I arrived in Bogotá last night to begin a two-week trip in Colombia. I’ll be presenting Bible lessons for a number of churches here and in the city of Ibagué. This is perhaps my sixteenth or seventeenth visit to this country. I like it here. Great people, excellent coffee, big mountains, and a great climate in those mountains.
Bogotá is the capital with 8 to 9 million inhabitants. It sits in a valley encompassed by mountains, fully one-and-a-half miles above sea level. A generation ago the city was among the most dangerous in the world. Thankfully, this status has changed significantly. The city and the country have been made safer. The economy has grown and new construction is everywhere. The capital’s main airport is currently expanding. Highways have been improved and the air is cleaner.
I once saw a movie that depicted Bogotá as a hot, tropical place. Nothing could be further from the truth. The climate here is described as “eternal spring”. Bring a jacket for those cool evenings, regardless of when you come. The video below gives details.
Colombian cuisine is in many ways the opposite of Mexican cuisine. Colombians appreciate milder flavors and do not necessarily go for spicy food. (Some Colombians visiting the U.S. once complained that Disney’s burgers and cheese pizza were just too spicy. That was a new one for me.) Chicken, rice, soups and fruit are very popular here. It’s healthy cuisine and food tends to be fresh.
By the way, this blog’s first post was written just before a visit to Colombia in 2008. I took a short trip down memory lane reading through posts from that time.
Here’s a short video description of Bogotá I made during last year’s trip. I don’t get to do much sightseeing in Colombia these days, but try to squeeze in a visit to Monserrate when I can. Monserrate is one of the mountains with a scenic view of the city. The mountain is worthy of a separate post, so I’ll save those details for another time.
I’ll be visiting five churches in Bogotá over the next several days before traveling to Ibagué. Things are busy but I’ll try to post more updates.
Bible, Archaeology, and Travel with Luke Chandler 
Still, one of my favorite cities… no bias, though ;>) Oh, and maybe you should underline “normally” instead of “not” – many people add hot sauce to everything and most restaurants will serve you a plate of “aji” (hot sauce with peppers and cilantro) with all meals. But, yes, food in general is milder and the “hot” factor is lower than Mexico’s!
Enjoy your trip, and a special hug to my family and the Bermudez!!! Looking forward to pics =)
Good point on the ají, María. I clearly missed the other hot sauces but do know the ají very well. I will go ahead and clarify my wording in the post. Thanks for commenting. I will pass on your greetings!