January 2017

We started Bogota with a huge bang as we arrived on December 31st to celebrate the new year. Upon arrival, we were immediately whisked away to the outskirts of the city to a fantasy wonderland known as Andres Carne de Res in Chía. What seemed like it was going to be a simple restaurant quickly revealed itself to be labyrinth of interconnected rooms full of elaborate decorations, lighting and party like ambiance. There was a primary dance floor where local performers showcased their traditional footwork with a modern twist for all of our delight.

Bogota wasn't a crazy bustling city like some of the previous cities we had visited so I took this month to relax, live and catch up on all the work I had been slacking on. It's not to say Bogota didn't offer many thrills but it definitely is more of a "livable" city than some others. And, the "livability" is what I appreciated most about the city. Sometimes, while traveling the way that i have; you get caught up in trying to "do too much" so this month was a good opportunity to try to settle in some type of groove and to get my barrings back. Also, this is the month that we received a small fright when we were notified that there was a small explosion in a residential area not too far from the city center. The explosion was reported to had been perpetrated by a group known as People's Revolutionary Movement (MRP) and we were advised to stay clear of the area for a short while. And, an event, like this might make would be travelers weary of trekking to future cities, but in all honesty, terrible things are always happening and they could happen anywhere so this event did not deter me in any way. Wherever you are, you should always be on alert while still living life and not letting things, outside of your control, deter you from life experiences.

With all that being said, I had a great time in Bogota and I made sure to make every effort to see as much as possible without letting travel stress get the best of me. Because traveling isn't easy and Bogota offered the breathing room I needed to evaluate my priorities and live in the moment.

P.S.

I have to really give a shout out to the app Swarm. I highly suggest to anyone planning on doing tons of traveling soon, to use some type of Check-In app because without it, you will forget many of the places you have visited. I wouldn't have been able to recollect all the various things I had done without it.

Highlights:

Celebrating New Years at Andres Carne de Res and eating the manditory 12 grapes (my first New Year celebration outside of the states)
Eating delicious Colombian BBQ at El Tambor
Eating at the music themed restaurant Gaira owned and operated by the legendary Colombian musician Carlos Vives
Taking a cable car up the Monserrate mountain and witnessing the breathtaking views of Bogota
Seeing Nicolas Jaar perform at Royal Center
Taking the train to visit the Nemocon Salt Mines in the Bogota Savanna
Listening to traditional "Papayera" and "Vallenato" bands perform on the train
Visiting the historic town of Zipaquira
Eating Bandeja Paisa (mixed plate) & Ajiaco (soup) for the first time
Using UberEATS on lazy days