Bogotá Uncovered: One Week in the City of Contrasts
I left Cartagena for a week’s stay in the capital of Bogota, a city 8500 feet above sea level with a population of over 8 million. Bogota is Colombia’s cultural center as it dominates all forms of cultural expressions. A modern city with a beautiful historic center with much of its ancestral architecture still in place. No longer one of the most violent cities in the world, Bogota today is a melting pot of all cultures from different regions known for its cuisine, murals, street markets, festivals and art. I stayed several blocks from the historic, colorful Candelaria neighborhood, visiting many of its museums and historic buildings as well as making a trip to the popular Andean Mountains to visit a friend. If you have plans to come to Bogota, check out my week in this amazing city ….
But First A Bit of History
Usually before I arrive at any country, I read as much as possible to better understand how these places and its people evolve and thrive in today’s complex world. It’s fair to say Colombia has a long history of armed conflicts, starting with its colonization of so many indigenous groups and fighting for its freedom from Spain. There are also the decades of guerilla fighting and conflicts with the cartels.
Bogota, represents an essential part of Colombia’s rich history becoming the colonial center of the New World. After conquering and colonizing the region’s Muisca people, Bogota over time established itself as a society wanting its freedom from Spain. This was made possible by Simon Bolivar who became known as the liberator of most of South America (for a great summary of Bolivar’s victories and failures, click here, an interesting read).
By the 1900s, Bogota became the heart of Colombia’s political and cultural life, only to experience a period of civil unrest known as La Violencia and the Bogotazo riots. In fact, for several decades, Bogota struggled with a great deal of instability and violence brought on by guerrilla conflicts and drug cartel fighting. In the last 20 years, Bogota has overcome much of its checkered past, having undergone significant socio-economic changes while raising its profile as an international modern city. Unlike Cartagena, I found Bogota racially less diverse. It is truly a brown city of people representing a blend and variety of native ethnicities. It important to note that Bogota’s indigenous communities (reduced to 0.5%) mostly live in marginal neighborhoods, experiencing both displacement and high rates of poverty. Indeed, Bogota is a beautiful city of many cultures with a good amount of inequality.
Arriving in Bogota
A flight from Cartagena to Bogota is about 90 minutes. Once I arrived, I immediately felt the change in altitude requiring me to breathe a bit harder than usual. I was also experiencing a bit more pain on my back which added to my discomfort during my entire week in Bogota. My driver was waiting and immediately helped me purchase a cup of coca tea leaves to lessen the effects of the altitude. Driving through the city, you get to experience its density and modernization framed by the Andean mountains that surround this urban metropolis.
To my surprise, when we arrived to the apartment located in the historic colonial center, it was on a popular pedestrian walk. The place looked like a flea market with hundreds of street vendors, including retail businesses. I managed to maneuver my luggage to the place, accessing the building by code. I met the property manager who help get me to my suite which was smaller than what I remembered when I booked it. Once I got settled, I stepped out for a walk to pick up some groceries and familiarize myself with the area.
Bogota’s Street Markets
The pedestrian walk is about 8 blocks long, serving both pedestrians and bike riders. It is permanently closed to traffic and is central to the city’s colonial center, several blocks from the Candelaria neighborhood and its many museums and historic sites. The pedestrian walk is quite wide and is full of street vendors selling just about anything you can think of, both old and new. There are street vendors with a variety of carts, many set up with table stands, others just laid their merchandise on the ground for you to browse. Vendors are walking and selling on the streets. Some of the vendors sound like auctioneers while others have a tape-recording blasting from a speaker. The entire walkway is noisy, scattered, packed and just off the charts. The first couple of days, I was a bit intimidated, but eventually got used to its cultural elements. On the weekend, it is even more crowded with many entertainers, beggars and solo vendors. Besides the street vendors, there is significant retail on both sides of the streets. Some actually sell the same items as street vendors. There are also cafes, restaurants and service shops. Every day and into the night, this place attracts thousands of people.
Bogota is well known for its street markets, as they are called. They are everywhere and are an essential part of the city’s economy. There are some street and flea markets opened on the weekends or on certain days, some specializing in specific food, crafts and household items. This type of retail vending underscores a form of much needed employment in many parts of Colombia. They are a necessity for thousands of individuals and families depending on the retail for their livelihood. There are no permits or regulations to stop anyone from selling on the streets. As a foodie snob, I don’t recommend the purchase of any food item, no matter how good it looks or smell. This is also true when drinking water.
I have taken many photos of this immersive cultural experience. At times, I found the experience puzzling, yet of great interest. What is amazing is how everyday these vendors come early in the morning to unpack and layout their goods and by the end of the evening, repack and head home until the next day, regardless of how much they earned.
In my travels, I find that street vending is critical to both developed and underdeveloped countries, especially the latter.
What I Did and Loved About Bogota
With only a one-week stay in Bogota, I had to prioritize my sightseeing on top of managing my back pain and the need to finish off last month’s newsletter. I decided to focus mostly on exploring the colonial center of the city with plans to do a day trip to the Andean Mountains to visit a colleague. The weather in February is much like spring, wearing most of the time a jacket although we had one rainy day. Bogota’s colonial architecture, historic churches, plazas, palaces, cobblestone streets, murals, retail, museums and street markets are a big draw for both locals and tourists. Here is what I liked …
La Candelaria Neighborhood is the historic center of Bogotá and is home to many museums, historic churches, government palaces, and pristine colonial buildings along narrow cobblestone streets, The architecture of the city is exceptionally beautiful when compared to other colonial historic centers. The area is meticulously maintained, with significantly larger buildings and well-managed streets. Not as colorful as the city of Cartagena but definitely more elegant and classic. In the peripheral of the colonial center, you begin to see a blending of modern architecture with the past. I spent a good amount of time in this area as it is best known for its museums, art galleries, libraries, bookstores, restaurants and a lot more.
Museums – I visited five+ museums, unfortunately the Botero Museo was closed for renovations all week. All were worthy of a visit with several being open to the public with no admission fee. Here is a quick review:
Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) Indeed, quite stunning and educational. The design and layout of the galleries that support a significant numbers of gold pieces are well orchestrated. I loved everything about it and highly recommend it.
Museo de la Moneda (Mint Museum) I had time to kill and the museum was free and so why not? No regrets, as the museum does an outstanding job of offering its viewers an account of the economic history of Colombia from its Pre-Hispanic times to the present. Do go!
The National Museum of Colombia – This is a vast museum and can take all day. It represents every aspect of Colombian life and culture, starting with its Pre-Hispanic societies. I loved that the museum’s exhibits did not shy away from the country’s horrid past of colonization and slavery. It offers a frank and candid accounts of its history, both good and bad along with the works of some of its most well-known modern artists.
Miguel Urrutia Art Museum MAMU- This museum belongs to the Bank of the Republic. One of the largest collections in Colombia encompassing all forms of artworks from the 15th century to the 21st. Thrill to see many of Botero’s works donated by him. Not to be missed.
Bogotá Museum of Modern Art MAMBO – An impressive modern building with a good place for a lunch break. The museum features artists from all over the world. I did not particularly care for many of its current exhibitions on modern art. They were a bit to off the beaten path. However, I loved its photo library and photography exhibition.
Bogota has over 40 museums of all sizes. There were several other smaller museum houses I was able to visit. The city is also known for its theater, concerts and many universities.
A Visit to the Andean Mountains
Bogota’s landscape consists of a sloping area at the base of two incredibly large mountains (Cerro Guadalupe and Monserrate). I was pleased to have the opportunity to visit a colleague artist, Carlos Salas, who I met in 2023 at the Miami Art Basel. Driving up into the mountains through several neighborhoods was quite an experience as my ears popped. Carlos is both an architect and artist, having built a uniquely stylish home way up in the mountains that contains an art studio, library, guest house and, more recently, the addition of a showroom and art storage facility (instead of a swimming pool). I very much love how he designed his home. The home is a modern grey slate building that harmoniously integrates with the native vegetation and offers exceptional views of the Andean Mountains from its living room area. The home incorporates many of Carlos’ works and of other artists, including sculptural pieces from nature, mostly fossils and stones.
Carlos is an internationally known artist who is also a writer. His artworks vary in size. Many cover an entire wall. His artworks are mostly in the abstract field. I especially liked his recent development of circle panels. One of them was displayed on an entire wall to be shipped out to a collector. For more information on Carlos, click here.
Final Note and Photos
There are many other sites to visit in Bogota, but time was not on my side. Frankly, I was pleased with what this week’s experience was like and to see another part of Colombia. This is my third story on Colombia. Click below, if you like to read stories on the City of Cartagena and La Guajira and the Wayuu Tribe.
Colombia is a hugely diverse country with so many other cities to visit. Yet, I still have other countries to visit in South America. From Bogota, I am headed to Ecuador. Spending seven weeks in Colombia was indeed amazing. My photos are a compilation of all my experiences in Bogota starting with its colonial architecture, murals, some prime museum pieces, the street markets and vendors, the daily living of its people and finally a few photos of Carlos’ home and art works. As always, remember to click the center of the photo to see a full view of each photograph.
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