spicy carrots

colombia part i - bogotá

We spent a few days wandering around Bogotá, gathering our bearings, getting my Spanish going again, etc… It’s an interesting city, nestled at 8,600 feet and hugging some high Andean peaks.   The socioeconomic structure runs north to south, the riches to the slums, respectively.  Unconglomerated sprawl heads westward.  Somewhere in the middle of that sits the historical neighborhood, La Candelaria, which is interesting in itself with the narrow cobblestone streets, bright colors, and a student/bohemian atmosphere. We quickly learned however that a few wrong turns could put you in a dodgy neighborhood.  Bogotá and Colombia in general are cracking down on crime and drugs, a notoriety that seems to be a thing of the past, and it is obvious with the omnipresent police, military, and security guards on nearly every street corner.  We never had any issues, although we were constantly reminded of the dangers. For the most part, I just enjoyed the wandering and being back in my element. Here are a few things that caught my eye: