Bogota, Colombia

I was supposed to leave for Caracas Venezuela, but missed my flight and then subsequently changed it to Bogota Columbia. So far that has been a great decision. I also love this city. I have visited more museums here in one day than in my entire time in Tucson. A bit hypocritical, I know, but I had the time and was wandering about, and they all just sort of appeared. One dealt with gold from indigenous people, one churches, and one was the private collection of a Columbian artist, Botero (everything he paints looks really fat)Anyway, he had many famous works (Picasso, and many more I know how to say, but not how to spell).
Guess from what museum this is from?

Anyway, I also wandered by the Palace as they were about to change the guard. That was phonomenal. They do it every 3 days, and there was almost nobody to watch. Much better than the often touted affair that happens elsewhere in the world. The below pictures of the red guards physically took down and folded the flag, and are dressed in the original military uniform, the second picture is of the current guard that were changing.


That first evening I went out with a couple of British guys, and met up with some Spaniards, an Irish guy, and a Swiss guy. After getting some dinner, we spoke with some locals who recommended a club we hadn´t heard of, called LA PISCINA. I thought I was leading them to a better place than where they were planning on going, and felt bad when we ended up in the red light district amongst strip clubs, transexuals, and underaged prositutes. In any case, I didn´t feel so bad when we ended up where we were supposed to go, and the electricity was out. We ended up at a bar, split a bottle of rum (the Brits bailed after being mislead at the strip clubs (which we didn´t bother entering) and went home shortly before the sun rose.

The next day (Thursday Sept 24), I ate excellent tamales before going up Monserrate, which offered incredible views. Monica, who I met the evening before, introduced me to the tamales, and we went for a bit of a hike up Monserrate. Quite a lovely day, which included another museum, some internet time at the local university, and the spectacular views from above. Below is a picture of Monica eating tamales, and the view from Monserrate.