Fernando Botero’s art is very unique and has its roots in satire.  His famous “fat figures” makes his style recognizable from a mile away.  I read that his inflated figures are possibly a depiction of the figures’ inflated egos and sense of self-importance. Botero’s version of Mona Lisa was painted in 1977.  It is so… Continue reading Botero Museum

The oldest Colombian ceramics date back to 1000 BC. The many different clays of the rivers and lakes of the valleys on the high plateau made a variety of ceramic types possible. Muisca ceramic art has typical shapes of slit eyes and mouth with a sharp nose. The production of pottery was done by the… Continue reading Gold Museum Ceramics

The Gold Museum was amazing!  It has the largest pre-Hispanic goldsmith collection in the world with over 35,000 pieces of gold and tumbaga (alloy of gold and copper).  It was astonishing to see how intricate some of the artwork was.  It also has pottery, stone, shell, wood and textile objects that were also made by… Continue reading Gold Museum

Bogotá is an 8 million people metropolis and with the narrow streets in the old city, traffic is crazy. There are over 50,000 licensed taxis in Bogotá, with their bright yellow colour and it seems many people use them to get to work, because of the traffic issues.  Even if you drive, finding parking is… Continue reading The Streets of Bogotá

Graffiti has taken a complete turnaround in Bogotá.  In 2011 graffiti was cracked down on, to the point that a 16-year-old artist, Diego Felipe Becerra was killed by the police.  It caused an outcry, changed attitudes and a new tolerance for street art was born.  Today, the authorities in Bogotá are hiring artists and it… Continue reading Bogotá Street Art

El Chorro de Quevedo is another square in La Candelaria neighbourhood, that is also significant to the history of Bogotá.  Some historians say (although there are no documents to prove it) that it was in this square that Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada (the Spanish explorer and conquistador), tired of traveling from Santa Marta and after… Continue reading Callejón del Embudo and El Chorro de Quevedo

Monserrate is one of the main tourist landmarks of Bogotá. It is located at 10,341 feet above sea level and from its top you can see a panoramic view of Bogotá.  However, Bogotá itself is 8,660 above sea level, so the mountain is only a climb of 1,681 feet.  I read if you are in… Continue reading Monserrate

Bolívar Square is the main square in Bogotá and dates back to the pre-Colombian era, when the site was part of the Muisca Confederation.  It is named after Simón Bolívar and has his statue in the square.   Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader, who led the campaign for independence in 1808.  He founded… Continue reading Bolívar Square

Now we are home and life is returning to normal, we are enjoying looking back at our photos and reminding ourselves of all the wonderful experiences we had in Colombia.  It is going to take me ages to sort through all my pictures and you will be pleased to hear, I don't intend to post… Continue reading Hotel De La Opera

We had a full 8.5 hours tour of Bogota today and whilst we are flagging now, it was a great day. We began with a short drive from our hotel, in the centre of the old town to the base of a hill that leads up to a view point and monastery of Monserrate. Monserrate… Continue reading Day 2 Was A Very Full Day!