Bogota' and the Lost City

I had the opportunity to visit Colombia's capitol of Bogotá. Thanks to American Airlines outstanding service and the invaluable assistance of RCI (Resort Condominium International), I enjoyed one of the most amazing holidays of my life.

Just north of Cartagena, the country's premier resort destination and several outstanding time-share properties, lies the ancient city of Santa Marta. Santa Marta is Colombia's oldest Spanish City, rich in history and famous for the safety of its impressive bay and gateway to the location of one of the world's most recent and amazing archeological discoveries - "The Lost City".

The Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain in the country, higher than the snow capped peaks of the Andes and totally disconnected from them. Crowned with perpetual snow, yet only a short distance from the warmest tropical sea in the world, it used to be the home to the Tayronas, a civilization which developed at the beginning of the Christian era, reaching its highest cultural level between the 5th century and the year 1600, when it was destroyed after a long and bitter struggle against the Spanish. Their gold work and pottery were highly refined and is still being unearthed as exploratory work continues.

A trip to the 'Lost City' is a six-day hike up and back, and includes a night at the archeological center. Much to the relief of this writer, a helicopter service is available at certain times of the year. Meteorological conditions, however, restrict the visits to a mere two hours and involve considerable cost!

The developer of Perdida Bay, a project under construction during my visit, shared with me the extensive plans for this exciting resort development, which will include an extensive camp site, building lots and superb 5 star time-share units built in traditional native style, however the swimming pools, jacuzzis and other amenities set them apart from the ordinary.

The Hotel, he told me, will cater for international guests and discussions are underway for a Casino on site. Whilst the developers own the land free and clear, they have expressed interest in a link with a major international player in the resort development field! If you're looking for a Caribbean location that will leave the rest for dead in terms of geographic location and a spectacular tropical environment, where the breeze normally blows from the mountains to the sea, the opposite to what normally happens on the Colombian Caribbean, thus giving less salt in the atmosphere, fewer mosquitoes and fresher nights-- look no further!

Take a Gamble on Bogotá

The US government in the 90's went out of its way to warn visitors to this region of the inherent dangers, and there is little doubt that those dangers were real. Colombia is not for the faint hearted. Nor possibly for the over affluent. There was, according to a warning issued by the department of state, a greater chance of being kidnapped in Colombia than anywhere else in the world. More than a dozen US Citizens were kidnapped in 1999 and that figure was double 1998. For the most part these were guerrilla related activities, and though some were murdered, others were held for ransom.

I personally don't believe my $1200 bank balance would have been of great interest to any terrorist group. And since it is the policy of the American Government not to pay ransom or make other concessions with terrorists, my fate would have been in the hands of either Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford or Sylvester Stallone, not to mention Crocodile Dundee! Not a pretty thought for any terrorist group!

In a piece called "Colombia-the country", published in 1997, it was claimed that each hour someone was killed in Bogotá! For those who like to play the odds, your insurance company will tell you that there are 4 kidnappings and 73 murders a day, a car is stolen every 24 minutes and 142 houses are broken into every day. Violent Death is so ingrained in the Colombian way of life that the government department has listed violence as the leading cause of death for citizens over 10 years old. The report concludes that there is no known vaccine for a bullet to the head!

So much for reports!

As stated - I had a ball! Perhaps the thought of Paul Hogan (Croc. Dundee) again invading their country has caused them to go into hiding, but I can honestly say I was more nervous walking around New York's Grand Central Station area a few years ago than I felt in Bogotá.

Speaking of odds. Several years ago, for the benefit of my Casino colleagues, I took the opportunity to meet with the very charming Roger Thomas, then Chief Executive of the Winning Group, operators of Bogotá's three major Casinos. Roger 's company operates the Casino Caribe, The Casino Hollywood and The Rock'n Jazz Casino. Unlike Vegas, the bulk of their business is still table games (60%). In terms of size the Hollywood had 160 slots, the Caribe 140, and the Rock'n Jazz a mere 120. I have no doubt they have increased since then. I was privileged to be Rogers guest at the opening of a new experiment - live theatre - a comedy preformed in the showroom of the Hollywood Casino. As the show was in Spanish, a language I am not over conversant with, I bowed out early, but the packed house was certainly enjoying themselves. There are currently no restrictions on casino operators other than the enormous tax that the government takes from the 206 official casinos. First there was a 17% flat tax on gross revenue, a local council tax of 10%, a 15% VAT and a 1 % to the Chamber of Commerce. Believe it or not there is also a further 17% tax on any promotional expenditure!

The average income in Colombia is estimated at $6,000 p.a. though Roger believes this to be generous. According to government statistics the average drop is between $35/$40 however Roger reports their average is closer to $20.00! Age limit is only 18 and an estimated 2,000,000 visitors contribute to the industry. On the off chance you are planning to visit this exciting city anytime soon - here is the latest warning from the US Government.

COLOMBIA

November 10, 2009

"The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens of the dangers of travel to Colombia. While security in Colombia has improved significantly in recent years, violence by narco-terrorist groups continues to affect some rural areas as well as large cities. The potential for violence by terrorists and other criminal elements exists in all parts of the country. This updates and replaces the Travel Warning for Colombia issued March 25, 2009 to update information on recent security incidents and criminal activity.

In recent months, there has been an increase in violent crime, including kidnapping and homicide, in many of the major cities. Small towns and rural areas of Colombia can still be extremely dangerous due to the presence of narco-terrorists. Common crime also remains a significant problem in many urban and rural areas. For additional details about the general criminal threat, please see the Department of State's Country Specific Information for Colombia.

Extortion-related bombings have occurred recently in Bogota, Cali, and several smaller cities. On January 27, 2009, an explosion in a commercial building in Bogota resulted in two fatalities. On August 9, 2008, a bomb detonated in northern Bogota injuring eight persons, including one American. Many expatriates live in and frequent the neighborhoods where these explosions occurred.

The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak at the beginning of this decade. Nevertheless, terrorist groups such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN), and other criminal organizations continue to kidnap and hold civilians for ransom or as political bargaining chips. No one is immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Kidnapping in rural areas is of particular concern. On July 2, 2008, the Government of Colombia rescued 15 hostages, including three Americans, who had been held for more than five years. Although the U.S. government places the highest priority on the safe recovery of kidnapped Americans, it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to or strike deals with kidnappers. Consequently, the U.S. government's ability to assist kidnapping victims is limited."

So now you know! As for this writer, I can't wait to return to Bogotá.

Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD,ARP