[arbeiter]

here is the second installment of pictures from my trip to bogota, colombia. it was such a good trip that it's inspired me to go back to south america - a very underrated continent for travel. watch out brazil!
most of these pictures center on the older parts of bogota: the historic central area 'la candelaria', but there are plenty of other districts thrown in.


this is the avenida jimenez and the transmilenio - the rapid bus line that has been an iconic fixture of bogota for the past few years.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2787.jpg

a few blocks south of av. jimenez is the main square in bogota, plaza bolivar. all of the seats of government are located around this. not sure of the name of the church, but it was elegant in that hauntingly colonial sort of way.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2786.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2798.jpg



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2800.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2801.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2802.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2803.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2804.jpg

this is the namesake of the plaza - simon bolivar. the schoolgirls pictured were singing some kind of chant about him, probably something they learned in school.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2805.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2808.jpg

this is the beginning of la candelaria, the oldest part of bogota. this is probably what you were expecting things to look like. a thunderstorm against the mountains made for a particularly ominous but beautiful landscape.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2812.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2813.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2814.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2816.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2818.jpg

deeper into the narrow streets of la candelaria...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2819.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2822.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2824.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2826.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2828.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2831.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2835.jpg

the fellow in the red uniform is a garbageman. the garbage trucks in bogota play "home on the range", "american patrol", and a bunch of other zany songs similar to the ice cream trucks in suburban america. loads of old people came out to toss their garbage, so apparently it works.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2836.jpg

i forget the name of this plaza, but it was one of the most amazing spots in the city. i believe it was plaza de concordia. anyway, it had an old lady who ran a public toilet and she'd wash the seat for you beforehand (weird!), lots of skinheads and drug dealers, college students, and a bar called "the Annie Hall bar" (I wonder if diane keaton or woody allen knows about this).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2839.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2840.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2841.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2842.jpg

some 'skinhead' came up to us and asked if i was irish. i lied and said, 'yes', and he went on about how his ancestors were irish and then spouted a bunch of random words like 'fascismo!' and 'guerra!'

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2844.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2846.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2848.jpg

this is back closer to the commercial center. this building, whose name i forgot, is supposed to be a masterpiece of early postwar architecture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2850.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2851.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2854.jpg


back to the north side of town... it's christmastime already at the shopping mall 'andino'

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2857.jpg

the next several shots are from my hotel room at the hotel cosmos 100, on calle cien (100). this hotel is a faded gem par excellence, it was where all the narco-terrorists used to stay on business in the 80's.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2858.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2859.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2860.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2863.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2864.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2865.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2866.jpg

back downtown again...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2869.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2870.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2871.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2872.jpg


this is a side of bogota you might have not seen before (of course, you might have not seen any of bogota before.) the south side is almost uniformly poor, and ranges from shabby older buildings to newly-built slums. we met some friends along our journeys and they insisted on taking us to their house - this is their neighborhood.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2873.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2874.jpg

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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2878.jpg


hasta luego from bogota, colombia. it was a fantastic place to visit and i highly recommend it, especially if you want to go to a bustling metropolis where english is simply not spoken and tourists are as rare as hen's teeth. coming soon i'll post the pictures of carribean colombia (cartagena, santa marta, and a little bit of shakiraville / barranquilla.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2882.jpg

[olga]

What an intriguing city. The pics with the colorful houses and the cloudy sky are beautiful. I love this building (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v65/matthyou/bogota2/IMGP2850.jpg).

[jiaodagongjian]

too wet
just like my hometown

[brickell]

looking forward to the rest. well done again

[arbeiter]

thanks. i'm not sure why these pictures aren't that exciting to most people, and yet the same old pictures of middle america ARE... but i digress!

[-GR2NY-]

Quite a bit mroe prosperous than I had imagined! I like, I like!!

[WesternGulf]

I agree with olga. That's what caught my attention were the narrow long streets with the foggy skies above. Great shots.

[Tom In Chicago]

Great photos. . . curious to know why you didn't just tell them that you were American. . . perhaps it was just easier given that specific circumstance you mentioned. . .

[bc2mb]

absolutely stunning photography ... the contrasts of the colourful buildings against the dark, stormy skies is incredible.

[Buckeye Native 001]

I'm speechless, seriously. The colors + gloomy weather = fan-fucking-tastic. :tup:

Also, props for the use of "elecric boogaloo" :tup:

[Chicago Shawn]

Beautiful. I love the storm rolling up agianst the mountains. Gives a very cozy feeling to those narrow streets.

[A-town]

I love gloomy settings they are the absolute best. From these pictures it would seem as though Bogota is a city in the middle of a vast rainforest. Thanks for sharing the pics, what a beautiful city.

[Sacto]

Great set. Thanks!

[niwell]

Awesome stuff! the building olga mentioned is indeed beautiful, and the shots from the poorer area are very interesting.

Nor sure how I missed part 1, gonna have to find that now.

[fangorangutang]

Ahhh! So amazing. The low, dark clouds, forested mountains, the gritty, dense spread of the city. I must go there.

[R@ptor]

Great photos of a city we don't see too often here. It looks like there are quite a lot of interesting historic buildings and the photos with the approaching thunderstorm are indeed brilliant.

But it has to be asked...isn't Bogota (and especially the poorer areas of the city) extremely dangerous for western tourists?

[boden]

These pics are wonderful...full of color and atmosphere. Somewhat reminds me of Havana..and with the mountainous backdrop, of Kingston, Jamaica.
As I said earlier...one of the year's best posts. Thanks for sharing them.

[Agent Orange]

Threads like these are what keep me hooked on SSP. I don't believe I've seen a non-googled photo of Bogota before this. Good stuff.

[UrbanSophist]

This is by far the best Bogota thread I've seen. It really makes me want to visit South America. As a continent, it is so different from North America. As you said, its definitely underrated.

[bpg88]

Breath of fresh air here. Great photos.

[Kilgore Trout]

amazing... i can honestly say that these are the first street-level photos of bogota i've ever seen. the final shots from the "poor" part of town are priceless.

arbeiter, you should start a flickr account and put these there. you'll get a lot more public exposure than with photobucket -- and these photos deserve to be exposed!

[arbeiter]

kilgore,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xuxa/

[Expat]

Amazing pictures, thanks

[mczamalek]

WOW! Even better than the first set! Thanks, arbeiter!!!!!!
Love the colours:)

[flar]

So many contrasts, not just the colourful buildings against the sky, but the well kept areas versus the slummy areas toward the end. Definitely a really interesting looking place I'd love to visit.

[samne]

Saw Bogota in the thread title and no idea what to expect.

Clouds, mountains, colours, cathedrals, ruins are just surreal.

A+ on the photos.

Citytv in Bogota?...who knew...TO represent.

[Robert Pence]

Amazing city, and absolutely outstanding photos. You really made the contrast with the stormy skies work for you!

[Sulley]

Other worldly.

[Paintballer1708]

Great photos. Some sections of Bogota i have never seen before.

[-AX-]

Beautiful! The last ones are the best!

[Ratty]

Great pictures - thanks for sharing.
I will forward to my columbian friend !

[Canasian]

Excellent! The best threads in this site (IMO) are of the nieghbourhoods, I felt like I was there. Very cool, thanks!

[arbeiter]

I decided to bump this to make the international thread more exciting. also because i wish i were travelling like last year :(

[wisla_krakow]

I love the streets, and the mountains. How were the Colombian women? I love them too.

[staff]

Thanks for bumping it, arbeiter. I missed it the last time around.
Superb!

[arbeiter]

I love the streets, and the mountains. How were the Colombian women? I love them too.

well, i'm into boys, so i can't give you the real scoop. but i would say the women were a bit hotter than the men. most colombians are mestizo in a similar mixture as most mexicans, i've noticed.

shakira is not a fair representative of a colombian because she's of lebanese descent. i mean, not that she's not a 'fair' representation but that she represents the 2-3% of the country of middle eastern background.

[Chelsea Spy]

thanks for bumping this - great pictures of a city not often seen - really cool!

[M II A II R II K]

The city must be at a very high elevation being practically next to the equator and it looks like fall weather and clothing.

And I wonder how a local Toronto TV station is affiliated with a channel there.

[Chelsea Spy]

The city must be at a very high elevation being practically next to the equator and it looks like fall weather and clothing.

And I wonder how a local Toronto TV station is affiliated with a channel there.

Bogota is at a very high altitude - 8000 feet!! I believe it has a very moderate climate between 10-20C

[arbeiter]

Bogota is at a very high altitude - 8000 feet!! I believe it has a very moderate climate between 10-20C

I think Bogota proper ranges from about 8400-8600 feet. Monserrat is about 10,000 feet.

[BnaBreaker]

Damn, how did I miss this? Bogota seems to be so underrated. I've definitely got to get down there. Is it relatively safe? With my travels I've become extremely skeptical of the 'common' opinions of other American travelers. Usually when they say it's dangerous, it's really not that dangerous, but Bogota is a place that I've always heard is pretty dangerous. Any truth to that?

[Canasian]

Great pics!!! I miss South America!

[Bergenser]

What a tour! :tup:
I Have to visit South America.

[giallo]

Have your nosebleeds stopped?

Excellent tour.

[arbeiter]

Have your nosebleeds stopped?

Excellent tour.

if that's a subtle joke, ha ha, they have for the most part. the most colombian industry in colombia is something i would have to share outside of this thread.

[giallo]

^At those bargain-basement prices, I hope you would share.

[arbeiter]

Damn, how did I miss this? Bogota seems to be so underrated. I've definitely got to get down there. Is it relatively safe? With my travels I've become extremely skeptical of the 'common' opinions of other American travelers. Usually when they say it's dangerous, it's really not that dangerous, but Bogota is a place that I've always heard is pretty dangerous. Any truth to that?

Well, what made Bogota a bigger gamble than that was not only did Americans tell me not to go (and most of them thought I was moonlighting as a trafficker or had a major craving for the peruvian marching powder), but most Colombians I met recommended against it. Some on here, some I knew in real life - the only person I met that encouraged it was this random guy I met at a loft party who was actually from Bogota. He and I had no real reason for being friends, we never actually hung out much, but my friend and I stayed with his mother one night.

Her hospitality was amazing - she was an elegant, upper-middle-class bogotano of the most refined personality. Their house was not a mansion, it was comparable to a house I had grown up in - the only difference being the gated front yard with high hedges (privacy I guess). But she insisted on making us tea, coffee, making desserts, telling us the right way to go downtown, and was so helpful. She did not interact with me much at all since I don't speak Spanish, but the most memorable experience was when she flagged down a taxi for us and heckled with the driver to make sure we didn't get the 'scenic route'.

But to answer your question, Bogota was reasonably safe by non-first world standards, and way safer than the reputation it has. I never saw a single thing that worried me - the closest thing was when we went to a (gay) dance party at the top floor of Bogota's 2nd largest skyscraper (which is mostly empty). They had really intimidating bouncers, and all along the street, people would kind of try to walk near us or mutter some words. The general rule was, tourist or not, only take a phone-called taxi and make sure the license plate matches what they tell you on the phone.

The party itself was pretty interesting - a large minority of straight people and women, very cosmopolitan in the most literal sense of the term, although my friend and I stuck out like sore thumbs. Colombians (and most South Americans) have no sense of western irony, so they thought we dressed very, very odd for being rich Americans. I actually had someone ask me in English why I intentionally like to dress like my father. To them, the richer you are, the more preppy you are supposed to look, but as a poorer country, they don't understand that materialism gets really old for a certain segment of the population. But we had fun - the music was not as bad as I had thought it would be, and the drinks were like $1-$2, although not very strong. The view was amazing from the roof, and there were little couches and nooks to hang out, a few dance floors that were empty and a few that were crowded. But drugs were there. Let's just say I asked the ultimate gringo question of stupidity and said to a nice looking boy, "buscar el blanco!"
40,000 pesos later ($18), I had my answer.

I had so much fun. We wanted 2 more weeks there. If i hadn't fallen preciptuously and left New York, my friend and I would have gone again this November, but instead, just Bogota and Medellin.

The Colombian opinion of itself among the world is really self-deprecating and negative. "Why did you even come here?" a few people asked. Several people knew some English but were too embarassed to try, especially with me - my friend's mom that I travelled with is from Mexico and he speaks Spanish fluently, but I was perceived as a very unapproachable person (and often confused for German or French and not American.)
Colombians are so used to being thought of as a really terrible place, a lawless contributor to world instability, that they may not realize that they have one of the most beautiful and elegant countries around.

[BnaBreaker]

Well, what made Bogota a bigger gamble than that was not only did Americans tell me not to go (and most of them thought I was moonlighting as a trafficker or had a major craving for the peruvian marching powder), but most Colombians I met recommended against it. Some on here, some I knew in real life - the only person I met that encouraged it was this random guy I met at a loft party who was actually from Bogota. He and I had no real reason for being friends, we never actually hung out much, but my friend and I stayed with his mother one night.

Her hospitality was amazing - she was an elegant, upper-middle-class bogotano of the most refined personality. Their house was not a mansion, it was comparable to a house I had grown up in - the only difference being the gated front yard with high hedges (privacy I guess). But she insisted on making us tea, coffee, making desserts, telling us the right way to go downtown, and was so helpful. She did not interact with me much at all since I don't speak Spanish, but the most memorable experience was when she flagged down a taxi for us and heckled with the driver to make sure we didn't get the 'scenic route'.

But to answer your question, Bogota was reasonably safe by non-first world standards, and way safer than the reputation it has. I never saw a single thing that worried me - the closest thing was when we went to a (gay) dance party at the top floor of Bogota's 2nd largest skyscraper (which is mostly empty). They had really intimidating bouncers, and all along the street, people would kind of try to walk near us or mutter some words. The general rule was, tourist or not, only take a phone-called taxi and make sure the license plate matches what they tell you on the phone.

The party itself was pretty interesting - a large minority of straight people and women, very cosmopolitan in the most literal sense of the term, although my friend and I stuck out like sore thumbs. Colombians (and most South Americans) have no sense of western irony, so they thought we dressed very, very odd for being rich Americans. I actually had someone ask me in English why I intentionally like to dress like my father. To them, the richer you are, the more preppy you are supposed to look, but as a poorer country, they don't understand that materialism gets really old for a certain segment of the population. But we had fun - the music was not as bad as I had thought it would be, and the drinks were like $1-$2, although not very strong. The view was amazing from the roof, and there were little couches and nooks to hang out, a few dance floors that were empty and a few that were crowded. But drugs were there. Let's just say I asked the ultimate gringo question of stupidity and said to a nice looking boy, "buscar el blanco!"
40,000 pesos later ($18), I had my answer.

I had so much fun. We wanted 2 more weeks there. If i hadn't fallen preciptuously and left New York, my friend and I would have gone again this November, but instead, just Bogota and Medellin.

The Colombian opinion of itself among the world is really self-deprecating and negative. "Why did you even come here?" a few people asked. Several people knew some English but were too embarassed to try, especially with me - my friend's mom that I travelled with is from Mexico and he speaks Spanish fluently, but I was perceived as a very unapproachable person (and often confused for German or French and not American.)
Colombians are so used to being thought of as a really terrible place, a lawless contributor to world instability, that they may not realize that they have one of the most beautiful and elegant countries around.

That's really interesting. Thanks for the in-depth assessment. Your words are encouraging and basically confirm my assumption that it isn't as bad as it is made out to be. Oddly enough, what you said about Colombians being self-depreciating about their country is the same thing I found in Peru as well in my short time there, even though it isn't really seen in a negative fashion in the rest of the world.

[arbeiter]

That's really interesting. Thanks for the in-depth assessment. Your words are encouraging and basically confirm my assumption that it isn't as bad as it is made out to be. Oddly enough, what you said about Colombians being self-depreciating about their country is the same thing I found in Peru as well in my short time there, even though it isn't really seen in a negative fashion in the rest of the world.

That's funny. Yes, peru has a mystical image overseas due to its geographic fortune of having a lot of Native ruins and a large native population. it also wasn't involved in much of the narcocapitalism of the 80's - but now it is, and its cutesy image amongst hippies and stuff masks that it's where a lot of coke now comes from.

[the pope]

post war buildings a beaut.

Such a colourful city, especially the happy swiss-cake/lego church

And I'm not going to lie to you, I only clicked on the thread because of the electric boogalo.

[PeterG]

Such a varied city architecturally.
Going there later this year to visit family, which should be awesome.
Colombia itself has been recognised as a major upcoming tourist destination set to see big increases in visitors throughout 2008.

[Crawford]

Wow, these shots are great! This is the first time I've seen Bogota, and I am very intrigued.

The "slum" parts don't look bad at all. I have seen much worse even in Mexico. I like the narrow streets and European streetscape.

Overall the city looks quite vibrant and prosperous, and particularly colorful.

[kool maudit]

just thought i'd do a little bump.

[WonderlandPark]

Excellent shots, I am strongly considering Ecuador for a trip in the next 2 weeks, and those wonderful stormy skies and streets are making me want to buy the ticket. I keep hearing the stories about South American cities and safety, or else I would have booked my trip already. I am a solo traveler, if I knew a local, I am sure it would be a different thing.

Nice shots!

[Ayreonaut]

Great shots. City TV? I guess their slogan "everywhere" is true, I thought it was Canada only.

[arbeiter]

just thought i'd do a little bump.

god, has this line gotten me in trouble in the past... ;)

[ColDayMan]

Awesome.

[Plainview]

I was hoping to see some pictures of the promenade that was featured in the e2 show on PBS sponsored by Autodesk about green and sustainable designs.

But these were indeed good photos, just like we were there. Thanks.

Peter

[arbeiter]

I was hoping to see some pictures of the promenade that was featured in the e2 show on PBS sponsored by Autodesk about green and sustainable designs.

But these were indeed good photos, just like we were there. Thanks.

Peter

Do you know where in Bogota it's located? I mean, it's been a whole year since I visited.

[MobyLL]

Amazing... I had no idea. And thanks for the description of your time there that you provided back in Dec., very interesting.

[Trojan in NYC]

nice. it looks interesting.

[LAsam]

Photo posts like this are what make SSP such a great place. Thanks!!!

[arbeiter]

thanks for the kind words, guys. even a year later, i still have many fond memories of this trip and it opened my eyes to the diversity and size of south america. every time i look back on the pictures, i realize that my favorite thing in life is travelling and seeing how other people make a go of life.

[Shep]

Bloomin splendid job! :yes:

See I probably wouldn't of thought of Bogota as a place to go to go sightseeing but it does look good and some of the places look fantastic!

Cheers arbeiter!

[arbeiter]

Bloomin splendid job! :yes:

See I probably wouldn't of thought of Bogota as a place to go to go sightseeing but it does look good and some of the places look fantastic!

Cheers arbeiter!

I highly recommend it. Colombia is varied enough that you can get the whole tropical aesthetic, the whole urban aesthetic, the third-world exoticism and the pleasure of knowing how cheap the beer is. It's a lot similar to Mexico in that regard, except that Mexico is much, much more Americanized. In Colombia you have to look hard to find potato chips that resemble those in England or Canada, you're often given the choice of only local brand sodas, and all but the fanciest hotels are independent or regional brands you've never heard of. It's an exercise in vacationing in a market economy that has yet to be really globalized. Since most multinational companies, especially American or British ones, wouldn't touch the Colombian domestic market for decades, it has a peculiar availability of products and feels like an alternate universe, where Korean cars and French supermarket chains are big, where Wimpys still exist, where shopping malls sit air-conditioned an empty, waiting for the day that the middle class begins.

Colombians know far less English than Mexicans or Argentinians do, but their local chains often have English words, but people still turned their head when they heard a native English speaker on account of its rarity and novelty. I was told by more than one person that we were among the first regular English-speaking people they'd met who weren't businessmen.

[Prosciutto]

Great street level pics. Very photogenic city.

[Austinlee]

I assume this thread title is based on the Mr Show sketch of the movie of the same name?

If so, that is the best thread title since Sliced Bread. And its sequel, Sliced Bread II: Electric Boogaloo.

[arbeiter]

haha, I have never seen Mr. Show. I have, however seen Breakin' and Breakin 2: electric boogaloo. ;) Sometimes I feel like the oldest 25-year-old around.

[Austinlee]

^WHAAAAAAAT? You are missing out on what many people consider to be the best sketch show ever. It ran from like 95-99 I think. 4 Seasons. they are on DVD. if you know whats good for you, you'll pick them up.

Here is the sketch I thought your were referring to:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=O6fez3AHUzQ&feature=related

[arbeiter]

Were you aware of the movies they were referencing originally?

Sometimes coopting something becomes so successful that people forget it was a copy. Like Tainted Love!

[Austinlee]

Yes I knew what it was originally from. Although I can only claim to have seen the first movie.

According to wikipeida there are at least 17 pop culture references to that name:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakin'_2:_Electric_Boogaloo

It certainly is a popular running joke among creative minds; And rightly so: It rhymes and is hilarious and original!

[Shep]

I highly recommend it. Colombia is varied enough that you can get the whole tropical aesthetic, the whole urban aesthetic, the third-world exoticism and the pleasure of knowing how cheap the beer is. It's a lot similar to Mexico in that regard, except that Mexico is much, much more Americanized. In Colombia you have to look hard to find potato chips that resemble those in England or Canada, you're often given the choice of only local brand sodas, and all but the fanciest hotels are independent or regional brands you've never heard of. It's an exercise in vacationing in a market economy that has yet to be really globalized. Since most multinational companies, especially American or British ones, wouldn't touch the Colombian domestic market for decades, it has a peculiar availability of products and feels like an alternate universe, where Korean cars and French supermarket chains are big, where Wimpys still exist, where shopping malls sit air-conditioned an empty, waiting for the day that the middle class begins.

Colombians know far less English than Mexicans or Argentinians do, but their local chains often have English words, but people still turned their head when they heard a native English speaker on account of its rarity and novelty. I was told by more than one person that we were among the first regular English-speaking people they'd met who weren't businessmen.

It's now on my list of things to do which is now severely long!

Just need to get some funds now! :yes:

Electric Boogaloo, I preferred the 1st one, we all had flattened cardboard boxes in the park trying to mimic them, cheers for the memories arbeiter! :)

[arbeiter]

For those that just saw this thread, it's part 2 of 3 actually.

Here's part 1: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=120908

The third part involves Cartagena and Santa Marta, and mistakenly got placed in a separate section of the forum and I can't find it.

[MobyLL]

There is a very good 7 minute video of the transmilenio (BRT) system here:

http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/01/28/streetfilm-brt-in-bogota/

[dktshb]

I really like it. Thanks for sharing!

[Kingofthehill]

Wow! Great!

I'm debating on whether or not to go to Perú or Colombia for my spring holiday, but I'm not really sure at this point in time. How walkable and easy to navigate is Colombia? and more importantly, how expensive is it to reach the coastal cities? With the recent landslides in Perú, Colombia might just be my next destination :)

[new.slang]

if you want to visit the beach, go to cartagena
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartagena,_Colombia

[Deepstar]

Those are some great photos! I love the hilly, jungle terrain around the city.

[Thundertubs]

Stunning thread, seriously.