A couple weeks later, I again heard live music, but this time even closer to my window. I walked a few steps into the kitchen, and lo and behold, a trio was serenading the apartment from below. More recently, one of my favorite bands of all time, Radiohead, played at Parque (park) Simón Bolivar! They played all of my favorite songs which left me in awe for the rest of the week. My neighborhood is just full of magical moments!
Similarly, the city of Bogotá continues to present new tastes, places and cultures that I did not expect to find. I continue to discover new fruits and pastries that I've never even noticed! For example, I've started making a delicious drink with the lulo fruit called lulada. It's like lemonade, but with lulo! Also, my new favorite pastry is called an obleo. Not your everyday snack, this waffle-like cookie can be filled with everything from arequipe, or a caramel sauce, to cheese. As for places, I recently went to an area on the outskirts of Bogotá called Kennedy to visit a school. While a lot of the area was under construction, the school reminded me of P.S. 1! All of the students wore uniforms, and many of the teachers had similar strategies to those at P.S. 1. Lastly, I was surprised to find a Jewish community in Bogotá. I was grateful to spend a Shabbat service with them on a Friday night in February, and eat some of my favorite Jewish staples, like bagels!
So, to go back to my original question, while my return date is in sight, I continue to be both enamored with and deeply connected to my neighborhood and larger city. Though I am a bit worried about leaving and returning home, I am also very excited to continue to get to know this incredible place and all of the hidden secrets I have yet to uncover!
