MaxMitch

A distinct chill in the air lets us know we have reached the high-altitude capital city of Bogotá. The cold feels positively Christmasy as we walk the wide avenues and boulevards of this ancient Spanish capital. Besides the well-preserved Colonial center, the city is staid and modern, reminiscent in its business areas of a Northern European capital. The residential areas are comfortable and thoroughly North American. Indeed, our hotel´s street could exist in the East Bay or a Chicago suburb, complete with a Dunkin´ Donuts and a Tony Roma´s. Bogotá feels a bit distant and cold after the warmth of Medellín, and we spend a couple days wandering the empty streets of the center, in search of an open museum or restaurant (see most unfortunate adventure below.) But, of course, at this time of year the malls are the place to be and we find warmth (sweaters!) and cheer (giant animatronic reindeer!) in the glitzy commercial centers of Bogotá´s Zona Rosa. Once Christmas is over, we let out a sigh of relief as the city comes back to life and we are able to visit the legendary Museo del Oro and other major sites.

Next, we head Southwest to the steamy city of Cali. Although nowhere close to the Caribbean, it has a distinctly tropical vibe - represented in its devotion to salsa dancing and all things sexy and sultry. We arrive in the midst of the biggest event of the year - Feria - a one-week dance-in-the-streets party that has everyone hot and bothered. We feel thoroughly underdressed for the posh restaurants and clubs of Cali, but have a great time anyway, eating well, imbibing cold drinks, and sweating up a storm. But time is passing quickly, and our goal is Quito for New Year´s, so we keep on moving Southwest and take a short bus ride to colonial Popayán - Colombia´s answer to Antigua - but without the excessive tourism. Popayán is just our speed - beautiful colonial churches and squares on every block, atmospheric bars playing scratched records, and friendly people everywhere make us wish we could spend a week in this quiet, accessible town. But it is time to move on, and we take a 10-hour bus ride on the Panamerican as it twists, turns, and rises over the Andes on its way to the border with Ecuador.

On the journey, we see incredible views and a different Colombia. Far from the major commercial cities, we see Colombia´s hidden poverty for the first time - small shack villages, subsistence farmers, trash, deforestation. We realize how wealthy, comfortable, and developed the cities of Colombia are - probably the most developed places we have been on our trip to date. But there are other sides of Colombia we have not seen - including the rural countryside and the jungle lowlands - the areas still held by guerrillas and banditos. We leave Colombia thoroughly loving the country - yet also thankful that we didn´t get robbed, kidnapped, or incriminated in a drug cartel. We experienced the very good side of Colombia, and we recognize that many people - mainly Colombians - have lived a very different experience.

Best moment: Watching the wild and lively salsa parade with a slew of local kids in Cali. We all crowd the windows of a ritzy, second-floor billards club to escape the searing heat of the Cali streets and get a great view of the processions, and wacky crowds, below. These kids, all under 10 and without much experience with foriegners, find us absolutely fascinating. They are most interested in what color our house is and if they can squeeze just a bit closer to us so they have an improved view of the wild, gyrating masses below.

Best food: A tie. 1) Our favorite breakfast food became the ever-present buñuelo - a globe shaped savory donut made from corn meal with a hint of fresh cheese throughout. Usually slightly larger than a golf ball, bakeries begin to fry up the donuts at dawn. By 8 am there are dozens glistening in glass cases, and dozens more spinning in the hot oil. Filling, rich and tasty, buñuelos got us through many an early morning bus ride. 2) A Christmas-eve lunch at La Puerta Falsa, suposedly the oldest restaurant in Colombia. This traditional lunch consisted of a burrito-sized tamale stuffed with chicken, olives, and rice, wrapped in a banana leaf and served with barely-sweet hot chocolate - with fresh farmer cheese inside. Yes, inside the hot chocolate! This combination proved suprisingly good as the savory cheese melts and becomes stringy in the rich chocolate. Yum!

Most unfortunate adventure: Spending Christmas by our lonesome in Bogotá. Being lonely during the holidays was harder than we anticipated, and Bogotá didn´t help! This city of over eight million closes its doors and rolls up the sidewalks the days before and after Christmas. The streets are empty; the stores closed. Everyone is in church or at home... The epitome of our experience was on Christmas Eve, the night when Colombian families have their big dinner and exchange presents. Desperate for a celebratory dinner, we wander through the restaurant district and find nothing open. We finally enlist a taxi driver to help us find an open restaurant, and he does: Tony Roma´s. A true Colombian experience.

Favorite people: The very friendly hotel workers at La Casona del Patio Amarillo, the beautiful boutique hotel where we stayed in Bogatá. Friendly, warm, and helpful (although they were working through the holidays), they made it very pleasant coming home to their little warm yellow house.

Quote of the week: "I´m so full, I feel like a Botero!" - Nelson, after a particularly filling Colombian meal.

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