Walking around in Bogota

20 Oct 2017

Bogota surprised me. I had read about it being a favorite city on various Reddit and Threads posts, so I was curious to see what made it tick boxes. From others' experiences, I had formed a rough idea of what to expect but the city knocked my socks off—in a good way.

The mountains. They are not just a backdrop but rather a defining feature of city's character and lifestyle. At an elevation of 2,600 meters, you need to be prepared for any weather when you step outside. One moment it might be raining, and the next you might need sunscreen.

The walking and cycling infrastructure. Sure it's not The Netherlands but it surely it is about 80% there despite being colonized and looted by their neighbors. I walked and cycled extensively every day in various directions from my stay, and never had to share the route with motors or cars.

The Ciclovía. Every Sunday and on public holidays, the city closes off about 120 kilometers of its main streets to motor vehicles, transforming them into car-free zones from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This allows people to walk, cycle, skate, and engage in activities of their choice on the road. Interestingly, this has been going on for the past 48 years. And now that I think about it, it's dumb to not allow this in all other cities of the world.

The murals. They are more than just excellent looking paintings on the wall in Bogota. In 70s they were a way to resist unfair political and social structures. In 90s they became an expression for artists. In 00s they were officially legalized and now these murals have become an integral part of Bogota identity.

The history. No visit to these countries is complete without reading about the atrocities committed by the colonizers. The history of insatiable hunger to wipe out the unique, self sustained civilization and force their own language and religion on the people originally living here. These atrocities are documented well in the Gold Museum in Bogota.

The people. I met exactly two people who could understand English yet I was never helpless. Everyone was eager to smile on my dumbness of not knowing their language yet they tried their best. Everyone happy to pose. Everyone happy to say thanks when I sent them their mediocre portraits. The country is facing an immigration problem from Venezuela but they hope the new president is going to turn things around.

Here're some photos I took during my stay:

Muisca raft: It is believed that this artifact represents a ritual in which the Muisca chief would cover himself in gold dust and sail to the center of Lake Guatavita, where he would make offerings of gold and precious treasures to the gods. This ceremony is believed to have inspired the myth of El Dorado, the legendary city of gold that spurred numerous expeditions by Spanish conquistadors. No surprises here.