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Bogotá: slum area in the north

Originally uploaded by Anders L. Hansson.

It is quite easy to get used to life in the northern part of Bogotá.

Life here isn’t that different from Europe, really. A couple of days ago we went food shopping at an Exito hypermarket. The place has a little over 50 cash registers, and is for sure not the only or even the biggest one in the metropolis of Bogotá.

Lately, French Carrefour has taken up the competition, but Colombian Exito has a reputation of being somewhat cheaper. Exito’s selection of food and other merchandise is comparable to what you find in Europe or the U.S. Actually, I think it beats most or all super and hypermarkets you find in Sweden.

Interestingly, one of few slum areas in the northern part of Bogotá happens to be located just outside the Exito hypermarket. It’s just a few buildings, and it’s likely to be gone within short. A number of apartment buildings are under construction, and the character of the area is rapidly changing.

Anders

Bogotá: northern part

Originally uploaded by Anders L. Hansson.

Most time here in Bogotá I’ve spent in the northern, more wealthy part of the city.

It is a bit more chaotic or disorganized than many parts of Europe - the street lanes oftentimes haven’t been marked with paint, the buses are old and run on dirty diesel and street vendors walk between the cars as they stop at the street lights.

But the northern part of Bogotá is home to most of the people with money as well as the middle class. Middle class doesn’t necessarily mean anything spectacular, but it does mean that you can live what I would consider a “decent life”.

On the photo here you find a typical apartment building a few blocks away from where I’m staying.

Anders