Bogota, The City of Contrasts

Buenos Dias, Amigos!  This is Kyle here writing from Bogota, Colombia, as if you didn´t know where we were already.  I have avoided going on the computer till now, but I was told we all have to write so I guess it´s my turn.  I really have enjoyed my stay here and I´m not really sure I want to leave.  And no it is not just because there is no snow here.  The food is delicious; the people are warm and friendly, and it is so energizing and exciting learning a new language. 

I am writing this on a computer with no internet and our host Edwin will post this for us while we are on a long bus ride outside of the city, to a youth camp.  What we will be doing there is up for question.  We know we are introducing ourselves, where we are from, and telling them something typical about Canada.  I am actually at a loss as to what to say for that last one as I´ve noticed that people are people.  The way things are done varies a little bit, but we still have the same feelings, emotions, passions, etc.  In reality all that people are looking for is love and who better to find it in than Jesus.   The camp, as it has been described to us, is on a farm and there are 2 American students going, a Korean, and one other nationality of which I don´t remember. 

The whole team is in good spirits after a day of relaxation, well sort of.  We went shopping.   Buying gifts for ourselves and family as well as seeing the sights that Bogota has to offer, of which there are plenty.  We went to an art museum that contains the paintings of an original Colombian artist who liked to paint everything fat.  He even did his own fat rendition of the ´Mona Lisa´.  We really enjoyed that.  We then went to some touristy shops and Edwin explained some of the history of Bogota, and the history of ¨El Dorado¨, the City of Gold.   We didn´t get the chance to see the Gold Museum instead we took a gondola car to the top of a mountain cathedral.  This area is still very Catholic and there was a mass going on when we got up there.  The view while being a bit cloudy was incredible.  Skyscrapers, nice apartments, beautiful parks, and ghetto´s, it is truly a city of contrasts.  I can´t even begin to describe what it is like to see it all at once.  On top of that mountain, when you turn around the sight is that of lush, green, rainforest covered mountains, with elegantly gliding clouds.   That is till the rain starts and you just see a wall of falling water.  Yes, it rained on us just as we were leaving.  They actually stopped the gondola from going anywhere because of the heavy downpour and the lightning.   Seeing lightning in the clouds when they are straight out from you instead of above you is quite interesting to say the least.

We also met an English Chef from France who is now retired and has been living in Bogota for over a year now.  We talked about a good many things and he said that Bogota has a bad reputation but it really doesn´t live up to it.  In the year that he has been here he has had no problems and the people he said he absolutely loves them.   He also told us of a cake he made while catering on a yacht for a celebration of the movie Titanic.  The celebration was hosted by director James Cameron and Bill Gates´ business partner.  We also talked about a good many things and he plans on moving to Cartagena, Colombia as he misses the beach.  He said that place truly captures the spirit of the people here and is by far his favorite place to live.   I really enjoyed talking with him as it wasn´t broken English or broken Spanish.  Being able to communicate freely is a huge blessing.

Sorry for the length, while avoiding computers I still love writing and I hope I brought laughter and smiles to you as you are reassured that we are doing well in Bogota, the city of contrasts.

-Kyle Letcher

P.S.   I did see police carrying automatic machine guns in downtown Bogota, talk about cool!