Tuesday, 30th July at Casa Deco Hotel in Bogota, Colombia.

Casa Deco Hotel

Casa Deco is classified as a boutique property, located in Candelaria, the old part of Bogota. We have a corner room on the third floor, with a small balcony overlooking the cobbled streets and colourful buildings. Breakfast has been superb and the staff are wonderful. In fact everyone we meet is friendly and welcoming. We have not felt uncomfortable or concerned walking around the city. 

City Sights

The main attractions are located in easy walking distance from Casa Deco. There is an abundance of graffiti. In fact, if you so desire, you can do a graffiti tour. Some is colourful and descriptive, but unfortunately there is a lot of ugly scribble on many buildings and in the Plaza de Bolivar, the central statue to Simon Bolivar is marred by graffiti. There are also thousands of scruffy pigeons, encouraged by the sale of corn. They, regrettably, make a horrible mess.

Attractive graffiti – but it means “nuisance”

Culture

We have been culture vultures for the last two days. Yesterday afternoon we visited the Fernando Botero Museum. Botero is Colombia’s most famous artist and sculptor. Born in Medellin in 1932, he died last year. Botero had homes all around the world where he produced a different form of art in each location. Still life painting, sculptures or paintings of large, exaggerated volume figures.

One of Botero’s voluminous figures

Another.

In 1995 a 10kg bomb was placed under one of his bronze statues on display in Medellin, killing 23 people and injuring over 200. The perpetrators were never caught. A horrified Botero insisted the damaged statue remain in place as a ‘monument to the country’s imbecility and criminality’. He donated a replica, which stands next to it.

One of Botero’s sculptures

Botero donated many of his paintings and sculptures to the museum in Bogota, along with works he had collected from other famous artists, such as Picasso, Dali, Monet, Lucian Freud, Henry Moore and numerous others.

A Picasso

A Salvador Dali fetish.

Today dawned miserable and wet. So, another indoor museum beckoned. The Museo del Oro, or Gold Museum. This turned out to be one of the best museums we have visited. Obviously, because of their value, all of the exhibits are behind glass. Everything is beautifully set out and explanations are in both Spanish and English. 34,000 pieces of gold, the largest collection of prehispanic gold in the world.

Magnificent Muisca Raft

An absolutely stunning piece is the Muisca Raft which is said to have inspired the legend of El Dorado. The legend says that there was once a place on the South American Continent where everything was made of gold. Many obsessed Europeans travelled great distances searching for it’s hidden treasures. 

A Jaguar or Panther inspired death mask, representing a strong man.

Hopefully, the weather will be better tomorrow, when we plan to visit Monserrate, the mountain overlooking the city. Today the view wouldn’t have been at its best. Later in the evening we will depart Bogota for Cartagena. 

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