Today we walked (what felt like) most of Bogota. Around 7 miles to be exact. It was a beautiful day so we figured walking would be a good way to get a feel for more of the city and to explore its parks.
Don't believe Google Maps...it took much longer than 2 hours, 16 minutes!
Our first stop was Parque El Lago, which felt strangely like a mini-golf course. There is, of course, a real golf course on the northern part of the park, but we didn't expect the pond to be surrounded by miniature windmills and waterfalls.
The water was a little murky, but still a nice view to take in while we rested.
Next we navigated our way to Simón Bolívar Park, which was not quite as easy as the map made it seem. Given the highways running right next to the park, the pedestrian walkways were a bit of a maze. It was worth the effort though - the park was a very well-maintained open space with great views of the Andes.
The park's namesake.
The park was very peaceful - only a few other people were walking.
The next, and final, stop on our walking tour was Bogota's Botanical Garden. Admittedly we are a bit spoiled by New York's great botanical gardens, but this was still definitely worth the trip. Lots of diverse plants from different regions of Colombia. While I wouldn't describe this as a "must-do" for others planning a trip to Bogota, it was a great way to spend an afternoon on a beautiful day.
Made some local friends to take this shot - fortunately "photo" is a pretty universal word because that was the only English they spoke!
Beautiful palm trees.
The rose garden.
In the greenhouse: Strelitzia (a.k.a. Bird of Paradise).
After all the walking today, we were ready for a hearty dinner. We grabbed a cab and headed to the Zona Rosa for a beer at La Cerveceria, then walked over to Andrés Carne de Res for dinner. We'd read a lot about this restaurant - it is frequently recommended on travel sites - so we were ready for "the experience." It's a huge place (four stories) and the atmosphere is very lively. The menu is huge (literally 70 pages) so deciding what you want is a little difficult. And the servers all wear Pieces of Flair. I would describe it as the Bogota version of Cheesecake Factory meets TGI Fridays, so naturally Sarah loved it. We ended up having a really good meal - the perfect end to the day.
The bibs were necessary.
Only the sauces remain.