Another Bogota Data Sheet
01-22-2014, 07:56 AM
Look I am Not trying to discount your findings....but i have lived here for going on 2 years....and I find some things in your report that are off...and need to be clarified.
First of all I am assuming you were in Bogota during the holiday season....this city slows down BIG time....the main reason I left to visit family back in the states this holiday season is I had to learn that lesson the hard way last year...tons of people/students filter out of the city....and slowly start coming back to Bogota towards the end of January....
I live 2 blocks from Zona Rosa.... in fact I was out this past weekend at two clubs in Zona Rosa that were packed to the gills with smoking hot colombiana's.....my friends and even the Colombiana I was with, could not stop commenting on the quality of the girls and the percentages; about 60-40 girls to guys.....along with the non existance of gringos....counted maybe a handful of gringos in the clubs I was at all night. I believe this was in part due to all the people returning to the city and going out with friends and family.
Again not trying to slam your report, but it is well known that Sunday-Wednesday Bogota and almost all of colombia....including Medellin, and Cali are slow nightlife places during the week (even worse during the holidays DEC-JAN), as most colombians work, go to school, and simply dont have the money to go out and party. However after living here you tend to figure out the wednesday spot, thursday spot, etc....but yes it's not a crazy nightlife city like NYC where everynight there is something or someplace going off.
However, I can tell you on the weekends Thurs, Friday, and Saturday outside of a holiday weekend, the Zona Rosa in Bogota has more hot ass running around. In fact sometimes I almost prefer it during the week as its not so crowded and still a great after work (happy hour) spot to grab a beer or martini, and a bite to eat.....but yes most of the big clubs will not even open during the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) not enough volume.......
The key during the week is after work lounges, martini bars, and pubs, always sets of chicas roaming around usually higher end girls with careers or money (which I prefer) the difference with these working colombianas compared to the girls with careers in the states is they encompass both feminity, traditional values, and have some intelligence. (Thats for another thread)....Zona G is another great area to hit for cocktails or appetizers over 30-40 restraunts, pubs and lounges in that area...always booming during lunch time as well....stacked with smoking hot colombianas....you can also hit the college bars or bars in Chapinero....tons of punk and Rocker bars, but these do start early and can be hit or miss during the week....but that is another area that is full of action come the weekends..Then there is Candeleria.....but outside all of these are tons of other nightlife areas Galerias, Usaqueen, Calle 147, Unicentro....and more....
Finally the lawlessness factor your talking about....I prefer to live in nicer areas like Zona Rosa at my age, I dont wanna worry about getting rolled or robbed everytime I step out of my apartment thats not comfortable to me...Luckily I have a good job and can afford this lifestyle, but thats why I live where I live.....
But with that being said Bogota is massive and has more lawlessness than I ever want to know about... I dont know many cities that you can purchase $6-$10 grams of cocaine off the bouncers of any club so easily, or find any drug you want for that matter, Bogota has a whole crazy fucked up red light district with hundreds of casa's, strip clubs, brothels, trannys you name it (Sante fe Zona Tolerencia) I would not recommend walking around late at night.......trust me that area is about as lawless as I have seen in all the world....There is so much to this city that a few months is still not enough time to nail down the scene. But again trust me this city has lawlessness....
I am just offering some perspective, but I can tell you lots of the fellas I work with here love the fact most gringos bolt out of Bogota after a few days or the hipster backpackers stay holed up in Candeleria, and eventually lite out to hit the coast, Medellin, Zona de Cafe or Cali....I have said it time and time again...
Bogota has way more to offer as far as international restraunts/cuisine, night life, adult venues, shopping than any other city in Colombia just by sheer numbers....its a massive city!!! There is always a festival or food fair, or art show, film fest.....something to get into.... But I know thats not for everyone, we all have different tastes.... Bogota is by far my favorite of the three (Cali, Medellin, and Bogota)....I am a big city guy.
oh yea the weather factor....always a tough sell in Bogota....but for me I love it....dont mind overcast if I get cool weather....cant stand hot and humid as I wear a suit/jacket/tie often for work....but the past 2 months its been for the most part sunny with highs in the 60-low 70's (san diego weather) my favorite temps....but yes this is dry season...and there is a rainy season that can be cold and grey.....
The other factor for me is Bogota is a travel hub for not only Colombia, but the Caribbean, Central America, and South America....I can find relatively cheap and direct flights to Havana, Rio, Buenos Aires, Miami, or hop a cheap domestic flight to Medellin, Cali or Cartagena whenever I want.
At some point when I find the time I will list off some venues and places for the forum....There is so much to this city, even I am still discovering new venues and places, and as my spanish improves more and more oppurtunites keep presenting themselves to me...For me Bogota is a great city, with a gritty vibe, high end venues, and debauchery if you want it.....it takes time and effort to really get to know this place....but there is so much upside... I dont plan on leaving anytime soon....