Bahrain --> Bogota
In what seems like a major feat, we have finally arrived in Bogota, Colombia. There were points when we didn’t think we’d make it (specifically Ted), but I will leave all of the annoying details out, and I will only aim to wow you with stories of old and new.
We have traversed continents in more ways than one, exchanging sand and ocean for lush green mountains at 8700 feet; extreme wind for the constant beat of cumbia music (you never know where it comes from, but it’s always there); 120 degree heat for 60-70 degree weather all year; a day or 2 of rain all year for an entire rainy season; empty sandlots filled with trash and stray “desert dogs” for sprawling parks filled with beautiful pure bred dogs roaming without a leash; and a country where you flaunt wealth to a country where you desperately try to hide any semblance of wealth.
On paper, Bahrain probably seems like a terrible place to live, but we loved living there. McLean and I had a wonderful group of friends, some in the Navy, some from the U.S. Embassy, and many wonderful local friends we met at the gym or (luckily) through random connections to friends in the States. Bahrain also boasted delicious cuisine from all over the world, very easy parking options (empty sandlots), several interesting cultural spots, great travel opportunities, and kind and giving people with a great sense of humor. It was very hard to leave, not necessarily because of what Bahrain looks like on paper, but because of what we experienced living there and being immersed in the culture. I’ve heard that your first duty station overseas always has a special place in your heart; no doubt Bahrain will be that special place for us.
We have now planted our feet in Bogota, and have already started spreading roots. Thanks in part to no internet in our new apartment, we spent our first weekend here exploring the city. We went to a massive craft fair, explored several different grocery stores, became members at the Colombian version of Costco (PriceSmart), took Ted on some long walks through parks and local neighborhoods, and attended separate white elephant Christmas parties where we got to know some of our fellow Department of Defense (DOD) personnel stationed here (and I luckily made quite an appearance by winning the most widely desired gift: a beautiful, locally handmade ceramic black pot).
Our apartment is right beside a busy thoroughfare, and we are within walking distance of many cool shops, restaurants, and bars. Since Bogota is a massive city with some of the worst traffic in the world (it is normal for it to take 45 minutes to go 6 miles or less), we primarily use Uber to get around if the distance is not walkable. This means that when we grocery shop, or need to get something for the apartment, no matter how big or small our load is, we are dependent on an Uber to get us home. Our car is apparently en-route from Bahrain, but due to several horror stories and the abysmal traffic, I have made the decision that I am fine with being driven around (Uber is about $3-5 for a 45 minute ride). Another option for delivery of all kinds is an app called “Rappi.” In Bahrain you might recall me talking about “Talabat” which is an app that allows you to order food from almost any restaurant on the island and have it delivered to wherever you want it delivered. “Rappi” is the same concept except it encompasses even more options than just restaurant delivery. You can order a person to come help you move something, you can order a cart-full from PriceSmart, you can do all your grocery shopping, you can order clothes and shoes from local stores, you can order furniture, or literally anything that you might want or need. All with you’re your fingertip, sans getting up from your couch.
One of our favorite aspects of the city is that every Sunday, on holidays, and a few times a year at night, major roads and highways are shut down throughout the city so people can cycle, walk, run, or rollerblade in what’s known as the “Ciclovia.” Bicycles seem just as common as cars here- there are bike paths on virtually every road and they are always filled with people riding around. McLean and I have been searching for “beater bikes” to get us around the city so we can join the masses who prefer biking over riding in a car.
Grocery stores here are very modern and offer a wide variety of items. They are not unlike the grocery stores I would expect in a big city in the U.S. There are also farmer’s markets, one of which I ventured to with a fellow spouse the other day. We left at 0600 to beat the traffic and after a 30 minute Uber ride, we arrived to a bustling fenced-in block. Upon entering the gates, our eyes and noses were assaulted with beautiful, bright, and vibrant fresh flowers. We slowly made our way through a throng of people buying and selling these flowers, and hollering back and forth at passer-bys and into the large open-air building housing stall after stall of meat, fresh fruits and veggies, plants, snack bars, and knick-knacks. If you needed to buy beef, there were at least 4 butcher stalls selling beef, and the same for fish, pork, chicken, fruits and veggies, spices, etc. The woman I went with was desperately searching for a specific beef roast for Christmas dinner, and had to explain in detail in Spanish to 4 different butchers exactly what she was looking for (later on the way home I asked her whether she would consider herself fluent in Spanish, to which she responded that no, she is just competent….which left me realizing that my Spanish level would then qualify as “horrendously incompetent”). Finally, at the last stall, the man told her that such a cut of beef doesn’t exist here, that she is looking for an “American cut,” and nobody here can do it. So, she settled for a “Colombian” version. Some of those intricate meat conversations led us into the back of butcher stalls, where there were men in rain boots and jackets with rows of bare meat hanging from the ceiling and machetes dangling carelessly from their blood-ridden hands, seemingly unconcerned about the scene they were presenting to 2 gringas. At one point, when we were standing in the aisle between several beef butchers, I turned around to see a man dressed in yellow rain boots and a yellow rain jacket hurrying towards us. He was hunched over carrying half a cow (skinned, just the meat and bones) on his back. He then met another man who made it abundantly clear that this was not his first time exchanging half a cow off another man’s back, who continued on with the raw meat on his back. I loved the authentic experience though, and was glad to take it all in alongside a friend who had done business there (and spoke competent Spanish) several times before.
In a stroke of miraculous luck and incredible kindness, some friends that we made last week invited us very last minute to join them at a 7-course dinner at one of the best restaurants in Bogota where it takes several weeks to get a reservation. Of course we quickly accepted the invitation. All 4 of us were clearly not well-versed in fancy dinner etiquette, spending a lot of the evening commenting things like “can we eat this?” “what is THIS for?” “what IS that?” The highlight of the meal was when the server brought us each a giant bowl and instructed us to cup our hands over the bowl. He then proceeded to pour warm chocolate over our hands and told us to lather our hands with the chocolate so it covered our hands, as if we were washing our hands with soap. Then he poured coffee grounds over our chocolate-laden hands and again instructed us to lather our hands with the coffee grounds and sugar. At this point, our hands looked like those of a 5-year-old who was finger-painting, but it only got worse when he told us to go ahead and try the mixture, a.k.a. lick our hands. The mixture turned out to be delicious, so there the 4 of us sat, happily licking our fingers and hands in one of the nicest restaurants in Bogota.
Our list of “must-do, must-eat, must-see” places are piling higher with every minute. In a large city that boasts millions of people and a great music, culture, food, and outdoor scene, we only get more and more excited about living here. We still miss Bahrain, and our wonderful friends, but the thrill of our new vibrant city is intoxicating. And as for Ted, he’s also thoroughly enjoying his new life here. He is allowed to sit with us at coffee shops, he goes on several long walks each day full of wonderful new sniffs and plenty of people to target for head scratches, and he has made several friends at the park right beside our house where he is allowed to roam leash-free and pee on as many bushes as his heart desires. He has also taken it upon himself to be the neighborhood watch. During the unusual hours when he’s not asleep or lounging around, he can be found standing on our balcony peeking out through the glass, or standing on his hind legs to keep his eye out on the commotion on the street below. All three of us already love this city.
I apologize for the uninspiring, poor-quality pictures. As I mentioned earlier, in Bogota it is important to hide wealth, not flaunt it, and unfortunately that means appearing as a tourist and flaunting an iPhone (which is very expensive here) is generally not a great idea.
