The Calories, Calles and Carreras of Bogota

Written by Adam

One fascinating aspect of walking the streets of Bogota, Colombia is the incredible variety of snack foods and general merchandise that are easily available from earnest street vendors.  There are thousands of industrious people living in Bogota who have staked a claim to a busy street corner to park a pushcart on.  Others utilize the street-level alcoves of large buildings.  I have yet to see a single vending machine anywhere in the city.

Venturing out: Fusagasugá

Written by Karen.
We ventured out of Bogota again over the weekend, heading south this time and dropping 2,943 feet in altitude to visit the town of Fusagasugá. Since Fusagasugá or Fusa, as it is also called, is about 40 miles outside of Bogota, we figured that with an early start we should arrive by 11:30 am, at the latest.  

What's for Lunch?

Written by Karen.
Lunch is the biggest meal of the day here in Bogota, and is usually served between 12:00 and 3:30 pm.  We discovered the wonderful concept of set menus early in the month and have since tried different restaurants throughout the City.  

Off the Beaten Track - Villeta, Colombia

Written by Karen.

In the morning, Adam and I join up with Fernando, a local adventure trek guide, who will take us on a hike that will include walking to a series of waterfalls.  The waterfalls are called the Monkey Leaps, located in the jungle just outside of Villeta. 

Off the Beaten Track - La Vega, Colombia

The Lagoon Park, La Vega

Written by Karen.

After making our way from the small town of San Francisco (Enchanted Garden) and grabbing a bit to eat on the way, we drove further south to the small town of La Vega. 

Stumbling into the Twilight Zone?

A University to Educate Educators

Written by Karen.

Adam and I hit the streets of Bogota again yesterday. This time we headed back up to the northern part of Bogota, to a neighborhood called the 93 Parque. We had seen some pictures of tranquil parks and large trees in established neighborhoods, and figured that it would be a nice area to explore.  

A Day of Thanks

Written by Karen.

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States.  It is an opportunity to take the time to simply be appreciative.  It is a holiday usually spent with friends and family - who after all - are what matter.  

Off the Beaten Track - San Francisco, Colombia

Written by Karen.
Our first foray off the beaten track was visiting the small town of San Francisco, approximately 1 hour northwest of Bogota. A new friend of ours, Carolina, was taking us to where she and her husband, Ricardo, lived in Villeta for a two-day visit.  However, along the way, we planned to stop and see the Jardin Encantado, or the Enchanted Garden, located in San Francisco.  Cost: 12,000 COP ($6.67 USD) per person entrance fee.

Street Graffiti or Fine Art?

Written by Karen.
Every large city has an abundance of street graffiti, and Bogota, Colombia is certainly not an exception. As we've been walking the streets over the past several weeks, I've been taking pictures of some of the more interesting graffiti that we've come across.  Graffiti or Fine Art?  You decide.  

Bogota Museums - Casa Botero

Written by Karen.

I readily admit it....we like museums. And Bogota has a lot of museums. Some are better than others, but we manage to learn something from each of them.  

We haven't made a dent yet with all of the museum opportunities that are available, but we have visited quite a few so far: The National Museum; The Museum of Gold; The Police Museum; Casa Botero; The Mint House Museum; and, the Charles Darwin exhibit sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History.

Over the next few weeks, I will highlight a few of the more memorable museums that we have visited so far.  

Venturing Out: Zipaquirá

Written by Karen.
We ventured out of Bogota about 17 miles to the north to visit the small colonial town of Zipaquirá.  According to Wikipedia, Zipaquirá, or Zipa as it is also called, is one of the oldest colonial towns in Colombia and is more often associated with the Salt Cathedral that was built inside the mountain on the outskirts of town.  We didn't go up to the Salt Cathedral on this day, but did explore the cobblestoned streets and enjoy the ambience of the town itself.

Forecast: 20% Chance of Rain in Bogota

I'll let this video speak for itself.  (You Tube Video: Video footage taken on the bus)  Gonna buy a boat if we hear a forecast of 50% chance of rain!

Top of the Mountain!

Mount Monserrate from Central Bogota 

Written by Karen.

We visited Mount Monserrate today, located some 10,341 feet above sea level with grand, sweeping, panoramic views of the city of Bogota below. It was about an hour walk from our apartment to where you can take the aerial cable car to the top of the mountain.  The walk there is mostly all uphill, and the last mile is probably a sustained 8% grade.  Needless to say, we were sucking air by the time we got to the ticket counter!  

Traffic in Bogota, Colombia

Written by Karen.

When someone says that traffic is heavy, or intense, or crazy, we wonder just how heavy, intense or crazy the described traffic actually is.  Is it like the 405 during rush hour in Southern California, or is it more like the pinball driving experience coming over the hill on Highway 17 into the Silicon Valley?  Or is it like nothing you have ever experienced before?

Safe and Secure

Written by Karen.

Presidential Palace

We've gotten used to the altitude and thin air/pollution and have been hitting the streets pretty hard.  We have logged quite a few miles so far - but walking (and getting lost!) -  is the best way to really get a sense of what's around you when you are in a new place. 

Bogota - First Impressions

Written by Karen.

Except for the dramatic - and fast moving - clouds and the altitude headache that forces you to take it slow until you acclimate to the thinner air,  it's easy to forget that you are well over 8,000 feet above sea level.  There are no dramatic mountain ranges that tower above you or surround this huge city to remind you that you are at a high elevation. But, the forces that occur at this altitude are strong and we plan to take it slow for our first couple of days.  

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Written by Karen.

I know - I can’t believe it myself. Six days from now we will officially become vagabonds heading towards the airport with our backpacks weighing around 25 pounds each and, hopefully - with the wind at our backs - begin our travel adventure. Our first destination? It’s going to be high in the Andes - we will visit Bogota, Colombia.

Another Transition

Written by Karen.
Like wounded animals who curl into a dark place to lick their wounds, we lay low at Adam’s moms house for several days, popping Advil and catching catnaps to help allay the damage caused by our four-day blitz of moving out of our house.  Our tenants have moved in, and according to our property manager, are very happy in their new space.  This pronouncement also makes me happy.  It’s been quite an effort to get our house to the very best level possible - even though we knew it was for unknown tenants - and it feels like we are leaving our home in good hands.  

The Great Escape

Written by Karen.

At 7:38 am, after literally working all-night, our little caravan consisting of Chinook and our VW Tiguan pulled out of our driveway for the last time. Our new tenants are expected to pull into our driveway at 8:00 am and begin moving into our home, which they will now call their home for the next nine months. We beat the clock by some 22 minutes.

Meet Chinook

Fish Camp, California

Written by Karen.

Last week, we were standing on the driveway talking with one of the guys who was putting a new roof on our house.  He was asking about our '84 VW Vanagon - our beater named Chinook.  So named because whenever we went on a road trip, like the massive salmon that is DNA-programmed to swim upstream to return home, he somehow always got us home again. Whatever adventures, breakdowns, or mechanical issues that we experienced out on the road, we still got home safely and usually with a tale or two!