I realize this is anecedotal but I've been wanting to go to Colombia for years and done a bit of research on it and the consensus is that Bogota is really no worse than any other major Latin American city like Sao Paulo and Caracas.

Most of the crime, like most cities, is localized within the slums and disproporationately affects those residing there. I sat on a plane next to a wealthy oil-guy from Bogota and he said that he doesn't feel really scared there. He says in regards to the occasional and growing rarer bombings, most start rebuilding once the investigation is over and move on with life, accepting reality as it is but moving on with life.

I do believe that by the numbers, Rio de Janerio and Sao Paulo ARE more dangerous than Bogota, but don't hold me on that..

anyways... if you go, post up a trip report! Everyone says Colombians are the nicest people on the planet, and the ones I met live up to the billing.