Bogotá

Day 182 – Expensive Gold and Cheap Haircuts

This morning we took a walk around the area where we were staying, Candelaria, an upmarket area in the CBD.  Our first task this morning was to visit the nearby Museo del Oro (Museum of Gold).

We entered and after consulting the map, were pretty sure we had underestimated the time needed to visit the extensive exhibits spread over three levels – underestimated because I had made an appointment with a hair dresser for a bit over an hour and a half later. 

Lucky for us they let us leave and come back on the same ticket, so after an hour I went round the corner to my appointment while Matt went back to the hostel to research which of a various shopping malls may satisfy his taste and desperate need for some new clothes.  After only 20 minutes I had had most of my hair cropped whilst concurrently receiving a manicure and all for about $15!  I spent another 20 minutes on the street waiting for Matt to come back, as we had both thought getting 5 inches of hair cropped would take at least an hour!  He was only coming back to see if I had any translation issues.  There was only one (the fringe, of which I am not sure I am a fan) but it was too late!  …it will grow.

So it was back to the Gold Museum.  Surprisingly we were allowed to take photos, so here are a few of the hundreds of artefacts that were hiding behind huge vaulted doors:

Most of the objects were ceremonial type artefacts or trinkets found in the tombs of kings dating back to before the Europeans arrived.  All of the exhibits where translated into English also, so it was a bit more interesting to read some stuff rather than just marvel at the intricacy, which is what its normally like if we bother to visit a museum. 

There was one exhibit that scared the crap out of us as without any signs or warnings about claustrophobia and the like, we walked into one small room and the sliding doors began to close behind us and all the lights switched off!  For about 30 seconds we were standing in the pitch dark, trapped with two others, wondering what had happened.  Then some lights lit up the exhibits in different sections in the cabinets in time to some very loud indigenous music and we relaxed a little.  It went on for about 5 minutes and then at the end, darkness again for another minute or so until the big doors began to slide back open and we could see light again!  Freaky!

 
The museum houses 50,000 pieces and as well as gold, there is also pottery, stonework, jewellery and other artefacts and information and maps of other precious metals found in Colombia.  Gold was by far the most prominent though.

After the museum we had a quick snack of banana chippies and we were on the bus to Matt’s chosen shopping mall for some clothes.  Unsurprisingly, the mall he had chosen was right opposite the Bogota Beer Company’s main bar and so we both tried their Red Ale (to ease the stress of shopping) before heading into the mall.  We emerged from the mall an hour or so later, successful.  Now they will let Matt on the Ocean Princess in three weeks time instead of telling him no derelicts allowed.

I had already eyed off a cheap deal on green curry near our hostel for dinner, so we headed to Yumi Yumi, with the help of directions from a friendly street urchin.  We had red curry, but it was still good and cheap.  What was even better though, was the fruit smoothies they made!

 

Day 183 – Warning: Every 18 year old Colombian male has an automatic weapon.

First stop today was a walk over to Donación Botero aka the Botero Museum.  Ferdinand Botero was actually born in Medellin (so we have already seen some of his stuff there ie those bronze sculptures in the park), but the main display of stuff is in Bogota and was donated to the city, together with some other International art and all shown for free in a beautiful restored mansion.  It’s easy to tell a Botero by the ‘proportionally exaggerated’ (aka fat) figures.

The Candelaria area of Bogota.

Botero’s take on the Mona Lisa.

A rather plump horsie.

A chubby bronze hand in the foyer.

Typical Colonial Spanish courtyard in the centre of the building.

A bronze gumby (by someone who was not Botero!)

Chumpy birdie – Botero.

In the building opposite the Botero Museum there was a small collection of old instruments that we couldn’t resist having a look at.  No clarinets or bassoons though.

After the Botero Museum we took a walk around some of the older parts of town and through one of the main squares where a protest was being held in relation workers rights outside the Capitol Building.  Then it was on to the Police Museum.

Griffins watch over the roof of the Capitol Building.

Capilla del Sagrario and Catedral Primada, also in the square.

The National Police Historical Museum was built between 1923 and 1926 and was the Police HQ before it was a museum.  The museum houses all kinds of memorabilia such as a 1800’s prisoner transport cart, an original printing press used to print the police news, hundreds of medals and badges from all different forces all over the world and examples of different uniforms both life size and in miniature.  There is also information and displays about the evolution of the police in Colombia and about the various high profile incidents they have dealt with over the years.  A large section of the museum is dedicated to the hunt for the infamous Pablo Escobar and the rest of his cronies in the Medellin Cartel and includes all their mug shots, a photo and life size model of Escobar just after the police shot him in 1993 and various other gory photos and bits and pieces of equipment that the police used to capture him.

 
The “Most Wanted” poster issued by police for Escobar’s capture.  The police had to issue four of these as Escobar received a number of plastic surgeries to change his appearance.

The police motto, coined by the oldest currently serving police officer:
“If you want to be happy for one day, get drunk.  If you want to be happy for one year, get married.  If you want to be happy for a lifetime, join the police.”

Miniature versions of uniforms of the World.  These were the most interesting:  Saudi Arabia, Chad and Bahamas.

Matt in the gun room.

The view over Bogota from the roof of the museum building.  The building is an example of Republican architecture with a French influence.

A cocaine press used by the Medellin Cartel with their symbol in-printed on each pack.

Our guide spoke decent English so we asked him a few questions about police in Colombia and finally found out why the police on the streets all look so young!  All 18 year old males in Colombia must serve in either the Army (for 1.5 years) or the Police (for only 1 year) and so many of them chose the police because it is less time!  Our guide was in this category and was waiting to finish his service so he could go to university and study electrical engineering.

After the museum we had a delicious satay noodle stir-fry before we hopped on the bus to Zipaquira.  We had a wonder around town when we got there and found some food, but nothing much else and we were the only gringos again!