recogitare.com

sparks wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2024 2:02 am Great looking rig. Chevy? And ya just gotta love they way they paint stuff there! So damned cheerful. Not to be a downer, but how's the political situation? (Good and stable I hope)

heh, seems more stable than up there. Current president, Petro, is Colombia's first left president. Fine with me. Best health care in Latin America, I read that WHO ranks it in efficiency above Canada, the US, and Australia. Place we've rented the last few days, husband a retired gastroenterologist with a PhD, wife a retired nurse.

https://www.internationalinsurance.com/ ... lombia.php

Took a long semi-organized hike (ended up being about 16 km) up to a big mountain valley called El Silencio (The Silence) part way towards a 17,000 ft peak called Nevado del Tolima yesterday, that chiva bus is what was supposed to have gotten us somewhat close to the start of the hike but dropped us off early due to the road being deteriorated (First Lady opted out, thought it sounded too difficult, good thing, she never could've/would've dealt well with it).

Brought that up because I ended up hiking and talking most of the time with a fellow named Henri, former Colombian national police during the Escobar years. Turned 50, got his pension, now studying to get a law degree.

He didn't elaborate much about what was like, other to say he worked investigations in street clothes and that things were duro (hard). Seemed like a good guy. I already knew about the peace accord signed between the right-wing paramilitaries, the left-wing "terrorists", and the Colombian government in 2016 to end all hostilities, and he elaborated a bit on that, saying drug traffickers still active in remote areas out by the Venezuela border and in the south near the Ecuador border.

Part of me likes Colombia having such a shitty dangerous reputation, keeps things original without a bunch of outside tourists around all the time. When asked where I'm from and say Los Estados Unidos generally no response, don't think the US is highly regarded here, the Colombian civil war was a really fucking difficult time and US government was highly enmeshed in that. But almost the entire country is now stable, a young very health-oriented population seems happy everything is cool and people are really proud of what a beautiful fucking place it is. Often asked where we have been so far in Colombia, how long have we been here, what places are we going here next.

Certainly a very attractive country and sounds like a good place to be.

Coincidentally, a guy at ISF, Frank Newgent, moved there some time ago and was talking about it yesterday.

Admin wrote: ↑Mon Jun 17, 2024 7:16 pm Certainly a very attractive country and sounds like a good place to be.

Coincidentally, a guy at ISF, Frank Newgent, moved there some time ago and was talking about it yesterday.

You're probably going to think I'm making this up but the last time that guy was over to the house he stole a Car 54 Where Are You? promotional photo both Nipsey Russell and Al Lewis had autographed. And now it's on ebay for almost $700.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156200892622 ... 0XVJTYZ8Xv

President Bush wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2024 2:35 am You're probably going to think I'm making this up but the last time that guy was over to the house he stole a Car 54 Where Are You? promotional photo both Nipsey Russell and Al Lewis had autographed. And now it's on ebay for almost $700.

I'll get his address so you can go punch his lights out.

waiting for a traffic light in Bogotá

How many lanes is that supposed to be? (Some shit never changes.)

sparks wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 3:26 am How many lanes is that supposed to be? (Some shit never changes.)

That is four lanes, motorcycles on the center lines, they cut lanes everywhere all of the time. Thing you have to continually anticipate is motorcyles overtaking you on the right, including the shoulder, don't want to merge in traffic only to smack a motorcycle cutting lanes at high speed suddenly being there. Having driven a lot on Bali I'm already accustomed to having motorbikes sometimes swarming all around you like gnats when driving, only here most of those bikes are way bigger and faster.

Had to cross Bogotá to get over to the high eastern chain of the Andes, going to spend just over our last month here in the department (political division like a state or province) of Boyacá, small colonial towns, mountains everywhere, páramo hikes.

small wonder your the president.
that's a fine plan.

Colombia method "rails to trails"...

Both great shots Prez. Thanks!