Streets of... Bogota: La Candelaria

I arrived in Colombia on Friday 11th, to volunteer with a friend of mine's NGO, to practice Spanish, to attend a Summer Course on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, and to experience some work period in South America. Gerardo from RGOS was waiting for me at the airport, and he took me to my temporary place in Bogota. This temporary accommodation is a hostel in downtown Bogota, a nice and informal series of flats in a unique compound with all apartments looking to the inner court. Nothing gives you an idea of how europecentric we are, until you realize that the center is not always the best place in town to stay.

La Candelaria is the equivalent to the Old City. The architecture of the old houses, churches and buildings has Spanish Colonial and Baroque styles. It houses several universities, libraries and museums. Unfortunately, is not suggested to wander around after sunset, because of the high rate of micro-criminality.

Apart from that, it's a pleasure to get lost in its streets, and to enjoy early Sunday morning atmosphere.

Weirdities - Bogota

Top 5 weirdities in Bogota:
1) A truck playing "La Lambada" when driving in reverse (a "beep" wasn't enough);
2) A street seller of "steamed dogs" (perros al vapor);
3) The saddest McDonald ever (really, you can only understand power of design when it's missing);
4) The shortest Presidencial Guards ever;
5) The most confusionary museum ever (Botero Museum);

More will follow for sure...

New horizons

I am two days far from leaving Italy to Colombia, where I will spend around three month. I have no specific plan, or maybe it's better to say I have too many.

Hopefully, I will have time to close the "Trip back home" series of photos (Istanbul is still to be uploaded) and to work out some unedited taken in Kyrgyzstan, and the new Colombian series.

More news coming soon...

Hopefully.