Catedral de Sal & Cartagena

One of the Stations of the Cross

For our second day in Colombia, we decided to visit the Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral) about 50 km outside of Bogota.  After analyzing all of our transport options we decided to go by taxi.  However this proved more difficult than we expected.  The first taxi that we found was not allowed to leave the city limits.  He offered to call another for us but couldn't get through.  The second taxi was willing to take us but wanted to charge $170,000 COP which was the same as the private car that the hotel could arrange.  The third offered to take us to the boat for $100,000 COP but you can't get to there by boat so we weren't sure what he meant.  Finally, on our fourth try we found a driver to take us for $75,000 COP round trip including 30 minutes of wait time.  However, as soon as we got in the taxi the rate changed to $85,000 COP plus an additional $15,000 COP for each additional hour over the 30 minutes.  Before he could change the rate again, Lisa insisted that he write the price down for us which he did not like but agreed.  This of course did not stop him for trying to charge us more to return us to Candelaria as opposed to our hotel in the North (we mentioned where we wanted to be returned to during our initial negotiations).  He finally agreed to take us because he did not want us to think badly of Colombians.  When it came time to pay, he wanted an additional $10,000 COP because he waited for a long time.  We reminded him that we got 30 minutes included and were gone an additional 60 minutes - but he said it was much longer.  We refused to give in and paid him the $85,000 + $15,000 COP that we agreed to and got out.

One of the larger chapels in Catedral de Sal

 The Catedral itself was very nice.  It was carved out of salt in an underground salt mine.  You walk through the cave visiting small alcoves - one for each station of the cross.  I was expecting each alcove to have a carving of sculpture depicting the station for which it was built but instead everyone had a cross and a couple of stone kneelers.  After the stations you go futher down in the cave and there are a couple of large chapples with wooden pews.  They were somewhat plane in decor but given that they were carved out of salt 150 meters undergroung added a sense of awe.

After the catedral, we decided to visit Museo Botero.  If you are not familiar with Botero, he is famous for painting rather fat people, fat animals, even fat fruit.  What it lacks in seriousness it makes up for in humor.  Besides, who doesn't love a painting of a fat man on a fat horse. 

We decided to dine in the Zona Rosa neighborhood in the north part of Bogota at the Bogota Beer Company.  We knew we picked a good spot when we saw a line of bogotanos waiting to get in.  After a delicious burger and a beer we headed out to explore.  Zona Rosa is definitely where the young and good looking bogotanos hang out.  Every restaurant and bar was packed.  After drinking a mojito while listening to a live band we called it a night.

 In the morning we headed back to the airport to catch a flight to Cartagena.  The moment we stepped off the plane we were sticky from the heat and humidity.  And we continued to be sticky as we walked from our hotel to old town (it was much further and hotter than we expected), explored the old city, had drinks and ate dinner.  We went to Cafe del Mar, a club on top of the wall bordering old town, to watch the sun go down while with a glass of their finest vino tinto.  While we were enjoying the sunset and trying not to stick to the table my neighbor from the flight to Bogota came up.  He was traveling with his two brothers and we joined them for another drink and then dinner.  Our original plan we to return to the hotel and wash the sticky off before dining but they talked us in to just staying for dinner.  It turned out to be a lot of fun, if perhaps too much wine.

Cafe del Mar, Cartagena



Puerto de Reloj, Cartagena





Primero Dia en Colombia

We arrived in Colombia late last night so after locating an ATM at the airport we took a taxi to the hotel to get a good nights rest in preparation for a day of sight seeing. 

Plaza de Bolivar

In the morning we decided to take the bus to La Candelaria, home of most of the tourist attractions.  We found our way thanks to the assistance of three friendly bogotanos. The first gentleman we met lives or lived in San Francisco and was very happy to tell us all about Bogota and what we should and how to stay safe.  The second, Carlos, found us wandering the bus station and told us which bus to take and even went so far as to escort us to the end of the line.  The third, we found on the street corner and he walked us two blocks to the Museo de Oro.  June wasn't kidding when she said that Colombians were friendly.  Before entering the museum we discovered that we were famished so we went in search of La Puerta Falsa near the Plaza de Bolivar.  The Lonely Planet lists La Puerta Falsa among the highlights of Bogota.  Lisa and I each decided to get  chocolate competo.  This is a meal that comes with hot chocolate and bread and butter.  But there is a twist.  In Colombia, you drop cheese into the hot chocolate and let it melt (it really just gets soft). Then you drink the hot chocoate and eat the cheese with a spoon.  The hot chocoate was delicious, but I have mixed feelings about the cheese.

Catedral Primada

After eating, we started exploring.  First we wandered around Plaza de Bolivar which was converted into an outdoor ice skating rink.  Poked our heads in to Catedral Primada where a priest was giving mass to those in the pews and the tourists we peeking around.  Next we returned to Museo del Oro (again with a bit of assistance) and oohed and awed at all the gold nose rings and other relics.  After a while, all the nose rings started to look alike and we were growing tired.  However, before the let us leave a security guard instructed us (and the other tourists to wait) and then escorted us in to a round, dimly lit  room and closed the door.  There was some tribal music playing and every once in a while a section of the wall would light up showing us more gold nose rings.  Then the floor in the middle of the room lit up, showing more gold nose rings (and a very large emerald).  Just when we were wondering if a human sacrifice was next, the door finally reopened to let us out. 

View from top of Cerro de Monserrate

After leaving the museum, we decided to take a coffee break.  We each ordered a cafe pintado (coffee with a little milk, as opposed to cafe con leche - coffee with more milk) and a bottle of water.  Once the caffeine kicked in we stopped by a couple more churches then headed to Cerro de Monserrate.  You have the choice of walking up 1500 steps to get to the top of Monserrate or taking a cable car.  We opted for the latter.  From the top you get a spectacular bird's eye view of all of Bogota.  By the time we returned to the city we were exhausted and starving so we decided to grab dinner and call it a night. 

Colombia Here I Come

Why Colombia?  This is how it came about...

A few months ago I was spending the weekend with some friends in Bodega Bay when Lisa approached Colleen and I and said "I had so much fun traveling with you girls last year over New Years that I thought it would be fun to travel somewhere again this year."  After much discussion we realized that between the three of us we has been to most of the desirable Spanish-Speaking countries already. So I suggested Colombia because June refers to it as one of her favorite countries in the world.  No of us had been so we decided that would be the spot.

So to prepare for my upcoming trip I decided to read Ingrid Bentecourt's "Even Silence Has an End: My Six Years of Captivity in the Colombian Jungle".  About a quarter in, I realized that I really should have saved this until I returned to the US.  (It is really a spectacular story, just not good for preparing to visit the country).  After a good cry, I finished the book (she was rescued) but decided I needed something a little more upbeat to prepare me for my adventure.  I decided Romancing the Stone should do the trick.  I remembered that the movie was funny but I completely forgot the premise.  Kathleen Turner's character's sister is kidnapped and Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas trek though the jungle avoiding snakes and bugs while being followed by guerillas with guns hunting them.  Again, perhaps not the best pre-Colombia choice. 

More than anything, both of these stories make me wish I thought to buy some bug spray and a machete.  I guess I'll find out soon enough whether I regret excluding them from my packing list.