I still insist on paper books and hand written journals though. I'm in Bogota, Colombia, try to go around with your laptop or Ebook and you're going to walk home empty handed. I'm exaggerating some, but Bogota did top the list in 2011 for the world's most dangerous cities (http://urbantitan.com/10-most-dangerous-cities-in-the-world-in-2011/). How Bogota beats out Mogadishu, and Baghdad is not on the list makes me question the credibility of the article, but nonetheless there are some trouble makers down here. The gangs and street hustlers make their existence from extortion, drugs, prostitution, and mugging (sounds a lot like home), and give parts of the city and eerie vibe after dark. There are also young street people often addicted to huffing or smoking a drug similar to crack who are also notorious for robbing people at night. But, like any other city, you need to know where to go and where to avoid.
Inner city gangs are not really a new concept to any North American. I emphasize "North" American because simply referring to ourselves as American can be offensive to some here in that it insinuates that South and Central Americans are not "American." Anyway, what is noticeably different are the disturbing images of the Native peoples forced to sleep in the streets and beg because they've been driven from their land by the paramilitary/narcoterrorist wars taking place in the rural areas of the country. Colombia ranks 7th in the world for refugees living outside of its borders and 2nd in internal refugees (Sudan is 1st--http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/24680-colombia-is-latin-americas-largest-producer-of-refugees-un.html). What began as a political movement and counter-movenment (left vs. right) has now become war between rival militias (or guerillas) for the cocaine trade. The government run military represents a third party and is funded by the U.S. in order to fight the militias and wipe out the production and trade of cocaine. The leftist guerillas claim the military helps and funds their rivals, and therefore ultimately blames the U.S. for challenging their cause. This is the "War on Drugs" that is taking place in Colombia. There has been some success here, but unfortunately the demand for the drug is too high and now most of the trade takes place in Mexico where as many as 47,000 to 67,000 have been killed since 2006. The numbers vary as some claim the Mexican government intentionally publishes low numbers, but nonetheless Mexico has become the new center for the drug cartels (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/world/americas/mexico-updates-drug-war-death-toll-but-critics-dispute-data.html).
Bogota has it's problem as does any large city in the world, but the level of safety and international investment is improving. Bogota, like most Latin American cities, is a primate city (geography term) meaning that it is the center of government, trade, and has the largest population of any city in the country. I have really enjoyed my time in and around Bogota and would encourage all travelers to see this vibrant and historical city. On a side note, I'm not a huge fan of graffiti considering that in most cases it's some egotistical representation of a self-prescribed nickname, but I have to admit, some of the political messages and murals around Bogota are poignant and often very artistic. Check some of them out...(http://bogotaciudadgraffiti.blogspot.com/).
I've stayed in and around Bogota for the last 2 weeks and will head 8 hours southwest to a town called Salento (http://www.salento.com.co/) in one of the coffee producing regions of the country tomorrow night. Night bus travel means no need for a hostel (lesson #1 in budget travel). I plan to visit and hopefully volunteer on a coffee farm for a few days. Out of the city and into a warmer climate both in temperature and character. Ciao.
Amazing insights & well written;) especially the info on being North american. Too often we don't recognize others.
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