Walking Bogota, Colombia

I landed in Bogota, Colombia just before Christmas, 2021 and stayed there for almost exactly 6 months. It was a strange, but beautifully trying time. And though it was difficult, I’m so glad I did it…

Understand that Bogota is at an elevation that will cause you to loose your breath when walking at a pace you normally would at sea-level, so take your time and don’t push yourself. Just because you see people biking and taking in other activities, their bodies are well-used to that thinner level of oxygen that comes at that altitude.

Both of the apartments/Airbnbs I stayed at were near ‘El Central,’ but one was certainly much better than the other. The second could have been better with just a little heat- it was cement and though it had windows, the apartment was almost a half-basement. Cold, dreary and not a great place to recover from oral surgery (I may get into that experience in another post).

The big difference in the two apartments, besides the level of comfort was a single street. Once you crossed the street (shown in the video’s thumbnail), the neighborhood changed radically, and I knew I was in a dangerous neighborhood.

Walking those streets in broad daylight was trying. You’d see things, people trying to make a living, that could break your heart. At times you felt like the groceries you were walking home with could be ripped out of your hands at any time.

That said, the vast majority of people were great, and very friendly- though it was commonly asked of me, “What are you doing here?” Understand, Medellin is the party capital, at a much lower elevation and easy to navigate. Where as Bogota is a serious city that could easily swallow you up and just keep on ticking, like you never existed- just another notch on the cities belt of time…

So if you decide to visit- watch yourself. And unless you are in the ‘tourist zone’ with nice restaurants, bars and grocery stores, I honestly wouldn’t venture out much at night. I’m a risk-taker and generally adventurous, but I know danger when I smell it- and trust me, Bogota has plenty of it. *A.