Hola Transglobalistas, and warmest holiday greetings from Bogotá.
It’s been five weeks since my arrival, and I’ve gotten a pretty decent handle on the city’s geography and vibe–at least what can reasonably be divined in short order about a city nearly as large as NYC. (Bogotá: 8.03 million; NYC: 8.8 million).
Two things stood out from Day One: the climate and the bike culture. At 2,640m (8,660ft), just north of the equator, the weather is unwavering: cool at night (occasionally cold), warm in the afternoon (never hot), low humidity always. I’ve exploited that climate by riding nearly 600 km around the city since arriving–along its over 500 km of dedicated bike lanes. (No. I haven’t followed them all. I’ve repeated many, and have the rest to look forward to.) Based on my extensive experience, I’d say Bogotá may be the most cycle-friendly city on earth. Certainly it’s a contender for the prize.
Those kilometers have been a godsend, and the foundation both of my Bogotá experience and my mental health. All that riding has nursed me slowly back to sanity, which had shown signs of wear back in Cali–grounding me the indefatigable energy of the Colombian capital.
I’ve become a big fan of Bogotá. Please enjoy this random selection of images from around the city, from parks & parties, to concerts, crowds, and Christmas–the tip of a colorful iceberg. (Here’s hoping I’m not the Titanic.)
There are so many things to tell you–from my current and colorful residency in one of the city’s Tolerance Zones (legal, regulated Red-Light Districts), to my upcoming birthday (the big Six-Oh!), through dental nightmares and ongoing solutions, all leading to 2024’s pending, multinational, waterborne adventure through the Amazon basin. And of course a handful of pending publications. It’s my earnest hope to catch up all my friends here on the Book of Faces, but–for those of you feeling a bit out of the loop or impatient–Patreon is the place to be. While there have been extended periods of silence here on FB, the Transglobalistas of Patreon are always up to date.
Be that as it may: wherever you may find yourself, and however things may at present seem, I send unto you the warmest possible abraza de transglobalista. May you have the world’s most joyful, caring, and interconnected holiday season imaginable.
Take care of yourselves, and each other.
As ever, and ever, (and ever, Hallelujah, Hallelujah–with apologies to Handel),
I remain:
Your friendly neighborhood Transglobalist guy,
—jim
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