It's Like America, But South! Day 11

Today was another travel day as we left Medellin and arrived in Bogota!

We were up early to pack, then took an uber from our hotel to the airport where we checked our bags and spent some time in the airport lounge relaxing before our flight. We flew on LATAM airlines again and I cannot say enough good things about it. Since our seats were in the premium economy section, we once again had the middle seat between us blocked off, which was great!

Talking about seats, I've seen all sorts of posts over the past couple of months about people who do what we do - book an aisle seat and a window seat, even when there are three seats in the row. As a perk of doing so, am I always hoping the middle seat will be free? Of course. However, many times it isn't and C and I just live with a stranger sitting between us for the duration of the flight. It's not a big deal, as I usually sleep most, if not all, of the flight and we certainly do not talk or try to pass things back and forth across that person in the middle seat! I'd venture a guess that almost one hundred percent of the time, the middle seat occupant doesn't even realize we are together. The behavior of the window and aisle people that's described in those posts is awful, but that is not at all how we act, so we will continue to book the aisle and the window - always hoping for the middle seat to remain unoccupied, but not bothered one bit when someone sits between us! C loves the aisle and I love the window and that's that!

if I didn't sit in the window seat,

I wouldn't have views like this!

When we got to Bogota, we picked up our bags and took an uber to our hotel, which is a Hilton. We arrived at about 1:15, and check in was not until 3:00, so we were planning on dropping off our bags and going to grab some lunch while we waited. We gave the staff our passports and were completing the paperwork, and C and I were being a bit silly with each other and joking around while we stood at the desk. The next thing we knew, we were being told that although the standard room we had booked was not yet ready, the presidential suite was available and were upgrading us at no charge! I am absolutely convinced that this happened because we came across as friendly and easygoing as we were laughing and chatting to one another. Hotel employees have to deal with demanding and obnoxious guests and we have often found that being kind and patient when checking in has resulted in unexpected room upgrades, extra snacks, free breakfasts, and the like, all because we try not to be THOSE people who make the staff's job harder than it already is. Today was a perfect example of us not expecting the room to be ready because we knew we were early, but having the staff go above and beyond. Treat everyone the way you'd want to be treated!

The room is amazing - so spacious with fabulous views - and in our very limited time here so far, we both really like Bogota. It seems similar to Medellin, but on a larger scale! I'm so happy we didn't just go to Cartagena because I would not have a favorable view of Colombia, but because we've visited two additional cities, I've fallen in love with this country!

these are little kennels where you can safely leave
your pet while you go into the store!

This evening, we went to the hotel bar to get a drink for a celebratory toast because thirty years ago tonight, we got engaged! It was nice to take a stroll down memory lane because those three decades have simply flown by!

Cheers to us!

Happy Tails to you!