"For nine people?!"

As much as we have enjoyed living in Bogotá, we're reminded occasionally that Colombia is a place with a violent past.  While malls are popping up around town, and you can buy the newest BMW just up the street, the veneer of peaceful civilization is layered over a people that still often settle disagreements in disagreeable ways.
We live just up the Septima (the big 7th avenue that runs along the edge of the hills) from Usaquen, a picturesque area of Bogotá with some of the old colonial buildings.  We go to church near the top of those hills behind.

A couple of days ago, a former head of one of the drug gangs in town, Los Pascuales, got out of prison, and decided to meet up with the folks presently running the enterprise in Usaquen.  

As the newspaper El Tiempo described the situation, the group met in a restaurant there.  This was a good idea, as the chicken in Colombia is great.

However, as the paper reports, "After ordering a chicken, the discussion began, but after only five minutes, the insults started, and various of them drew pistols."

When all was said and done, five were killed, including the former leader, and numerous others injured, while Luisito, the present head of the gang got away.

The comments after the article were interesting.  One said, "Aqui hay dos cosas:  una es que cuando la sociedad se quiera deshacer de este tipo de delincuentes solo hay que invitarlos a comer gallina...el resto ya se sabrá, y la otra es que una gallina es poca cosa para nueve personas."

Translated, this means, "Here you have two things:  the one is that if society wants to get rid of this type of delinquents, you just have to invite them to eat chicken...the rest will happen.  The other is that one chicken is a small thing for nine people."

We hope that you always serve plenty of chicken.

Dave & Paula