Our first full day in Bogota was amazing - we were able to sightsee, taste local cuisine and really explore the city. We started with breakfast at our hotel and really enjoyed the arepas served alongside our meal (we are also loving the daily hotel free breakfast which seems to be a staple pretty much everywhere so far). We then set off to explore La Candelaria, a popular historic neighborhood in Bogota that is located near many tourist destinations. When we left our hotel the sky was clear so we headed directly to Monserrate to ride the gondola up the mountain and take in the city views. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived it had started to rain so we decided to switch up the plan and hope for better weather later in the day. We walked down the hill a bit to the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) and spent a few hours looking at shiny things and learning about the history of metallurgy within South America.
Just doing a little window shopping in the gold museum.
Pure gold. The detail on each piece was really impressive.
Alex and I aren't really museum people, which is to say we'll enjoy browsing one for a couple hours but generally prefer outdoor sightseeing. That said, I would recommend a stop at the Museo del Oro if you are ever in Bogota.
Next, we decided to stop for coffee at the nearest Juan Valdez and then walked over to the Plaza de Simon Bolivar, a central square in La Candelaria.
Plaza de Simon Bolivar (plus too many pigeons to count).
After walking around the square, avoiding the pigeons and checking out some of the surrounding historical buildings we decided to try Monserrate again. This time, the sky looked clear so we booked our gondola tickets and headed up the mountain.
Not the gondola, but view of a train track to show how steep it is. Eek!
I'm so glad we waited until the weather cleared up a bit as the views from the top were totally breathtaking.
A little sunny on the top of Monserrate.
Panoramic view of Bogota from Monserrate.
Taking in the view.
Being able to see Bogota from the top of Monserrate was one of our trip highlights so far - definitely make sure you stop here if you come to Colombia!
Once we came down the mountain it was after 3pm and we were starving. After watching Anthony Bourdain in Bogota on Parts Unknown, we made a point to stop at La Puerto Falsa, the local restaurant he visited to get some authentic Colombian food. For about USD$20 we had a traditional Colombian meal consisting of two huge tamales, ajiaco and chocolate completo. Ajiaco is a hearty soup consisting of chicken, corn and potatoes served with rice and avocado and it was delicious; we would definitely want this if we were feeling under the weather! Chocolate completo, on the other hand, is literally hot chocolate, buttered bread and cheese. We found this to be a very strange combination but When In Rome!
Traditional Colombian fare.
After a very filling meal, we headed to the Museo Botero, which houses pieces by Colombian artist Fernando Botero (knownfor his full bodied figures) as well as other famous artists like Picasso, Chagall and Monet. The museum was free and we had a great time checking out the art and the beautiful courtyard.
Still taking in the view.
I swear I know left from right.
The museum courtyard was as impressive as the art.
After visiting the museum it was time for a beer so we took a cab to the Bogota Beer Company, where BBC does not mean Bailey's Banana Coloda. We tried a couple local brews before calling it a day and walking back to our hotel. We covered a lot of ground today and are so glad we were able to see so much of Bogota. We are excited for the next two days!