Tag Archives: la candelaria
2010 Murals in La Candelaria, Bogota
Posted on 19. Dec, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: 2010′s murals from La Candelaria pictured.
Say what you like about the street artists of Bogota, but you can’t call them lazy nor the art weak. They refresh old murals every year. … Read more
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A Mick Reunion
Posted on 24. Nov, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: I went on a bender with The Mick my first night back in Bogota. We drank Jameson, did coke, met crackheads, chased women. I accidentally smoked crack. I almost had to smack a hippie. We finished at Pechonorme’s with an unexpected guest.
Alternate Title: My 1st Night Back in Bogota
I arrived in Bogota Thursday night and the first thing I did was call up my good friend, The Mick. I brought him a Jameson gift box from America, the kind that comes with two branded glasses. … Read more
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Life Still a Dream in La Candelaria
Posted on 22. Nov, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Short dittie on how security guards work in La Candelaria.
In July I described how Life is But a Dream in La Candelaria. I had to set the record straight after publishing many posts on how sketchy and shitty downtown Bogota is. That post shows how hiring one private security force of aggressive baton-wielders can purge a neighborhood of undesirables and bring a vibrant party scene to the streets at night.
Sunday night I saw the security in action. … Read more
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Life is But a Dream in La Candelaria
Posted on 24. Jul, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Crime and indigente nuisances are way down in La Candelaria. I explain why.
I’ve written extensively on the crime situation in La Candelaria in these posts: Contributed Story: Hangin’ Tough in La Candelaria, Contributed Story: La Candelaria Pickpocket FAIL, La Candelaria in Pictures, Why I Hate Downtown Bogota, Crime and the Bogota Mentality, and My 1st Mugging in Colombia, I’ve written how bad crime was. WAS. As in past tense, not anymore. I have to go back to all those posts and link to this one, because La Candelaria is different.
After moving out of Chapinero, I moved into Hostal Fatima in La Candelaria. I noticed I was rarely getting asked for change or offered drugs. One of the gringos I knew at another hostel confirmed the neighborhood’s changed since last year. … Read more
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Contributed Story: Hangin’ Tough in La Candelaria
Posted on 14. Mar, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Christopher K from Colombia gives his advice on how NOT to get robbed or bothered in La Candelaria section of Bogota, Colombia.
I also stayed on the 3rd floor of Aragon and walked to the Platypus to use the internet. I made the Plat-to-Aragon walk at all hours: day, night, 3am, whenever, and always with my laptop. Of course, locals say this is crazy stupid, but there’s a knack to it.
The first skill you need is to read body language on the street, and I mean from two blocks away. I can tell an armed thief from a harmless bum in La Candelaria from at least one block away. What’s he doing, where’s he looking, how’s he carry himself? … Read more
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Contributed Story: La Candelaria Pickpocket FAIL
Posted on 14. Mar, 2010 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Quick dittie on an attempted robbery in La Candelaria.
This piece was contributed by Christopher K, who was the big Bogota blogger before getting locked up in a Brazilian penitentiary last year. Here’s his story:
Something’s not right in front of the tienda bar. It’s not too late at night and Sam’s just purchased an arepa con chorizo. We’re talking with two friends on the sidewalk when a mendigo asks for money – perfectly normal in La Candelaria, but there’s something off about this particular bum. His eyes are too focused, too searching. It’s so subtle I wonder if I’m the only one who notices. All four of us fuck him off and he wanders away. We’re involved in an animated discussion , but I make a note to keep an eye on this guy. He’s distinctively short.
A few minutes later a one-armed mendigo rudely breaks into our chat to beg. We fuck him off as well. A minute later I notice him standing with the short guy. They’re looking at us while talking – planning something maybe. … Read more
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Bogota Zombie Bums
Posted on 29. Aug, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: I describe panhandlers, bums, and drug addicts in Bogota, Colombia.
Readers Attack – ‘Get the fuck out’!
My second hate comment, from “Julian”:
Please get the fuck out. dude, seriously, you’re the only piece of walking trash in that beautiful city,
My first reaction to this comment was: Wow, he doesn’t know this city at all!
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La Candelaria in Pictures
Posted on 11. Jul, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Profile and pictures of Bogota, Colombia’s famed neighborhood, La Candelaria. Crazy murals included.
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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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Crime and the Bogota Mentality
Posted on 08. May, 2009 by Colin.
SUMMARY: Describing crime and the Bogota atmosphere. Features The Suit in La Candelaria, The Bogota Atmosphere, and The Bogota Mentality.
One night in La Candelaria I was watching the corner from my 3rd floor hotel room around 8:30 pm. At this corner there’s always a vagrant or two going through trash bags, asking passersby for money, etc. Down the hill a young Colombian in a suit carrying a briefcase walked toward this corner … Read more
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