Back from South America

So Wednesday early Wifey and I Ubered to MIA, and met D1 and Joey at the Avianca gate. I had never flown them before, and was way impressed. First, the attendants rock 60s era uniforms, all red and blue, with red pillbox hats. Muy elegante.  And when we got on the plane, something happened in coach that only sometimes happens on First on American airlines -- they actually helped everyone get settled in their seats -- putting bags in the overhead bins and all.  It was an appropriate start to a fine trip.

Three hours later, we were at El Dorado International -- flew through immigration,and were met by Jaime -- the driver who has worked about forever for Joey's family.  I sat in front of the SUV and tried to open the window -- not so fast. Jaime explained the windows were bullet proof and didn't open. We weren't in Kansas anymore.

We crawled through Bogota traffic -- makes Miami look Single A compared to the Majors -- and eventually made it to our hotel in the Norte part of the city.  The hotel was lovely -- the Estellar near Parque 93.  We had lunch, and I saw for the first time what I had heard -- the prices are comically low.  A lunch here in a hotel restaurant that would have easily been $50 per person was about $15 there -- you eat at Palm -like places at Olive Garden prices.

Jaime drove us to see Joey's paternal grandmother, who lives in a luxury Jewish ALF.  It was the nicest place of its kind I ever saw -- her living room'v view is of a beautiful mountain. The place is spotless.  The lady was thrilled to see Joey and meet us -- we laughed at some similarities she shares with MY suegra -- but was far more pleasant.

Then we drove up a mountain a bit to see Joey's cousin Alexandra.  She greeted us in a gorgeous apartment on the 7th floor, with views of the city and mountains.  We met her three beautiful kids -- the 4 year old boy was thrilled to meet Joey, and her two daughters were beautiful and smart like their Mom.  Her husband Alan came home, and the kids ran to him.  He asked if I had seen the rest of the place. We hadn't.  Well -- turned out the apartment had three floors -- including their ownership of the roof, which had beautiful gardens and a man cave for Alan.  It was breathtaking -- easily the most amazing residence I had ever visited. Alan was humble -- "oh no -- here in Colombia things are much cheaper."  I admired his humility -- but I knew the truth.  That apartment in Manhattan would be one of those $50-60M jobs -- the kind Tom Brady lives in.

It was wonderful to see such a beautiful family in such a beautiful place -- no cookie cutters for Joey's family.

It was then back to the hotel, and a walk to a lovely old house that Joey's grandmother grew up in -- now a gourmet place. We walked a good 15 minutes, and Joey remarked that 10 years ago, that wouldn't have happened -- the crime was too scary.  Not anymore -- I never once felt even a tinge of being unsafe there.

We went to bed and knew that the next day D2 and Jonathan would join us -- flying in from NYC. The squad would be complete.