It’s amazing how eight hours of restful sleep can invigorate the body. At 8,612 feet of elevation walking around Bogota can take your breath away. So can touring the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) - a must see site in South America. It safeguards the few remaining indigenous gold artifacts that the Spanish missed in their quest to melt into ingots and ship to Europe to pay for its wars - what a waste. The gold statues, jewelry, ritual instruments, and adornments of leaders are unique and illustrate a high level of metallurgy.
Muisca golden breast plate
A depiction of an actual ruler
Hair pins and jewelry
Adornments of a leader
Awe and anger filled my senses that the conquistadors destroyed thousands of like pieces. Image how the Spaniards reacted when viewing these gold masterpieces. Sadly, they didn’t appreciate the aesthetic nature of the art. They were crazed at the sight of all the polished, refined gold.
I was enthralled at the Gold Museum. I viewed the shinning gold depiction of El Dorado - the gilded Golden Man. The only known image. Today El Dorado has come to mean pursuing a goal with enormous pay off or a place of great abundance, usually gold or other material wealth. The original meaning was based on an infrequent Muisca ritual. A newly crowned ruler had his naked body covered with a sticky tree sap and fine gold powder was blown onto his body. He was covered in gold dust and shown brilliantly in the sun.
El Dorado performs a holy ritual
El Dorado and his escorts boarded a raft and paddled to the middle of a lake. He threw himself into the dark waters and the gold washed away, an offering to the goddesses and gods. Throughout the year to celebrate holy or important occasions gold objects and emeralds were tossed into the lake to appease the spiritual beings. When the Spaniards heard about this ritual, they expanded the meaning of El Dorado to a city of gold. The myth was born. This city was paved in gold, with silver used as building material, and emeralds as highlights. It never existed, except in the mind of gold seeking adventurers. Many explorers and would be conquerors, even the Brit Sir Walter Raleigh, spent their fortunes and lives seeking El Dorado. On this journey we will probe for the lake in the Andean mountains.
Plaza Bolivar
The center of Bogota is the Plaza Bolivar. Colonial architecture, horse drawn carriages delivering produce mix with business men in expensive European suits, dogs on and off leashes, women in high heels, punks, and food vendors selling freshly squeezed fruit juices, empanadas (meat or veggie turnovers), and excellent coffee. I bought a mango juice. It was sweet and nourishing. There are wonderful fresh tropical fruits in Colombia and freshly pressed juices are available everywhere and cheap.
Bogota diverse crowd
Hip and urban
Afro Colombian
How do they walk on the cobble walkways
Ear plugs in the style of the ancient indigenous
A combination of modern and indigenous jewelry
Punks
Gays
Businessman
Mother with child
Nearly everyone was on a cell phone or texting. When I entered the country, the customs official was sending a personal text. She didn’t even look up at me. She stamped my passport with a 90 day visa, and returned to her texting.
At the Plaza, I had a conversation with a college student who was waiting for his girlfriend. I asked his opinion of the USA, and told him I would not be angry if he had criticisms. He said he “doesn’t dislike the US”. There are many things he admires -- the music, clothing styles, technology, and business management practices. He saw the US as being “very imperialistic and constantly sticking its nose into Colombia’s business and inhibiting Colombia from moving forward.” He said he would like to visit someday.
College students: fellow on the right, "doesn't dislike the US"
Food for sale
Freshly squeezed juices
Cotton candy anyone?
Strong, flavorful Colombian coffee
You can even purchase cell phone usage by the minute
Over 10,000 people were occupying the Plaza Bolivar attending a Christian jubilee in support of the family and against domestic and government violence. The front door to the main Catholic cathedral where conquistador Quesada is buried was locked. I asked the security guard why, and he said because of the rally and “to keep out nonbelievers”. I walked around the building and found a small side door open and went in.
Main cathedral
Inside of cathedral
While it was warm outside, inside the thick walled cathedral was cold. As I viewed Quesada’s tomb, I heard the sounds of shouts, music, and pronouncements of faith from outside. The effect was eerie as the sounds reverberated throughout the church. It sounded like wailing and laments engulfing the sepulcher. It reminded me of the campaigns of war and conquest over these lands. With Quesada’s spirit so near, I’m transported to 1538, the year of conquest. I sense the shouts of the Spaniard warriors overwhelming the native people, and the moans and sobbing of the dying natives and their remaining family members.
Ouesda conquered for state and the Catholic church. Outside, the Christian gathering is leading the new conquest of the Americas. The “Word” is sweeping Colombia and the rest of Latin America. This new conquest affects all levels of society and will bring profound change in power, priorities, and alliances. What would Catholic Quesada say?
Colombians are an attractive, handsome people. They are diverse. Some have white, brown, or darker skin color. Many people have green eyes, long Spanish noses, and dress in modern, western style. There are no indigenous people left in Bogota. While in the city, I also visited the museum of the famous Colombian artist Fernando Botero. His depictions are of robust, Rubenesque, and pensive looking people and animals. The museum also displays masterpieces by Diga, Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Dali, Renoir, and Monet.
Artist Botero and model
Colombian family
Robust man and horse
I toured the homes where Simon Bolivar and his lover Manuela Saenz lived. Manuela saved Bolivar’s life, warning him and helping him to escape an assassination attempt. She is a heroine throughout South America, and is called the Liberator of the Liberator. I ended my visit in Bogota at Nobel Prize winning writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez (“One Hundred Years of Solitude”, highly recommend reading) Cultural Center. There were books everywhere. I could have spent a whole day there, but it’s time to move on and travel to another very historical city in the development of Latin America -- Cartagena de Indias. While there, I will not be having any international incidents as occurred to the Secret Service when they were with President Obama. . . . See you on the Atlantic coast.
An excellent seafood paella at La Paella in Bogota
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