The Golden Man . . . El Dorado

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

Following the trail of a conquistador

Hands trembling, legs wobbly, mouth dry, sweat beads soaking my forehead, I board a commuter train at the Caltrain station in San Jose, California. Excitement, apprehension, and relief fill my mind. We’re starting Part 2 of our adventure through the Americas. If the goddesses and gods are with us, we will explore Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia - the northern countries of South America. Given the distances in this long continent it’s reasonable to complete this journey in two months.

Starting in San Jose, California: riding the train to San Francisco

San Francisco, California six hours to Miami, Florida

After twenty hours, 4100 miles, and two plane flights, tired, sleepy, hungry and needing the bathroom, we arrive in Bogota, Colombia. We intend to follow in the footsteps of Gonzalo Jimenez Quesada, the Spanish conquerer of Colombia. His achievements rank with Cortez’s conquest of Mexico and Pizarro’s of Peru. Quesada shipped back to Europe as much gold and other valuable treasures (emeralds) as Cortez and Pizarro. He never attained their recognition because of enormous loss of Spanish blood during his conquest and lack of having defeated one great, advanced Native American tribe. Instead, Quesada’s army fought and vanquished many small, stone age clans. He died in Bogota with his body deformed and grotesque from leprosy.

Over the Andes and dropping into Bogota, Colombia

Bogota's nine million inhabitants spread out into the foothills of the Andes

Conquistador Quesada's sarcophagus in Bogota's main Cathedral

Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo

My accommodations are a block from the Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo. The plaza is the spot where Quesada claimed possession of these lands for Spain. The Muisca tribe occupied the site for thousands of years. Quesada charged into the village on a magnificent white horse, withdrew his glistening Toledo steel sword and shouted that he’s seizing these lands for the king of Spain, and if anyone opposed he would fight to the death. Since no one spoke or understood Spanish, he was only met with barking dogs and indifference from the Muisca. The conquistadors celebrated with shouts of victory, oaths to the king, and roaming eyes and lust towards the beautiful indigenous women.

Narrow cobblestone street in historic center leading to site of the founding of Bogota

Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo where conquistador Quesada declared his conquest;

quiet during the day, but loud and energetic at night

At night the square is full of excitement and fiesta with college students, groups of people singing, merriment and good times. High heeled, tight jean female students strut the plaza flirting, looking for love and teasing the rest. Unlike the conquistadors, now the women choose the fortunate man to be their partners. These descendants of Spanish and indigenous blood have evolved into modern people, with twenty-first century urban, worldly views, and optimistic for a positive future. 

I hear laughter and group singing. Lively, fast beat salsa music pours out of cocktail lounges. The sound of maracas and guitars mix with dogs barking to create a background chorus to the lyrics of love songs. A brilliant orange sunset sets the stage for more drinking, cigarette smoking, punctuated by shouts of college students arguing over the value of more or less capital investment by foreign companies in Colombia. It’s a Wednesday night and these people look like they’ll party all night.

Bogota is a mixture of colonial architecture (left) and modern skyscrapers (right)

Manny de's first meal in Colombia

International cuisine: gourmet salmon carpaccio and pork wontons

Police walk the perimeter not getting involved, but remain vigilant against thieves and drunks. A huge dark brown 250 pound Spanish mastiff with sagging folds of flesh around it’s powerful head patrols with its police handler. It’s wearing a bright yellow vest identifying it as police. His enormous mouth is muzzled and he looks hungry. The police are content with smoking cigarettes and eyeing the pretty women. While the party continues, I’m tired and go back to the hostel for much needed rest.

Does he bite? A similar muzzle was on the much bigger police dog

who patrolled the Plaza at night

End of Part 1

Publisher's declaration: I made it to Panama and unable to continue overland to Colombia because of a lack of an overland route. I returned to the USA to assess onward travel, and recuperate from on injury sustained while jumping onto a moving bus while holding my 35 pound backpack in my right arm.  Don’t try it at home. I was unable to use my right arm for a couple of months. Below is a brief update from Part 1 of the journey.

Nicaragua

After Mirafor, I explored Managua (hectic, traffic, construction everywhere), Granada (colonial atmosphere, expensive for Nicaragua, full of foreign travelers), Masaya (few tourist, excellent local craft market, hotbed of anti-Sandinista organizing), and Isla Ometepe (rural, undeveloped, butterflies everywhere).

Isla Ometepe in the middle of Lake Nicaragua

Typical housing on the Isla

Horses and laundry by hand are still in practice

Nicaragua was the most interesting country I visited during this part of the journey. It can either explode into the next eco friendly destination, or regress into revolution and destruction. The people have not been exposed to many foreigners, therefore they’re genuinely interested in getting to know you and finding out about your life.

Costa Rica

I stopped in Liberia (ate a scrumptious prawn stew), Puntarenas (rhythmic music, dancing in the streets, outstanding seafood), Quepos (expensive, grown into a beach destination, ate my best meal on the trip), San Isidro (superb hiking, overwhelming abundance of flora and fauna, a naturalist’s paradise).

Prawn stew at its best

Dancing in the streets of Puntarenas

Sleepy Quepos has been discovered and developed

Quepos farmer's market (is that a gringo?)

Delicious salmon carpaccio in Quepos

The country has been discovered by foreign travelers. The locals see so many tourists that they’re indifferent to you as a person. They mostly see you as an economic tool to be sold goods or services. There are still hidden areas to be explored. I found one, but it will remain a secret (send me an e-mail and I’ll tell you about it).

Flowers of Costa Rica

Cacao fruit which contain cocoa beans that are used 

to make chocolate

A honey bee working in the cloud forest of Costa Rica

Panama

I discovered an area I would move to - Boquete (flowers and coffee abound, in the mountains surrounded by volcanos, large American and European expatriate community). I lost my way hiking the Quetzal trail. I used my compass to relocate the trail. The most invigorated I felt on the journey.

Boquete in the foothills of a cloud rain forest

Hiking into the jungles of Panama

No roads, no development, no people . . . only wilderness

Manny de lost in the jungles of Panama (he looks a little worried)

The Quetzal trail: I was elated when I rediscovered it

When visiting Panama City, I thought I was in the USA (currency is American dollars, many diverse people). There is actually three cities. The first, Panama Viejo, is in ruins sacked and burnt by pirate Henry Morgan. The second, Casco Viejo, is refurbishing its aging colonial architecture and relocating it’s current poor inhabitants to make way for the next big tourist destination. Modern Panama is empty skyscrapers (construction boom gone bust) scurrying people, and striking city scape.

Modern bus with air conditioning, movies, and bus attendants.

How did they get that bus in that space?

Casco Viejo: soon to be refurbished

Modern Panama City

I toured the Panama Canal that left me in awe of the engineering feats we’re capable of. I rode the Panama Canal train (on land) to Colon on the Atlantic coast. It’s only 50 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. Colon is dangerous, run down, and best to leave right away.

Miraflores locks at the Panama Canal

Conductors on the Panama Canal train

There are no roads from Panama to Colombia. The impenetrable Darien jungle separates these countries. The local indigenous people dislike and are suspicious of outsiders. There are gigantic deadly snakes, insects, and exotic disease unknown to modern humans. The only way to Colombia is by airplane or boat. I booked my air passage to Bogota, Colombia. First, I'll go home to California to regroup.

November 2011: Welcome home reception

I've started my exploration of South America. I landed in Bogota, Colombia yesterday (September 5, 2012). I'm following the footsteps of Gonzalo Jimenez Quesada (conquerer of Colombia). Part 2 of this journey will take us to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. I'll see you in the Andes . . . .