Me engancho con Los Colombianos

It has been years since I have really traveled.  Before I moved to Buenos Aires, I was always on an airplane. Europe, South America, LA.  (Los Angeles to those of us that lived in the Bay Area, was another country.) I was somewhere, although mostly here.  Then  I moved here.

I wanted to travel, to see the rest of South America, to see Argentina.  I was here a year when the fateful car accident happened.  My life was never the same.  I changed physically and mentally.  I thought my body had healed, but it was a trucho - it was fooling me. 

I made small trips - to Mendoza, Bariloche, Uruguay, and Chile.  They were small trips.  Never more than 5 days.  I never traveled more than that.  Then I stopped traveling.  The pain in my back was so tremendous I could not think of going anywhere.  Only to the natural hot springs here in Argentina.  Even then, the idea of sitting on a bus for 8 hours was torture.

The day I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia was a day of liberation.  The medication has relieved me of my pain and given me back my life. It makes me a little more dingy than normal. But I can function. On Saturday morning I got up and for the first time in I don't remember how long, I put on music and danced.  I used to do that every morning.  Put on tango music and walk, do ochos.  I left the music on.  All kinds of music.  Now filling my apartment where there once was silence.  Everyday there is music.  All of my music.  What a change.

The first thing I did was email my friend Nancy.  "I am coming for Thanksgiving turkey"  I wrote her. Nancy lives in Florida.  I have not been in the US since Jan 06.  I want to go shopping.  Target, watch out this Rubia is on her way with her credit cards! 

Then I had to think, where else did I want to go.  I need a vacation.  It has been years since I have really traveled.  Somewhere exciting, where I could really see some new things.  Chile?  No, I can go there anythime.  Same with Uruguay. Venezuela?  No way, not even an option.  Colombia, obvio!  I have always wanted to go there.  I lived with a Colombian man for 4 years or so and he always talked about Colombia, it was a lastima I never got to go there.

I began to research flights.  Where did I want to go?  Bogota? Medellin? Cartagena?  So many choices.  In the end I decided to go to Bogota first and end with Medellin.  I left the middle of my trip open.  I will ask in Bogota for recommendations.  You never know what places people who live there might recommend.  I can always go to Cartagena.

I booked my flight to Bogota, then to Miami. Because I spent hours and hours surfing 9 million sites, I managed to get a great deal on my tickets.  I found what I think will be great places to stay.  Inexpensive but in great barrios.  If not, they will be interesting experiences.  I always think positive.

I want to dance salsa in Bogota.  I also want to dance tango.  I emailed the people in Bogota and Medellin for information on Tango. Both gave me their cells and told me to call. Juan in Medellin has been incredible.  They have lots of tango in Medellin and I cannot wait to go and dance there.  Juan has sent me lots of information.  Plus Colombian food..I am going to die - arepas, frijoles negros, ajiaco.  I will be in heaven.  I will have to do lots of walking and dancing.

Maximiliana will be spending her 3 weeks dentention or boot camp with her paseador Juan Carlos.  I thought about sending her to the campo and one of the chi chi doggie training camps.  But, she already has "issues" from being abandoned, I didn't want to add to them.  I figured bunking with her paseador was a better option.  Besides he will kick her ass.  I am sure her bad habits will be broken in no time.  Either that or she will have given him a nervous breakdown.  I don't call her "La Demonia" for no reason.

So here I sit, in a messy, disorganized apartment. There is stuff everywhere. I leave on Thursday.  I had a small despidida in Torquato Tasso on Sunday. Thanks to Miguel Romero.  When I tell people I am going to Colombia, they ask me if I am going there to work. They mean am I teaching.  It has been a long time since people asked me that. Not having pain is showing in my face, in my dancing. I tell them I am going to find a new "pareja".  "What is wrong with the Argentines?" they ask me.  I laugh.  "Me encanto con Los Colombianos."  I tell them. "Vas a enganchar con un Colombiano y no vas a volver."  Nadie nunca sabe.

Comments

[Jotaele]

Divertite mucho!!!!

[Katie]

Above all else, I'm thrilled that you're feeling back to your old self! Have a wonderful time in Colombia and the U.S., shop 'til you drop, dance your heart out and take lots of PHOTOS!

[Mari]

I'm so glad that you're feeling better and going to travel! It sounds very liberating after going through so much. And I should try putting on music first thing in the morning - I don't know why I haven't done that already! What better way could I possibly start my day?

feliz viaje!!

[Cris Becker]

Enjoy! Divertite! Disfrutá! Sacá muchas muchas fotos!

[elmarpla]

Buen viaje, no dejes de visitar Cartagena