Tue 2327 So I went to museo etnografico. Despite thinking I had it right I somehow managed to walk south instead of north from Floresta metro for 15 mins before checking GM and realising. I then accidentally walked in a fucking circle as I tried to retrace my steps. Finally got it right and made it back to metro and then 15 mins up to museum - so 45 mins lost. Not really a big deal, I did see a bit of the city and it was exercise (but it also felt damn hot) and with the lang exchange I did feel a bit pushed for time.
Security guard told me 5k when he let me into museum, I handed 10k over and he gave me 4k in change. I am fucking sure he asked for 5 not 6. I didn't say anything, perhaps I should - 1k isn't much but it seems a pretty shitty way for him to act. Maybe I somehow got confused.
Anyway, I was a little nonplussed at some guy giving me an intermittent guided tour at start (he spoke English, I think, but I said Spanish was fine) and eventually he sort of did a joint non-intermittent tour with two women who he had also initially been intermittently guiding. To be fair it was quite interesting, I understood 90% of what he said and it was probably better than just wandering round on own, though I was feeling slightly "trapped" and worried I wouldn't get out in time for lang exch. I shoved 2k in the donations box as I left (the guide didn't seem to expect a tip), I might have made it more but after the guard possibly stiffed me I didn't feel ultra generous.
Went for food at Arroz Paisa on walk back to metro; had the arroz tradicional, not bad although (despite there being sauce bottles on tables) they had smeared a patch of ketchup on two corners of the plate which put me off a bit. Got metro back (only one stop) and walked straight down to lang exch. Got there about 6pm, really weird atmosphere in the coworking coffee shop, felt hot as hell too (wondering if the wool shirt makes it worse or not). Posted on CS in case anyone else there but no one replied. At 640 or so I went for a wander (nominal start time 630) and saw a sign on counter and asked and someone took me up to a separate room on upper floor. Wish the instructions had been more explicit, and really the organisers could have replied to my message on the group chat, but never mind.
Lang exch not bad though a little "formal" . One of the guys from last night turned up, he said there was another exchange nearby afterwards. I initially wasn't going to go but on checking location it was on my way home so I did go. Had one beer there, would have had two but despite ending up in a long conversation with two guys (one Venezuelan who told me about the country's problems and how they had affected him) there was this "nah, everyone's leaving" vibe so I did order one even though I'd have had tons of time to drink it.
There is apparently another one at some quite cool cafe tomorrow at 730 and then that one meets again Thu or Fri and there's karaoke on Fri. A few of the locals swapped phone numbers with me, one suggested we could meet up to practice. This is sort of cool but a bit intimidating, but I guess I need to try to be open to this sort of thing.
It is also sort of cool and yet slightly scary that I seem to be having an almost too intense series of evening social engagements via this sort of thing, but see how it goes. It's not as if it's generally a particularly heavy drinking thing or as if I typically have other things I really want to do in the evening.
I asked those two guys at the second exchange and they said pueblito paisa is shut for repairs but that you can still go up there for the view and it's safe to walk up from Industriales during the day but not at night. I still seem to be getting conflicting safety information even from single people but I guess it all helps.
HTC went dead on me right at end as leaving second lang exch; I hadn't been back at hotel at all to top it up and while this bites I should probably have put it on extreme power saving and/or airplane mode earlier in day as I thought I might be out all day. Could have been fucked as no GPS if I hadn't know where I was, but luckily this second one was just off carrera 70 so trivial to find my way home.
I am wondering if I'm getting a cold. I keep coughing a bit, not much. Obviously Coronavirus at back of mind, but most likely it is just a normal cold, but I'm a bit worried it's going to turn into an "administrative" (not best word) nightmare if I develop a cold and perhaps have to check with authorities or self-isolate or something. Fuck knows. Fingers crossed I don't develop a cold anyway. Nothing I can do about it of course, I am trying to wash my hands when I can and avoid touching eyes/mouth (but it's hard). I mean maybe I'm just mildly dehydrated or perhaps there's an element of paranoia/hypochondria in there.
I may have said it before but one nice thing about having the Colombian SIM is I'm less paranoid about giving people my number, as ultimately it is a disposable number - even if I wanted to I probably wouldn't be able to keep
that number working indefinitely via WhatsApp once I am back home. I hope Colombian number will continue to work at least temporarily once I am forced to switch to using Three SIM in the HTC.
Wed 0038 Bed in a minute.
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