Wednesday, 20 February 2019
Bogota, Colombia
You’ve probably been thinking that the blog has been a bit dreary the past few days, and today will be no exception. The problem is. Time. Have been distracted by other issues that need attending to in order to sort out the Mexico sector of the trip, which is still not sorted. USA and Canada have not even been looked at yet but will busk that on a day to day basis as they will be easier to arrange at short notice.
Hopefully, blog will be back to full strength soon.
Take the funicular up to 10,000ft to the mountain overlooking Bogota, Montserrat. More huffing and puffing walking the final 100m up to the cathedral that stands proud on the mountain top. A service is in full swing. Literally. There’s an electric guitarist killing kum-ba-yah.
Stunning vista of Bogota below. You can tell the original Bogota downtown by the red roof tiles. A few favelas dotted around too.
Downtown is a dump. Very scruffy and more homeless people. Plenty of police with sniffer dogs which reminds you of the drug problem they have. Staying in the Parque 93 area to the north is completely different. Ying and yang.
The Gold Museum is stunning. Tens of thousands of indigenous gold artefacts. Very intricate, ornate and fragile. Most are in the order of 1000-2,500 years old. Nobody seems to know the exact date.
The main attraction is the El Dorado raft. El Dorado being the mythical lost city. Like Atlantis. Legend has it that El Dorado is located in Colombia and full of riches. When I’d been told about it, I’d assumed it was a life size raft. Er no. It’s about 10cm x 20cm. Tiny.
Walk through downtown. It’s safe at lunchtime but guide advises against walking through here at night.
Quick poke your head into the Botero art museum. He being famous for painting oversized people and producing a Mona Lisa who looks like she’s eaten too many pies.
