Despair. Salvation. Redemption. Frustration. Liberation?

The motorcycle shipping roller-coaster has continued through the past week, no different to the week prior. This is what rejection from US CBP looks like after the freight forwarder filed incomplete paperwork. The rejection was not notified to me until it was too late to react on Friday,14th.  Salvation came when Lyn was able to locate the bank check receipt and I sent a document with the deposit so the math added up to the full purchase price.

               Despair                                                                                Salvation

                                   

Unfortunately, the additional paperwork could not be filed on Monday as Federal offices were closed for MLK day, another day lost. However, redemption came on Wednesday, with US customs clearance. The bike could FLY at 12.01am Thursday...the carrier had three flights on Thursday (24th), yeah, baby! But then the frustration. The carrier holds goods for 24 hours after getting US customs notification and the only flight Friday is at 22.00 so the bike lands early Saturday, another day lost. 

     Redemption                                                                             Frustration

   

Liberation will (I hope) commence on Monday 28th,  at 9.00am, it takes 8-12 hours to get through Colombian customs. Then the following day I need to get SOAT, mandatory government insurance. It takes 4 hours to issue after submitting paperwork and cannot be done without customs clearance. A SOAT sticker is issued that has to be attached to the bike, the bike cannot leave port without it. 

The wheels should roll on Tuesday afternoon. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, the title of this post accurately conveys a much more important series of recent events here. Narco-trafficking, the political corruption that came with it, the terrorism that resulted  (bombings and political assassinations especially in Bogota), the war on drugs, the fall of the narcos the corresponding rise of FARC, ELN and the government sponsored paramilitaries that killed thousands of innocent people who fled the cities for the 'safety' of the countryside. The peace treaty with FARC, the failure of talks with ELN late last year, the recent bombing that resulted and the mass demonstration for peace in Plaza de Bolivar last Sunday. 

Tour guides confidently confront the past; young, vibrant and full of hope. The 'establishment' also has numerous displays in museums on the conflicts, including the Military Museum visited today. The museum abounded  with evidence of US tax dollars at work, though not always in the right hands I suspect. Anyway, a video collage follows that may be of interest.

                                         

Back home I enjoyed the Netflix series Narcos, in fact I enjoyed it a lot. My time here has given me a new perspective on Escobar, what he did and what followed. As a consequence I have shelved my plans to visit Hacienda Napoles; out of respect to the Colombians who are celebrating their country as it is today and looking forward, not back.

Ciao. T2