Little did I know that helping negotiate a mazorca transaction would lead to such a wonderful experience. While making a quick stop in a small town just North of Bogota, I hopped off the bus to buy one of my new favorite foods - a grilled (like almost charred), salted, butter slathered corn on the cob on steroids called mazorca. The chewy kernelled tastiness was too much for me to pass up and apparently for the local looking local hanging out the back window of the bus, as well. ¨Amigo¨, yelled Señor Pedro as he waved a note out the window indicating he wanted a little mazorca action as well. A ¨gracias¨ and ¨de nada¨ while making the money for corn exchange was the extent of our conversation until I stepped off the bus in Villa de Leyva and asked the driver to point me towards the main square. Señor Pedro, waiting to grab his bag from the roof of the bus, indicated the direction and said he was also heading that way if I wanted to join him. This former communist and revolutionary turned born again Christian and artist spoke decent English but humored me in my attempts to practice Spanish. As we approached the crowded main square, he informed me that this was a holiday weekend and therefore throngs of Bogateños were in town escaping the city grind. ¨Come with me to drop off my bag (at the restaurant his wife was working at) and I´ll help you find a place to stay¨ he assured me. Cool. After meeting his wife, we inquired unsuccessfully at five or six places that were all full and eventually returned back to the restaurant. After some discussion (or possibly argument) that I could not understand, Señor Pedro grabbed his bag and we headed off for his house where he insisted I would stay the night. Wow. Overwhelmed by the generosity, I had to at least draw the line when he suggested I take their bed and they would sleep on a mattress in the living room (I´m just a nice guy like that). While giving me the tour of the pueblo that night and the next morning, I would have sworn that Señor Pedro was the mayor of Villa de Leyva as he seemed to know, and be liked, by everyone we encountered.
The beautiful little town and the surrounding area combined with this, not in the guidebooks, encounter with Señor Pedro made this one of the coolest experiences of my whole trip and helped reaffirm all of the wonderful things I have heard about Colombia and its people.
that's really awesome. you must have the "lost puppy - give me pitty" look down pat. ;)
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