Who Knew? Bogotá, Colombia is Cool, Safe — and Surprisingly Gay
Earlier this year I reported from the rollicking Carnaval in Barranquilla, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The country’s capital is another kettle of fish altogether – and as it turns out, a blast (er, hoot) to visit any time of year, not just at Carnaval time. Almost 9,000 feet up in the Andes mountains, this sprawling city of 7 million is cool both temperature-wise and in most other ways — from sightseeing to partying – and these days it’s as or more safe to visit as most other big cities in Latin America. Furthermore, I’d have to say Bogotá is even one of the better gay travel destinations south of the border. Heck, these days local fags and dykes have even managed to win more legal rights than in most U.S. states. If you’re interested in checking it out (and there are more flights being added from North America every month, even in this day and age), there are two main words to remember: Candelaria and Chapinero. La Candelaria is the 16th-century, 2¼-square-mile Old Town, which even though it’s so atmospheric but still far more local-feeling than touristy. The sloping streets (some but not all cobblestone) are lined with all sorts of great shops (emeralds are a local specialty), eateries, elaborate churches, and museums (my faves are the ones showcasing colonial history; artist Fernando Botero, and especially pre-Columbian gold artifacts); just above it, you’ll want to hop the cable car up nearby Monserrate hill for some panoramic city views. You can stay cheap at several hostels or more upscale at a pair of boutique properties — Hotel de la Ópera and Hotel Casa de la Botica — both in gorgeously restored old buildings. An easy cab ride away, the other nabe, Chapinero, is where you’ll find a bodacious batch of queer nightspots. And practically half of them, it seems, are contained in one building, a mammoth former theater now called Theatron. This baby’s got seven very different spaces to hang out in, from the huge main disco to an outdoor terrace to a leather-and-beer bar. If you want throngs of cute Latin boys, you practically don’t need to go anywhere else. And yet, there are plenty of other smaller venues worth a gander, too, like Dash, Blues Bar, and Roxy Gogo; I’d also recommend a trip downtown to a mixed club called Cha Cha, 46 floors up in a skyscraper (hot crowd and of course va-va-voom views). And don’t forget, too, that for getting naked and cutting right to the chase there’s also a handful of steamy saunas like Babylon Baths. You can bunk in this area, too, in places like the Rosales Plaza and Hoteles America – and as of this past spring there’s even a gay property called High Park Hotel. So yeah, especially if you build in some time for day trips into nearby coffee country or colonial towns – and/or pair Bogotá with several days in the spectacular colonial city of Cartagena up on the Caribbean – I’d say Colombia’s capital would be worth your hard-earned vacation dollar, especially if you’ve already been to places like Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. I know I’ll be back soon.Get more info, BTW, at BogotaTourism.travel, VisitBogota.turismo, VisitColombia.com, and of course ColombiaGay.com. And of course don’t forget to tote along Gay Spanish for Love + Hookups or The Gay Translator!Yours truly,Dave