Archive for June, 2009
La Calera, Guatavita, and Girardot, Colombia
Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: My stories from three pueblos outside Bogota, Colombia. Includes La Calera, Guatavita with Gringos, and Fell Off the Wagon in Girardot.
La Calera
La Calera is a nice little town on the other side of the mountains. Most go by bus but Alejandro and Winston walk. Friday night we made tentative plans for them to call Saturday. We couldn’t decide that night because they wanted to borrow dogs. Dogs? – I asked. They wanted to borrow a pitbull or rottweiler in case we ran into thieves on the trail. Oh, OK… Read more
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García Márquez and Love in Latin America
Posted on 12. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: I review Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez’s classic novel, Love in the Time of Cholera, in the context of the romantic culture of Latin America.
Latin culture is the most romantic in the world. Is this good or bad?
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez is set in an unnamed town assumed to be Cartagena, Colombia, and spans the late 19th century to early 20th century. As a teen Florentino Ariza falls in love with Fermina Daza the first time he lays eyes on her. He begins a letter-writing campaign professing his love. She falls in love with him and they write regularly. They plan a marriage without ever having spoken and behind the back of Fermina’s overbearing, ambiguously-criminal father… Read more
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Why I Hate Downtown Bogota
Posted on 10. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: One day’s events that highlight why I hate La Candelaria and downtown Bogota, Colombia.
UPDATE 2010 - I don’t hate downtown Bogota anymore. This was 2009. Things have changed. See Life is But a Dream in La Candelaria.
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Buenos Aires, Argentina = Italy Meets South America
Posted on 08. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Description and pictures from my trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, including European City, Argentine Women, BA’s Nocturnal Culture, Food: BA for Carnivores, Language: Argentine Spanish, Tango!, and Conclusion: Buenos Aires Doesn’t Suck.
I was never eager to see BA because I’d heard they consider themselves European, they’re snobs, etc. South Americans say they’re stuck up, but I found them friendly. The city has a noticeable European feel. Many Argentines have blond hair and blue eyes. Very tall buildings with Italian architecture. I’d say Argentina is to Latin America as UK is to Europe. Technically it’s a part of, but not really… Read more
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Buenos Aires in Pictures
Posted on 08. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
Pictures of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Contributed Story: The Pigeon Poop Scam in BA
Posted on 05. Jun, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: A common street crime targeting tourists in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It’s a bright Saturday afternoon in December 2007. We were walking along a side street on the way back to our hotel — only a few blocks off the Ave. Julio 9. Not many people around… Read more
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