The Human Petting Zoo AKA The Botanical Garden

I know Kurt already posted something about the BG but please indulge me a moment. You all know how I love a good story no?

The BG is a fine getaway in the city of Bogota. Everything is lush, green, blooming and smells great. We were with 2 other families so I realize we must have stuck out a little but I guess I didn't realize how much;) As we were walking around a group of senior citizen approached us. A few of them came up to do the traditional fawning over the children, blessing them, telling us how cute they are. You get the idea. Then more come over and then more come over. Suddenly it seems we're surrounded about 25 Colombian surrogate grandparents. We're all chatting with them. It is custom here to greet someone with a "buenos dias" (between breakfast and lunch) a "buenos tardes" (lunch and dinner) or buenos noches (you get the idea) they greet you back. You ask how they are. They say fine thank you and you? You respond, say thank you and then you can ask some questions, get directions or what ever else it is that you want to say. Any way we're starting to get the idea they want to stick around a bit when their tour guide shoos them away NOT before taking a few pictures with us mind you.

It is a cute exchange, our group laughs and remarks how friendly they were and we move onto the Butterfly exhibit. There we have the honor of having one of the Colombian military accompany us. I think the just of what he said was that he was "at our service" God knows we weren't going to squoosh any butterflies but whatever. When in Colombia right? The exhibit is beautiful. There are tons of butterflies all around. The smell is exotic and my skin drinks in the humidity and warmth of the room.

Our group decides to take a break outside of the exhibit so we can feed babies and children, change diapers what have you when we notice a group of 3 women staring at us, just staring at us. We say hellos but this doesn't seems to satisfly them. Then, of course, more of their group join them and once again we're surrounded. "adoptados?" "our children are adopted." This exchange is more stilted and strained. There are more questions that we try to answer and finally their tour guide leads them away.

Aannnd once again we think we're in the clear when Tracy gets approached by an elderly man round 70 that is clearly smitten with her, her tall slender frame and short blonde hair. I thought maybe she may need help understanding him so I approached but what this man was trying to tell her, you'd have to be a complete idiot not to get it! I decide to stay in case she needs protecting instead! He leans into her, she backs up a bit, he leans in a bit more, she backs up again all the while informing her that he's been to the US, CA in fact and has MANY children (I think implying a still quite virile man!) so being "novios" (sweethearts) with her should be no problem!

What a complete riot! We all had a good laugh at that one. And so ends another day in Bogota.

Smooch
PK