Valerie Belanger Wrote: >Hola Sebastian, > >I'm Valerie, 29, from Canada, and I'll arrive in >Bogota >by plane on February 23, at 11 pm. Is your couch >available for one or two nights? I'd be very glad if >so. If not you might be able to help anyways: > >I'm a photographer and I prepare a book on markets in >South America. I'm a bit worried about carrying my >camera in markets >of Bogota. So far I've done lots of images in markets >of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, which was almost >relaxing! But I don't know Colombia very well, so if >you have any advice, go ahead! > >Have a great day. >Valerie > To Valerie Belanger (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Sent February 20th, 2007 - 12:55 pm Re: Bogota on Feb. 23 Yes that's the place where everyone goes in LA CANDELARIA. You will meet plenty of people there to show you around. This is the only part of Bogota that still remains with designs from the Spanish Colonialists. Bogota has been expanding for years so the NORTH is the IT place. I'm not really in the outskirts but centrally located for the North. The center is not really the center anymore. But where you will stay in the hostel you got lots of little places, interesting cafes, particularly in the MACARENA. Also will have the traditional Monzerrate you can climb or take the telespherico to the top for a view of Bogota. Not sure yet what it is you are photographing. Although on Sunday there's a thrift market on your side. All kinds of antiques on sale. Buses are plenty if you are on a budget and can get anywhere in Bogota. And from the TERMINAL de transporte you can get cheaply to the coast in about 16 hours or less on a bus too. You can go to Cartagena, lots to see there, although keep in mind for an amazing adventure you will never forget as far as beaches go to Santa Marta and enter TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK. From there you will take a hike through the jungles to the second beach where you can rent a hammock for cheap and just stay on that under a hut. Costs a few dollars a night last time I was there. But we just propped up a tent for free anywhere we wanted. From here you can hike to four other beaches and the Indian village all within reach. For an amazing snorkeling session go to DEAD MAN's BEACH also known as CHRYSTAL BEACH. You can also just float all day over lovely corals that come just under your chest. If you have not dived before take advantage of this and go diving. It's the cheapest place in the world to dive and one of the loveliest coral marine life diversity also. Look for a local shop in villages like ATAGANGA if you are in Santa Marta. Smoking POT which the instructors casually hand out for your first dive is optional. These beaches in Tayrona not sure how long they will be around, as many people still are not aware of this place. It's not a tourist trap yet. Have to take advantage of it. You can also go to LA GUAJIRA and see thousands of pink Flamingos and other natural wonders at arm's reach. Places like these you don't see anywhere else. - Seb