Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

Yes, Thursday, a Colombian holiday, was a day marked with fear, stress, sightseeeing, and good manners. On Thursday Isabella ~ yes THE Isabella ~ took a bunch of us gringo teachers to La Candelaria, the colonial section of town. Sounds harmless enough but... she runs a tight ship, let me tell you. When she walked down the street toward the bus station, taxi cabs screeched to a halt lest they receive her wrath. ( I sort of want that super-power!!!!) And while we were walking and she was giving us the history of all the families down in the Candelaria district, she shushed us!!!! Not kidding!!! She shushed and said, "excuse me, excuse me!" if we were holding side conversations (which adults sometimes do when they are out on a nice Sunday walk). Once, as we were approaching the Presidential Palace, and the guards that checked bags before crossing behind it, I was relating an interesting tale to a friend when suddenly Isabella spun around and announced, "You. You will be searched. You are too loud!" Ouch...... But the little district was quite lovely. Ito plan return. Alone!







But it didn't stop there. Isabella, who just by the way knows anyone who is of ANY importance in Colombia (including the president's wife and the first wife of the illustrious Botero!), took us all to lunch at the lovely Hotel de Opera. She walked in the lobby with us and announced to the poor unsuspecting lad behind the counter that she was here for lunch with very important guests from CNG (my school) who didn't speak any Spanish and would therefor require special attention. We would be eating on the third floor because the view is the best there. Well, the young man said that the upstairs kitchen was not currently serving but he would call to see what could be worked out. She simply announced, 'We are going' and she marched us past him and into the hotel and up to the top! Well, by the time we made our way up (she had to stop and give us the history) they had a table set for us and the men literally ran to her when she called. Very impressive. (I sort of want that super-power too!) Oh, and then when we ordered, she got up and walked with the waiter to each of her charges, who spoke no Spanish! and translated our orders for him. Well, eventually she got to poor Julie who ordered her meal and 'una cafe, por favor' "What? Coffee? For lunch? We go to Juan Valdez after lunch" exclaimed Isabella. Julie, looking quite morose, stuttered, 'lemonade?' and Isabella, much relieved, nodded to the waiter, 'Si, she will have lemonade.' Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! All I can tell you is that my palms started to sweat at that point and I just wished over and over, 'please let my order be right, please let my order be right!!!'



Ah, what a woman.