Connect the Dots: Mexico, Panama, and Colombia

This is it - the last day of the trip!  It's always a sad one, as it's difficult to leave a place you've thoroughly enjoyed without some feeling or sorrow, or wishing that you had another day to savour one last time, all those wonderful things you've enjoyed over the past few weeks.  The sadness started setting in for us a few days ago, as the pending trip finale inevitably dawned on us - the only thing you can do is enjoy what little time you have left, and reminisce over all the experiences, both good and bad. 

Colombia is about as good as it gets - relatively inexpensive, a variety of climates and as a direct result, a variety of activities to partake in, a fun atmosphere and most importantly, incredibly friendly people.  So much to see, and so much to do - as always, places like this leave you longing for more and planning the return. 

It really is like a mini Brazil, but more digestible because of its smaller size, offering more bang for the buck.  It's not as wild as Brazil, but I don't know if there is another country in the world that even comes close to that!  Colombia isn't quite as fun in that regard, but because of that it also takes less of a toll on you -  where <a target="_blank" href="http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pwong/12/1294916760/tpod.html">Brazil simply kicks your ass over and over again</a>, curiously continuing to draw you back for more, Colombia only kicks your ass a little bit, but gives you plenty of opportunities to recover before coming back for seconds!

So because of all the similarities between Colombia and Brazil, it should be no surprise that the theme song for this Colombian excursion isn't even a Spanish language song, but a Portuguese one from Brazil.  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvfvCU7tNKE&feature=fvst">Michel Telo's Ai Se Eu Te Pego</a> was playing everywhere during our time in Colombia - an unbelievably happy and catch tune, it's a song that you can't seem to get enough of, but also a song that when you hear it five years later, you can't believe that you actually liked such an annoying tune!  Apparently it's quite the phenomenon not only in South America, but also in unexpected European countries like Belgium, Germany, and Poland.

It's actually a remake of a song released in 2008, and there is even a cheesy little dance that goes along with it.  Translated in English, the title is "Oh, If I Catch You", and Michel Telo has also released <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?src_vid=SzRjSTCKhqA&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_369184&v=aD7Z11R-WUE">a predictably bad English-language version</a>, terrible because the translated lyrics sound absolutely horrible!  Why mess with a good thing?   

It was hilarious walking around Cartagena on New Year's Eve, with the song being played at seemingly every private party in town - there was a point where we walked for nearly five minutes and heard the song non-stop, with each party blaring it as we strolled by, but at a slightly different point in the song, making it seem like the song was on a continuous loop.  After hearing the song countless times over our first week in Colombia, we actually suffered from withdrawal when we barely heard it during the final two weeks - I can't think of a song that better symbolizes our time here, since we missed it as much as we're going to miss Colombia!  

So there isn't much more to say about Colombia that I haven't said already - it's amazing and I can't wait to one day return.  I'd previously steered clear of it because of my preconceptions that turned out to be completely invalid, ideas that were fostered by alarmist media and stereotypes perpetuated by those with no actual firsthand knowledge to base their opinions on.  Last year's trip to Brazil was enlightening in that regard, exposing the glaring disconnect between the world's perceptions of a country, and the reality that exists within its borders, within its culture, and within its people.

There is so much disinformation in this world, so many misunderstandings that arise because people simply don't comprehend each other, because they haven't made the effort to learn something about each other or where they come from.  It's so easy to believe what they are told about a country, yet it's so difficult to travel there and see for their own eyes if it's true, because those beliefs are the very obstacle preventing them from finding that truth.   

I have very few travel regrets, but I do have one about Colombia - that I let my preconceptions get in the way of coming to visit this beautiful country, that I waited so long to come here.  A number of times during this trip I've questioned myself as to why I waited so long to make this journey.  Had I known years ago what I now know after three weeks in Colombia, I would've traveled here LONG ago.  I suppose it's a moot point now ... so perhaps the better question to ask is, what are <b><i>you </i></b>waiting for?  Take it from someone who has been here - don't believe the hype, the stereotypes, or the third-hand accounts ... come here and see for yourself what Colombia is all about!

Chaos ...

Cafe Rausch ...

California Pizza Kitchen ...

Desperate ...

Even More Desperate ...

Au Bon Pain ...

Whoopie Pie ...

There would be no Guatavita or Zipaquira today, though either one would have made a worthwhile day trip from Bogota. Between some fatigue and the fact that we were enjoying Bogota immensely, far more than we expected to, we decided to take it easy and enjoy some of the other things that this great city has to offer its visitors.

Our mornings thus far in Bogota have been slow and lazy, as we attempted to recover from the strength-sapping heat of the Caribbean coast. It's been a refreshing change of climate, especially since the drizzly weather and temperatures in the high teens provide just enough incentive to linger for a few moments longer over that mug of hot Colombian coffee. There's something about Bogota that we can't quite put our finger on, something that we really like about the city.

Off to Usaquen, a village north of the Zonas G and T, that was a separate municipality from Bogota before it was annexed by the growing city in the mid-50s. We decided to take a taxi today, after having taken the TransMilenio yesterday, an express bus service that essentially takes the place of a Metro system. It was quite the experience, as we were packed like sardines packed into a can, a bit surprising given that it was a Saturday afternoon.

Riding the TransMilenio cost about $2 CAD for the both of us, and a fare in one of Bogota's cheap cabs would probably have cost about $5 CAD - as I was doing the math in my head as we exited the bus, a local said to me with a laugh "Mister, next time take a taxi!" I think that's a great idea, and we took his advice today!

The old colonial village of Usaquen is very cute, definitely one of the highlights of Bogota, especially on Sundays with its Mercado de las Pulgas. Though billed as a flea market, there are no secondhand goods being sold here that we knew of, only artisanal/tourist goods that were generally of high quality. Either way, it makes for a wonderfully enjoyable atmosphere in Usaquen, its lanes filled with vendors, pleasant crowds, music, and a lively vibe. Usaquen seems be a fairly exclusive district of Bogota, with fancy restaurants and cafes alongside more hole-in-the-wall-type joints, an interesting mix of the modern and traditional. It's a perfect neighbourhood in Bogota for tourists looking to shop, with both souvenir stands and upscale shopping malls all within a short walk of one another. We enjoyed Usaquen so much that we decided to skip one of Bogota's most-famous sights, Cerro Monserrate, a pilgrimage destination perched high atop a hill above Bogota, offering magnificent views of the city below.

It's considered a must-see, making it a difficult decision to miss out on it, but it's a small consolation knowing that we'll definitely be back in Colombia one day, and hope to see it then. It was just so difficult to tear ourselves away form Usaquen, which allowed us to enjoy everything we've loved so far in Colombia - good food, great coffee, tropical fruit ice creams, and friendly people! We're positive that Montserrate would have been great as well, but we were already in a lovely locale and having a wonderful time - why give that up for something that may not prove to be as enjoyable?

I've heard stories of Bogota being an ugly city - given what we've seen so far, I'd say that's a bit of a harsh description, even though some areas we've passed through haven't exactly been what you'd call pretty. After having spent yesterday in the city centre and La Candelaria, the colonial part of town, we could see where that assessment may have came from - but it's difficult to make that blanket statement about Bogota in general, as Usaquen is one of the loveliest neighbourhoods any traveler could hope to visit.

Bogota takes a toll on the body even when your itinerary consists of nothing more than some strolling and stuffing your face, something we attribute to the 2600 m elevation - walking even a few blocks along a slight incline left us breathless, so we actually needed to head back to the hotel for a short rest before venturing out for dinner!

The Zona G is billed by some as not only being the best gastronomic neighbourhood in Bogota, but in all of Colombia. For that reason, we decided to stick around the area for dinner - there is no shortage of restaurants in the area, but the trick is first finding one that is open since most are shut down on Sundays, while also finding one that is affordable. We were shocked at some of the menus we saw - one restaurant had appetizers running up to $40, too rich for our blood!

It shouldn't have been such a surprise, as the street outside our hotel was filled with army guys with machine guns - there must have been some VIP dining in the Zona G this evening. But being simple backpackers and not VIPs, there was no caviar and champagne on the menu for us tonight - only burgers and beer, and the world's largest patacon!

Beautiful Usaquen

Mercado de las Pulgas ...

Patacones the Size Of Your Head!!! ...

Usaquen's Main Square ...

Ciclovia ...

Oma ...

Great Empanada Vendor ...

Back For More ...

More Incredible Colombian Potatoes ...

Mango and Coconut Ice Cream ...

Camino del Cafe ...

Insane ...

Colombian Tony Roma's ...

Bogota Beer Company ...

Clowns - does anybody actually like them? Are there any children in the world who have not suffered irreparable psychological damage as a result of encountering one? Strange and sinister, faces painted white like a ghost - whoever came up with the idea that a clown is an ideal person to have at a child's birthday party? Somebody sadistic, that's who!

If you watched the movie It as a child, Pennywise the Dancing Clown scared the crap out of you. You probably still have nightmares about his disfigured smile, mouth full of grotesque, bloody fangs. You probably don't look down at sewer grates, for fear that you'll see Pennywise trying to lure you in to kill and eat you. In fact, you probably pee your pants just a little bit any time you see a Ronald McDonald statue when you're picking up some artery-clogging food at McDonald's - ok, maybe that's just me, but you get the point!

Clowns were everywhere in Bogota today, but not just any old clowns - they were Colombian clowns. What does that mean? Well ... some of them could dance. Really well. Crazy well. But what would you expect, in a country where babies can salsa before they can crawl? Apparently, these Colombian clowns like to congregate at Andres Carne de Res, or at least, they are paid to perform there as part of the nightclub's theme - multi-floored, it's a journey from Heaven to Hell, as you descend down the four floors in this circus-like establishment.

Andres has a fun theme, though it comes off as a bit cheesy at times with the clowns, puppets, and strolling minstrels making their rounds. It's all a bit bizarre but entertaining, with the clowns trying especially hard to get your attention. Most of the girls at our table aren't big fans of clowns, and did their best to ignore them as they tried to get our attention, but then one plopped himself down at our table and started to yell "Look at me!!! I am here!!! Why are you ignoring me???" I started laughing, but the girls didn't find it so funny ...

It's definitely an interesting and fun experience at Andres - pricey by Colombian standards and depending on what you order, pricey even by Canadian standards, they can get away with it because they still manage to pack the place. It's got a nice buzz, even early in the evening as people are sitting down to dinner and by midnight, it becomes absolutely full of dancing Colombians.

As we left, some locals asked the girls if they enjoyed themselves and were almost insulted when the answer was yes, it was pretty good. "What do you mean? It was amazing!!!" None of us would go that far, but it definitely was a fun and memorable night - creepy Colombian clowns included!

Pennywise, The Creepiest Clown Ever

Clowns, A Common Theme Today

Why Are You Ignoring ME????? ...

Poor Sabrina ...

Creepy Puppets

Retribution ...

Toronja and Chicha de Patilla ...

Tartine Vegetariano ...

Turkey Sandwich ...

Great Fries and the Best-Ever Plantain Chips

Intricate ...

Typical Adornment of the Indigenous

Beautifully-Located Bogota

Cafe de la Estacion ...

Catedral Primada On Plaza de Bolivar

Annoying Menu at Andres Carne de Res ...

Lulazo ...

Beef Ribs ...

Massive Rib Steak ...

Bibs for All!

La Candelaria. Montserrate. Usaquen. The Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira. Guatavita. Bogota and its surrounding areas have so many things to offer the traveler, it's difficult to decide what to see and do. So of all those wonderful activities, we decided to go shopping instead. Huh? Shopping? Why? How? WTF???

Tonight's plan is for a Calgary reunion of sorts, having a couple groups of friends that happen to be traveling through South America at the same time as us, one flying home from Bogota in a few days and one I managed to <strike>guilt into</strike> convince to meet us in Bogota. Andres Carne de Res is a fairly famous Bogota institution - a steakhouse earlier in the evening, before morphing into a nightclub later, a perfect venue for tonight's reunion.

After <strike>brainwashing</strike> enlightening B in the wise ways of the backpacker before the trip, the only pair of shoes she had packed were hikers - not exactly the type of footwear normally seen in Colombian nightclubs, nor used for salsa dancing. So, after B <strike>tricked</strike> convinced me that she needed to buy a nice pair of shoes for tonight, we headed to the Zona T in one of Bogota's posh northern neighbourhoods.

So named because of the shape of its pedestrian mall, it's a part of the larger Zona Rosa, the centre of Bogota's nightlife district. Strolling this neighbourhood of shopping malls and high-end designer stores is a bit of a trip - it could be mistaken for Robson Street in Vancouver! It's quite different from Medellin's El Poblado, which was structured a bit differently - while there were numerous restaurants and bars around their Zona Rosa, Parque Lleras, it didn't have the same mix of retail and entertainment venues as Bogota's Zona Rosa.

Sure, Medellin had its share of fancy shopping malls, but it just wasn't as pedestrian friendly as this part of Bogota - the malls of Medellin were a long walk from their Zona Rosa, best reached by public transit or taxi. For that reason, Medellin felt a bit disjointed and a bit unwelcoming; contrast that with Bogota, which just seems to feel friendlier and more inviting, a sentiment also expressed by more than one traveler I've encountered so far on this trip.

So after an epic day of shopping, of hours spent walking around in search of shoes, hours that <strike> felt like days of trudging through a 45 C desert, stepping on sand that felt like shards of red-hot and razor-sharp shards of glass</strike> passed by quite pleasantly, we had exactly one pair of shoes to show for this <strike>torturous</strike> wonderful day of shopping. It was all worth it in the end, because B managed to pick up a pair of shoes that <strike>looked like giant wrinkly raisins</strike> were quite lovely, garnering a number of compliments this evening.

Unfortunately, the shoes weren't used for their intended purpose tonight, as we discovered that it wasn't possible to obtain a reservation this evening at Andres, that we'd have to show up and put our names on the wait list if we wanted any hope of gaining entry. We decided to postpone and try Andres tomorrow evening instead, but we still made dinner plans with the Calgary crew who had just flown in from Quito earlier today.

It's always a treat to meet up with people you know while traveling, as it seems extra special. We were green with envy hearing their tales of adventure for the past two months - trekking through Peru to Machu Picchu, beach bumming in the Galapagos, feeling like prisoners in sketchy Quito ... and to think, they have another four months to go!

Even the Ducks Wear Raincoats in Bogota

Breakfast, Part II ...

BBC ...

The Best Franchise in Colombia ...

Pollo Peruano ...

A Little Dali

A Little Joan Miro

Mona Lisa, After Eating Too Much Gelato ...

Earthquake ...

Hug Me!!!

Dazed and Confused Little Birdie ...

Odd ...

Tenderloin w/ Guacamole ...

Antipasto Pizza ...

Zona T By Night

Calgary Reunion In Bogota

Santa Marta was sizzling today - though normally a bit cooler than it's colonial cousin Cartagena, the mercury hit 35 C, and that was only in the late morning! This called for another morning ice cream at a local joint specializing in exotic ice creams - the perfect cure for the heat, but only a temporary one.

Though Santa Marta isn't the most exciting of places in Colombia, the biggest advantage of staying here is proximity to other neat locales on this part of the Caribbean coast. With a late flight to Bogota this evening, we had the entire day to enjoy, our final in the hot Caribbean, before going to Bogota's cold and rainy climate.

There were two choices for day trips today - Minca, a cute little town high up in the hills above the coast, famous for its breathtaking scenery, coffee production and most importantly, for being cooler than the boiling coast. It would've been a perfect escape from today's searing heat, but a strike meant that public transport was nonexistent, and a taxi would be pricey, as Minca is a fair distance away.

That left us with the other option - Taganga, a fishing village with some mixed reviews. It used to be a neat little town where hippies would congregate and feel the love, but as with anything good on the tourist trail, it becomes overrun with those hoping to visit the place before word gets out, when in reality word got out long ago.

Reading guidebooks is always a bit of a time warp - the most recent edition of Lonely Planet Colombia was published in 2009, and as with any guidebook, the info is out of date even before the ink is dry. And now, it's a further two years out of date - though the guidebook's original description of the place remains valid, it's now even more overrun with travelers from all over the world.

Taganga has a gorgeous location, with its beach sitting on a little bay surrounded on either side by lush green hills, the water shimmering like Colombia's famous emeralds under the sizzling Caribbean sun. Picturesque, but the place is completely overcrowded and feels a bit overwhelming, with seemingly not even a square inch of space available on the beach. It's a place where people come to drink on the beach all day and party all night - I'm sure it's a great place for such debauchery, as evidenced by the packed beach, but it just wasn't what we were looking for at the moment.

It's always a fine line we walk as travelers - always searching for that little undiscovered gem that nobody really knows about, that place whose name when uttered to locals, results in a knowing nod and smile, punctuated by a subtly-raised eyebrow in a slight expression of surprise.

It's a sad truth, but the act of searching for such places invariably taints and sometimes even destroys, the very beauty that we seek. Any place worth visiting eventually becomes "discovered" by the rest of the world - as long as people can physically reach such locations, they will find a way.

More roads, more tour groups, more restaurants, more hotels ... eventually that quaint little fishing village becomes a sprawling complex of resorts. Taganga isn't quite there yet, but the wheels have been set in motion, and are impossible to grind to a halt - the impetus of the greed of developers is far too great, and plans have no doubt already been drawn up to turn this town into a money-making machine.

Perhaps it was the crowds, or the looming spectre of gross over development, but Taganga's first impressions weren't all that great. However, after a Club Colombia went down coolly and quickly, along with some fresh seafood, followed by a bit of dessert, and then some fine Colombian coffee, something magical happened - the temperature started to drop as the sizzling sun slowly fell to the sea, turning day to dusk, bringing forth a delicious breath of cool air, and our final sunset on the Caribbean.

Funny how things can change so quickly ... all the chaos and crowds in Taganga no longer mattered, nor did my first original impression of this little town. With a sunset like that, how could Taganga be anything but amazing?

Last Few Minutes Of Daylight

El Ingl&#38;eacute;s ...

My Spanish Sucks ...

Fruit, Sans the Syrup, Sugar, and Candy Sprinkles!

La Casa del Farol's Rooftop Terrace ...

Soaking Pool ...

Canondonga ...

Packed Beach in Taganga

Lunch at Crepes Ballena ...

Beef and Mushrooms in a Cream Sauce

Nutella, Banana, Rum, and Vanilla Ice Cream

View from Crepes Ballena

Sunset Over Taganga

Santa Marta's Pier

Dinner at La Muzzeria ...

Tasty Grilled Chicken ...