Bogota-what a city for a weekend Part 1

A complete week at the Embassy, really getting used to things now, the weather was beautiful but, sadly, gets dark before 6 so no long evenings enjoying it! Have adjusted to the altitude and the time difference and settled into Bogota, even going to a dentist to fix a broken tooth! It's pretty easy to find your way around as the roads are a grid system like

The week passed uneventfully enough and the Embassy shut up shop for a long weekend at lunchtime on Friday and left me ready for a weekend exploring Bogota. The weekend actually started on Friday lunchtime with Sarah, the Ambassador's PA, inviting me to join her for lunch. We walked home from the Embassy, dropping something off at the Ambassador's residence on the way. My goodness, I could only see it the roof and the tops of the trees from outside an 8ft wall but what an impressive place. It takes up a whole block with tennis courts and goodness knows what.

We walked round to Andino, the area where the hotel is, via a Pet Shop, as I've mentioned, the Colombians love their dogs, what a range of accessories for your pooch from toys to collars to food to, of course, an entire wardrobe of the perfect outfit for every occasion, including the dinkiest little toweling dressing gown for that just out of the sauna moment! Lunch was a huge seafood stew and a couple of Colombian beers, just to support the local economy of course. We then wandered off to the shopping centre being pursued up the road by a guy trying to sell me a fake Monte Blanc pen and loudly telling me he loved me several times!

For Saturday, I arranged to join a bike tour run by an American guy and which started downtown. I got up and had a large breakfast to prepare myself and then set off to walk to the city centre. What I didn't realise was quite how far it was and how long it would take, my walk was slowed down considerably by the terrible state of the pavements and the up and down of the huge kerbs. However, after almost an hour and a half I arrived at Bogota Bike Tours somewhat late for the arranged 10 am appointment.

However, two things were in my favour, firstly, the tour obviously started at 10:30 South American time-this could be anything up to an hour after the real 10:30! The bikes weren't ready and the phone kept ringing and problems needed to be solved. Secondly, I was the only person who showed up so set off about 11 with Mike, the tour leader and company owner! In my rush and much apologies for being late I forgot to ask either how much it cost or how long the tour would last-neither of these proved a problem as you will see.

We started off in a small square where, apparently, Bogota was founded. It was a lovely little place with very old buildings round the edge and a lovely fountain in the middle. We then headed up even higher than the centre, passing where Mike lived on the way. He had told me he had a dog and, sure enough, sitting in the sun outside his place was Pachita the terrier. Without much persuasion she came running over and took off after us up the hill. Our first stop was an amazing local market full of beautiful fresh fruit. Mike, took a knife and cut fruit after exotic fruit and offered it to me to try. I have no idea what half of it was but it was amazing. The bill after the end was about a pound and the entertainment was provided by Pachita barking at everyone who dared to come near to us!

After that, we headed down the hill past lots of original Bogota houses to the Plaza del Bolivar, said by some to be where the first mass may have been celebrated in the imposing cathedral on one side of the square. Also in the square is the Palacio de Justicia, the seat of the Supreme Court. There was a rather a sad and peaceful display outside where many breeze blocks painted white had signs on the front with the names of those who had died in the violence suffered in Colombia and also banners with the names of kidnap victims whose whereabouts was still unknown. It was a stark reminder of the underlying trouble which Colombia is trying to overcome. Some of the buildings round the square are old and some, where the originals were destroyed by guerillas, are modern. The square was full of people, hawkers and beggars and, wait for it, several llamas, saddled up for the children to ride and have their photo taken on!

Our ride continued through parks and through throngs of people at a market, stopping at another big square for a refreshing fruit drink. I not even sure what it was but, sweet, white and with chunks of white fruit in complete with seeds in which it seems it is acceptable to spit out on the street! We hadn't paid when suddenly the vendor asked for the money and started panicking along with all the other street sellers, we looked round to see the police van slowly trying to move through the throng as everyone grabbed their groundsheets or hurridly pushed their drinks cart away! The only one unmoved seemed to be the old woman whose wares were hanging round her neck. Can you see from the photo? Believe it or not it's rat poison!!

After a phone call, Mike announced that someone else would be joining us. How on earth he knew where Tommy, a young Canadian, would be waiting is beyond me but we suddenly happened on him and then we were three! Our tour continued until we reached the bullring. I had read about this in the trusty Lonely Planet which said it was only open from January to March. Mike, however, had other plans. We stopped outside a huge gate where, almost unnoticeable, there was a high bell on the side which Mike rang. A security guard came and let us in-it seemed that Mike had an arrangement that, for a small tip, the guard was happy to let us look around. We left our bikes safely inside the gate and walked into the bullring. I have very mixed feelings about the sport. It is very traditional and, I understand, an amazing spectacle but it is also a very cruel sport. This aside, the building is amazing especially with just the 3 of us being able to feel the atmosphere even with it completely empty and it was very interesting to sit for a while and talk about our views and feelings about bull fighting amongst ourselves.

By now it was around 2 and we cycled on, mostly on pavements which, it seems is acceptable, slaloming the pedestrians and through a lovely park. In the park we stopped to buy corn on the cob and little potatoes and drinks. You picked the corn you wanted from a range of part cooked ones and the front of the stall and paid depending on the relative size of your chosen goody-quite what EC Weights & Measures authorities would have to say about this beggars believe!

Our tour continued wending it's way through parts of Bogota I would either never have discovered or would never have dared to go to on my own. We went through a university campus where we had to stop at the entrance to complete a form detailing that we had 3 bikes. We had to hand this in the other end so the security guards knew we hadn't stolen the bikes from inside! We rode through streets which were, apparently, built by British bankers coming to Colombia to set up shop. Mike asked if they looked British, I said "yes" assuming you would build you house combining around 500 years of architecture in one building, from Elizabethan chimneys to Georgian windows! And, as if the tour wasn't amazing enough, Mike gave us the option of riding through the red-light district. He was very honest, he said it wasn't the best part of Bogota but he said they had never ever had a problem. Trusting his judgement, Tommy and I both agreed and, somewhat gallantly, the guys put me in the middle and off we went. Like everywhere in Bogota, you would not go there at night but, in the afternoon, it was thronging with people and just another fascinating part of the city. The statue here is outside the Police Headquarters and is made of thousands of melted-down weapons which have been surrended

As thunder rumbled in the background we wend our way back to the Bike Tours shop around 5. By this time I was a little worried that I wouldn't have enough money. I'd assumed the tour would take around 2 or 3 hours and had no idea I would be out for the whole day. I quietly, and slightly embarrassedly, asked Mike how much it cost..the answer...25,000 pesos. Remember the exchange rate in an earlier blog? This is around £9!!! For a whole day tour!

We got back just in time as the heavens opened. I asked Mike to call me a taxi but, because of the rain, he couldn't get one, so, my adventurous day continued. I've mentioned Bogota's mad little buses before but they also have a new, modern, bus system, the Trans-Milenio. This has dedicated lanes and runs around the city. In Mike's shop was a nice young chap, Michael, he was half American and half British with a Granny in Brighton! What a sweetheart, he walked me through the rain to the nearest Trans-Milenio stop-more of a station really, a long platform in the middle of the road with doors which open when the bus comes in. He helped me with the map, figured out which bus I needed and where to get off, sorted out paying and planted me by the correct door for my bus! It took me about 6 blocks from the hotel so a brisk walk got me safely back to the Andino Royal!