Last Stop, the Capital

  Bogota, Colombia
Sunday, March 18, 2007

Colombia´s capital city is situated smack dab in the centre of the country on a high plateau in the Andes mountains. At an altitude of 2600m above sea level, it is the third highest capital in South America after La Paz (PER) and Quito (ECU). With its population of roughly 8 million people, it is the largest and most populous city in Colombia and serves as the country´s political, financial, and economic hub. Once considered a risky place to visit, the city has cleaned itself up and is fast becoming a highlight to any visit in Latin America.  Here you can spend a good week exploring its vast urban dimensions such as its numerous and excellent museums, churches, cultural events, and trendy restaurants serving tasty cuisine from around the world.  And, if the big city weighs its inhabitants down, it offers numerous retreats such as tree-filled parks, one of the world's most extensive bike-route networks, a charming colonial sector with cool cafes and historic plazas, and numerous nearby side trips to quaint colonial towns and sacred Indian lakes...all situated in the Sabana de Bogota (the central plateau in the heartland). 



You can ride the Teleferico (sky tram) or Funicular railway up the looming Monserrate to 3160m, and gasp for air while taking in awesome views of the sprawling city nestled in the high plateau.  Or drink spiced-coffee at one of the many bohemian cafes in the Old Town La Candelaria district, where you can sit on a hammock or a floor cushion in front of a fireplace and while away the hours; catch an exciting football match along with other fanatics at the famous Estadio El Campin.  And the best part is that you can make your way around the vast sprawling city very easily with the Transmillenio urban transport system.

Bogota doesn't immediately come across as a city you'd want to call home for a while.  This is true especially since the budget accommodation in the city leaves a lot to be desired, and the cold rainy weather can keep you craving for an immediate retreat to lower altitudes.  But taking some time to absorb its historical areas and quaint cafes can offer much more than what meets the eye upon first arrival.  Sadly, this was our final destination in Colombia. 60 days of adventure through this wonderful country culminated in its capital.  And on our final day of our visa we were taken away by air with not a single day to spare, and a collection of great memories that are sure to last a lifetime.



TransMilenio is Bogota´s rapid bus transit system, a network combining modern buses that operate on exclusive roads (bus-ways) and smaller buses (feeders) that operate in residential areas, bringing passengers to the main grid. In essence it is a bus system masquerading as a subway. Although the Transmilenio service is considered efficient and carries commuters to numerous corners of the city, it is the most expensive form of transportation in the city (only taxis are more expensive) and because the vehicles run on diesel, the fares are constantly raised due to changing oil prices. Currently a ticket costs 1300 pesos ($0.60 USD).  In contrast, the Trole transport system in Quito, similar in design but with a smaller network, costs $0.25 USD and mostly runs on electric power.

Bogota's network of bike paths, also called ciclorutas, is one of the most extensive dedicated bike path networks of any city in the world, with a total extension of 303 km.  Cycling is Colombia´s second national sport.  The first is football...couldn´t you have guessed?

Museo del Oro:   Leaving Bogota as the last stop on our circuit through Colombia allowed us the opportunity to visit its multitude of archaeological sites and learn about its intriguing Pre-Columbian (prior to Christopher Columbus) native history, prior to visiting one of the most important museums in the world.  A fantastic museum where a culmination of artifacts from all the archaeological sites we´ve seen around the country are on display in incredible fashion.  The Museo del Oro's claim to fame is its extraordinary selection and exhibition of its Pre-Hispanic gold work collection - the biggest in the world.  And, together with other pottery, stone, shell, wood and textile archaeological objects, the gold items (what Indigenous cultures believed was a sacred metal), testify to the life and thought of the different societies which inhabited what is now known as Colombia... before contact was made with Europe. The Bank of the Republic began the world renowned collection in 1939, and consequently, initiated the efforts towards helping to protect the archaeological patrimony of Colombia.



The Quimbaya poporo object (used by Shamans to hold coca leaves that are chewed for stimulation) was the first item brought into the collection, one which is now 65 years old.  We learned how the Shaman mystics of the tribe would rely on the coca to "transcend" from reality, into a state of metamorphosis where they would transform into "animal gods" such as a fish, jaguar, frog, etc.  This is attributed to the fact that most of the gold artifacts recovered have animal themes attached to the jewelry worn by the Shamans.  The coca leaves are stored in the poporo along with lime. The lime activates the cocaine alkaloids from the leaf.  A golden rod is used to extract the mix from the poporo and ultimately the potent combination is masticated for an all out buzz. 



The practice of chewing coca was most likely originally a simple matter of survival.  The coca leaf contained many essential nutrients in addition to its more well known mood altering alkaloids.  To this day, coca is consumed in the same manner by the Kogi (direct descendants of the Tayrona Indians) and other indigenous tribes near the Caribbean coast.  And, although not made from gold as in the past, the poporo is still the vessel for their habit, and coca is the 2nd most important export in Colombia today (coffee and fresh cut flowers being the first).  This makes Colombia the largest coca cultivator in the world (144,000 hectares - a potential 500 metric tonnes of pure cocaine) and the US the largest consumer in the world (can you say "supply and demand?").

                               

The museum also houses the famous and extraordinary Muisca's golden raft.  The artifact represents the Indian ceremony where the ruling king would cover his body in gold, and from his raft, he offered treasures to the Guatavita goddess in the middle of the sacred lake near what is now Bogota, which still exists today.  This Muisca tradition became the origin of the legend of El Dorado. Imagined as a place, El Dorado became a kingdom, an empire, the city of this legendary golden king, and a reason why much of the Muisca civilization was destroyed and its gold pillaged (although most efforts by the Spanish to steal from the sacred lakes amounted to a mere few ounces of golden treasure).  In the artifact's representation, the Zipa (king) is seen standing at the centre of a raft, surrounded by the principal chieftains, all of them adorned with gold and feathers.

Gazing at the magnificent pieces of gold art was a quite interesting and we felt that the Museum did an excellent job in telling the story of its great archaeological history.  We especially enjoyed the Sala de Ofertas, where music and lighting have been artfully put together to take you through a visual journey of gold work dating back as far as 400 AD.
More so, observing the artifacts after physically visiting most of the archaeological sites that they were connected to around the country, was truly a rewarding experience. 



Football Match:  Millionarios vs. Medellin
With 6 layers of warmth donned for the outdoor match at 8:30pm, and choice tickets purchased online in hand, we take the Transmillenio to the Estadio El Campin, and arrive early enough to get some good seats.  On our first attempt to enter the Stadium, we get frisked, and our bags thoroughly checked.  The security guard finds a camera in Reesh's satchel, and states we aren´t allowed in with a camera...WHAT???  No one told us that!  We try another entrance, thank God for the concealed inside pocket on Ashif's MEC Fleece.  Reesh flashes a coy smile at the security guard just as he was asking Ashif to show him what was inside that pocket after frisking him again, and he luckily lets us through without a problem...our pulses beating double time. 

The fans are cheering South American style like a conglomerate beast across from us, jumping, swaying, chanting, and moving...amazing to see and hear!  When the Millionarios put one through the posts, an exceptional display of happiness is all around us....strangers hugging each other, giving Hi-5s, smiles from ear to ear, and jumping for joy.  Songs sung in unison to bless their "Millos" in a display of patriotism you'd imagine would only be reserved for international matches.  You wouldn´t catch people back home getting this excited at a sporting event, not even for NHL hockey.  Speaking of the NHL, we did miss the salivating concessions of our stadiums back home...burgers with sauted onions, nachos dripping with cheese and spicy jalapenos, hot pizza bread, ice cream twists, gigantic popcorn...none of it available here, "sniff, sniff".  Just a couple of spartan tables set up to serve up Colombiano soda, potato chips, crappy hot dogs, and of course, the one thing all Colombians love to snack on....plain old bread.  Well, on the other hand, we did notice at least that people here can still fit into their seats and don't need a crane to lift them to the upper decks.

Millionarios thumped Medellin with a 5-1 trouncing (we actually got to see 6 goals in a futbol match!), and left their fans with intense azul (blue) pride at the end.  We joined the masses outside the stadium afterwords, noticing guards on horses and shields by their sides ready for any sudden clash between fans.  Soldiers were even patting people down as they lined up at the bus station to take the Transmillenio home.  In fact, we were quite impressed by their efficiency and personal respect.  It all seemed to send an effective message that Bogota will remain free of fanatic hooliganism.  Still, the military presence, and the extent of security made us wonder what horrors must have occurred here at previous matches over the history of Colombian football in the capital.



DID YOU KNOW?
- Bogota has institutionalized a day without cars on the streets, called "El Día sin Carro" (no-car-day). It takes place every first Thursday of February.
- Bogota has the highest quality as well as the most expensive potable water in Latin America.

NOTES FOR THE TRAVELLER:
- You can purchase tickets for a football match on the Internet with a foreign credit card on http://www.tuboleta.com/.  It's quite an achievement being able to purchase tickets for a football match on a Spanish website, and be successful!   There are a number of Tu Boleta offices around the city, where you can pick up the tickets once you have purchased them.   Prices range from 15000  to 30000 pesos.  We sat in the Plateo Occidental seats, and paid 20000 pesos each, plus about 8000 in additional fees.  The most expensive seats are Oriental Preferencial, but not as much fun to sit there, as the fans are slightly more conservative.
- Hostal Sue is fine and dandy for the single backpacker and a great place to make some new acquaintances.  However, unless you want to hear the TV blaring all night, loud partying at all hours, not be able to find a single clean mug for a cup of tea, not have your sheets/towels changed or toilet garbage cleaned out for 5 days, and be witness to spontaneous live porn from people making out in the common room at 4am, this may not be the place for you!  Other hotel recommendations are Hotel Aragon, but it doesn´t have rooms with your own bathroom.  Good luck. 
- Gato Gris is a cool restaurant in La Candelaria that often has live music.  You can sit on the terrace on the rooftop and down a bottle of Gato Negro by a warm fireplace!
- Taxi from La Candelaria to the El Dorado International Airport costs about 14000 pesos.
- If you are flying out of Colombia, and have stayed 60 days or less in the country, you are entitled to a tax refund from the airport authority.  The refund amount is only based on the portion of the tax you have paid on your air ticket.  Go to the refund counter prior to checking in for the flight.  Also, when you purchase your air ticket, get the agent to put in writing that the tax refund will be paid out in USD rather than Pesos.  We had some issues with Avianca on this matter.
- There are often web specials on line with Avianca (Colombia) and AeroGal (Ecuador) for flights between Quito and Bogota.  They can save you a considerable amount of dineros.

(View this entry´s Photo Album / Slide Show above)