New beginnings in Bogota

Returning to our southern sister continent has been surprisingly easy, in large part due to my hosts Enrique and Mariella, los padres of a friend who I met last year in Bolivia. Settling in has felt quite easy, the language is beginning to come back, and the city does not feel intimidating (though Bogota is large – 9 million people).

After arriving, Enrique and Mariella treated me to a tasty lunch at home; then I slept most of the day away. Today we went to Monserrate, which you can reach via teleferico to the top, where there is a church. Being that it is Semana Santa (Holy Week) there were many people attending the service.

Mossy cross.

View downwards towards the city from the teleferico.

The streets around Monserrate.

Next we went to the home of Simon Bolivar, liberator of many Latin American countries. There was a garden around it: it included some plants signifying peace between countries (including los Estados Unidos), the coat of arms of the countries which Bolivar helped to attain freedom from Spain’s rule (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama), a huerta with a number of culinary and medicinal plants, and other themed areas.

One of the coat of arms.

Enrique and Mariella, at la Quinta de Simon Bolivar.

We strolled the Candelaria district, which is quite old and historic, and saw the main church, the home of the president, and several other notable buildings.

The next day, I chilled out at the Botanical Garden, which is one of the better ones I’ve been to internationally. It includes a mariposario, where I saw many butterflies! Went a bit photo-crazy, and in the mariposario, my lenses steamed up with all the humidity which was creating a false jungle environment. Had to do some photo editing to salvage some of these, but it was worth it. Later, a bit of a walk in Parque Simon Bolivar, a tasty helado, and navigating myself back to the house.

Tomorrow I’m off to Pereira, a la zona cafetera, on an 8-hour bus ride.