The ten days we spent in Bogotà were a mixed bag. I had fun playing tour guide around "my" city, but was also sad that I was unable to meet up with the family I lived with a year ago.

It was also a very different experience seeing the city as a tourist rather than a temporary resident. Whereas I had lived in the northern more suburban neighborhood last summer, this time Josh and I stayed in a charming little hotel in the historic and now hipster neighborhood La Candelaria. Forced to endure trout and more trout for several days beforehand in Salento, we took advantage of the wider food options and ate like kings.

We even found real French Toast the morning we marched for peace in Colombia - a huge national rally with over 900,000 attending in Bogotà alone. A little protest a little brunch equals my kinda morning. The energy at the march was incredibly upbeat - everyone from kiddos to grandmas to puppies chanting and singing (or barking) for peace. And as Josh pointed out, for us gringos it was pretty unusual to attend a rally both organized and encouraged by the government!

I also had fun leading Josh on the hike (or forced march depending on who you ask) up to Monserrate - a former monastery and now church on one of the mountains that trace out the eastern part of the city. It's not that far, it only takes about an hour or so to get to the top, but it's up all the way, and at an altitude of 9,000 feet you feel it a bit in the old lungs. At least that's what we told ourselves as we huffed and puffed. But the views of the city are beautiful and the same vendors were selling the same snacks in the same little corners of the trail - cheese with bocadillo (a gummy like fruit), gelatin straight from horse hooves, and of course every kind of arepa or empanada imaginable. My favorite snack and my tradition in the now 6 times I've hiked it is to get a huge piece of watermelon and pineapple near the top -slurping required. Lunch at the top was a tamal (different from a tamale it comes wrapped in a big banana leaf with corn, chicken, egg, yucca) and hot chocolate.

In addition to some other sightseeing we also got some business taken care of - namely shopping for cheap socks, daypacks and jackets, haggling our way through the busy downtown area and watching as the informal vendors closed up shop like dominoes as the police arrived. Apart from bargaining the price down from $70 to $36 for our two daypacks, my proudest moment, and a moment of sweet relief, was the successful outcome of my $4 haircut thanks to my lovely curly-haired friend Nancy Rocio who hooked me up with her hairstylist Edgar. In addition to the excellent referral, Nancy had us over to her house for a yummy home cooked meal and catch-up session on her work, politics, and travel in Colombia.I had worked with her a bit the year before when she took me under her wing and showed me around the city.

Aside from Nancy the only people I really wanted to see, and really wanted Josh to meet, were the two women I had lived with. This was the sad part. We made plans 3 times and 3 times they cancelled last minute. Without a cell phone I really needed them to commit to a time and place to meet up and they just wouldn't do it. We did run into Amparo when I went to show Josh the house where I lived. She was ecstatic to see us but had to run to an appointment, and promised we would meet up. Ultimately I just had to let it go, but it was a disappointing moment for me since I was really looking forward to our visit. Otherwise it was great to be in a big city again and Bogotà will always hold a special place in my heart.