2. Stop: Bogotá

The capital of Colombia has roughly the same number of inhabitants as Austria. And that on 1500 km^2! However, it enjoys a dubious reputation; one should not waste their time there, there is nothing to see, it is said. Furthermore, it is dangerous and cold there. However, all the things you have heard about Bogotá have turned out to be more or less false. It is a multilayered city, from extreme poverty to extreme wealth, from favelas to beautiful old buildings and more modern ones. It is also rich in history! What more could you want from a city?

We arrived there at 5 in the morning with the worst jet lag of all times. After we had gotten a good sleep, we visited the city, together with our new Dutch friends Eva and Michiel.

One highlight of our four-day stay was a guided tour through one of the favelas by former members of the local gangs. Although the violence has decreased, one should not go there alone as a gringo.

Our two guides, one of whom suffered more than 10 gunshot wounds, are working for an end to the cycle of violence. They themselves were recruited by older boys when they were 12. They showed us a different side of Bogotá!

Among other things, they told us about the conflicts of previous years and showed us the living conditions in these areas. One needs 10 minutes on foot from a busy, touristic square to reach such a neighborhood.

After an eventful stay, Benni and I headed to Villa de Leyva in the north of Bogotá, while Paul traveled to Medellin!