Sightseeing in Bogota

After the detour to the commercial district, we got on track with our sightseeing proper. Sorry to list these like a shopping list. Might be boring to read, but I have done this for my benefit so that I don't forget all the wonderful things we saw today. You might enjoy the pictures, but for some reason I can only get them to go at the end of the post and not under the relevant text. iPads can be very annoying sometimes and I can't be bothered to faff around with the html.

1. The cathedral on Plaza Bolivar. 

The plaza was interesting. Full of pigeons and traders. The cathedral was rebuild in the 1800s and is vary spartan inside. One point of interest was the gruesome stations of the cross posters. I'll post a picture of the Plaza I took from the Museo de la Independencia.

2. Museo de la Independencia / Casa del Florero

A beautiful and old, old building that was once a home on the corner of Plaza Bolivar. Nice exhibitions with text and recordings that really stretched my Spanish. I'll post a photo I took in the courtyard of the house.

3. Museo del Botero

Botero is an artist from Medellin and I'm sure everyone has seen his iconic painting of the chubby dancing couple. It's housed in the Botero museum in Bogota along with paintings and bronze sculptures of other voluminous people, animals and fruit. There are also some nice pieces by other famous artists - Picasso, Lautrec, Renoir, Miro, Henry Moore. I'll post a pic that David took of the enormous bronze hand at the entrance to the museum. If you want to see more of Botero's work click here.

4. Gabriel Garcia Marquez Cultural Centre

It's a centre named after the writer - there isn't a museum or anything. Actually, we just went to the Juan Valdez cafe which is a bit of a cultural icon in itself. It seems to be Colombia's answer to Starbucks. Loved the place, but I wasn't keen on the dishwater coffee.

5. Changing of the guard

This was very cool. We saw the parade in and out of the Casa de Narino (presidential house). I'll post pics and a video clip of this.

6. San Augustin church

Very beautiful and peaceful church built in 1575. You can see this church in one of the pictures of the marching guards.

7. El Claustro

A university owned building. Beautifully restored housing an exhibition on forensic science. I'll post a photo of the cloistered courtyard.

8. Santa Clara church

9. Museo del Oro

Wow. Mind blowing. A huge gold collection containing 55,000 pieces. I loved the Offering Room which showed how gold was used for rituals. Must go back as there was too much to take in all at once.

10. Drinks on a terrace overlooking the street 19

We looked at our guidebook and decided that we'd go to Medellin next. Time for a look at Colombia's hard working, hard partying city.