Part A – Bogotá, Colombia

milame tragiko auto me ta kena 
1st Day in Bogotá

 επ τι λέει??

 α

Happiness turns to absentmindedness

I met Milena (M) for the first time in a Residential Development.

[This is how they call it in the USA. In Colombia, it’s called “conjunto”. We don’t have this in Greece. It’s like 3 or 4 or 5 very big blocks of flats, with lots of floors (I went to one with more than 20 floors), being in the same enclosed area. This enclosed area has a gate and a doorman. But do not imagine a guy sitting in a small room and reading the news, no. It’s like an entrance hall  with cameras, computers, screens etc. Doormans are writing down who’s going in the development only if they call the specific apartment that one is going to and the owner says that it’s ok with this person coming! (In one block of flats, upon entering, they even asked for my identity number). This is very common in Bogota. In my time there I went to more than 6 blocks of flats that had a doorman. But I want to say sth else now..] When I met M and we both took a taxi (with the folding bike in the trunk), I forgot my bag on the pavement, right by the trees you see below. My happiness for being in Colombia and for already understanding M is a very cool person and we “match”, was turned to absentmindedness. The bag had the most important stuff of mine (passport, vaccination card, 4 cash cards, 100 dollars, my camera, my gps, my videocamera etc!!). Fortunately, a lady found the bag, and took it to the doorman (doorwoman actually). She checked the video from the cameras, she saw myself and M, and the bag came to my hands some days later.

What M told me about this incidence was that it should be a lesson for the future (un lección para el futuro), and also that it was a miracle, because there are lots of people who steal in Bogota. She was always telling me, since that day, I should be extremely careful with my belongings. Two weeks later I am in a hostel. I listen to the terrified description of a German lady who was robbed at the city center (threatened with a knife) – the thieves took everything (money, phone, backpack, watch, earrings etc). “Dude“, I said to myself, “you have to be very careful here“! Two days later, we go to Jaime for dinner, we cook all together (I was mainly looking, hehe), we eat and we have so much fun  – laughing all the time. When it’s time to go home, Christian suggests that we should take a beer and go to a park to continue the party.. All opted out but I was feeling so good I would like the night not to end. We went to the park (I was with my bike, as well), we drunk some (more) beers, and at some point a couple comes over to ask for cigarettes. In a bit, we are all together, the 4 of us , for some time (less than 10 minutes). At some point they left in a kind of “being in a hurry” way. After 2 minutes I realise my phone is not in the pocket it should be. I was robbed – damn!

  

The first really awesome night I had was the night I went with MAJD to listen live traditional Colombian music. Jaime is the agent of the group called “Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto 4G” (Gaita is a traditional instrument), so he invited us in one of their live shows. The show begins and the atmosphere is very calm and peaceful. For 5 minutes – Hahaha! In 5 minutes time the majority of the people there was dancing and having fun… What was that, honestly… It was so lively… so vivid… so beautiful… I remember myself thinking “If this people here (in Colombia) have fun like this… I should change country!” I was smiling for the next 3 hours or more, I don’t know. What I know for sure is I was not simply amased, but deeply touched by watching a lady (Diana) dancing Cumbia Colombiana… It is in the 05:50 minute of the video below and you can take a glimpse. It was the most magical dancing I had seen in my life, I think… It was not sexy.. It was erotic, it was feminine.. I was literally jaw-dropped. (I want also to mention that amaretto with lemon costed 1.5 euros 😀 )

Some days later, M arranges that we go with her cousin Juan Fernando and with Jaime to walk on the mountain.  (When the mountain range of Andes comes into Colombia it is divided in 3 parts – Bogotá is situated next to the Eastern mountain range/ Cordillera Oriental de los Andes). It was a bit rainy but that seemed not to be an obstacle for the 4 of us.. I was so amased because in a matter of 20 minutes walking we were lost in the bushes. And well, not bushes… into the forest! Dense fauna and very tall trees, fog and people of all ages that were walking…  I felt that the Bogotános were so lucky being so very close to nature.. Rich and beautiful nature!

On Friday the 25th of March, David had the idea to organise a party (fiestica). It was a very nice party and I was particularly happy cause I met David’s friend, Jaime, who is a poet that had lived in Greece for some time and knows Greek. Without anything extraordinary happening, the whole atmosphere was very vibrant. As I was told, the party kept going until the sun came out but myself after, a considerable amount of beers (and some whiskey), I found my way to the bed only to wake up in the  morning and take this picture that I like a lot. (the view from the apartment was just amasing! Video O7:13)

 να διασκεδάσω και τους πιο απαιτητικούς

The week I reached Bogotá was the final week of the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá. In the context of the festival, I was happy to watch Oedipus the King by Sophocles, an ancient Greek theater performance, in Spanish, and also, another day, I attended a Clavecin concert (forerunner of piano). We also went, on the final day of the festival, in a live concert celebration (“the biggest theater festival celebration in the world”, said the organisers – hahaha, I don’t think so!). It was nice despite that I was expecting something more dancy. What struck me the most, however, was the multitude of references in the war that’s still present in the country (now way less than in the past). Singers and coordinators were, in every chance, sending peace messages and praising the power of art and theatre. Despite it was a public and open space (a plaza), the whole area was fenced and gated and there was strict police control in order to enter (I think there was a metal detector too!). Another very intriguing thing was the (mainly poor) persons who were trying to sell beer, cigarettes and stuff, making their way through the crowd. A team of them passed in front of me and I noticed the following: the mother was the vendor, first in line, shouting to advertise the product and carrying the board with the stuff. Second comes the son (approx. 15 yo), he holds a box, takes the money, do the counting, gives the change – he is the cashier. Third in line comes the grandmother, holding 2 big plastic bags (I guess with the stock). The family taking advantage of the fiesta…

At some point I was hosted for 4 days in a… top secret location (haha 😀 ). In a very beautiful house of a friend of the father of a Greek friend. It was clearly the most luxurious place that I had been hosted during the trip, so I thought it’s a good idea to stay inside and enrich my blog a little bit. What came as a surprise was the following: while seating at the sofa, Robin (another guest of the family that I hadn’t met before, from the USA, approx. 45 yo) came to me. It was two days after I was robbed, so I was not in the best mood. She came to me and told me “Are you the traveler with the bike?” – “Yes!” – “Well, I love what you do, this is my last night here, do you want to have a dinner out with me?” – “Absolutely!” So we went out to a lovely (and luxurious!) restaurant where she paid for a very beautiful dinner, insisting: “I want you to eat what you miss from home and you didn’t have the chance to eat so far!!!” So kind and generous! And myself so lucky!!

But, what also came out from this unexpected dinner was the following:
R: Do you know whose house is the one you are staying at?
A: Well yes, it is the house of XX
R: Yes but do you know who XX is?

A: ….

R: He is the son of the Prime Minister YY of Colombia and also the grandson of ZZ, also a Prime Minister of Colombia! He is a very well informed intellectual of Colombia!
A: Whaaaat????

I couldn’t believe in my ears. I had already deep respect for the couple that was hosting me. They seemed wise, I don’t know how to put it. They were so gentle and polite, they knew English very well, they had lots of books on philosophy and political science, one could not avoid feeling respectful… The point is I wanted to cease the opportunity, talk to him, ask questions, listen to his opinion. I spent the whole night sleepless, reading on Colombian history, so I can make the right questions in the breakfast the other day. Hehe.

“Even the walls of the city educate children and citizens”
Plato

Colombia seems to be in a critical crossroad right now. After almost 70 years of internal conflict (civil war), the current government is one step before signing a Peace Treaty. The form of war in Colombia is the following: 4 parts (extreme left-wing groups (guerilleros), extreme right-wing paramilitary groups, narco-cartels and the government army) are fighting each other for years with catastrophic results. During the last 50 years: millions of people had to leave their land (approx. 4.150.000), kidnapping of important people and keeping them even for many years (approx. 30.000 kidnapped and 25.000 missing), and also, 220.000 deaths (Stats from National Center for Historic Memory – I visited it).

The conflict began in 1948 because of the assassination of populist leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, but as for the real armed war the year is 1964 (the birth of FARC). Now, the leaders of the two major extreme left-wing terrorist groups (FARC – Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, ELN – National Liberation Army ) are in negotiation with the government, in neutral ground (Cuba), with the support of United Nations Security Council.. HOWEVER, after lots of discussions I had, the positive climate that the government creates, is not to be found among the Colombians (I met). The main argument against is that this is just a rhetoric about peace, that the guerilleros don’t want peace, they just want political power. And president Santos (the current governor) is so focused on the Peace Treaty (because if the guerilleros sign, he will most probably be awarded with Nobel Peace Prize) that the government is doing nothing else in the country. Also, there are voices claiming that signing some papers about peace is a very small step towards peace, that there is a need of change in major other fields (infrastructure, economy, etc.) for a real change. Finally, there is a great portion of people that think that what the government gives to the guerilleros (new home, job and a low-punishment legal framework) in order to leave the guns (disarmament) is way too much. It’s like punishing all of those poor people who are trying to build a proper life on their own through hard work  – it seems unfair.

 μιλάμε αυτό το ποστ πώστ ογραψα αλήθεια… μου ρουφηξε το αίμα

I met some very cool people in the hostel (Bertrand and Camile from France, and Mike from Scotland) and we decided to go out. During the night we found Alexandra and her friends and at the end of the night we have been to 3 bars/clubs and have danced a lot. Until the morning, actually… Then, without sleeping at all, I went with Alexandra and Jeffrey to walk in the Andes. It was incredible how in a matter of minutes you find yourself from the sounds of honking and the sight of urban scenery to the sounds of small rivers and the sight of dense flora. We walked for about 5 hours in total, and this time we went that high to reach the Páramo. The Páramo is the “ecosystem of the regions above the continuous forest line, yet below the permanent snowline“ – The flora there was significantly less dense and shorter. I enjoyed a lot the frailejones – a typical Páramo flora that gets only 1 cm in height per year! It was also significantly more difficult to breathe. The view was great and it definitely worth it despite not having slept..

 

Days flew by pretty fast… and here I am, last night, with the wonderful people I met in Bogotá, at the always welcoming house of Jaime, celebrating my time there (and also the birthday of Manuela 😀 )… I consider myself truly blessed for being with such special people. I could write so much about our time together, but let this stay among us. I want to say that “I know I am gonna meet you at some point again”, “I ‘ll come back for sure” etc. These are the first things that come to mind because this is what I wish. However, I know it’s hard to meet again, especially all together, despite how much I want it to happen.

 a

David for his calmness and critical thinking. His artistic side, but most, his ecological awareness as depicted in the way he lives… Straightforward and gentle. Our time together made me revisit some things. Happy to meet you 🙂

Alexandra amigaaaa, for the happiness, and cheerfulness and smile. Thanks for sharing and caring, Alexandra, for the company and the walks and the talks and the wet ride after the “museum”, the philosophy, the mountain view, your lovely presents (appreciated) 😉

Jaime for he is the personification of fun and kindness. For he is also a magician! Thanks for opening your house and your heart! 😀

Milena.

Milena is a Mother. And a Mother (with capital m) is mother of all children of the world. Τhat’s what I felt close to her. I received in all possible ways the maternal care of her and her love. Without knowing me, eh!? Mila hugged me and supported me throughout my stay in Bogotá, and well, I can’t avoid saying that I will meet her again at some point!!! ❤

Enjoy the video 😀

Random Notes – General Observations

• The presence of army and police was evident in the streets, every now and then. Outside of a museum, in the city center, on a big bridge  – you would see someone in a uniform with a gun. The thing was that all of them did not inspire the feeling of security, at all. Most of the gun holders were below 23 years old with scared faces. The spirit of security and control was also present in all bars, clubs, malls, supermarkets. In order to enter a bar you were asked for identity card and girl’s bags were checked (to see if they bring any alcohol). In Super markets, there was someone at the door cross-checking if the receipt is in accordance with your bags and their content! When they sign the receipt you can exit the building. Outside malls, there were gun holders too and inside lots of security guys..

• Fruits – Fruits – Fruits! Unknown, tropical, delicious, healthy, cheap!
  

• One day while I was walking in the Candelaria area (the historic-touristic city center) I looked at the sky and I was astounded at how much clear the moon and the sky and the stars and the clouds were… Like watching them in High Definition! I don’t know if it’s the altitude (Bogota is located at 2620 m, the 4th highest located capital in the world), but it was amasing! [The motto of the city is “2600 meters closer to the stars”]

At some point throughout my stay in Bogotá I had a very beautiful discussion with Alexandra. It had to do with my following worry – thought.

What I live in this trip is violent.
It’s violently different and intensely beautiful.

It’s fast.

Even if I take my time (as I did in Bogotá),

the rhythm of thoughts is in parallel with the vastness of stimuli.

My feelings are uncontrolled.

I am extremely happy because I enjoy so very much every little aspect of this trip.

But there is also a subtle uncomfortable shadow moving inside me.

It was, I think, initially, some stress to put it down.

Every week, in Europe mostly, to find the time to write about my time.

And then in the States, I was relieved a bit of that.

But now it came back in another form.

  Ω

How to describe reality.
How to pin down all these rich feelings and moments.

Damn I have 7 (!) camera lenses with me, microphones, keyboards, photographs.

But I can’t capture the sequence of feelings. I have words,

but what to write first and how often and how much.

I have so many tools, but always always there is so much left outside.……..

This subtle shadow scares my memory.
Damn, I am going to forget!

And… no, I don’t want to forget…

Neither the faces, nor the places nor the feelings nor the thoughts.

 Ω

I admire so much my surroundings that I can’t help but have this, subtle again,

worry-thought-question:

 Ω

I know such a question to pose is immature.
I know when I will be free from this question I will be truly enjoying my trip.

 α!

In moments of sudden and extreme realisation of “howcoolisthis”,

surrounded by people I admire, in contexts unexpected, magical,

ONE I feel  in strange a way.

I feel a pressure in my chest,

Like concentrated pleasure.

I smile-laugh, try to hide it.

I feel, and this is awkward but I ‘ll try to put it – I feel one in space and time,

like all the beautiful moments of the trip so far come to revisit me.

Not as images or thoughts.

As feeling of compact overwhwelmness, in retrospect.

I feel them as a mass all together.

Like it’s the particles of the transparent air,

that I had taken inside me in this big breath I am keeping in.

AND AT THE  SAME TIME

“imagine, dude, I am still in the beginning!”

I feel this very moment as a future memory, now being created,

as “bogotadavidfiesticajaimepoetagreekwhiskeyaweedgeroofviewKABOOM”,

as a dot connected already with the spatio-temporal dots that I am heading to next.

And, feeling this contraction of time and space within me,

I paralyse – I paralyse

woohoo woohoo – wuawuwuu,

(MALAKA!)

THIS IS SO CONCENTRATED IT STARTS SUCKING ITSELF.

Vacuum

silence – silly smile – shame – secret

(now what to write about this

Now what – what)]

it comes again,

 ε? χαο

Next day. I made my coffee and turned the tablet on

now what to write – what to describe

even if I put some words in order

whoever reads that (and this includes my future self)

will interpret it in her way. whatever you write

 να τη ρε φιλε – αρτι αφιχείσα

-#| A R T |#-

Syncing what’s left outside the description of reality
with what art is not saying

this is art for life – by all.

this is why we should all feel and be artists.

crafting the ability to meaningfully connect the present stimuli

so as to put in some kind of order,

Ω
(one might say)
to make clear and compact

 τι? τι?

what is felt, what is thought,

what is left from the thought.

and in this way,

saving what can’t be told.
μαδαφακα ναι

transferring the emotions,

………..

ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΣΑΣ ΠΩ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΕΣ

ΓΙΑ ΟΛΑΥΤΑ ΕΔΩ ΠΟΥ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΤΟΣΟ ΕΔΩ ΟΛΑ ΑΥΤΑ

ΠΟΥ ΔΕ ΧΩΡΑΝ ΟΙ ΗΧΟΙ ΣΕ ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΚΙ ΟΙ ΜΥΡΩΔΙΕΣ ΣΕ ΦΡΑΣΕΙΣ

ΠΟΥ ΔΕ ΧΩΡΑ Η ΑΝΤΙΔΡΑΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΖΩΟΥ ΣΕ ΕΙΚΟΝΕΣ

ΚΙ Η ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΣΘΗΜΑΤΩΝ ΣΕ ΒΙΝΤΕΟ

 απο γκατζανσιπα μου ερχονται αυτα

ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΣΑΣ ΠΩ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΕΣ

ΟΤΙ ΠΕΡΝΑΩ ΣΟΥΠΕΡΤΕΛΕΙΑΓΑΜΑΤΑ

ΚΙ Η ΜΟΝΗ ΜΟΥ Η ΕΓΝΟΙΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΛΕΞΕΩΝ Η ΑΔΥΝΑΜΙΑ

ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΕΙΚΟΝΩΝ Η ΟΛΙΓΩΡΙΑ

ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΑΜΝΗΣΗΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΕΝΤΑΣΗ

ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΣΑΣ ΠΩ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΕΣ

ΠΩΣ Η ΣΚΕΨΗ ΜΟΥ ΣΑΣ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΕΙ

ΑΦΟΥ ΜΟΝΟ ΔΩ ΜΠΟΡΩ ΝΑ ΤΟ ΓΡΑΨΩ

ΚΑΙ ΣΕΙΣ ΜΟΝΟ ΔΩ ΜΠΟΡΕΙΤΕ ΝΑ ΤΟ ΔΕΙΤΕ

ΜΑ Η ΣΚΕΨΗ ΚΙ Η ΑΓAΠΗ ΚΑΙ Η ΕΓΝΟΙΑ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΜΕΣΑ ΜΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΟ ΜΕΣΑ ΜΟΥ

ΓΑΜΩΤΟ

ΕΙΝΑΙ ΜΕΣΑ ΜΟΥ

ΠΩΣ ΝΑ ΣΑΣ ΠΩ ΑΓΑΠΗΜΕΝΕΣ ΓΙΑ ΟΛΑΥΤΑ

ΠΟΥ ΜΟΝΟ ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΕΧΩ

ΚΑΙ ΤΙ ‘ΝΑΙ ΟΙ ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΠΑΡΑΠΑΝΩ

ΑΠΟ ΜΙΑ ΣΥΜΒΑΣΗ ΑΝΤΙΚΕΙΜΕΝΙΚΗ

ΑΥΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΙΚΩΝ

 αυτών εδώ παρακάτω εννοώ, όλα απο γκατζανσιπα

ΓΙΑΤ Η ΒΡΟΧΗ ΠΟΥ ΓΡΑΦΩ ΔΩ, ΕΙΝ Η “ΒΡΟΧΗ” ΤΗΣ ΑΝΝΑΣ,

ΚΑΙ Η ΜΥΡΩΔΙΑ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΕΔΩ ΤΟΥ ΛΟΥΛΟΥΔΙΟΥ ΠΟΥ ΕΙΝΑΙ ΤΟΣΟ ΜΕΛΙ, ΕΙΝΑΙ ΤΟ “ΜΕΛΙ” ΠΟΥ ΤΗΝ ΕΛΕΝΗ ΜΕΛΛΕΙ

ΚΙ Ο ΓΑΪΔΑΡΟΣ ΠΟΥ ΤΏΡΑ ΕΔΩ ΣΕΛΗΝΙΑΣΤΗΚΕ ΣΤΟ ΦΩΣ ΤΟΥ ΦΕΓΓΑΡΙΟΥ, ΕΙΝΑΙ ΕΝΑΣ “ΓΑΙΔΑΡΟΣ” ΠΟΥ ΕΧ Η ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΜΥΑΛΟ ΤΗΣ,

ΕΝΑΣ ΓΑΪΔΑΡΟΣ ΙΣΩΣ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΙΚΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΧΡΟΝΩΝ

ΦΤΩΧΕΣ ΟΙ ΛΕΞΕΙΣ.

M’ αυτό δεν είναι δα και τίποτα καινούριο

καινούρια είναι δω όλ’ αυτά

αντί να τα ζήσω

αντι να τα εσωτερικεύσω ταπεινά μέσα μου

 ελπίζω να σου άρεσε ε – ερωτευομαι

 κενοοοοοοοοοοοο να σε παρει για εντερ τ

ι γινεται

BETA – THE SECRET CHARM OF MY AVERAGE KNOWLEDGE OF SPANISH or LINGUISTIC INABILITY II

ΤΕΛΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΩ ΘΕΩ ΔΟΞΑ – ωπα ακυρο – πρέπει να βάλω και τις φωτογραφίες

 

*Οοps, there is some more: You know what, I am very close to finish this post. I ‘ve been writing and editing and working on it the past 9 days. In a row. In a very sleep-deprived way. But now I feel the most happy man. I see this post and I see myself. I see this post as a work of art and I fly. This is because I am consistent with the word “inability” in ALPHA, BETA above. It is colored in a way to capture both the difficulty and actual inability to speak about intense reality, but also the ability to talk through art. Well, this whole post that says about Bogota is also not saying about Bogota. I had such an amasing time there and this is reflected I think (I feel, better) in the spirit of the post.  ❤