16.02.11
San Pedro Prison.
I won't write too nmuch about this place. people who know it will probably understand why. This is just to say that you can contact me if you wish to have a chance to get in. I have the email and the facebook contact of one of the inmates....
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- Salt mine in Bogota.
There's a salt mine 15 km fronm Bogota. They decided to build something that apparently, looks like a cathedral in there. this must be particularly special to vosot.
- Cuba:
A place that came to my mind ages ago, and that I never thought to be possible: Cuba. This place was mentioned very recently witha friend on my way from Florence to Paris. It got me completely obsessed agaibn. Here in Colombia, several travellers that sit athe bar have been there, and it seems to be a traveller,s paradise. Flight is fairly expensive, but life over there is meant to be peanuts. Apparently, there are two currencies in Cuba: one meant for tourists, the other for locals. Obviouslym, the rate of change is different. It's one pesos for a US dollar in one case, and 25 pesos for a US dollar in the other. The currencies look similar. You just need to recogbnise the codes on the bank notes. A foreigner would first be presented with the tourist pesos. You'd then have to queue up 40 mins at another currency change office to swap them for 'real pesos'. I find this quite fascinating. I ought to see all of that - as MAddie said - before Fidel Castro dies. Coz after that, in my opinion, the americans will be puting much more financial pressure on the country. The idea would be to get there before they start to accept foreign investments. At the moment, cubans are still simple people that are hapy with the little they have. ... the dream destination!
- Bolivia:
a country with two capital cities. That it self is pretty cool. Things are meant to be farely cheap there too.
- Machu Pichu In Peru
I heard a lot of disapointing pieces of information concerning main attractions in this place. apparently, Machu Pichu is miles away from anything, and the train that takes you there costs a fortune. You then pay also for an entry ticket that requires reserving several days ahead. Fronm what I understand,t hey're trying to limit the number of people visiting the site. I guess they're trying to protect the site.
- coffee trail in Colombia
something else you have to pay for - and its not cheap either!
- Desert in Peru
Peru has a desert that stands just at the limit of Lima, the capital. Its called Huacachina, and has an oasis there that looks like it comes from a computer desktop... Its looks magical, unreally, bloody raaad!!!! I' definitely goign there, especially since it's only 2 hours from Lima!
- Panama beaches and Islands.
I spoke to this girl who d just arrived through panama, she told everyone in the bar about her adventure, because people have a lot of trouvble geting past the border between Colombia and Panama. The best ways to do so seem to be either to come from up north, or to take a cruise boat from Carthagena in Colombia, throught he Islands of Panama. I looked up some pictures of the Caribbean: I'm quite sure I saw the same picture of people's screen savers. I was told about obne in particular called 'San Blas'. Those of you reading this should definitely check it out on google pics!
jeudi 20 janvier 2011
Life in teh hostel
Bogota, 20.01.11 - in the bar
I'm in a hostel called the Musicology Hostel. It's located in the Candelaria, right in front of the presidential palace, in an old colonial house. It's owned by this Israelian traveling business man. He owns two hostels of the sort: this one and one in Brazil.
I've been living here for the past 5 days. In fact, I won't be paying because they offered me a job as a bartender. In exchange, I get full accomodation! This will be my home from now on. The place is lovely, and the jobs particularly enjoyable. I get to talk to people from all around the world woth fantastic travelling experience. They make me dream. I feel I won't have enough time in my life to do all I'd like to experience around the world. I'm reallyenjoying it. Jobs easy, and really good company. I dont know how long ill be staying here. At the beginning, was just till i found a flat. But I quite like it here, and I guess it's a good way for me to save money before I start travelling, coz fromw hat I hear from other's experience, this could be a really expensive trip - but no doubt fascinating.
Mu colleagues are essentially south american. Main language among staff members is Spanish. Diego is the only colombian, Gabriel is Aregtinian, Yden the manager, is french, and Nicole is Californian. Clients however, are from all around the world. It's amazing to work at the bar and listen to their stories, they've all experienced such amazing things in their lives, and they talk about it with a good dose pf passion.
I'm in a hostel called the Musicology Hostel. It's located in the Candelaria, right in front of the presidential palace, in an old colonial house. It's owned by this Israelian traveling business man. He owns two hostels of the sort: this one and one in Brazil.
I've been living here for the past 5 days. In fact, I won't be paying because they offered me a job as a bartender. In exchange, I get full accomodation! This will be my home from now on. The place is lovely, and the jobs particularly enjoyable. I get to talk to people from all around the world woth fantastic travelling experience. They make me dream. I feel I won't have enough time in my life to do all I'd like to experience around the world. I'm reallyenjoying it. Jobs easy, and really good company. I dont know how long ill be staying here. At the beginning, was just till i found a flat. But I quite like it here, and I guess it's a good way for me to save money before I start travelling, coz fromw hat I hear from other's experience, this could be a really expensive trip - but no doubt fascinating.
Mu colleagues are essentially south american. Main language among staff members is Spanish. Diego is the only colombian, Gabriel is Aregtinian, Yden the manager, is french, and Nicole is Californian. Clients however, are from all around the world. It's amazing to work at the bar and listen to their stories, they've all experienced such amazing things in their lives, and they talk about it with a good dose pf passion.
mercredi 19 janvier 2011
the hostel and its area
19.01.11. in the bar , Bogota
Taxi takes me to the center where the president lives and all the governmental institutions are> the the historical center of Bogota called La Candelaria. with pretty houses made of wood and clay. Sort you'd imagine in a Zorro film. They put paint over it but it all crumbles off. I didn-t take picturees of the institutions> they-re a boit borring in a very classic monumental neo classic style. The candelaria however is full of pretty and narrow streets. The area is just above the senate, and is located up on the hill. So we get the view on the city on one side, and you can ssee the mountains on the other. I got a view of it all from the balcony of the hostel. It-s a pleasure to look at while lying in a hammac. 
The area feal extra safe> since the president lives just up the road, there are ;iitaries at every street corner. It ruins the athmosphere, but I suppose they-re necessary. The hostel is located at the ideal place for all that I have to do> its just in between the active center with all the shops, and th univerrsity which is just a bit further up the hill. All the museums oare in this area as well, it will give me stuff oto do if I get borred, but I doubt I will. HEre are a few other pics of the Candelaria. 
11.02.11 Bogota, Candellaria.
I've recebntly been thinking about moving out of the Candellaria. It made me look arund a bit more than usual, and realise how much this area looks like a picturesque village where people all know each other. The rest of Bogota is just high buildings and crazy vehicles. So here are a few later pictures of the area.
The cathedral of Bogota. This is where the candelaria starts. From here and up the hill.
The area feal extra safe> since the president lives just up the road, there are ;iitaries at every street corner. It ruins the athmosphere, but I suppose they-re necessary. The hostel is located at the ideal place for all that I have to do> its just in between the active center with all the shops, and th univerrsity which is just a bit further up the hill. All the museums oare in this area as well, it will give me stuff oto do if I get borred, but I doubt I will. HEre are a few other pics of the Candelaria. 
11.02.11 Bogota, Candellaria.
I've recebntly been thinking about moving out of the Candellaria. It made me look arund a bit more than usual, and realise how much this area looks like a picturesque village where people all know each other. The rest of Bogota is just high buildings and crazy vehicles. So here are a few later pictures of the area.
The cathedral of Bogota. This is where the candelaria starts. From here and up the hill.
Area near rthe university
arriving
So I.ve been here for five days only, and this lace is so fascinating abd different that I don't quite know where to start from. The easiest for me would be to try to tell things chronologically,
So the flight lasted nearly 28 hours including the 2 hour stop in Frankfurt. I was expecting it to be slightly shorter. Atleast I didn't get intot he same sort of trouble than when I came back from Hong Kong four years ago... that would have been deadly.
Getting through past the customs was fairly easy. No trouble to get my passport stamped. And then you get out of the terminal and start to feel dizzy.. apparently its due to the altitude. I'm in Bogota, and this 8.5 million inhabitant capital city is2600 meters up in the mountains. In fact, you even have problems breathing. The air however is quite plkeasant to breath (thats of course, for the little of air there actually is to breath): unlike what its like in parts of lower altitude where it feels more like air fromn the tropics, the air here seems very similar to what its like in Europe.
Bogota is living a ;ajor urban transformation with the extension to suberbs of the main transport system called the Transmilenio. It looks like a particularly long bus that drives along a road line made specially for it. To get on board, you need to queue up at a statuion as if you were going to catch a train. Other buses don't have bus stops: people just wave for it to approach, and people hop on it while the bus is still moving (bit it does slow down a bit). But I didn't use any of these means of transport: I took a taxi. Just mentioned it coz it was a nightmare getting to the center of the city, coz of all the road works of the trans;ilenio everywhere.
The taxi is something quite interesting: you can't just take any: you must always call the center. After telling them where you want to go, they tell you what the price would be approx, and they also provide you with a two digitt code. This code enables you to make sure you're steping into the proper taxi, and that the driver is not a crook. He basically can't start his counter unles sthe passenger gives him the write code. Everthing is done for you to feel as safe as possible. So, this is the taxi I'm taking to the center of Bogota: to the Candelaria where my hostel reservation is.
So the flight lasted nearly 28 hours including the 2 hour stop in Frankfurt. I was expecting it to be slightly shorter. Atleast I didn't get intot he same sort of trouble than when I came back from Hong Kong four years ago... that would have been deadly.
Getting through past the customs was fairly easy. No trouble to get my passport stamped. And then you get out of the terminal and start to feel dizzy.. apparently its due to the altitude. I'm in Bogota, and this 8.5 million inhabitant capital city is2600 meters up in the mountains. In fact, you even have problems breathing. The air however is quite plkeasant to breath (thats of course, for the little of air there actually is to breath): unlike what its like in parts of lower altitude where it feels more like air fromn the tropics, the air here seems very similar to what its like in Europe.
Bogota is living a ;ajor urban transformation with the extension to suberbs of the main transport system called the Transmilenio. It looks like a particularly long bus that drives along a road line made specially for it. To get on board, you need to queue up at a statuion as if you were going to catch a train. Other buses don't have bus stops: people just wave for it to approach, and people hop on it while the bus is still moving (bit it does slow down a bit). But I didn't use any of these means of transport: I took a taxi. Just mentioned it coz it was a nightmare getting to the center of the city, coz of all the road works of the trans;ilenio everywhere.
The taxi is something quite interesting: you can't just take any: you must always call the center. After telling them where you want to go, they tell you what the price would be approx, and they also provide you with a two digitt code. This code enables you to make sure you're steping into the proper taxi, and that the driver is not a crook. He basically can't start his counter unles sthe passenger gives him the write code. Everthing is done for you to feel as safe as possible. So, this is the taxi I'm taking to the center of Bogota: to the Candelaria where my hostel reservation is.
what this blog is for
Ok the title of this blog stinks. especially when it doesn' fit with the frame. But i didn't have as much time as i would havee wished to make it look pretty. And it's definitely not here or now i'll waist time in doing so. so there you go!
As you may have understood, I intend to use this blog to provide information to whoever wishes to read it. There shall be no structure to it: a total mess. I'll do my best to start each message with a proper title as well as the place i'm writing from. It just might make things easier to understand. At the beginning, ill be mainly writing frm colombia. but it appears to be such a different country that there'' be loads to say for sure. So: this is nor litterature (goodness no!) nor a real diary. Just whats in my mind the moment i connect, and stuff i'd like to share with you all. I'll put as many pictures as possible. Please feel feree to leave comments abd i'll do my best to provide answers to questions.
Short explanation as to why i'm here. I'm on an exchange program with Universiddad Externadoo di Bogota, with the faculty of business administration. I'll also make the mst of my time here to produce a study about beliefs and superstitions in south america. I've managed to leave my research university in France under the condition of providing them with a piece of work on "The evolution of the eschathological belief in south america, from pre colombian times to the 17th century". At this point, i'm not quite sure how much consideration i'll be giving this project, coz I've only got one thing on my mind: to explore!
As you may have understood, I intend to use this blog to provide information to whoever wishes to read it. There shall be no structure to it: a total mess. I'll do my best to start each message with a proper title as well as the place i'm writing from. It just might make things easier to understand. At the beginning, ill be mainly writing frm colombia. but it appears to be such a different country that there'' be loads to say for sure. So: this is nor litterature (goodness no!) nor a real diary. Just whats in my mind the moment i connect, and stuff i'd like to share with you all. I'll put as many pictures as possible. Please feel feree to leave comments abd i'll do my best to provide answers to questions.
Short explanation as to why i'm here. I'm on an exchange program with Universiddad Externadoo di Bogota, with the faculty of business administration. I'll also make the mst of my time here to produce a study about beliefs and superstitions in south america. I've managed to leave my research university in France under the condition of providing them with a piece of work on "The evolution of the eschathological belief in south america, from pre colombian times to the 17th century". At this point, i'm not quite sure how much consideration i'll be giving this project, coz I've only got one thing on my mind: to explore!
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