Sunday, May 5, 11:00 Bogota wakes. Nelly, lady of their house brings us coffee, orange juice, bread: not so bad to live in comfort! It is the day of Mother's Day in Colombia. Olga quickly leaves us to join his family, there are some three dozen people expected. Tomàs behind us a little time to give me two new chess lessons and starting to turn and late to join his family. Few tens of minutes later we are in the streets of Bogotá towards the flea market to flea market has it that the name is a craft market earlier, it suits us very well to take up this Sunday sunny. After this first glimpse of day, we can not say that Bogota is a beautiful city, but several an early c apital to live. Surrounded by mountains, huge arteries which pass through at all hours moving bus, motorcycle, cars, many of n bone legendary R12, Colombia is another country of the Renault 12, as Morocco is the land of the 504, Mexico one of the Beetle. The buses there are all sorts of recent, old, customized, small, big and very very large called "TransMilenio" they function as subways, they traverse the city on dedicated lanes that you can admire the city without wasting too much time in traffic, watching the graphite are back. Since Rio de JANEI ro we had seen more of interest. One may wonder whether the graffiti is a sign of a society in dustrialisée. In these modern bus, a strange thing hit us, signs giving priority to children for head and Laetitia was a victim when a young father asked him to get up to make room for his 6-brat years. The boy king, a scandal, for cons, the old can stay standing. 
We'll do u week in Bogota, we thought we spend a little less time but Olga and Tomás would not let us go until we have a celebration on Saturday Next. Bogotá, c APIT nearest stars, a title somewhat usurped by us after going to La Paz bordering the 4,000 meters while a small Bogota reached 2000. Finally we are close enough to the Milky Way and the clouds to get dressed warmly against the cold and protect us from the rain. Take care our week to not get up too early, visit the places we have recommended Olga and Tomas. Wandering in the city between the buildings, strolling through the shops, notamen t the memorable French bookstore. We spend over an hour to choose books, we come to the box with our pile of books in his arms, satisfied with our choice. The lady is the first book, without another word ad "45 mile cada" "45?" "If 45" "porque, no es 22 mile per libro" the answer is "45" up to the tone of both ammabilité and so little explanation. We understand for ourselves that the label on the books are just code, we also understand why these so-called nine books look as old and dusty. We rely stack of books on the counter and win the street where the atmosphere is much nicer despite the rain. We jump into the first bus to downtown where we walk all the shops pounds res occasions, always with the same phrase in the mouth "Tiene literatura francesa en Ingles?" in 80% of the responses are negative , but we eventually find our happiness as classical, but in quite different genres, science fiction, thriller, romantic ... After this very exciting adventure it's time to eat a little. We are winning "The Wrong Door" a little rest aurant Olga advised us near the place where Simon Bolivar agitated at the sound of the band a thousand soldiers. We eat u tom n al, a preparation of meat and vegetables wrapped in banana leaf, typical and very good. Leaving the restaurant we admire a few minutes the soldiers while smoking a cigarette, you can not smoke in the restaurant, but I assure you it is still possible in most places in Colombia because it is the owner of the premises which nicotinic chooses its policy. In short one can choose, not as in some country, maybe this democracy. 
Unless democracy is more than a mask for a minority right-thinking and leadership that only the consumption e t profit must prevail while preserving the appare nce be a benevolent for the mob - today ' Today we're nothing but a rabble po rtant our politicians and our bosses like the Pharaohs - it stops listening day by day. End of the parent hese. On we leave this room to take a bus to the casino, we also tonight we will burn money on the altars of the god dollar. We pay our entrance fee for the poker game, 30 pesos for 20 chips, that's all. It sets in, the game begins: the blinds are 1 and 2, depression smells a scam this tournament. Ten minutes later the blinds go to 2 and 4. Five minutes later Laetitia is out, very very disappointed with his ace-queen, as for me I want an hour longer and makes me go out second in the final table. You take a taxi, which starts up a u floor the apartment management. On the edges res deserted at this hour, he charges more than 100 kilometers per hour slowing down just a red light, preferring to play the horn. Arrived at our destination we sill 20 000 pesos more. Some days better than others. We joined our little cribs (we occupy the chamber's son Tomás Mateo) and we fall asleep. We realize that our visa is only thirty days, and four weeks for C olombia is not much. We ask Tomas where the immigration offices for n e would extend it. No problem for him it gives us an appointment the next day at his office to take us there. The story will not be as simple as it para it and we will deprive him of precious time probably in the Administrative Body wandering before finding the right office. In passing he gives us a very good Italian restaurant. Our visa is in any case be extended by two weeks.
Another walk takes us to the botanical garden, where most Colombians are reproduced climates: desert, mountain, jungle ... then we win "the city" neighborhood of buildings at the foot of the slopes of Bogotá, on top some 500 meters above dominates a small white church that is beautifully sunlight in stormy day. Arrived at the top after taking the cable car, we can admire the city who s'ettend our eyes in his haze. The small church was so beautiful from below quickly loses its charm to get a closer look but that does not stop some crazy race to join her feet in less than 20 minutes from the bottom of e the mountain. Back to the downtown by more economical means calorie and sweaty. No us go through a house that was inhabited by Simon Bolivar, the founder of the great liberator of Colombia and much of Latin America from the yoke of the crown of Spain. Simon should not have life uncomfortable when he was staying in this house on one level surrounded by a lovely garden in full bloom. A final passage through the heart of Bogotá and business buildings and we reach the apartment of Olga and Tomas. Tonight we do a poker game every four Tomás strategist quickly understand the principles of the game and put Olga but that will not pick up the final pot with a style more than a little disconcerting. 
The next and last day for us in the capital. Tomas share the care of his son's birthday and we went for a walk with Olga, profi As of this Saturday holiday for her to hang out and enjoy a coffee in a luxury troquet Juan Valdez. As it should, we end our trip by getting all four in a Rumba. We drink, we dance while listening to songs from the past 33, a group of salsa on the rise and dusts off the spirit of this music is often a bit conservative.
The next day we took our backpacks direction north to Santa Marta to the seaside where Tomás lends us his family home for a few days, they are really incredible these Colombian ...
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