El Tren

Just for the fun of it, we booked passage on El Turistren.  It operates only on weekends and holidays and makes the round trip from Bogota to the town of Zipaquira.  We knew little about this town except that it is very near Lake Guatavita, one of the places we visited earlier this week on our tour to the Lake and the Salt Cathedral.  But it sounded like fun and an opportunity to see new countryside.

Our Uber ride to the train station took us through new territory and some sketchy neighborhoods.  At one point the driver pointed out a couple of very pretty but provocatively dressed girls.  I asked, “prostitutes?”  “No,” he replied, “mariposas.”  Now I have heard the term, mariposa used to describe gay guys but in this instance, he meant transvestites.

The train has two stations in Bogota both a long way from our apartment.  We chose the Sebana Station since it’s a little closer.  I’m glad we did.  We arrived in time to explore, and take photos of the station and the antique trains. Two hombres were playing authentic Columbian country music with guitar and the very high-pitched pan flute.  Inside the station was a set of scales.  We couldn’t resist weighing ourselves even though we were wearing a lot of clothing and heavy shoes. We were pleased with the results.  Stan weighed in at 88 kilos and me at 47 kilos.  Clearly, I say clearly, the scales were not accurate.  Other people began weighing in as well and taking photos of themselves and their flattering weight results.

We had assigned seats with big windows for viewing inner parts of the city and later, the lovely green countryside but the ride was like being in a washing machine – to borrow a phrase from a Frenchman we met ten or more years ago.  Stan bought a couple of cups of coffee in the club car for us.  The hot brew merely jumped out of our cups onto our hands and on the floor as we rocked back and forth!

After boarding up people at the second station t Usaquen – a much nicer neighborhood, we picked up a little speed heading toward Zipaquira.

Although Zipaquira is primarily known for the nearby Salt Cathedral, it is a nice place to visit on a Saturday outing.  The antique city is charming and caters to visitors with shops, vendors, and a beautiful plaza.  We walked the streets and did a bit of shopping.  The price was right.  Stan bought new RayBans and I found some shoes I like.

As we wandered the town we found an incredible cathedral preparing for Easter with decorated “pasos” or floats with sculptures that depict different scenes from the Passion of Christ or the Sorrows of Virgin Mary. Many of these incredibly beautiful floats adorned with fresh flowers have been owned and preserved for centuries in some cases. Usually, as the “pasos” are carried through the city, they are accompanied by marching bands. Wow!

We had another delicious lunch just off the Plaza de la Independencia and watched families out there on the plaza enjoying their Saturday. Dogs sat nearby hoping for a morsel. We thought they might be street dogs and in need of food but no. They were merely neighboring pets, looking for a treat.

For whatever reason, the brick floor of the plaza lies on a slant – it could be a thrill to fly down on a skateboard, a bicycle, or anything on wheels.  Here and there the floor rose up in a cone shape around the base of palm trees and monuments making them a high point on the plaza.  One tiny little boy caught our attention.  He did this over and over again . . . thrusting his little legs moving his ride-on plastic car up to the high side of the plaza.  Then he let go and whizzed down the plaza, up the rises to monuments, and then back down to the low point when he’d get off his seat and with two hands on, push his car-car back up the hill.   His trek was obviously exhausting but what fun it must have been!!!   I think his mother was happy . . . his antics were always in her sight and in the end; the family was going to sleep well that night.