I recently visited a country club in Bogotá called Los Lagartos (The Lizards). We drove for a solid half hour through a city full of people eking out a living by selling chips, cigarettes, cell phone chargers and juggling knives. Pulling up to large iron gates we were greeted by the usual private security found at every entrance in the city. They asked my friends aunt (Paquita) for her country club i.d. number and then we passed through to the fairy tail like surroundings. Driving into the main entrance we passed by a perfectly manicured golf course adjacent to a man made lake for water skiing. To the side of the road are flowers, and in the distance a tall concrete fence with electric wires on the top stands as a reminder to where one actually is. My jaw fell wide open as the multitude of amenities passed before my eyes.

We parked the car and proceeded to the formal dining room. I ordered Trucha Mariposa with a potato and a mango, avocado, lettuce salad. Los Lagartos was dubbed this because the founders nicknamed themselves ‘Los Lagartos.’ Perhaps this is because lizards have a tremendous aptitude for relaxation. If any of you have done your research on bearded dragons you will know that following a meal they need to lay belly down on a rock so that they can digest their food. This process of events know makes perfect sense to me… After lunch my posse and I made our way to the hot springs. The hot springs consist of two contained pools in the heart of the lake. It was the perfect place to do as the lizards do. Following that we visited the steam room or baño turco (Turkish Bath). I began to relax once I accepted that my respiratory system would not accommodate to the burning moist air. After emerging I began to feel a shade of cleanliness I had not felt since my bubble baths as a baby. The steam mined into my pores and withdrew dirt I never knew existed.

However, the grandest part of my time at Los Lagartos is the activity I participated in after I dried and clothed myself. As usual I was on the hunt for a playground to fulfill my acrobatic quota for the day. When I arrived at the playground I did not just find a slide and monkey bars, I found this roller coaster of fun!

It is unlike any playground toy I have ever experienced. The result of this toy lifting its patron up and around is sheer ecstasy!

Financially country clubs are only for the wealthiest citizens in the country. I did some research as to how much a membership costs and I dug up these figures. The cost of a membership to enter the facility is approximately $20,000. That’s dollars, not pesos. After you are an official member, the monthly costs will set you back approximately $600 per month. Then once you start visiting the club you still need to pay for food and drinks. Basically what the club offers is a safe and large facility for its customers to enjoy their many amenities. Amenities include golf, tennis, swimming, water skiing, hot springs, saunas, squash, bowling, ping pong, playground, restaurants and of course massages. Paquitas husband was an extremely successful businessman, and this club was just one of his ventures. Because her husband was a founding member her monthly fees equate to the cost of purchasing milk for a family of 5!

Los Lagartos definitely receives the ‘Zach Stamp of Approval’

P.S. The riddle has not yet been solved. Here it is again.
“I spy with my little eye something that begins with the letter ‘S’ (they play eye spy with letters here…).” Here are your hints to save you some grief. The Spanish and English word for this both start with the letter ‘S’, it is something that can be seen in almost every part of the world and everything from termites to the CN tower has one.

Silhouette was the closest guess, but it is not quite on the money. If you think you know the answer write it in the comments below.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!