After clearing customs in Fort Lauderdale, it was off to the gate and then the airplane of Avianca. Unlike most flights I've been on, this one was different right away. Birds chirped, water falls seemed to be inside the cabin, and of course no one spoke english. I smiled. I smiled for the first time in a long time and I walked to my seat. Window of course, gotta watch as I come into a Country I've never been to. Falling asleep was pretty easy on the three hour flight, but every once in a while you are wakened by the other passengers standing up and stretching or the attendent coming by to offer some more free food and drink or a hot towel.


I arrive at 5pm and I walk down a narrow hallway that is filled with the sounds of birds singing, and more water fall sounds. It’s very relaxing and then you come up to immigracion. Walk up, hand over the passport, they asked me where I was going and why. Of course going for pleasure.

Baggage claim I go, find the bags and then off to another security checkpointe to basically tell them I’m not bringing anything into the Country. I head outside into the 60 degree weather, and stand the many other folks, when a short man walks up and says, “Taxi?”. I respond no gracia and wait for my ride. Once he does, we scurry away into a taxi to drop off my things and it was off to Monseratte. It’s a mountain just a few miles from downtown. We take a cable car one thousand feet up and once you see the city of eight million people, it’s beyond words. So many people live in this valley nestled in the Andes Mountains; surrounded by lights flickering as far as you can see.

We arrive at the top of the mountain, and when you step off you stand before a massive church. This church was cathedral big. You walk up stone steps and when you walk in, you almost feel the hand of God touch you and lead you in. A hundred feet in, and you are near the alter and a dark series of rooms behind. We stepped out to see a wall of miracles. Plaques of granite carved to say things like “Thank you Jesus for saving my baby.”. If you need a miracle in your life, you come to the mountain church to pray. When your prayer is answered, you make a pilgrimage back to the church by foot up the face of the mountain carrying your carved stone slate with your thanks. Colombians are very religious and I don’t blame them. It’s a Country where you can understand why the people are so happy. There aren’t words in the language I speak that could describe the beauty of this part of the World. When I stood before that wall on the church with all those miracles, You can’t help but weep und thank God for blessing my wife Diane and I. The air up there is so clean and crisp that you feel like your soul is being bathed in pure life.

Then it was off to the resturant just a few yards that overlooks the city from the mountain. The food is like nothing I’ve had before. I want to say what my pollo dinner tasted like, but it’s tough. I sweet sauce bathing the best tasting chicken anywhere in the places I’ve ever been. My salad was a plate of cooked sugar cane, ochoros (small orange looking berry), avacado, and some kind of baby tomatoes mixed in with this leafy lettuce.

We ordered hot scotches, yes, hot scotches with a slice of lime and cinnamon, a rim of real sugarcane sugar. I’m not a huge hard liquor fan, but it was pretty good! We had dinner with some friends and their baby. Family is very important in Colombia and while mom walked around with the fussy infant, pappa ate fast and drank his scotch with Brian and I. He finished and the waiter brought out her food and then she ate while he attended to Jeronimo.

After that, we said good bye to the couple and headed down the mountain to a place in Northern Bogota—Osikin. It’s a place (like a park) where there are lights, music and people just having a good time. You watch people eat fried corn, (big there) and drink cervasas. We did what the travel books and websites I read before coming here, walk the streets at night...big deal! We had no problems and we flagged a cab to head home for the night. People are happy in Colombia, did I mention that? They are so happy it makes me wonder why I'm not. Money is not a huge deal there, if you have it great, if you don't someone will help you get what you need. I lay in bed looking up and thinking to myself, I'm in a foreign Country and I have never felt this way before. I fall asleep with ease.

Next morning, we walk to La Tienda (Grocery Store) it also a cafe with fresh fruits (uchuvas are granadillas rock!) and breads like I've never seen before. Fruits so delicious I wanted to take them home with me. We order an omlet, some fruit, crosiants, and cafe's then head outside to soak it all in. The Andes stand before us, as a security wall protecting the city. The clouds hung on the mountains like cotton candy. I have the most amazing cup of coffee and without my normal lache! (milk) It didn't need it! WOW!

A little later in the day we head over to Ciclovia. The city of Bogota closes down most of the main highways for everyone to walk, ride bikes and run for exercise and to see others. It is such a great event, and it's every Sunday. Can you believe I rode down the major expressway on a bike and thousands of others did the same.

My buddy kept asking me to describe my emotions and thoughts about the Country he fell in love with and all I could bumble out was, it's amazing. I can't believe I've been on this this Earth for over two decades and never experienced a place as moving, beautiful, sweet, clean, and loving. Colombia Es Pasion! It's true. You need to see if for yourself, because only then can you understand why I can't describe the Country in my dreams.

God has blessed me। Thank you for letting me live the dream.