Bogota, Colombia

Full Circle

August 5, 2008

- A Perfect Circle

It was strange to be back in Bogota, for the first time in almost 8 months of traveling I was going somewhere that I had been before, somewhere at least vaguely familiar. By now the beginning of my trip seems so far away but at the same time just like yesterday. I was last in Bogota right around the beginning of the New Year. On my first visit I managed to hit the high points such as the gold museum, Monserrate, and Zipaquira. This time I wanted to see a few things that I had missed as well as just hang out and enjoy the last few days of my trip. Since I liked Bogota the first time I was here I was also interested to see how it would hold up after the hundreds of other cities that I had visited on my trip.

My first impression was that I had come to the right conclusion after my first stay here. The climate is very nice, with warm sun during the day and cold at night due to the elevation of 8,500 feet. There was some occasional rain, but nothing very heavy and it never lasted long. Compared to the other South American cities I thought that Bogota had a good balance between being modern enough without losing much of its traditional culture; along with the warmth and friendliness of the people that made for a great combination. Since the gold museum was being renovated the last time I was here I went back to see if they had finished the renovations but sadly it was still under construction and the same temporary collection was on display at the Botero Museum.

The old section of the Candelaria was the same as I remembered but this time I was able to visit the archeological museum that I didn´t get to see the first time. The museum had an extensive collection of pottery from the various indigenous groups in Colombia but sadly they do not allow you to take pictures. Another museum that I visited was the Museo Nacional, a huge museum in what used to be Bogota’s main prison, with extensive collections on the history of Colombia and the discovery of South America, including the clash between the Spanish and the native people. Since I wasn´t going back up to Monserrate I decided to go to the top of the Colpatria tower in downtown Bogota, where there is a viewpoint on the 46th floor offering excellent panoramic views of the city.

As it was Sunday, the main street, the Septima, was closed to traffic and filled with cyclists, rollerbladers, and walkers and the sidewalks were lined with vendors and some performers to provide a pleasant atmosphere. Nearby the tower is the Plaza de Toros and luckily my visit happened to coincide with the 12th annual Summer Festival for which there were free bullfights on Saturday and Sunday. I had not been able to see a bullfight yet in South America so I was interested in this traditional cultural event. The stadium was packed with people and the bulls were as large as 350 kg. The crowd really got going when some of the matadors performed some behind the back olays and other daring maneuvers. This was especially true at the end after the alcohol that everyone was consuming started to take effect. Although the whole spectacle was rather gruesome and led to some families leading their crying children away, it was definitely authentic.

I also made a trip to San Andresito, a big marketplace where vendors sell all sorts of gray and black market goods and discounted items such as sunglasses, watches, electronics, perfume, and footwear. There were some stalls selling pirated movies for about $1.50 per disc with extensive catalogs of movies including everything you could want. Some 15 blocks away is the central market where you can buy all sorts of different tropical fruits and juices that are so delicious, something I´ll certainly miss once I get back to the United States.

Nearby, amidst the immense complex of city parks is the Botanical Garden. Bogota´s elevation and climate give it the versatility to support many kinds of plants and the outdoor collection of plants in the Botanical Garden ranges from the paramo to cloud forest to semi-arid forests. There is an indoor greenhouse that contains warmer habitats from tropical rainforest, complete with artificial rain from the sprinklers, to total desert in the very next room.

Considering the other big South American cities I found Bogota to be one of the more enjoyable places. I´m glad that I was fortunate enough to spend my last few days here but now, after 8 months on the road, it is finally time to go home.