Touristing

Written Sunday, posted today

So yesterday the new president of Colombia took office here in Bogota. The friday before, there were concerts and other celebrations around town. I wanted to go watch the fireworks, but was not allowed to go, due to security reasons... I also wanted to go watch the new president take office, but was promptly told by MSF that I could not go, security reasons again. One of the Colombians here told me that 8 years ago when president Uribe took office, there were some bombings. So instead I had to just content myself with hearing the helicopters and jet planes flying above my apartment all day long while my spanish teacher patiently tried to explain to me what the hell are tiempos compuestos and all that jazz (spanish is so difficult.. but I am making porgress).

But today I was free (a little bit more free). My teacher and her sister took me around Bogota to visit and, of course, to practice spanish. By the way, do you know why the airport of Bogota is called El Dorado? Apparently, a long time ago, the local indigenous tribe (the Muisca) would offer gold to the Gods by throwing it in the lake of Guatavita. Therefore, the european explores have searched that gold for a long time and believed that there was a place here where gold was very abundant: El Dorado. Interesting, no? Anyways, there was a lot of gold that the caciques used to wear and I was impressed by the nose jewels...they are so big! I am so glad that the nose fashion did not stick around. That´s got to be uncomfortable.
I love walking around really old places, like the streets of Candelaria here in Bogota. They have the magic power to transport you to a different time and a different place, and I like to imagine what the sounds and smells would be like, what people would be doing, what kind of faces I would see, etc.

Candelaria is the neighbourhood where Bogota started. There is a big square (Plaza de Bolivar) with a nice church and the government buildings, and in the middle of it all there was.... a llama! Yes, so of course I took a picture with it. Such a cute llama.

We also visited the exposition of Botero, a famous Colombian artist who paints everything fat and big. It was very therapeutic as I felt very slim, specially when standing beside the sculpture of this huge naked model. Must be why people like his paintings.
Also had the opportunity to eat the typical dish of bogota, a soup called Ajiaco, very, very tasty. I recommend it, but the bowl they served me could have easily fed three Raquels.

Anyways, this it it for now.