It never ceases to amaze me how inconsiderate Bogotanos are. I really notice this in the internet cafes. As long as they can make their noise they are happy and don't even think of asking them politely to be quiet, or so it seems. The culture here is very extroverted and very competitive and the social contract, outside of the family, seems almost nonexistent. I am very grateful for my earplugs. On the other hand many are very friendly and generous and there isn't enough they could do for you.
The relentless social darwinism seems to be the ruling element here though and people really struggle to stay alive and move forward. In one of the busy intersections I have seen a couple of guys, one with very long dreadlocks juggling on top of their bikes during red lights. The acrobatic skill this must take is amazing. After one has done a turn balancing while standing on top of his mountain bike while juggling four pins he jumps back onto the pavement to collect donations from his captive audience. These are things that tourists often delight in but the shadow side is in the desperation to survive and people having to take inventive measures to keep body and soul together.
I'm still wondering if my room is haunted. The other morning I noticed that dirt had been tracked onto the throw rug by my bed. It seemed odd because I am very careful not to wear my shoes in my room. I brushed off the dirt from the rug and checked the bottoms of my shoes. They were clean. Last night as I was tucking myself into bed for a good read before turning out the light I noticed under the bedspread the plastic box that contains my earplugs. I know for a fact (well, almost) that I did not remove the earplugs from my shirt pocket and they could't have fallen out because I would have seen them before getting the bed ready. Not that any of this is evidence of the paranormal and I'm certainly not spooked by any of this. It is kind of entertaining though.
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