DIVERCITY!!!!

Well, we finally did it...we spent the afternoon at Divercity.  And, WOW.  I'm not even sure of what else to say.  Is it possible to be speechless in a blog?

We had heard so much about Divercity before coming here - it was on everyone's "must do" list.  Whenever I asked what exactly Divercity was, people would say, "It's an entire city just for kids."  Fair enough.  I pictured some fun stuff for kids to do, kind of a makeshift Sesame Street kind of set.

I could not have been more blown away.

Divercity is, in fact, an entire city for kids.  Not a street or a set...it's an ENTIRE CITY for kids.  It's located inside the Santa Fe mall on the north side of Bogota.  We went with the other two families here so in addition to 5 adults we had Maddie, her two new 5 year old friends and the two babies.  We got there about 1/2 an hour early.  There are two sessions each day, and we went to the afternoon session.  They limit the number of kids allowed in any one session so things don't get too nutty and no one has to wait for very long to do the jobs in the city.  First, you queue up and pay your money.  Everyone gets a wrist band.  At any time, you can scan your wrist band at one of the many kiosks and see where everyone else in your group is within Divercity.  Kids can't leave Divercity without their parent leader.

After getting all hooked up with our bands, we entered the city.  It's two stories of pure kid fun.  It's like a little city with a street going around it, kind of a center square with a fountain and then all these little store fronts.  Each of the store fronts is a different business where the kids can get a job and earn "Divi's", Divercash that they can then use to buy toys and other goodies.  The first stop is the bank where they're issued their own debit card.  Then, it's off to get a job!  Their first stop was the toilet paper factory.  They put on little lab coats and learn how to make toilet paper.  Each job takes 10-20 minutes, then they get paid and are on their way!

As we were waiting outside the toilet paper factory (adults aren't allowed in to any of the work places - kids only) we were nearly run off the road by a fire truck...packed with kid firefighters!  In full gear, cruising around looking to put out fires.  We were also stopped by a kid reporter from the kid radio station who was doing interviews on the street.

After the toilet paper factory, Maddie was off to the veterinarian (REAL animals!), the coca-cola bottling factory, the pilot school and then the firehouse.  Her friends also worked in a grocery store, got drivers licenses and drove cars for a while, went to a photo modeling studio and also went to the ecological center to learn about recycling and planting.  We nearly got run off the road by the ambulance more than once (it would stop occasionally and the kid doctors would jump out of the back to listen to someones heartbeat or check a temperature) and Steve and Auggie hopped a ride on the city bus once too.

It was UNreal!!  We spent over 3 hours there, and although we were all totally worn out by then end, I can see how the full 5 hours of a session could easily be filled.

There is a "parent daycare" center, but we didn't go there...we were too fascinated by the whole thing and wanted to watch!  We heard the parent daycare had coffee, massage chairs and other great amenities.

The place was sheer brilliance.  We all agreed we need one in the States.  Here are a few photos!!

Checking in at the bank first.

Got her debit card!

Putting on lab coats in the toilet paper factory.

The doctors getting out of the ambulance.

No adults allowed!

Got paid for her work at the vet.

"Guarderia para papas" is the parent daycare.

Coca-cola bottling factory.

Headed off on the fire truck.

Putting out the fire with a real fire hose!