After our routine morning breakfast at the hotel and arranging for some laundry to be done, we hoped on the motorcycles to get the first service done. Hard to believe we are already at 1300 kms.
On the way to the bike shop a couple other people wave at Chris, warning him that one of his tie down straps is caught in his chain. We pull over and I remove the strap from his chain. Now, with a little oil on my hands, I dont want to grease up the inside of my gloves so I just strap them under the net and continue on the the bike shop. Stupid decision. By the time we reach the shop I am the owner of only one glove.
We book the bikes in for servicing. Chris has forgotten his warranty manual and bike documents back in the hotel, but after a little while we arrange for the service to still be done and the paperwork to be presented when we come back for the bikes. In latin America they have their systems in place, and they dont like to shift away from them.
Leaving the bike shop to head back to the hotel, I split from Chris. Avoiding straining his knees, he hops in a taxi and I decide to hoof it back and see if by any chance I can find my glove. We had been quite some time in the end at the motorcycle shop so I didn’t hold out hope, but gave it a try anyways. The walk back was more than interesting. On the ride there, at 8:30 am, although busy street traffic, the sidewalks had been empty. Now, on my return, all sorts of things happening. Part of the walk was through one of those areas a tourist just shouldn’t walk, but I politely turned down the hookers, who all jumped at the opportunity to say hello to the gringo walking by. I passed a market for the extreme poor, selling anything they could have found with it all laid out on the sidewalk. I did quickly glance to see if my glove was there, but no luck.
Making it back to the hotel and meeting back up with Chris, and we take a taxi over to Monserrate, a mountain with a cable car and funicular to a church and view point overlooking the entire city. With a large lineup, we go for coffee first, then return an hour later and catch the funicular to the top. Incredible view, and while walking around the park at the top, statues are all displaying Jesus’ last days and the story of the crucifixion.
We ride back down and then cab it back to our hotel. When I pay for the cab, I give the driver a 10,000 peso note (about 3.85), and he hands it back to me saying he wont take it because it has a small rip in it. Not having anything else, I give him a 20,000 note and he gives me a 10,000 one back in change. Now, back in the hotel, we notice that both 10,000 notes have the same serial number. The bastard cabbie got me! Twice! He must have switched the 10,000 I gave him for another one and handed it back. Then gave me a second falso in the change. It makes for a decent $8 souvenir though!
We go back to the bike shop, this time with all the papers and pick up the bikes. All ready to go, and the service cost $18.76. Had excellent service there and will leave a google review! We bring the bikes back to the hotel, again zipping through much of the town you probably shouldn’t visit (I left my visor down)., parking in the underground lot of the hotel. We then go catch a cab out to “Zona T”, the high end area of Bogota. This cab ride was totally entertaining. About an hour long due to traffic, we happened to catch the craziest cab ever. The driver, while playing electronica music that surprising made for the perfect soundtrack to the movement, had 4 cell phones mounted. On with a gps, another playing a tv show, one for the music and one so he could facebook when stuck in traffic. He also had a siren and flashing lights, as well as an air horn. Depending in his mood, he used them all multiple times. Probably about 25 years old, with a decent, comfortable car, he made his job fun to do.
We knew we had reached Zona T by the huge Apple store. Most apple stores in Colombia sell manzanas not ipads, so we got out of the cab near there. We cruised around for a while, then stopped for dinner at a burger place that made all kinds of crazy burgers. I had some chipotle corn and pepper stuffed burger and Chris’ was equally as bizarre. After dinner we cruised the area a little more before heading back to the hotel., our return taxi taking only 10 minutes.
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Colombia Motorcycle Ride 