Globe Corner Blogs

Ciclovia Sign --photo by Pat

The highlight of a recent trip to Colombia was the opportunity to participate in Bogotá’s “Ciclovia.” Every Sunday, year-round, the city of Bogotá closes off over 120 kilometers of streets to traffic from 7 am to 2 pm. And, in a city of seven million, well over a million turn out to bike, roller-blade, jog, dog walk, or just promenade in their Sunday finest on the blessedly car-free streets.

What a transformation for a city that a decade ago warranted a chapter in Robert Pelton’s “World’s Most Dangerous Places.” Citizens have reclaimed the streets and civic life; Ciclovia is a joyous manifestation of the pride, good humor, and optimism of Bogotá’s residents. There’s a spring in folks’ step here that was unexpected (at least for me) — a confidence that the future is going to be better than the past.

We were staying in Usaquén on the northern fringe of Bogotá and our host

Ciclovia --photo by Pat

kindly provided bikes for a Sunday morning in late January. The beginning (or end, depending on your point of view) of one of the major routes of Ciclovia starts in Usaquén and runs into the central district of Bogotá on Carrera Séptima. Although flatlanders who haven’t acclimated to the 8600 foot elevation may feel the effects of the high altitude, the north/south routes in the city are essentially flat and make for very pleasant biking. Continue Reading »