vaccinations&b=2

You should always get shots before traveling. Everybody knows this, although seem to ignore the warnings. Of course, in an increasingly globalized world, many places you travel to are not going to have much in the way of exotic diseases. When I came to London, for example, I didn't worry about getting shots. Although if there was a shot that made you look the right way when crossing the street, I would've gladly paid for it. (I almost get run over ever time. I know, they even write which way to look at your feet. I still forget.)

Of course a lot of traveling, some might argue the best traveling, happens in places where the medical technology is not as good as it might be in much of the world. Shots are a smart idea in these places.

(The U.S. Center for Disease Control website has specific country vaccine recommendations. I know this because the last time I saw my Doctor and asked him what shots I should get for Colombia, he just sat down at his computer and read CDC recommendations to me from their website.)

But what people often forget is that although shots beforehand are a good preventative measure, there is always the chance they won't be enough, and if you’re in an area that is remote enough to need lots of vaccinations, then you probably won't be able to just stroll down to the pharmacy and get what you need. That's why it's not a bad idea to have a first aid kid with a good supply of drugs. (Please do not take this last sentence out of context.)

There's the basics of course, the over the counter stuff I always travel with. Pepto Bismol, Ibuprofen, Anti-Fungal stuff, and of course live leeches to even out the humors on the occasions I travel to the 18th century. But I'm sure there are many travelers who need specific non-over the counter medications, and if you are robbed or run out for any reason, you're going to have to get more. That's why I recommend carrying them in two different places, in case you are robbed, and also be ready to get more. I love this canadian pharmacy for ordering stuff you might not be able to get where you're at.

The lesson, as always: thank god for the internet and Canada.

Travelers from certain countries usually carry some stereotypes. Some deserved and others not. For instance, any backpacker will say Israeli travelers are notorious for being arrogant, cheap, and traveling in packs. Of course there are many possible reasons for this such as English being a non-native language or most of them just finished military service.

Well I have some observations of my own to add to the list of stereotypes. This time about American backpackers. To start off I have met very few fat American backpackers in South America if it makes any difference. Australia is now most obese country anyways! But what I do encounter often are what I like to call “experts“.

Within minutes of meeting or just observing an American backpacker I already know  the most important fact about him or her without even having to ask. In comparison its pretty rare that I know much about any other foreigner. In just one night at a hostel in Bogota, Colombia, I encountered three different Americans. For reference, I did not talk to either of these three for more than one minute at the most.

The first was an American-Asian from California obsessed with his military tours to Iraq who explained the ins and outs of each gun he has used. I also know how many people he killed. Three.

The second was a Jewish guy from New York who was passionate for bashing every aspect the United States and mentioning his religion at every opportunity. He encouraged others to make jokes about him being Jewish at every opportunity.

The third American was a middle aged guy obsessed with traveling to dangerous countries. He took pride in explaining how Colombia is such a dangerous place or the time he visited Pakistan. He was also the obnoxious type who liked to brag about visiting certain countries before they were touristy. He did not stop talking.

What these three American travelers have in common is that the minute a stranger was to offer any of their own insight about the topic they would be quick to correct them. While I only provided three examples this type of attitude is all to common. There are many more!

mostpatrioticpictureever9ei

I used to write down basic daily thoughts before I started having such a nice time in Colombia. At some point life got in the way so instead I will leave you with a collection of notes I wrote down during my first few weeks here.

Bogota is my favorite Colombian city partially because of La Candelaria, a sort of bohemian downtown neighborhood with some restored and non restored colonial buildings. The streets are sprinkled with tiny cafes, restaurants, and a few universities.  For extra character some talented graffiti artists tag most of the buildings. But throughout you can see some ugly graffiti including themes like Go Home Yankees! During one of my first night walking around I smelled a toxic scent which prompted me to turn my head and find some guy tagging one of the buildings. My first instinct was to think of this guy as an asshole destroying the look of the buildings until I realized that’s what makes this place so great in the first place!

Next up from my random string of notes is meeting up with a friend I met during a Colombian festival in January 2009. Cesar met me at my hostel in Bogota where we sat down with a group of Texans I had previously met in Ecuador for some drinks before a night out. I realize how special I have it when I can meet up with so many friends from around the world more than once. All to often as a traveler we will meet people expecting to never see them again.

On a similar note as I was eating an empanada on the street around 2AM I look a few feet away spotting a familiar looking Gringo face. I stared at him for a few more moments until I saw him walk over to order some food. That’s when we both said, Hey, you look familiar. It was Mike, an American from Kentucky who I had hung out with for a few weeks in Bogota and Medellin back in August 2008. That’s almost 2 years ago.

When I first traveled here in August 2007 I stayed in a Bogota hostel because of a recommendation from another traveler. Since then I have stayed ever since and when I walked into the hostel this time it felt so nice to be genuinely greeted by everyone from the owner to maid.  And later that night I went over to another friend‘s apartment to see him for the first time in half a year. I spent the next week hanging out with him, his brother and brother’s girlfriend, as well as a few friends visiting from Manizales who I also met the year before.

One of the highlights of the week was finding absolutely amazing tasting coffee. Sure there are good chains like Juan Valdez or Oma but when walking around downtown Bogota I spotted a cafe with a huge coffee roaster in the window. Sure enough it was the best tasting coffee I have tasted here.

While this is not as random as my last paragraph it was quite a random encounter as I was heading out to a bar with some folk from the hostel when another group of gringos walked next to us. One of the girl’s saw my Phillies hat and told me she is from the same areas as me. But then once we all got to the bar I met a separate random guy who literally lives in the city where I grew up.

The travelers in Colombia can make anyone who has been to Colombia for more than a few days lose their mind. I say this only because Colombia’s situation is brought up non-stop whether I am unfortunately involved in the conversation or can hear others talking about FARC, Paramilitaries, Pablo Escobar, how much the country has changed, how its still actually dangerous, etc. The only thing I don’t mind being talked about repeatedly is the beautiful women but that’s actually a subject that cannot be ignored.

Nevertheless, a good 3 weeks ago while in Medellin I took a “Pablo Escobar Tour”. You guys reading might actually find this interesting because you may not have been to Colombia where you would hear people talk about Colombia hourly. For reference he was arguably the most powerful, wealthiest, and dangerous men to ever live. Read for yourself.

Me next to some kind of Catholic shrine hitmen would pray at before going to kill a target

Pablo Escobar graffiti found at one of his old headquarters that was bombed many years ago. What is most hilarious is the graffiti which pair him in a prepago body. A prepago is a uniquly Colombian slang referring to prepaid girls as the terminology for fine whores, but in reality they are prostitutes.

The house Escobar hid at the last few weeks of this life.

Confiscated planes used to transport drugs

Pablo Escobar’s view of Medellin from the grave

His grave

Now safely in Colombia for the 5th time since 2007 immediately did the first thing most exciting to me at that moment. I slept.

As I woke up later still in time to catch some daylight I continued my day-1 Bogota routine. This routine consists of first walking to Crepes y Waffles which while just a chain restaurant, is absolutely delicious.

It's probably best known for the presentation of its deserts.

But I typically order a waffle with either hot chocolate sauce, white chocolate, or arrequipe (Colombian version of dulce de leche) along with a cup of strong coffee.  Plus the complementary chocolate covered coffee bean completely sweetens the deal. This time  I suffered because of my poor accent. My Spanish accent is so bad that when I asked for a waffle with white chocolate I recieved a cup of hot chocolate with marshmellows.

First part of the routine interrupted

Next part is a stop at Juan Valdez around 10 blocks away past the colonial buildings of downtown Bogota. No matter how many times I do this walk I never bore.

So once at Juan Valdez i'll buy a large tinto (word for plain coffee) in this exact location where I sit outside and just stare dumbfounded that I am back in probably my favorite city in the world.

I then continue walking the streets until I reach Plaza Bolivar where I take a seat on the large steps amazed that each new time I visit the plaza has been decorated different. This time with ants wtf?

I finally end my stroll around downtown as it becomes dark and make my way back to hostel sue where I am greeted by the staff calling out my name.

Back in Bogota last August I did the usual. I  ate well, drank at cafe’s and partied non-stop. I flew from Buenos Aires to Bogota and stayed at my favorite hostel, Hostel Sue #2, which has turned into a tradition as history shows I can be expected to stay with them in Bogota at least once a year.

I arrived on a Monday night and ran into some people I had met on previous trips, like a Peruvian chef who has been living in the hostel for over 6 months. I met a few regular backpackers, one of which was dumb enough to tattoo “Pittsburgh” on his shoulder. Pittsburgh was where I went to college so after meeting him he gave me his book, Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring. I have not looked at it since my brain has become an encyclopedia of useful and useless information about South America.

Another person I ran into again was a girl who worked at the hostel last time I visited. She was excited to see me but that excitement was confusing because we were supposed to meet for a date one time, but she flaked out.

We made plans the next day and met for coffee at Juan Valdez downtown. I found out that the reason she flaked out was because she had a boyfriend, who she recently broke up with. As I learned more about her I noticed she was completely different than I assumed. She was older…27. Also still in school studying environmental engineering which she talked about too much. One interesting fact about her family is that her grandparents owned one of the biggest food companies in Colombia, producing the main ingredient for Colombia’s staple food, Arepas. So her family is beyond wealthy but because her Mom eloped her family did not receive much. Meanwhile, her cousins own multiple mansions in different countries.

Others I ran into again was the maid and owners of course, who were as hospitable as ever. I talked to a Swiss backpacker I met my second day in Colombia in 2007.

I went over a Colombian friend‘s house one night and caught up with everything while I was away. Heard some interesting rumors about certain people…haha. I won’t say what they are as they are just rumors.

One morning I went to Crepes & Waffles for breakfast and I swear the same woman always works the counter. She smiled and I know she remembers me from my many visits in the past.

I also did some chores. I bought a new sim card for my phone and got my glasses fixed. At the eyeshop an older Colombian man, Raphael, befriended me. He lived in New York City and Miami for a long time so i think he was just happy to be able to practice his English. We exchanged numbers and he urged me to call him so we could get some coffee.

Another day I hung out with my Colombian friend I wrote about above. He recently bought a new dog and so he dragged me to a park a few blocks from his home. The park was pretty neat because every day an official dog club meets up so each of their dogs can run around and socialize together. The fun thing was that the people there were such an odd mix full of rich older men, teens with the gothic look, good looking middle aged women, a poor looking guy with missing teeth, and more.

I one day moved to another hostel for easier access to people wanting to go out at night and that upset the owners a bit. But it was worth it because the new hostel was so lively. I ran into an Australian backpacker I took a day trip with to a salt mine in Zipaquira. I also walked right into a a guy I studied with in Buenos Aires who I had given tons of advice to before he left Buenos Aires.

One night a bunch of us from the hostel went out together and I met a really cute architect but her annoying friend just kept clinging to both of us. Other nights we drank rum in the hostel, where quite a few people were long term backpackers stuck in Bogota teaching English. I really met some fun people. A group of Chileans, a cool Australian, and other nights we also went out not coming back to the hostel until it was light outside. Classic Bogota.

If you stuck it out this long reading this you are kind of lucky. This marks the end of my writing about old travels and the next posts you read will be about my trip to Ecuador that I leave for in 2 days.