In October 2015 we had a week-long break and though we'd head down to Bogotá, Colombia for our first dip onto the South American continent. Some of our colleagues at the MET are from there, so we got some good tips on what to do, including trying the ceviche and tamales.
Started in 1807, the Cathedral of Bogotá is at the top of the central square in the old part of the city known as La Candelaria near our hotel. There is a free walking tour that visits all the historic buildings in the area. The stormy weather made for some great photos.
A visit to the Botero Museum to see works such as "Mona Lisa" by Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist born in Medellín. His style is recognized by the oversized, plump forms of people, animals, fruit, and everyday objects (like forks). We've seen his sculptures in Singapore, too!
The salt mine still produces thousands of tons of salt each year, but the well-lit cathedral hosts thousands of tourists each month.
We decided to take the train to the salt mine cathedral. There was a live, four-piece band, fresh coffee (tinto) and Colombian treats. On the way back, we had a full 3-course lunch for $1.25 at a small town near the salt mine. It was very affordable in Bogotá.
Bogotá is 8,675 above sea level, so it was chilly. We went up a little higher by taking the funicular to the top of Monserrate, the mountain that overlooks the city. From there you can see the entire city all the way to the other mountain ranges.
Near the old city, there is a long pedestrian street, about 15 blocks, and there are chess players, vendors of all sorts, and this guinea pig game. You put your money on top of the bowl that you think the guinea pig will enter and split the profits with the house. The guinea pig starts about 15 feet away and is prompted to approach the bowls by the game master.
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| A short stop for lunch at Nana's during one of our walks in the city allowed us to order this humongous avocado. It's larger than two fists and much more delicious than a knuckle sandwich. The tamale is also very good, and just as large, so you'd better be hungry. |
Getting a view of the city from atop a mountain.
We also visited the most visited museum of pre-Colombian gold artifacts. It is astonishing to see so much gold on display.
This bird sculpture by Botero has some significance, which you will see in a future post.
Wow! So much to do. As far as transportation, you should take the bus everywhere. There are dedicated lanes and they run early and late. Taxis are also very safe and have a meter.
Note: Our computer crashed soon after the trip and all of our photos were potentially locked in our damaged hard drive. Thanks to Illume Solutions in La Habra, California, they were able to recover our photos and other data. Thanks, John!
