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Bogota is no longer the city
familiar to Bogotanos of the I 940's, so faithfully described by former
President Alfonso López in this book. Today, folks from all over the
country, and an occasional native born in Hospital Sim6n Bolivar, Clínica Country or Hospital San Pedro Claver, live here...
Yesteryear's Bogotano, elegantly attired with hat, vest, umbrella and
newspaper under the arm, is gone and has been replaced by the new
generations taking over (the city and the country) full of foreign
ideas. Cafe gatherings are long gone, now the "in" thing to do is to
meet and party at the Zona Rosa along the El Lago area of town or at the
Parque de la 93.
The Zona Rosa has many places to dance, an occasional casino, very good
restaurants featuring worldwide gourmet selections and it is next to the
moment's in vogue shopping mall: the Andino mall. The Colegio Aleman was
here for many years.
The Zona Rosa attracts more and more folks every day. It now boasts
Centro Comercial Atlantis, which has reinvented movie going with
spectacular theaters to comfortably enjoy breathtaking showings at all
times.
At Parque de la 93, one of the first parks to be renewed, party going is
more direct. Tenants and owners of surrounding buildings care for it,
yuppies gather there for weight watching salad lunches, children for
afternoon playground frolicking, grownups to sip coffee and sweethearts
to promenade; and in the evenings the place is strictly for young folk
rendezvous. Important Internet firms and prestigious magazine publishers
abound along its surroundings.
THE PARKS
Speaking of parks, park renewal
projects have surfaced everywhere. The millennium ushered a desire for
park areas, and for open spaces for young and old. Recreational spaces
multiplied, the neighborhood park again has become a place to meet and
enjoy.
San Victorino's renovation is an example. Where sidewalk vendor stands
once gawked stands a sculpture by Negret. San Victorino is now a space
welcoming cultural events. Who would have thought of it! such a caotic
place not too long ago. That's all in the past.
A part of the Cementerio Central on Calle 26 has been made into Parque
Renacimiento, featuring a Botero sculpture donated by the artist himself
as part of a selection of his paintings and sculptures donated to
Bogota.
The Tunal welcomes thousands of visitors who stand up for their place of
recreation and, as if it weren't enough, Parque Sim6n Bolivar seems to
grow each day in area and events. The Parque El Salitre features
ultramodern Disney-like rides and a wave pool enjoyed by Bogotanos,
somewhat like the ocean waves 950 kilometers away to the north.
Health continues to be the recreational sport. The Millos and Santa Fe
soccer teams divide passions on Sundays at historical and upgraded
Campin stadium, featuring, among other things, an elevator. Alas, things
have changed. Fans have become too rowdy for comfort, like the fans to
the south of the continent.
BOGOTA TODAY
Life in XXI Century Bogota goes on in the midst of
scandals and cultural events, lack of public funds and potholes galore,
young folks and construction everywhere, changing the city's "look" and
"being".
Its "look" because not a day goes by, including
Sundays and holidays, when construction is not going on, all for the
community's good, or so the signs say, forever generating traffic jams.
And its "being" because the last two Mayors, Enrique Penaloza and
Antanas Mockus, have encouraged people to think differently.
Mockus, a university professor, set it upon himself
during his watch to talk to us about civic awareness; he recovered the
art forms of mimes, storytellers and street theater, he reinforced the
idea of thinking about our neighbors and giving the right-of-way; of
caring for public property and respect for the pedestrian.
Night clubbing is only permitted up to one o'clock
in the morning, a measure introduced by Mr. Mockus that has
substantially reduced accident fatalities.
Then it was Enrique Penaloza's turn, an expert in
urban affairs having lost to Mockus in the prior elections. He continued
the civic awareness theme, but, contrary to his antecessor, he plunged
into urban construction enhancing programs. His obsessions, apart from
reminding us that we live 2,600 meters closer to the stars, are
construction projects and bicycles. So much so that he introduced an
annual car-less day, a successful experiment in Europe achieving some
success here.
The past few administrations have kept-up the
cycle-routes opened every Sunday and holidays until two o'clock in the
afternoon, great for exercising and for Bogotanos to feel sporty. Many
folks can be seen there: the ubiquitous orange juice stands, lonely
ladies with their pets animals, thousands of cycling youngsters dreaming
of being like bicycle champs "Cochise" and Victor Mora and mature,
potbellied gents exercising on doctor's orders. Bogota's cycle routes
have become a city symbol. Many main street and roadways have
cycle-paths to substitute the automobile.
PROBLEMS NEVER END
The Mayors I mentioned had to
address Bogota's big street problem, the city's insecurity and the lack
of transportation means, and that's not including the city's, and the
country's biggest problem-- unemployment.
The street mess is due to the lack of streets and the potholes on the
existing ones. Although many have been renewed, potholes abound and
traffic jams are a daily event. Peak hours are on every hour and so many
vehicles transit the city" streets that the current administration had
to implement a car curfew on certain days of the week on the basis of
license plate numbers.
Carrera Septima (no longer setima as in yesteryear) continues to be a
model and favorite street-way. From Plaza de Bolivar, featuring recently
opened Palacio de Justicia along its northern side, Camera Septima has
had its sidewalks renewed and lanes expanded all the way up to the
former rock quarries and San Cristobal.
The metro continues to be a dream, because, as always, there's not
enough money to pay for it. That's why in the XXI Century Bogota opened
its world class Transmilenio mass transit system. Avenida Caracas and
Calle 80 became huge trunk lines for its giant buses. This will put an
end to the "penny change" problem because drivers will do only that:
drive, without worrying about collecting fares. As in Europe, there are
bays where tickets can be purchased. This is the first phase to solve
Bogota's bus and jitney chaos.
As for the streets, I repeat that one finds potholes, but it is also
true that construction and repairs never stop. Carrera 15, for example,
is today a local "Champs - Elysees" with ample sidewalks and streets.
Cars today don't park on Bogota's sidewalks. Things have changed. Car
owners now have to park in parking lots available every given number of
blocks.
Regarding safety, the police force is low in numbers, but high in
technological equipment and aids. The well-known CATS (Immediate Support
Units) were abolished due to lack of police officers. Today, cameras are
strategically located to support security.
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