The airplane landed so softly in Bogotá and the same goes for my arrival in the PBI house. It was a very warm welcome and I felt at home quickly. The Urabá team wished me welcome on the phone. Very nice. So here I am, walking around in my black velvet house pyjamas, dividing my time between the office and the kitchen.
Friday I went out to the historical centre to visit my dutch friend M. (a former PBI volunteer) who lives in a gorgious colonial house with a patio, woodwork all over, curious antique floor tiles and a sweet black dog.
We walked to the Plaza del Chorro where street artists tell stories and juggle (the universal art of throwing objects in the air and catching them is popular here as well) and further to the Carrera Séptima, a highway in the city centre, that is closed for traffic on Friday nights. It fills up with Bogotanos who come to saunter by the stalls and watch more street theatre. Some funny things to see. M. calls it the poor man’s outing: you don’t have to spend anything strolling around but still you’re out.
Feeling of insecurity however is very present and casts its shadow over the vivid and warm atmosphere of the beautiful historical centre. M. says he finds it scary to walk only one block to his house, after 10 pm. He is not the scared kind of guy, and he is tall and strong, but just heard too many stories. Going out is however not really a problem, but you have to call a taxi. And remember your address when you go back is also a good idea. I forgot and it made getting home a bit more complicated, but thanks to the excellent backwards driving skills of the driver, I made it home safely.
Today were legislative elections and results should be known by midnight. Since Friday night 6pm la Ley Seca (litt. the dry law), a ban on alcohol, came into force. This killed night life this weekend for a big part, but we were fortunate to be invited to a house party.
Another visible consequence of the elections is the increased military and police presence in the streets. We walked to the centre today, and the entrance to the main square was controlled by police and will be closed when the counting of the votes starts.
The last four days have been relaxed as the training hasn’t started and I was the only new volunteer for a couple of days. Yesterday everybody arrived and tomorrow the real work starts. We’ve been warned: it’s intense. It’s good to see my friends back after five months and the other people in the house are sweet.
I have to admit I miss Mexico a lot. Bogotá is a lot cleaner, more organized and quiet. The latter might have to do with the alcohol ban, but I still miss the colourfulness and pleasant chaos of Mexico and of course it’s people. I am looking forward to go to Turbo. Everybody keeps telling me it’s a different world, lovely, but hard work. We’ll find out soon…
