Bogota

The capital of Colombia is located in the Andes at the  altitude of 2 640 meters above sea level.  The climate is stable.  The  temperature and weather stays the same throughout the year. It seems an ideal option for clothes.
Bogota is another big city in Latin America, where moving around may be a challenge. Public transport has been designed for a much lower number of commuters.  It means full buses are the only option as there is no tube. Another challenge is dense traffic and never-ending traffic jams . Thus, if you want to see anything without rushing, you'd better plan your stay for aat least few days.

Tourist highlights include la Candelaria, la Catedral with Plaza de Bolivar and the Gold Museum. Of course, the list of museums is much longer.  Among othere there is ,a museum of Fernando Botero – a must-see for art lovers. The historic districts la Candelaria and La Catedral are full of students.  Numerous university buildings are located in there and in neighbouring area.   The city seems to be as many other capitals all over the world.  Yet hotels and taxi drivers warn tourist not to move around by themselves especially at night.  Our taxi driver event told us not to cross the Bolivar square. I do not know whether that was just caution or a real threat.  But we did no check if there was a raeson for such a warning.  We just walked around la Candelaria.


The best point to admire panorama of Bogota is Cerro de Monserrate.  The sanctuary is located at the altitude of 3 152 m above sea level.   The top can be reached by cable car, funicular or on foot. The view is indeed impressive, especially in the evening when the city is lit up. Sanctuary itself is a fairly simple building from outside.  And it was already closed when we got there. Cerro de Monserrate is not only the sanctuary but also the recreation area. To find out more about it visit the Monserrate site.

My visit to Bogota was very short, a kind of stop-over en route.  I left with mixed feelings.  On the one hand it offers cycling Sundays, modern residential areas, active lifestyle. On the other hand, we hear about slums without paved roads and infrastructure.  It is perfect example where lack or little knowledge about city works against it. But I will come back one day.

For those who are planning a visit – official city site.