Just enjoying the days – Bogota

It has been nice to spend the last couple of days on a low-key.  The days were full for sure, but the activity was very civilized.  Sunday we spent at the Museo de Nacional.  I walked out thinking it had been a very engaging experience while Stan remarked that for a national museum it was a little lame.  Hmmm.

I think the difference is that it only had three floors with three wings each.  Plus this museum was not overwhelming as many museums seem to be.  We strolled through presentations of pre-Columbian history, artifacts, and illustrations of how the indigenous peoples lived.  It walked us through Columbia’s historical development and focused on industries like gold and emerald mining.  Sad, but we heard the same story repeated, big companies in these industries and in the fruit and produce industry, as well, exploited native workers, paying them a small wage and then forcing them to buy goods from the company store.

The museum is elegant and its history is noteworthy.  Per Wikipedia, “The National Museum is the oldest in the country and one of the oldest in the continent, built in 1823. Its fortress architecture is built in stone and brick. The plant includes arches, domes and columns forming a sort of Greek cross over which 104 prison cells are distributed, with solid wall façade. It was known as the Panóptico (inspired by the Panopticon prison) and served as a prison until 1946. In 1948, the building was adapted for National Museum and restored in 1975.”

We spent the afternoon meandering through the Cementario Central.  Stan and I enjoy the architecture and design of the monuments and mausoleums, and in this place, some are as old as 1832.  Remains of notables such as former presidents, heroes, poets, and politicians lie here.  Mausoleums hold the remains of prestigious families but the cemetery also has mausoleums honoring long-time workers in various unions and industries.  I guess that if AT&T had mausoleums in cemeteries across the US, Stan and I might qualify for a box due to our long years of service. 🙂

In 1984 Cementario Central was declared a national monument due to its historical, architectural, and cultural value.

Bogota gets a bad rap for its weather.  We have found it to be ideal!  The air is cool; the sun is warm and the sky is beautiful – at 8,000 feet, we are near heaven.  While the weather forecast indicated we’d have cool weather and rain every day, we encountered our first shower today and walked home in the rain once we departed our bus.  We had rain gear with us and got a thrill from walking in the rain.

We missed the graffiti streets before on our earlier visit to La Candelaria; we returned today (Monday).  Wow! Wow!  While I do not approve of graffiti that defaces buildings, vacant spaces, and monuments . . . let me be clear, I heartily do not approve of such vandalism.   I do, however, appreciate true street art . . . and most of it tells a story.  In Candelaria, there are a few streets that host street art that rivals that we saw in Valparaiso, Chile  It is not hard to find.  We took a bus to Parque de los Periodistos. From there we wandered and took photos. 

Before I leave this point, this lovely plaza is hosts a center monument/temple to Bolivar.  The plaza is called Parque de los Periodistas because in the 60s it was one of the meeting points of journalists in Bogotá, who worked in offices nearby.

As we walked along the painted streets — some paved ages ago with cobblestones, we passed several hostels. I think we took a look at a hostel years ago — not that we’d ever stay in one. At this age, we like our privacy and an ensuite bathroom — but I’ve always been curious about hostels. One called my name today; Stan said, “let’s take a look.” This colorful place was so inviting! The hosts’ office was closed so we could not see the entire place but a young guest invited us in. I detected his French accent immediately but his English was impeccable. Instant friends! We shared travel plans and travel experiences. Like us, he’s been on his current trip for 6 months. His home is in northern France, about a three-hour drive from Basel, Switzerland, a place we hope to visit soon. Without planning, this day brought us a gift of conversation and connection with someone special from another part of the world.

We had lunch in La Candelaria and oh, was it nice.  As happenstance, we walked into El Duende.  The atmosphere on the patio was just right, warm, sunny, and fresh feeling.  We relaxed; Stan had Carne BBQ and I had ceviche.  The food was delicious but the setting was even better.  We learned that this colonial casa was built in 1618 with stone walls, almost three feet thick, tile roof and three patios. It has operated as a restaurant since 1954.

We love this life but sadly, our days go by far too quickly.