Day 353 - Bogotá

(Ursula) This evening, our travel companions invited us to dinner as a thank-you for helping them with the VW engine overhaul.

On the way to the restaurant, we were stopped by the police. Heinz and Gregor were ordered out of the car and searched from head to toe. Then the officers asked for our papers, which we did not have with us. The chief officer put on a macho performance and demanded that Ellen and I drive back to the Colegio to fetch the passports, while Heinz and Gregor were made to sit on the ground under guard, watched over by submachine guns.

Once everyone had satisfied their curiosity about what Swiss and German passports look like, we were allowed to continue. Barely a mile later, we were stopped again and searched once more. Interestingly, they showed no interest at all in local cars or even fully loaded trucks driving by.

This time, only Gregor was examined, with weapons at the ready. What on earth was going on?

Later, as we sat in the restaurant, the waitress explained that it was probably nothing more than a training exercise by the nearby police academy.

Whatever the reason, we refused to let the incident spoil the evening. The celebration continued, and our appetite for a great pizza remained entirely intact.

Stats: Miles driven 0, Expenses $9.75Read more