QueenPuya

Welcome back to the blog!  I stopped it almost a year ago, but being back in Latin America for less then 24 hours and I feel in some ways like I never left.   Thankfully, my Spanish ear and brain is intact and the very straightforward Colombian Spanish is making sense to me.  Not that it really matters- everyone around me speaks flawless English.  My journey began at 5 am yesterday when I awoke to 6 inches of fresh Madison snow and a great fear that my flight had been canceled.  Good thing the plows were out in force and Matt was able to get me to the airport just fine.  Good thing, too, that Matt is such a good sport and put up with days of my airport anxiety.  I really hate airports more than anything and am completely irrational right before I fly.  All was good in Madison until a windowwasher tripped an alarm and we almost had to evacuate the building!  Right before the plane was scheduled to leave!  Good thing calmer minds prevailed and I made it to Chicago and then to Miami and then to Bogota, with hour delays at every point.  The airplane to Bogota was sadly ghetto and I didn't get to nuzzle into a flexible headrest or pick my movie to watch, but it was less than four hours so who cares.  What a change from flying to the true Southern Hemisphere!  I ate all the dinner, which was probably my downfall later on.  I befriended the nice Colombiana next to me and we braved the Bogota El Dorado airport, woefully small and understaffed, together.  Of course, our luggage was on the last possible cart to arrive, but it did so I don't care!  Colombian customs and security was easy even by South American standards, exactly the opposite of what I expected.  There was no searching of my bags, no discussion of what silica gel is...nothing.  Minimal scary dudes with guns and plenty of guys to pay to haul your luggage...excelente!   At customs I turned on my cute "I'm just learning" Spanish and they ate it up, no questions asked.  Luckily Juan picked me right out in the sea of faces and we were on our way.  Thank God for Facebook so we know what each other looks like!  We drove with his brother Gustavo and friend past amazing Christmas light displays hanging off big-box stores, the second largest US Embassy on earth, many skyscrapers and soccer stadiums.  They took me up to the beautiful condo of Gustavo and wife Adriana, which is by far the nicest place I've stayed in South America.  For sure.  I have wifi, filtered water, cable, a servant, my own room and a view of a mountain and unlimited access to Maria Alejandra, their beautiful baby girl.  She is stunningly cute and has been selected to be in an ad campaign for Huggies diapers in Colombia.  She has her first photo shoot tomorrow!  I guess that is how Drew Barrymore got her start too...  I initially slept well, but then I woke up and knew what had to be done, much as I hated it.  After quite a bit of throwing up, I was much better and was able to eat Mango and Papaya for breakfast.  It is going to be an all-out fruit fest while I'm here!  Right now Gustavo and Juan are rapidly talking to clients and businessmen on cell phones, getting business done so we can go out.  I think we are going to see  the historic downtown in a bit.  I'm way excited that there is a major holiday craft fair in town too- maybe I can try to replicate some of the fun Matt and I had shopping Buenos Aires last year.  We are going to a big family dinner tomorrow and then will see museums, gardens, shops and all the "usual" Colombian things.  So far so good.