As if this trip wasn’t long enough, or didn’t have enough stops, we decided to take advantage of a long layover in Bogotá and go visit. Ok…ok…you got me…the layover was short, but we noticed another connection to Atlanta later in the afternoon, so we did it on purpose! Booked a 6-hour private guide to “catch” a quick glimpse of the city.
With a 5 am landing, there was no amount of coffee that
could keep us awake, but once David arrived, and we walked into the brisk
morning air, the antennas were up! The guide startled us at first. Full of tattoos
(the knuckles indicating gang affiliation) and body jewelry, didn’t fit
expectations. But he spoke very good English, was personable, knowledgeable,
and clearly loved his city. We stopped first at Monserrate Sanctuary – a church
and pilgrimage site at 10,000 feet above sea level, which happened to be very busy
that day; major Catholic holiday. Nice panoramic view of the sprawling city
from up there, with the omnipresent Andes – again – far in the distance. Much
larger than Santiago (it’s actually 5th biggest in South America; if
you’re wondering, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Lima are the top four)
but significantly impacted by poverty and a tumultuous past. Not really a major
tourist attraction (visitors prefer Cartagena and Barranquilla, on the coast, Medellin,
or Cali, the salsa capital of Colombia), the city still has plenty to offer, if
you know where to look, or go with a guide.
From there, we visited the colorful old town, where walls are adorned by beautiful murals and artistic graffiti, and the Botero museum (renowned local artist known for his unique style), just to stay with the arts theme...
Around the corner, Plaza de Bolívar, where the Primada Cathedral, Palace of Justice, the presidential palace, are located. Remember the siege in Narcos, where the guerillas took over and destroyed all the evidence against Escobar? Yeah, that Palace of Justice!
Bellies full, we headed back to the airport for the last leg
of the trip back to the States. Thankful for the opportunity to witness all
these wonders. Grateful that we were all [still] in one piece. Re-playing
everything behind tired, closed eyelids. Happy that it all went down without a
hitch. Vouching to return soon, for there are other parts of South America to
explore, where the people are warm and friendly, the nature is sooo breathtaking,
the food, simply amazing, and the dollar stretches much further.
¡Hasta la próxima, amigos!
Quick jumps to all the other legs of this trip:
- Two days in Iguazu Falls
- Two days in Buenos Aires
- Three days in Torres del Paine
- Three days in El Calafate/Perito Moreno
- Two days in El Chalten
- Two days in Bariloche
- Two days in Mendoza
- Two days in Santiago, Chile
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