Hands trembling, legs wobbly, mouth dry, sweat beads soaking my forehead, I board a commuter train at the Caltrain station in San Jose, California. Excitement, apprehension, and relief fill my mind. We’re starting Part 2 of our adventure through the Americas. If the goddesses and gods are with us, we will explore Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia - the northern countries of South America. Given the distances in this long continent it’s reasonable to complete this journey in two months.
Starting in San Jose, California: riding the train to San Francisco
San Francisco, California six hours to Miami, Florida
After twenty hours, 4100 miles, and two plane flights, tired, sleepy, hungry and needing the bathroom, we arrive in Bogota, Colombia. We intend to follow in the footsteps of Gonzalo Jimenez Quesada, the Spanish conquerer of Colombia. His achievements rank with Cortez’s conquest of Mexico and Pizarro’s of Peru. Quesada shipped back to Europe as much gold and other valuable treasures (emeralds) as Cortez and Pizarro. He never attained their recognition because of enormous loss of Spanish blood during his conquest and lack of having defeated one great, advanced Native American tribe. Instead, Quesada’s army fought and vanquished many small, stone age clans. He died in Bogota with his body deformed and grotesque from leprosy.
Over the Andes and dropping into Bogota, Colombia
Bogota's nine million inhabitants spread out into the foothills of the Andes
Conquistador Quesada's sarcophagus in Bogota's main Cathedral
Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo
My accommodations are a block from the Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo. The plaza is the spot where Quesada claimed possession of these lands for Spain. The Muisca tribe occupied the site for thousands of years. Quesada charged into the village on a magnificent white horse, withdrew his glistening Toledo steel sword and shouted that he’s seizing these lands for the king of Spain, and if anyone opposed he would fight to the death. Since no one spoke or understood Spanish, he was only met with barking dogs and indifference from the Muisca. The conquistadors celebrated with shouts of victory, oaths to the king, and roaming eyes and lust towards the beautiful indigenous women.
Narrow cobblestone street in historic center leading to site of the founding of Bogota
Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo where conquistador Quesada declared his conquest;
quiet during the day, but loud and energetic at night
At night the square is full of excitement and fiesta with college students, groups of people singing, merriment and good times. High heeled, tight jean female students strut the plaza flirting, looking for love and teasing the rest. Unlike the conquistadors, now the women choose the fortunate man to be their partners. These descendants of Spanish and indigenous blood have evolved into modern people, with twenty-first century urban, worldly views, and optimistic for a positive future.
I hear laughter and group singing. Lively, fast beat salsa music pours out of cocktail lounges. The sound of maracas and guitars mix with dogs barking to create a background chorus to the lyrics of love songs. A brilliant orange sunset sets the stage for more drinking, cigarette smoking, punctuated by shouts of college students arguing over the value of more or less capital investment by foreign companies in Colombia. It’s a Wednesday night and these people look like they’ll party all night.
Bogota is a mixture of colonial architecture (left) and modern skyscrapers (right)
Manny de's first meal in Colombia
International cuisine: gourmet salmon carpaccio and pork wontons
Police walk the perimeter not getting involved, but remain vigilant against thieves and drunks. A huge dark brown 250 pound Spanish mastiff with sagging folds of flesh around it’s powerful head patrols with its police handler. It’s wearing a bright yellow vest identifying it as police. His enormous mouth is muzzled and he looks hungry. The police are content with smoking cigarettes and eyeing the pretty women. While the party continues, I’m tired and go back to the hostel for much needed rest.
Does he bite? A similar muzzle was on the much bigger police dog
who patrolled the Plaza at night
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