BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - “where everything is possible” heehee (because the do whatever they want illegally anyway - this is their joke)

Nov 18

SAT NOV 15 – DAY 37 – MANAUS TO BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

I was 100% so pleasantly surprised by Bogota, wow.. it is vibrant and alive. There are definitely tourist areas, and streets not to cross as this is not a safe city in many areas.

I settled in to my very cool hostel with my own room. Bolivia Square was right next to me and WOW, so amazing!!!

I went back to the hostel for a bit, then took an uber to a shopping mall. My driver asked if he could be my host for the day, told me I am beautiful. He asked 4x if he could protect me while walking around. He was a cutie but I said no lol. I bought another black pair of sweats since I left mine w my dad and it is cold everywhere I go.

I went to a super cool restaurant for a glass of red wine and a Colombian style pizza. I didn’t like the meat on it but oh well..

I went home, soaking wet from the rain, showered and fell asleep pretty early.

SUN NOV 16 – DAY 38 – BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

This was a massive day. I thought I was going on a 10-hour bus tour. Instead it was a personal tour, just me with my guide Brenda.. and our driver with her son – but they spoke no English.

We drove out an hour and half to Zipaquira to see the Salt Cathedral. On the way there, we stopped in another town where they were holding a bike race for all the locals who enter the Tour De France, as a training race. The entire town was shut down for this. We walked around in circles trying to get a few things we needed.

Zipaquira was something else, wow. We grabbed a tea, which spilled boiling water all over my right hand – little flimsy dixie cups. Brenda stayed back while I did the salt cave which took just over 1 ½ hours. It was phenomenol. This area was very rich in salt mines.

The people turned this salt mine into an underground Roman Catholic church. The cathedral is 660 feet deep. The cross is the largest underground standing at 52.5 feet. People come from all around the world for healing in this cave church.

There are countless hallways which lead to various things. To enter the church, the members must choose one of 3 hallways, depending if you have been baptized, or if you have sin to repent, etc.. In fact, the non baptized were separated from others.

I took it in, it is an emotional place. Mind blowing how they could create such a massive underground structure with so much precision and detail. There was an actual service happening so I stayed for a part of it.

This cave has 600,000 visitors annually coming to the cross in the main cathedral for healing.

After the cave, we went downtown Bogota – and wow again!! We went to a sort of bohemian area, and so trendy and busy. The culture was beautiful. Streets filled with murals, music, color, restaurants, and shops. I just couldn’t believe the energy. Bogota is known for their murals, they are on almost every building and to the top of the sky scrapers. They say they are known for graffiti.

I tried a taste of rice fermented alcohol… very interesting flavour. Sweet! Then we headed to Monserrate.

Another very busy place. It was a cable car to the top of Monserrate at 3150 feet above sea level. My body went through it today. We visited the chapel on the top of that mountain. The Colombians say that if you say a prayer for 3 things you wish for in that church, it will happen. So of course I did.

Today I prayed in the largest church in a cave underground, and then at the top of a mountain. What a beautifully spiritual day.

Brenda and I had much in common. Both single moms, both singers, both Christian – so we had a fun day with a lot of stimulating conversation.

I took Brenda to her favorite restaurant at the end of the night for a glass of wine. What a cool place.. in the North of Bogota which is a richer area.

This turned out to be a 13 hour day. It was a pricey day as well. But I feel like I’m leaving Bogota having seen almost everything that I would have wanted to see.

RECAP OF BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

Bogota is the capital of Colombia and largest city at 8.05M people. There are favelas everywhere you look. The sheer mix in this city is tough to take in. You can be looking at a mansion, a favela, a business building and a cow all in one block. It is so mixed everywhere.

I was nervous to visit Bogota based on everything I have read and heard. There are streets I would never cross. I would not go into non-tourist areas. But the areas I visited were beautiful and rich in culture. The people were kind and friendly.

There are 6 levels of oligarchy in Bogota, and they are actually labelled in zones 1-6 based on wealth. The water in Bogota is excellent and safe to drink straight from the tap, this is something they are so proud of, I get it!

Bogota uses a bus rapid transit called BRT instead of subway systems. I loved La Candelaria Centro which was the touristy safer area, full of life, colour and energy.

It feels like a very stark city. Everywhere you look is Catholic symbols with Jesus everywhere, yet crime is rampant on every street. Wealth and poverty live so closely. The favelas close to the wealthy areas, they clean the homes of the wealthy. They never marry outside of a favela as the class difference is too great there.

The greatest quote I heard was “We are in the country of Jesus. In a country of miracles where everything is possible”. Tongue in cheek as this is a slight on the fact that they do everything anyway because it is all illegal and they don’t care, thus a land of miracles.

I rate Bogota a solid 8/10. Vibrant, colorful, passionate, interesting, good food, and more green and beautiful than I could have expected.

I stayed in a hostel in La Candelaria Centro so my first pics are around there. walking the streets, into Bolivia Center

The next day shows me in pics with Brenda, my guide. Visiting the Salt Cave Cathedral.

A pic of Jado in there at the BA (Buenos Aires sign) and he visited Uruguay as well

Bogota is the city of graffiti - so many gorgeous murals everywhere

Monserrate was incredible!! From the lowest cathedral to the highest in Bogota in one day

Then her favorite restaurant for a glass of wine togehter

Me showing I have now broken my headphones AND my reading glasses and I sent my 2nd pair home with my dad UGH. I stood in line at Bogota airport to buy a paid but they were $74!!!!!!! ummm no thanks - I’ll wear my broken ones crooked

Last pic is Jado visiting the cemetary in Palermo in Buenos Aires where Eva Perron is buried