walking around this modern and stunning cit http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-244596.html Wow....the last week has flown by. With so much packed into my days its hard to get time to breathe....let alone write on the blog. But let me try and catch you all up...Last Tuesday a little over a week ago I chaperoned my Senior class to Santa Maria Plaza de Toros......One of the oldest bullrings in South America. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the bullfight but we did hang out in th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-243484.html My roommates took off this weekend to go play in a mountain lake and I'm left here alone. It's okay. First I really didn't need to spend the money to go there when in two weeks we are going there for free on a teachers retreat. Second two people are coming down this weekend. One of my roommates is coming back and then a good friend of us Judson guys is coming to stay for a while....like a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-239781.html BienvenidoJust a quick update tonight before I go to bed.Welcome and thanks to Chrissy and Adam. I'm so glad that you found my blog and are actually taking the time to read it I wonder sometimes if I have anything interesting to say so its very encouraging to hear positive feedback. Thanks so much for the thoughts well wishes and most importantly thanks for the prayers. It's what I need http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-238601.html Hola everyone.First thing first....I haven't been kidnapped. I haven't been mugged and I haven't gotten any weird tropical disease. Those were my biggest concerns but they really are unfounded. Actually the only things that really separate Bogota from Chicago are the amount of pollution the size and that everyone down here speaks Spanish. Other than that I'm living in a major metropolis. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-237195.html Following the rather eventful last few days in Pisco it was certainly a relief to be out of the place. On that bus about 6 hours later than we planned to leave due to an urgent appointment with an ultrasound machine and the nice Cuban doctors I watched the sun set over the desert for the final time as the bus sped through the ruins of Ica province. Still in ruins still so much to be done but http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-234623.html Greetings from ColombiaI'm writing this blog from the friendly home of the ByeVan Zandt family. When I arrived in Bogota my apartment wasn't ready so I am spending the extended weekend with this family. Two of the sons are students at El Camino and Kathleen Van Zandt is a teacher at the school. The first morning and afternoon I spent here I camped out at the house. There wasn't much to d http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-233489.html I really wasnt sure what to expect official channels scream of the dangers of Colombia whilst everyone that I met that had been recommended it as the best place they had been to in South America so here I am to see for myself. I had planned to stay only a few days in the capital before travelling round the country but 10 days later I was still there. The hospitality of the local people is ph http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-229137.html En Bogot nos reencontramos con Maurico un primo de Juan que estudi ciencias politicas en Colombia y que durante estos ultimos dias en Bogota con el nos ha explicado de una forma bastante objetiva el terrible y largo conflicto que lleva viviendo Colombia durante estos aos. La informacion que comparti con nosotros nos aclar muchas cosas sobre el conflicto y creemos que a alguien le puede inte http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-228168.html Despues de nuestra enriquecedora experiencia en tierras de caa y cafetales llegamos a Bogota donde nos acogio Diana la cuada de nuestro amigo Juan. Como todo el mundo en Colombia el trato aqui o ac como dicen ellos es increible. Bogota es una de esas ciudades que se dejan descubrir poco a poco. Es una ciudad llena de contrastes y bellisima. Una de nuestras mas gratas experiencias en Bogota http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-228063.html 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 oneBogota on the other hand is the capital of Colombia and its http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/Bogota/blog-221865.html