I left one big city for a bigger one. Bogota, the country's capital is a huge metropolis where the streets share smog belching buses carrying the middle class, Mercedes Benz' moving the rich in style, and to this day, horse drawn carts and the random donkey moving some poor person´s **** to wherever it needs to go. It's not as appealing as I remember it but I came here specifically to visit some old friends from my first time through back in 2005. My reunion with Caroline and her now ex-boyfriend Levy was great. I can't even remember how we all met, actually, but Caroline was my guide to the Salt Cathedral four years ago when I came through Bogota and we've occasionally been in touch ever since. World travel can be really cool that way and the advent of Facebook makes it all that much easier. I also tried to see my buddy Elkin, who is the lead singer of a famous (only in Colombia) rock band. Unfortunately, he was too busy with a lot of music projects but I at least got to check out his new bar and hang out with his wife Leydi, who hosted me at her mom's house four years ago in Medellin. I'm on my way north to the Caribbean coast to revisit my old stomping grounds of Santa Marta and Taganga. As luck would have it, I'm going to be able to catch Carnival in Barranquilla again. That should be, without a doubt, the best party ever. I should have the advantage this time around. I went back in 2005 and I know where to be and when. My spanish is flowing like diarrhea so I'll be able to talk to everyone. And I am experienced on the field of battle ... I will be well armed this year with spray foam and chalk dust. More on all that later. I'm tired of the pollution and big city vibe. I'm going north.