One can meet some of the loveliest people in a swamp. Following some time over pancakes and coffee in the Oma in the Niza mall with my sketchbook I wandered around for a while in some unknown neighbourhoods and arrived again in the Humedal Cordoba, that forested swamp I`ve already written about. I did encounter an aggressive dog, a black lab (I was once bitten by a lab, dog-lovers, and have also been threatened by a few so please hold your comments!), who seemed poised to charge me, but when I mentioned to his owner that I didn`t feel safe he was very good about it and put his animal on a leash. One of many good resons why it is good to speak Spanish in Colombia. I came across my familiar lookout and sat on a tree stump to enjoy the view and tranquility. Then I noticed that someone had written on a utility post in English ``Sex to Men``. Your guess is as good (or as bad) as mine, Gentle Reader, and of course we are going to keep our minds out of the gutter! A young couple on bikes with their little boy came by. We said hi to each other and I told them ``Saludos desde Canada`` or Greetings from Canada and they stopped to chat. We started talking about all sorts of things, they invited me to join them for their picnic. It turns out that Camilo has been to Canada in Toronto and they both want to improve their English so I`ve offered to help. Ericia is an artist, a very good one who also paints tropical birds and Camilo is involved in performing arts (music and dance). Their little boy was having a kind of prolongued tantrum throughout our visit until his mom held him for a while and then his dad took him on a brief bike ride. They have invited me to have lunch with them in their apartment Friday.
On my way back not only did one driver back his car from the crosswalk so that pedestrians could pass but another on a right hand turn intentionally stopped for us. This is so unusual here and I am not going to take it for granted.
Later I stopped in the Peruvian cafe to begin another drawing. Four business types, two men and two women sat at the next table. I offered them a spare chair from my table but I was not only ignored, but really ignored. Treated as though I don`t exist. It is only from this particular class of people in Bogota that I get this kind of treatment. It`s a bit creepy actually.
I still notice the flowers everywhere, especially hibiscus and bougainvillea. The colours are mesmerizing. It has been raining this morning in the gentle Vancouver style and the air is cool. It makes me think of home and I look forward to returning next week. I am still turning out a new drawing every two or three days and it is a bit weird since I`m not used to being this prolific. I`m glad to be getting it all out of my system now that I have time since when I`m back to work again time is going to be again a precious commodity. I am still looking forward since I actually thrive on the juggling act that has become for me my job and in some ways a metaphor for my life.
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