a wonderful long first day

I`m too pooped to write much. But I figgured out how to post photos!
I didn`t get much sleep as we went to bed at 2 and got up at 6am because the time zone confused us and we thought it was 7am. Also, no luggage! Continental is a bad airline for just dropping you with nothing! Other than that, things are awesome. I think fear of Columbia is overstated. Also much has improved since 1995 when they chose to support culture and bicycles!





Here is the photo of sprawly Houston that I talked about before. I saw worse scenes too but didnt get the photo.





This is the conference courtyard during the morning break. It is a very posh place. We took a taxi to get there and traffic is insane. Pollution and cars are very bad in Bogota. I`ll talk more about all of the interesting conference contents next time.





This is some parking spaces that have been closed so cars can`t use them. Taking away space from cars is a city policy! (in certain cases). But not always is it done well, for example I think they could have been more imaginative here than just putting the planter in the middle. Depave!





This is a hard to see bikelane on the sidewalk. Like in Europe. There is a bus, of which there are many in Bogota behind it. They drive crazy and use dirty Diesel (because the altitude dissallows clean combustion). The busses stop anywhere, let out people from the fast lane at a red light... I have yet to ride.





This is the famous transmillenium line. Considered very radical and modern and progressive here. These red articulated rapid busses with segregated dedicated lanes. You have to get in from a raised platform. We took it tonight to get home after going to a great vegetarian restaurant called El Integral. But the first bus that came we didnt take. As you can see it was packed. The cop pushed people in. We took the next bus which was just as packed and then at the next stop more people squeezed on. Luckily in only a few stops the crowd thinned. The bus we transferred to was nearly empty.


There are cops and military everywhere. They haven`t bothered us though. I`m going to try and get my picture with one of the guys with a machine gun.


hugs all round


-rusl in bogota