We hopped on a military plane at 3 pm, at CATAM, the military side of Eldorado Airport, arrived in Palenquero about 4 and went to the ceremony for the Base Anniversary.
They did a nice ceremony.
There was red, blue and yellow smoke behind the formation, flyovers of SuperTucanos, Mirages and Kfirs, and a really cool unveiling in the hangar with fireworks and roving spotlights and lots of awards. Michael made himself a real pest by playing in all the confetti they shot off, and getting himself into people's pictures.
We returned on military transport with a hundred of our best friends to Bogotá about 9:30. The world is getting smaller when you can go out-and-back in an afternoon.
One thing I always note in the ceremony is a Colombian version of "taps" which starts out with the same 13 notes, but then goes on to something uniquely Colombian
. It has a real meaning for military members who have all lost someone they know. It is sentimental to me too. In the US, marrying military means you will shop at the commissary and put up with TDYs. In Colombia it is much more of a life-changing thing.
One thing I always note in the ceremony is a Colombian version of "taps" which starts out with the same 13 notes, but then goes on to something uniquely Colombian
. It has a real meaning for military members who have all lost someone they know. It is sentimental to me too. In the US, marrying military means you will shop at the commissary and put up with TDYs. In Colombia it is much more of a life-changing thing.
