My Best Bogota Memory
Like many other avant-garde travelers, I wasn’t sure what to expect when arriving to Bogota. This trip was a personal one and so I preferred to let things unravel naturally. Before arriving, I was warned by countless people to watch out for pick-pockets, kidnappers and criminals in general.
Despite the borderline frightening moment I’m about to explain, I find Colombia to be a safe and happy place. From my experience, it is far from the dangerous city it was in recent history.
While I still have another day in Colombia, here is my most Bohemian Moment in Bogota
Unlike in the United States, where workers celebrate Labor Day by eating and drinking, the same cannot be said of Colombia. Here, the day is all about protesting the government. Deciding to meet Robert from Leave Your Daily Hell on this particular day turned out to be an unwise decision. Hundreds of policemen with guns and shield protectors lined the streets although I didn’t witness much protestation from the workers. (Again, this is not normal in Bogota the other 364 days of the year)
While leisurely sipping my cup of coffee and chatting with Robert about our love for travel, all of a sudden we looked up and saw about 50 people panically sprinting in our direction. People inside the coffee shop started yelling and scrambling to find a hiding spot. To be honest, I thought there was a rogue protester on the loose with a gun in hand. For a split second, I feared for my life.
The next half hour involved us moving from one part of the coffee house basement to the next to avoid the effects of tear gas. In between the bursts of tears and panic, everyone seemed to go about their normal business, making small talk and laughing about the absurdity of it all as we moved further into the building’s basement. It was a strange yet thrilling thirty minutes to say the least.
So where is the silver lining in this story? Well, it took this “faux trauma” for me to finally speak Spanish without fear of making a mistake, however broken is sounded. I even began speaking in Spanish to people who were talking to me in English. Also, tear gas is a much better alternative than anything involving weapons. During the whole experience, I met some pretty interesting locals. One woman lent me her cell phone and even offered to drive me home to my apartment.
Most Ironic Line: My boyfriend came looking for me and was stopped by a guard outside the coffee shop.
“Hello, there was an American girl here.”
“Oh, yes, we have her in the basement.”
Again, looking back, this was not as extreme as it may sound. I’m sure that far worse things happen on a daily basis in New York City. In fact, I’m positive they do.
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14 Comments
“Hello, there was an American girl here.”
“Oh, yes, we have her in the basement.”
- I would be freaking out if I heard that. Yours is definitely a unique experience that few travelers can share. I like it but I’m also glad you’re safe.
Alexa Meisler recently posted..52 Tips for Responsible and Sustainable Tourism
Thank you Alexa! Yes, it’s one of those experiences that is scary in the moment but make for great stories afterward.
Megan recently posted..My Best Bogota Memory
Wow!! That sounds scary, particularly if you have no idea of what is going on.
dtravelsround recently posted..Daily Wanderlust: Budapest’s House of Parliament
haha I definitely was clueless for the first few seconds.
Megan recently posted..Colombia Local Food Guide
This does sound frightening! But such is the life of a traveler if you want to visit places where protests are more common.
Brock – Backpack With Brock recently posted..A Ginormous Announcement: The Viator Dream Travel Job
haha very true!
Megan recently posted..Colombia Local Food Guide
I would have definitely been scared. What a wild way to celebrate any day. I’ve heard of so many travelers visiting Colombia these days, but just five years ago I had one guy who’d been advise me to never go. Things change. I look forward to visiting hopefully soon.
It was definitely not how I planned on spending my day haha but yes, the other 99% of the time Colombia is great. I really enjoyed my time here.
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Goes Global
Lol @ the bf “Hello there is an American here”! I’m doing a big South American jaunt starting in October and I’m definitely looking at Colombia to visit. Let me know of any suggestions/tips for Bogota. I may meet friends or I may travel alone, who knows at this point.
Colombia is great! Although I mainly spend my time in Bogota and the surrounding towns. The people here are really friendly and welcoming. You will love it!
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Goes Global
Yikes! Some adventure. It’s always the moments that feel potentially disastrous that make the best stories. Glad you were able to laugh at this one afterwards!
Britany Robinson recently posted..Visa Run: Heaven and Hell in the Golden Triangle
Thanks Britany! Definitely not how I expected to spend my day
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Goes Global
Wow what an adventure! Now hopefully it doesn’t take another small riot to get you speaking Spanish again
Jade Johnston – OurOyster.com recently posted..Kununurra Day Trip To Emma Gorge
I agree Jade!
Megan recently posted..Bohemian Trails Goes Global