Bogota Arts and Streets

Friday morning, 27 November, 2009 was another day of waiting for the bikes. No word yet. And in this case, no news is NOT good news. This morning we decided to go see the Iglesia de San Francisco as pictures we had scene in books depicted the Cathedral as having quite an ornate interior. We waded through vehicle and pedestrian traffic to down town Bogota. We arrived at the Cathedral as a mass was going on. Kathleen and I stepped to the back of the Cathedral to take in the view. The alter area was of carved wood and stone covered in gold plate. The rest of the Cathedral was the usual wood framed vaulted ceilings with walls covered in tapestries. Kathleen and I started to take pictures when a guard came up and barked at us for doing so. Later I saw a sign saying no photos. Oops! Kathleen and I had trouble getting any shots at all without using flash. At least we knew not to flash.

After the Cathedral, Kathleen and I walked over to the Botero Museum. Ferdinand Botero is a Columbian artist born in 1932 and is known for depicting his subjects as plump, almost blimp-like caricatures. You'll have to decide which is the self portrait here. Botero’ works along with such artists as Matissé, Degas, Picasso, Ernst, Dali, and Legar along with a number of others were on display at the museum. All were Botero’s private collection. Two floors of a building the size of an aircraft hanger filled with paintings, drawings, and sculptures. We meandered among the works and I managed to set off an alarm by looking too closely at a work.

After perusing the Botero collection, we ate at a café near the museum. Kathleen and I have had some very nice meals in Bogota. We still drink bottled water even though we have read that Bogota has some of the finest water in South America.

Kathleen and I ambled about down town Bogota taking in the sites. We saw a clothing store and decided we would add to our meager wardrobe. We came to Bogota with only carry-on luggage like we normally travel. We only brought a few items of clothing on the plane because the bikes had the rest of our clothes. The motorbikes. Y’know . . . still in the U.S.




The clothing store, called Only, was a two-story shop filled with clothing and people. We bought some socks, undies, shirt, and hat. Afterwards we walked about the streets to take in the activities a little more. Lots of people walking about and some seasonal decorations popping up in Plaza del Bolivar.

Kathleen and I walked back to our room and spent the rest of the day atop the hotel enjoying the rest of the day above the hustle and bustle. Later in the evening, while having mangos, we chatted with Steve, from Great Britain, who was just taking a year to travel about the world. Just a year, don’t ya know.