“Are we in Brooklyn or are we in Manhattan?”

We were walking across the Brooklyn Bridge from a requisite tourist stop at the always crowded, but always delicious, Grimaldi’s Pizza – home of some damn tasty coal brick-oven pizza.

I love transportation and bridges in general, but the iconic Brooklyn Bridge just knocks it out of the park.  It is a classic; a beautiful sight and an architectural marvel at that. One of the oldest suspension bridges in the world, the neo-Gothic limestone and granite bridge was completed in 1883 and spans New York’s aptly named East River. It cost $15.5 million to build and approximately 27 people died during its construction.

A little odd trivia for you: One week after the opening, a rumor that the Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which crushed and killed at least twelve people. One year later, P. T. Barnum helped to squelch doubts about the bridge’s stability—while publicizing his famous circus—when one of his most famous attractions, Jumbo, led a parade of 21 elephants over the bridge.

One of the best (and FREE) things to do in New York City – take a lovely stroll across the bridge on its pedestrian walkway one level above the traffic.   In just two years, the Brooklyn Bridge will celebrate its 130th anniversary.

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: I do not own a smartphone…yet.***

Sure, I’d love one, but since I’m trying to minimalize to save money and the earth in various ways and since it is my job is to sit at this laptop pecking away all day long, I am also afraid to get one and be plugged in more than I already am.   I’ve become a bit addicted to checking my email, but it’s also my work, my income, and the source of various leads and freelance opportunities.  It is all an amazing networking web-world out there for me, one of which I see the many advantages.

So while I can’t recommend an exact phone to you, I can recommend something I already do: go prepaid.

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Is this the mayor of Bogota? I think he thinks he is! Dexter took care of me and sidled up to me with his stocky body.   When I travel I always enjoy meeting new friends – even the furry variety.  Sometimes the love from a pet is enough to get rid of any homesickness!  “Little” Dexter here is the mascot of Career Break Secrets…and he & Jeff want you to travel! NOW!

Dexter
Bogota, Colombia

Several people warned me: Be prepared for Bogota. It’s big.  It’s crowded.  It’s noisy.  It’s dangerous.

I loved it.

It’s funny, how your experiences are colored by little things – where you stay, who you meet, etc.

So many had told me I would love Medellin and while I did see some nice things there, I did not love it.  I felt it was crowded, noisy, and slightly dangerous. Sound familiar?  But that is because the area I stayed in (albeit a great hotel) was in the heart of the city – a city swelling with people.   It turns out I liked Bogota more.

Colombia’s capital city sits at about 8500 feet (2600 meters) high giving it a crisp feel underneath the Andean peaks that surround it.  Some of Bogota’s progressiveness may surprise you. Three hundred kilometers (186 miles) of bike lanes criss-cross the city and, even more unique than that is what’s called Cyclovia. Every Sunday 122km (76 miles) of roads around the city are closed to cars to allow cyclists and pedestrians free reign.

In Bogota, I stayed with my friend and fellow host of Meet Plan Go, Jeff of Career Break Secrets in the cute and quiet neighborhood of Chapinero. On my first day there, I set out to the northern neighborhoods of Zona Rosa and Parque 93, which I’d heard were nice. I figured it would be a good way to ease into the city. And I found nothing of what I was warned. What I saw: big green parks, cute residential hoods, strollers, hip eateries, business people in suits, a lot of bike lanes and medians with trees.

Sisters
Villa de Leyva, Colombia

These two gals came up to me while I was eating my $4 breakfast on Plaza Mayor in Villa de Leyva.  They did not ask for anything. They did not want food.  They just shyly chatted with me for a few minutes, allowed me to snap some shots, and went on their way.