After climbing the last 1053m from Guayabal de Siquima where we -shortly after we left- reconnected with the diesel trucks on the big highway snaking through the high mountains and basically "landing" on Bogota's high valley platform. Pretty damn cool this vast place - literary and figuratively.
We stopped about 15km short and west of the 10 million people town in a little place called Madrid ( in a half finished, cheap Hilton Hotel with a freezing room and leaking - but hot- shower). We wanted to arrive "fresh" in the am hours the next day and navigate through the Colombian capital to find our way to the hostel and we did.
Strangely enough the 20+ people on "couch-surfing" and the 10 people on the cycle touring network "warm-showers" did not respond, not a single one! I wonder why people even sign up if they are not interested to meet travelers?
Anyhow this big ass town is easy to figure out in terms of finding your way through. The mountain range in the east borders the town- one can always see the big white church of Monserrate. We were told to avoid the southern parts and staying off the streets after dark all together, which is hard to do as a Berliner, but after being told some rob- stories which happened right near the hostel and to guests we had already met, we felt the need to respect the warning - so far ( our days in B are not over yet).
