Jonathan:
We haven't really mentioned our "Cities we could live in" list since we left Guanajuato about four months ago, mainly because Guanajuato has been by itself at the top of a big blank page since then. We've visited some amazing places on this trip-- cities rich in texture and culture, small towns filled to the brim with authenticity and charm, stunning vistas and breathtaking natural wonders. We have marveled at the beauty that has surrounded us since we left home, but very rarely have we been so taken by a new place that we feel like we could stay-- as if we've found some piece of ourselves there that makes us feel like we've always been connected. Guanajuato was like that for me four months ago. This past week as we were wandering through the narrow cobbled streets of colonial Bogotá, I couldn't help but smile as I felt that same sensation well up inside me again and again-- like I was home.
Perched on a high mountain plane at about 8600ft, and nestled up against a jagged mountain ridge that dramatically frames the city's edge, we couldn't help but notice the similarities between Bogotá and our own Boulder. On our way into town from the airport, we noticed that half of the city's main parkway was closed to vehicular traffic, and was packed with cyclists. Thinking it was some sort of race or a special event we asked our cab driver what was going on, and he casually mentioned that everyone likes to ride a bike on Sunday, so they close the freeway for it-- isn't that normal? To continue the parallel in a way that was almost eerie, within two hours of arriving in the city we had found our way to an annual vegetarian food festival that just happened to be held in the botanical gardens that day. If you weren't paying close attention, it could have easily passed for the Boulder farmers market or the Creek Festival-- tent after tent boasting impressive spreads, homemade bread, organic tapenades, gourmet honey and yoga supplies. Needless to say, we were enamoured from the start.
It only got better as we explored Bogotá's beautiful centro viejo (old town), stumbling upon gourmet cafes, handcrafted beer pubs, and pastry shops set around pigeon-filled plazas. It was beautiful. Everywhere we went we were met with smiles and warm greetings. Friendly strangers eager to help us find the right bus, or decode our cryptic Lonely Planet map. This was not the Colombia we expected. There were no hoards of machine gun toting soldiers patrolling the streets, no bomb-proof limos or shady drug lords. Instead we found beauty and smiling faces around every corner; parks full of families having picnics and flying kites; and the only camo fatigues we saw were stretched over busty mannequins in window displays.
In Colombia we found all the unspoiled charm we had been promised, and none of the chaos or danger we had feared. I'm sure its darker side is lurking out there somewhere, but we certainly didn't find it. It's doubtful that we'll ever choose to live there, but Colombia will always hold a special place in our hearts. I can't help but feel that we'll be back again someday.
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