Good morning Colombia,

I'm sitting comfortably at the Customs office at the international airport in Bogota.
A Mc Donald Douglas flew me to this place yesterday evening. While the plane is flying rapidly and easily passes the Darien Gap, I look out of the window, watching the area that is almost impossible to cross because of its geography, guerrilla's and lack of roads. Especially on the 300 kg weighing pack mule that I am travelling on. The Pan American highway, that is supposed to be the connection between the Northern and Southern American continent, stops in Yaviza and has never been finished.


Bogota is situated 2800 metres above sea level and has a very chilly climate, in spite of the equator that is only 4, 5 degrees further. It feels like autumn in Holland and in the chilly dawn the city in the distance almost looks peaceful.
Seeing it from this enclave, you would not say that in Colombia under the surface all sorts of things are going on, things a Dutch cauliflower-man does not want to know anything about.
The guerrilla's are more active than ever after the more or less stranded negotiations and they rule 40% of the country. Amongst travellers there are constant rumours of kidnappings and ransoms. Probably also partially paranoia, especially nursed by North Americans but I don't know how serious the reports are. In the year 2000 from non-official sources was reported that more than 3000 people were kidnapped, amongst which tens of foreigners. A macabre world record…
After the Glasnost and the bankruptcy of Russia the support for these often-communist groups stopped. But the people and their ideologies didn't disappear because many of them are from a generation that doesn't know any other life than the guerrilla life.
Weapons must be paid, food must be provided. So hard currency is demanded and that is how ransoms are paid, in hard cash. Besides, something can be said for their stride against the corrupt government and its oppressive activities.
Apart from that, at least in theory, this country is the biggest cocaine producer of the world. The white powder, very well known by people in the nightlife, also in Holland (be back in a sec darling, just have to powder my nose) is more popular than ever and because of the enormous potential markets in Western Europe and the U.S.A, the production and transport is unstoppable.
Many billions were and are made by the mafia, of which the Medellin Cartel, led by Pablo Escobar in the eighties, probably was the most notorious and in anyway the most discussed.
The intrepid drugs baron tried to spread his pow(d)er in every (unorthodox) way he could and was one of the 10 richest people in the world. His insane wealth was spread all over the globe, in silent bank accounts and estates.
As good as he controlled the whole political system at that time and opponents were simply eliminated. Important politicians and judges and sometimes-entire families were killed and astonishing corruption scandals and murder activities challenged the judiciary. To influence the public opinion Escobar built stadiums and gave money to the poor.
With help from the Americans and after a pursuit of 499 days, Pablo himself was killed in the end of 1993. Until this day his grave is a place of pilgrimage and many people worship him.
His death apparently meant the end of the Medellin drugs cartel but certainly not the end of the cocaine production. Many, for example the Cali cartel (and joined financier of the hunt on Escobar that cost many millions of dollars) couldn't wait to fill the empty seats on the drugs market.
Drugs, the stuff I talk about a lot, are probably the biggest disruptor of society. Complete governments are corrupt because of the immense financial profits. Through the centuries millions of people were killed by corruption, violence, use and abuse and the solution will probably never come nearer.
The Americans play the leading part in this, with their so-called humanitarian fight against drugs, and in this way they consciously mingle with the politics in many countries to, apparently legitimate and with the hand on the bible, control the world. The use of drugs is never tackled at its roots, and man never looks at the by upbringing disrupted cold and individual societies.
To fill the hole in the emotional budget we use the numerous drugs that our world provides. It is bitter to see that only few people can do without. In Panama I walked through the coffee plantations for hours and see, apart from the fact that coffee is legal, not much difference. Prohibit coffee tomorrow and we have millions of potential junks, prepared to steel your car radio for a cup of the black fluid from the black market. (And let's not talk about the infamous tobacco…)



While the papers are filled in, I sadly see the huge cumulus clouds that try to rise as high as possible, performing an impressive play of the powerful upwards airstreams, here around the equator. A really dazzling beautiful customs officer checks the numbers of the Yamaha. I get permission to travel through this crazy country for 60 days, but I don't know if it is sensible to stay that long. In the pouring rain I drive the 13 kilometres to town and find a place to stay in a beautiful colonial hotel for only 5 euro…