Bogotá

Wednesday

Flying to Colombia from the U.S. is surprisingly a breeze! However, waking up at 3:30am takes superpowers I don’t yet have.

Arriving to the city sleepy and acclimating to the high altitude called for some rest, pastries, and coffee on the hostel rooftop.

After being fully caffeinated, I walked over to the Museo de Botero which has an enormous collection of art donated by colombian artist Fernando Botero. He has a unique style of art - people and objects that are voluminous and larger than life - they were incredible and his sculptures even more impressive. The museum also had temporary exhibits with art, documentaries and photos advocating for the rights and health of an indigenous community in the Amazon.

For dinner I went with a few friends, two women from Germany who were very friendly and fun (breaking all stereotypes about Germans) and a woman from Scotland. The Scottish woman happened to also be a special education teacher so we both shared stories about our students (and maybe a few complaints as well). We had cervezas and ajiaco - a traditional colombian soup made with potatoes and milk, filled with corn, chicken and added avocado, rice, and other toppings. It was a welcome comfort after a travel day.

Thursday

As I was leaving midday for Medellín, all I had time for in Bógota was breakfast and a small museum filled with displays of clothing typical of Colombia throughout the ages. I also walked around the historic neighborhood La Candelaria and saw murals and narrow streets filled with markets and cafes.

Now I’m off to Medellín for 4 days, but I’ll return to Bogota again for a night before I head to Argentina!

Hasta Pronto!

Ellie