Christmas amidst green leaves and butterfly lights

Christmas is a magical time of year, and especially so when in a home filled with the pitter-patter of little feet who are curious about all the activity that surrounds this season. Isabel is definitely enjoying all of the lights (even if they are of butterflies and salamanders, rather than reindeer and santa claus). She is also loving that she can get chocolate on a daily basis -- with her Christmas calendar that she opens each day with papa. It is also a time when we miss those near and dear to us even more... and while you are present in our daily lives (with 'little parts' of each of you that fill our home and our thoughts), it is just not the same as the 'real thing')!! I will admit that as our third month of living here comes to an end, I am feeling more nostalgic about the human contact with friends and family that are no longer near to me. The reinforcement of sharing a coffee/tea/wine date with a good friend, the joy of watching Isabel giggle to hiccups with neighbours, the constancy of those who know your heart, your past, and inspire your future. At the same time, we continue to feel incredible blessed to have this amazing experience... to establish a home in a foreign land, to build new connections with friends that are quickly becoming life-lines, and to deeply engage in a new culture and language. I will most definitely write more about our first Christmas; and I look forward to hearing what blessings this season -- whether celebrating life, light or other good things -- has bestowed upon each of you. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo!!

First Horseback Ride!!

Today we drove out to a beautiful farm (finca) just over an hour outside of Bogota. It was an absolutely glorious day and we were thrilled to enjoy a drive out in the rolling hills and the sun filtering in through the windows. As our car just arrived a few days earlier, we were all excited to be in it -- even Isabel just chatted and read the entire way not at all complaining about the length of the drive. The scenery was spectacular -- fields and farmlands surrounding us, and of course clear blue skies above.

We arrived at the in the early afternoon and were greeted by an amazing meal and more beautiful scenes. The event was hosted/organized by one of Joshua's embassy colleagues whose family owns the farm. To make the day even more spectacular and magical -- Isabel got to enjoy her very first horseback ride. It was amazing to witness. She has always loved horses... in theory. And to see her eagerly waiting for the saddle to be placed on the horse, patiently sitting as she was strapped in, and then calmly enjoy the ride... it was a site to behold. She seemed to relish every moment with awe and wonder. And, as this horse did not yet have a name, we all agreed to call her Bella -- in honour of Isabel. What a special day!!!

As usual, you can find more photos from our day at the finca at www.picasaweb.google.ca/jpstories

Friends make ordinary moments feel extraordinary!

Our good friend Maria, along with daughter Violet (13-months), came to stay with us for 10-days from November 13th until the 23rd. How lucky we feel to be blessed with so many wonderful visitors!! It was a great excuse to explore a little more of the city... which we too are just starting to get to know.

It was amazing to see the world we are starting to call our home through the eyes of someone who is not living her permanently. For me, it was amazing to have constant company and positive reinforcement as a mom (thanks Maria!!). And, while it took a few days for our girls to get into a groove... they finally found some games that allowed them to play well together, share toys and enjoy each other -- even with the age gap (which at this age seems so huge)!! We went on an adventure up Monserrate. This is a mountain in Bogota considered to be a place of pilgrimage at 3,150m. In 1640, Don Juan de Borja founded a chapel at the peak dedicated to the "Virgen Morena de Monserrat" - whose sanctuary is located in Spain. Twenty years later a monastery was built, which houses "el Señor Caído" (the fallen Christ), a statue by Pedro de Lugo y Albarrícin to which many miracles have been attributed. Since this time, thousands of pilgrims climb the numerous and steep steps by foot or on their knees as penitence. Many tourists also climb the mountain, though we opted to take the train which seems to carve its way up the mountain at the steepest incline i have ever experiences. There is also a cable car, but it was not open that day. We were pleased with a wonderful view of the city as the clouds seem to open up for a few hours and allow us clear sights in every direction.

I was surprised to see just how 'flat' Bogotá is when seen from up high... though I suppose that is why it is a plateau. The mountain range seems to line the outskirts of the city, but it does not creep into it's centre. The city is scattered with buildings that from afar all looked quite similar. And everything seems to go on for miles and miles and miles. The vastness of the city was impressive. It was also incredible to witness the contrast between the city of roads and towers, while on the other side the view was of lush greens and mountain ranges. There was a really nice market filled with local foods and arts; as well as two beautiful restaurants that would make for a very lovely evening out on a clear night. There were several lovely spots that will be perfect for a picnic the next time we decide to make our way to the top of Monseratte.

Maria & Violet also did a lot of exploring all on their own - getting to know our neighbourhood, as well as touring around the rest of Bogota. So, for those of you thinking this is an unsafe town, you may want to take note of these savvy travellers!! I was continually amazed at how easily the two of them manoevred the streets, found new places to explore, and most of all how amazing Violet was travelling around with her mom just taking it all in.

On the last full-day of her visit, Maria & Violet even took Isabel & I on a tour of the eastern part of downtown Bogotá surrounding the Universidad de los Andes. Near the university we tried to find the 'artists quarters', but without too much luck. We did see some beautiful streets with homes painted in all sorts of colours. We then walked along a human-made canal, Las Aguas, towards the markets and right to Museo del Oro. The museum is supposedly spectacular, but when travelling with little kids we don't always make choices that take us to all the sights available. Instead, we found a beautiful market across from the museum where we enjoyed cheese bread and capuccino (Isabel ate all the foam) and the girls crawled around on the floor chasing each other and finding new ways to amuse themselves. We tried to find the artist quarters, but without much luck.

Throughout all of this touring, Maria & Violet got to experience Bogotá at its worst weather -- it rained every single day they were here. But that did not stop them from taking long walks and just getting to know their surroundings. One of the days they were here we took Violet to our regular music class at Allegretto - which she absolutely adored. I don't think I saw her smiling as much as in this hour at music class!! It was a blast!!!

And, now that they are gone, we are slowly settling back into our regular routine and living in immense gratitude for the time and effort they both took to visit us here in Bogota!! As usual, you can find more photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/jpstories

Our first visitors to Bogotá

Last week we enjoyed a fabulous visit with our friends David & Cathy, and their two girls, Kendra (6) and Natasha (3). Isabel was in absolute heaven having two girlfriends to play with around the clock. When they left she spent a full day asking when they would be back.

We began our week with a fabulous long weekend in Anapoime -- a village two hours outside of Bogotá driving along a winding mountainous road (not for the faint of heart). But the drive was worth it as we were blessed with fabulous weather, an amazing view of the mountains, and even someone else to do all the cleaning & cooking as we enjoyed three very relaxing days by the pool. There was even a clay tennis court where a few fun games of tennis were played.

It was also amazing to see some of the landscape outside of Bogotá - what amazing diversity in sites, smells and sounds as we drove through some of the smaller towns.

Upon our return, David, Cathy & the girls took a road trip exploring Bogotá - with a tour of La Candelaria and a trip up Cerro de Monserrate.

Cerro de Monserrate is one of the peaks (3160m above sea level) in the mountain range surrounding the eastern side of Bogotá and overlooking the Sabana de Bogotá. It offers a wonderful view of the city (on clear days), and on weekends has become a mecca for pilgrims who hike one-hour up the mountain to see the statue of the Senor Caido (Fallen Christ) dating from 1650. The Sturdees opted to take the teleferico (cable car) up the mountain side rather than attempting the steep climb (good choice)!!

La Candelaria is the oldest part of the city and known for its museums, cafes dating back nearly a century, museums, cobblestone streets, and Plaza de Bolivar. It offers a little sampling of colonial life in the city. Plaza de Bolivar is the heart of the original town of Bogotá - before it expanded into every direction, especially towards the north. In the middle of the square is a bronze statue of Simon Bolivar (cast in 1846), the work of an Italian artist. This was the first public monument erected in the city of Bogotá. The Capilla del Sagrario dates from the Spanish era, while other buildings surrounding the square are far more recent and range in architectural style from French to neoclassical to modern.

The rest of the week was focused on more activities for the kids - including a trip to Maloka (an interesting science museum), a visit to Parque 93 to play and enjoy some delicious crepes, walking around Santa Barbara Alta & Usaquen, and rounded out by Halloween on Friday. For Halloween we enjoyed face-painting and an indoor treasure hunt. Then in the evening we went trick or treating in a nearby neighbourhood called Santa Ana -- which was absolutely wonderful. The day finished with a view of fireworks from our dining room window that seemed to be coming from the Hacienda Santa Barbara mall down the street.

For the final day of their trip, we drove to Zipaquira to visit the Salt Cathedral and see more of the surrounding terrain -- this time we moved through rolling hills and saw lots of horses and cows along our drive; as well as green-houses dedicated to growing roses and carnations for export. Zipaquira is located 50km north of Bogota and it is noted for its salt mines which are carved into the mountains flanking the west of the town. The mines date back to the Muisca period (700-1600 A.D.). They tap into what is virtually a huge mountain of rock salt -- you can actually taste it in the air as you walk through the cool (temperature) underground paths and caverns. In the heart of the mountain a huge underground Salt Cathedral has been carved out and open to the public since 1954. It was closed in 1992 and scooped out another 60m below the original for safety reasons. The Cathedral is now 75m long and 18m high, and it can accommodate 8400 people for mass on Sundays. The sound in this cathedral is amazing and actually attracts many recording artists. The tour of the mines is marked by the stations of the cross -- all carved into the stone/salt. It is quite spectacular.

On our way home we paused for lunch at a restaurant that attracts people from far and wide -- locals will drive an hour out of Bogotá to dine at Andres Carne de Rez, located in a town called Chia. Our guests also enjoyed a fabulous steak which was like an oasis after dining vegetarian all week long!! This legendary steak-house is more an experience than a restaurant. It is only open on weekends and in the evenings turns into a dining hall/night club that attracts guests into the wee hours of the night. The capacity is well over 2000 people and it is always packed. During the day, there is an amazing section dedicated to activities for kids of all ages -- with actors and dancers moving through the restaurant, an amazing sandbox, face-painting, mask-making, arts & crafts tables, and a place for kids to make their own pizza and desserts. Isabel quickly discovered the pizza-making station and made herself a delicious mushroom and cheese pizza. She finished off her lunch experience with a butterfly painted on her face -- it was the first time she was eager and followed through on getting her face painted. Every day has something of a 'first' to offer!!

You can find a small sampling of photos from the week at

http://picasaweb.google.com/jpstoriesm/jpstories.

What a difference a day makes...

It's amazing what a huge difference it makes to have one's home filled with one's own belongings. Certainly, this has been a huge milestone for all of us. It is wonderful to have our own sheets, pillows and kitchen supplies. Not to mention all of Isabel's things. What a huge difference in her disposition the day our stuff arrived. She is more happy to spend time playing on her own and just enjoying all of 'her' things. Suddenly, our apartment feels so much more like home. It has all the little details that make it ours. I had no idea that this could have such an enormous impact on day to day life.

Life in Bogotá continues to be wonderful. I am so amazed at how easily we have built a community of friends and resources. In just two short months, it feels like home. I must admit that so much of this is due to the phenomenal people we have met -- people coming out from all areas to offer support and information as we need it. Everytime I think that there is something missing, or I am not sure how I will handle a specific issue, someone appears to offer a helping hand. It is a gift beyond words.

I am also slowly settling into a new way of life. At first I was so surprised that there were no 'healthy' snack options for kids... but over the last couple of months I have realised that this simply required a shift in my expectations. I have been used to living in a country where 'fresh' food items are not always readily accessible; so I had grown used to finding healthy, organic alternatives that were packaged. And as I walked the supermarkets here I was amazed that everything packaged - even the stuff for kids - was filled with sugar or fructose, and other things that I would prefer to keep out of Isabel's regular diet routine. But, what is amazing, is to recognize that everything here is available fresh -- I am truly re-engagine in the concept of 'slow cooking' and applying a local diet approach to our eating habits. Rather than getting juice that is packaged, we just make fresh juice everyday... with the variety of fruits and vegetables available this is so easy to do, and amazingly tasty. For snacks, I just cut up fresh fruits or vegetables, rather than looking for something in a package. It takes a little more time, but it is worth the effort. So, I have stopped spending hours trying to read/translate each of the labels, and have left the pre-packaged food aisles to integrate tasty, locally grown food items into our diet. It's wonderful!!! And, I even found delicious all-natural yoghourt -- not exactly what we had at home, but at least it is not filled with food-colouring and fructose/sugar!!! Oh, the little things...

A lot of people are asking me about the weather and whether I miss all the change of seasons. While I do love the charm of each season that blesses Ottawa -- from Spring to Summer to Autumn to Winter -- I must admit that I am loving the temperate climate here in Bogotá. It is so easy, especially with kids. And it's also never predictable. So, if we start our day with rain, we know we just need to wait a few minutes and the sun will inevitably shine. We don't have the joy of running through the spinklers in barefeet (as it is usually far too cold) or catching snowflakes on our tongue or watching the spectacular colours of the leaves transform from day to day. But in many ways it feels like an eternal shift between spring and autumn. The leaves do not change colour, but the foliage is so beautiful as it changes from leaves to buds to blooms. And every once in a while the weather does suprise us with a spectacularly warm day... on Sunday at the park the kids were actually running in the sand with barefeet. It was a beautiful thing to witness and to hear their cheerful screams.

Isabel is also acclimatizing well -- taking everything in at her own pace. She is so eager to learn and each day asks about more Spanish words, and uses them both at home and when we are out. But next year she won't even remember that this used to be a different language. Even for me, the language barrier is slowly disappearing -- thanks in part to wonderful Spanish instructors, and also to the kind nature of the locals. No one minds my mistakes, everyone tries to understand, and makes extra efforts to help me understand them. It makes it so easy to just speak in Spanish -- there is no fear on my end, or judgement on that of the listener. Just people trying to hear and understand each other.

We have our first visitors arriving this week and we are super excited about this -- it will be wonderful to share our experience with friends, and to have the extra company for me and Isabel. It's also a great excuse to explore more of the city, so I am certain I'll have more interesting observations and stories to share in the next few weeks.

Oh, and so many of you are asking about our birth plan... so, here is the current status. We are planning home birth with a wonderful physician that we discovered here in Bogotá. Our biggest challenge is figuring out the insurance because Ontario insurance will not cover a home birth by a physician (only by a midwife, and this is not an option here). Already moving towards a home birth is quite a stretch for many within our community. However, I am certain this is the right option for us -- the health system here is great in many ways, but it is quite medicalized (which has its pros and cons). For the homebirth the doctor will bring a huge tub and all the necessary equipment he requires; he will be joined by a doula and a nurse. My mom is planning to be here also, so that will help with ensuring that Isabel is occupied/distracted. And, I figure that either the insurance will come through, or we will just have to start fundraising (smile)!!! No matter what, it will be money well-spent. The irony, of course, is that a hospital birth would be far more expensive -- and yet it would be totally covered by the insurance company.

Baby 'j', as this little one has been named, is growing in leaps and bounds. For now, this baby seems quite calm in my very large belly!!! So, we are hoping this time to have not only a healthy and happy child, but also one that actually sleeps (smile)!!!

More photos...

For now, I will be loading more photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/jpstories.

Sundays in Usaquén

I absolutely adore weekends in Bogotá... Saturday mornings I am now enrolled in Spanish classes which I take at a colleagues house a lovely walk from our home (up a nice hill to help keep me in shape); in the afternoons we usually enjoy a nice playtime in the park or visit with friends; on Sunday mornings I have started going to Yoga (well, i went to one class, which is a start... more on that to follow); and in the afternoons we walk through the market in Usaquén, usually buy some fresh corn on the cob which Isabel devours and then play in the square until sundown.