A Side of Sweet

Beautiful Food, Travel & Design

  • About
    • Contact
      • Collaborate
      • Photography for Your Business
    • In the Press
    • Subscribe
    • Pinky Promise (Disclosure & Privacy Policy)
  • Eat
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast/Brunch
    • Desserts
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies & Tarts
    • Main Dishes
    • Snacks
      • Healthy Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Soups
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Dog Treats
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Halloween Recipes
    • Party Recipe Ideas
    • Round Ups
    • Summer Treats
  • Make
    • Beauty DIYS
    • Gift Ideas
    • Home Decor
    • Paper Projects
    • Party Ideas
    • Photobooths
    • Things To Wear
    • Collections
  • Go
    • California
      • San Francisco
      • Bay Area
      • Los Angeles
    • USA
      • California
        • San Francisco
        • Bay Area
        • Los Angeles
      • Alaska
      • Oregon
        • Portland
      • Philadelphia
      • Washington
        • Seattle
      • Arizona
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Morocco
        • Asilah
        • Chefchaouen
        • Fez
        • Marrakech
      • South Africa
        • Cape Town
    • Asia + Middle East
      • Dubai
      • Egypt
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Japan
      • Qatar
      • Thailand
    • Central America
      • Honduras
      • Mexico
        • Cancun
        • Tulum
      • Guatemala
      • Belize
    • Europe
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • London/UK
        • Manchester
      • Portugal
      • Spain
  • Style
    • Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Wed
  • Learn
    • Blogging
    • Photography
  • Shop
    • My Baking Essentials
    • My Photography Equipment
Home » Travel » Bogota, Colombia

Bogota, Colombia

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

The overnight bus brought us to our final destination – Bogota.  As soon as we got off the bus, we noticed we were dizzy and out of breath.  Bogota is 7,000 feet above sea level and you definitely notice the altitude until you get used to it.

The next thing we noticed was that people were standing in line to get a taxi even though there was a line of cabs as long as we could see!  You had to stand in line to have an official calculate your fare.  It keeps the cabs from price gouging, but I’m not sure it was worth the 30 minute wait!

Bogota was dirty, crowded, not as safe as Medellin, and had much colder weather, especially at night.  Our cab dropped us off at our hostel, Hostel Chocolate, which was the antithesis of the rest of Bogota.  It was quiet (almost empty) and very clean.  We picked it because it didn’t have a reputation as a party hostel and because they serve hot chocolate for breakfast – a Colombian tradition.  Our only complaint was the desk staff – most of them were cold and unfriendly.  Luckily, we were able to make our way around the city without their help.


We spent our first day there checking out the neighborhood – La Candelaria is the student/hostel neighborhood.  Unfortunately, all the students were at home for holiday vacation.  This made students a bigger target for crime and it wasn’t safe to walk around at night – or during the day we learned.  People on the street would stop and tell Pat to put his camera away nearly every time he took it out.  We ran into a couple staying at a nearby hostel and they told us that some girls they knew had been out during the broad daylight a few days earlier and they had gotten held up by some local hoodlums.  When the girl that was giving them trouble found out they only had $18US on them, she got so angry she stabbed one of the tourists.  Luckily the tourist wasn’t badly hurt, but it definitely put us on edge about our time in Bogota.  As a disclaimer to put our parents’ minds at ease, they were walking in an unsafe area, something that we were sure not to do.

New Year's in Bogota
Medellin, Colombia

Related

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

December 29, 2010  •  Filed Under: Travel No Comments

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Welcome!

San Francisco Food, Fashion, Travel Blogger

Hi! I’m Kelly. I live in San Francisco with my husband, Pat, and our puppy, Maddie. Here you’ll find recipes, DIYs, style, travel & a glimpse into our adventures. To learn a little more about me, Click Here.

Let’s Connect!

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Search

Weekly Updates

Thanks a million!

Disclaimer: This blog uses affiliate links. When you make a purchase with one of these links, I’ll earn a small commission. I’m so grateful for your support (and the help with paying my grocery bill)!

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in