Bogota

Places of Interest - Colombia

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introduction

Bogota is the third highest capital in the world, by far the largest city in the country and with many different faces. The city consists of 1000 districts that are connected with roads – that’s another description of the city of Bogota. You can roughly divide it into three big parts; the stately northern part, the popular center with its popular tourist sights and the poor, somewhat dangerous south.

Most tourists end up in the student district La Candelaria where the city center is with plenty of colonial buildings but also the central square Plaza de Bolivar, the government buildings and the most famous museums. Located against the hill where the monastery Monterrate is built on and where a miniature Rio Christ statue stands.

Bogota has had a hard time during "La Violencia" and is still recovering from the many drug wars that have razed here while on the other hand hard work is being done on progression; a modern bus system "TransMileno" has been introduced, there are countless separate cycle paths and on Sundays and public holidays large parts of the city are turned off to serve as a pedestrian zone.

highlights

La Candelaria:

Narrow romantic old streets with blazing motorbikes, vans, cars and countless yellow taxis - "la Candelaria". Full of students who give the district a lively mood with numerous small shops, cafes, restaurants and nowadays many trendy (youth) hostels.

The district is located on the hillside with the famous "Montserrate" monastery in the back and has a unique character - the buildings and houses are a mix of Spanish colonialism, English architecture and hippie-like. The houses and buildings are painted in different bright colors, have balconies like Cartagena but it is totally not comparable.

There are small squares where students smoke joints and a relaxed atmosphere hangs around as you walk past a bright green church and then remind yourself of the city of liberty "Christianastad" the hippie district in Copenhagen. It is a strange mix of architecture, styles and does not fit in the rest of the city, but that makes it so fun and interesting.

Plaza Bolivar e.o .:

The main square of the city is Plaza Bolivar and is also the heart of the country. It was here that for example the big (war) parades were held and the square was once surrounded by colonial buildings.

Now there is the sand-colored cathedral and adjacent chapel, the Capitol where the government is housed and the super modern and brand new building of Justice (see below). In the middle of the square, which is now being staged by a number of sales outlets, men offering a ride on a lama and many hundreds of pigeons are here but also the statue of "freedom fighter" Simon Bolivar stands here.

A little further is the old headquarters of Bolivar (Palacio de San Carlos) and the military and Botero museum. You can also see the house "Casa de Narino" where current president Uribe lives and works.

Other attractions:

The monastery Monterrate on the hill with the same name (it is located on the hill behind the district La Candelaria and can be walked but only on Saturday and Sunday mornings together with the other pilgrims) - many people have been attacked and robbed on the way up the hill;
The gold museum;
There are two cinemas (one of which is certainly showing films in English) near the La Candelaria district.

history

Before Bogota existed the fertile soil in this area was inhabited by the most advanced tribes that Colombia had in their history; the "Muisca's". The Spaniards founded the city Sante Fe de Bacata in 1538 next to the capital of the Indians Bacata but during the colonial period simply named "Sante Fe" after the city of the founder. After all local religious sites were destroyed by the Spaniards, churches were built.

The later capital of large Colombia (Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Venezuela) was first ruled from Puerto Rico and later by Lima, Peru. Despite the fact that it later became capital Bogota and politically grew in value, growth was somewhat limited due to earthquakes and epidemics. Only when in the 19th century tram and later train tracks were laid down and the city was connected with port cities, the city expanded. When in 1940 the industrialization and the rush of people came from the countryside to the big city became Bogota a metropolis.

In 1985 the city was startled by an attack by the guerrilla movement M19 on the building of Justice (see above) in the heart of the city (and country). They wanted to destroy all the documents that had been stored so that none of their data could be used to deliver them to the United States later. It was occupied, people were taken hostage and a long-term offensive was started by the regular Colombian army which set the building on fire. The result was 115 deaths (including countless high judges), many wounded and a population who were more than fed up with the many drug wars.

There are rumors that drug lord "Pablo Escobar" co-financed the attack because he did not want to be extradited to the United States.After all the drugcartels were cut off the city began to bloom again; now Bogota is visited by many (international) tourists.

tips & advice (2013)

From and to the (bus) terminal: there are probably more ways to go from the center to the terminal; I chose to walk to Carrera 10 and stopped a red-white van with ” terminal” on the display. This will tear to the terminal for 1500 COL in about 45 minutes.

From Bogota to Rio Claro / Doradal: None of the companies stop at Rio Claro. If you want to go there make sure you leave early because you have to go to Doradal first to travel back to Rio Claro by taxi or bus. The first bus I could take (and I was at 07:30 in the terminal) was at 09:20 which actually left only at 10:00. Probably there was something with the "normal" route because we drove through the mountains and it took about 8.5 hours (normally it would take 5 hours).

I had to pay 34,000 COL. Company: "Magdalena". Other companies were: Rapido Ochea, Rapido and Bolivariano.

Name: Museo Botero

Address: Calle 11, no 4-41

Price: Free

Website: www.ablaa.org/museobotero.htm

Content:

This museum is full of work by one of the greatest artists of Colombia; Botero. There is also some work from others as Monnet and Picasso, among others, and the paintings and artworks of Botero were donated by the master himself. Located in central Bogota, this is a beautiful building and the work is divided over two floors and easy to handle.

I myself am not really an art lover but I thought I should go and have a look (it also helped that the entrance was free). Let me say that you have to love the special "style" of painting the man. The portrait that Botero painted from "Pablo Escobar" is unfortunately not in the collection.

Name: Museo Militar

Address: Calle 10, no 4-92

Price: Free

Content:

Like the Museum of Botero, this museum is also located in the center (near Plaza de Bolivar) and is worth it if you are interested in military uniforms and weaponry. For information on (civil) wars in Colombia and / or history of the armed forces you are at the wrong address.

There is only some info about the presence of the Colombian army in Korea together with the United Nations in the 1950s. There are also many building kits and you can see two planes, a panzer car and a presidential helicopter in the garden next to some other big transporttrucks- and vessels

There is plenty to choose from in the La Candelaria district and the center when it comes to food and drinks. From an Irish pub to a coffee- canteen and from 5 star restaurant to very simple eatery in a shop. I liked café / coffee house "Le Passage" to have a cup of coffee on Plazoleta Rosario and I ate at a small restaurant (part of a hostel) somewhere deep in La Candelaria near Callejon del Embudo .

When it's raining outside, the wind is blowing and chilly you can order "canelazo" in many local cafes, a hot drink with "aquardiente", sugar cane, cinnamon and lime which you immediately will give you new energy.

Name: Hotel Aragon

Address: Carrera 3

Price: 24,000 (excluding toilet and shower)

Phone nr. : 284 8325

Content:

Aragon always reminded me of the film series "Lord of the Rings" given the dark, dark corridors and rooms. It looks like a 70s building, super centrally located in the popular district La Candelaria surrounded by restaurants, cafes and numerous youth hostels.

This hotel has no dormitories and targets another audience; there is WIFI, you can use a kitchen (dates from the Middle Ages) and coffee is free but as said you go back in the past; there is old carpet and wood on the floors, the sofas are made of leather, wooden doors and the man from the reception is exactly in the right place.

All that said I had a spacious room with a view through large windows on Montseratte and the Christ statue and on Carrera 3. The shower is nice and hot and there is even a lobby (not to mention that also from the sixties). I also found the bottle of water in the room, the soap and the towel to be positive. The price is fine if you consider that you pay 22,000 COL in a dormitory across the road (hostel "Sue").

Bogota

Places of Interest - Colombia

introduction

highlights

history

tips & advice (2013)

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