More exploring

Since my last visit to el centro, I have been creating a list of all the things I want to see and do.  Surprise, suprise...so unlike me...
Anyhow, at 7:30am Juan Carlos and I hopped on a bus with list in hand and did not stop until 4:30pm when we got on a bus to head back home.  We covered quite a bit of ground and I forgot to take photos of everything!  (Too caught up in the moment!)

First stop:  La Puerta Falsa for the best tamal in Bogotá. Maybe the world.  

Tamal with chocolate and agua de panela accompanies by almojabana, queso, and pan.  This was NOT a light breakfast.

  

Next stop:  Juan Valdez.   La Puerta Falsa does NOT serve coffee, despite being in Colombia.  Loved the restaurant, but still needed the coffee.

Stop #3: BOOKSTORE!  Part of the Centro Cultural Gabriel García Márquez, this bookstore was BIG.  And not every book was wrapped in plastic, per usual, so I could actually peruse for real.  Delightful.

Stop #4:  Popped into La Casa de Moneda...but realized I'd already been.

Stop #5:  Another stroll through La Candelaria.  I just can't get enough.

La Candelaria - I love it!

Stop #6:  Break to try Chicha...at 10am.  Gross on multiple levels.  This is a fermented beverage made of maiz (corn).  It is very strong...and pretty terrible.  You could nurse this over a great conversation on a Friday evening...but on a Saturday morning it's best to take a few sips to say you tried it and dump the rest down the drain.  Thanks to my friend Hillary for telling me about this must-try...check.

Happy to be checking this item off my list.  Never again...well, never say never I suppose.

Stop #7: El parque de la independencia.  It was pretty cloudy and about to rain, so we didn't linger tool long.  Will need to return another day...with a good book.

Stop #8:  El Museo Nacional.  Definitely need Juan Carlos with me for this.  I had a lot of questions about the history and about the vocabulary. :)

The museum is in an old prison.  Absolutely gorgeous inside and out.

Stop #9:  La Macarena for lunch.  It was raining when we left the museum but I wanted to check out La Macarena...so we booked it with my tiny pink umbrella to a street filled with what all seemed like wonderful restaurants.  We chose the Mexican one.  I've been missing Texas a bit lately.

After lunch, the sun was out and on our way to bus I spotted this:
 

Seems fitting for the weekend...but certainly bizarre for the middle of Bogotá.

Great day...but I'm exhausted.

La Candelaria

Sadly, it has taken me 7 months to hop on a bus (only ONE bus) and go downtown (el centro).  This is the heart of Bogotá where the city's first neighborhood was established and where the museums and the government are.  There is so much going on and so much culture.  It's old and run-down in many ways but the beauty in the history of it all is breathtaking.  Two of my new friends, Tiffany and Juan Pablo, invited me to go see a parade downtown.  We went early because I wanted to walk around and enjoy the city.  Here's a glimpse of our 2-hour stroll....so lovely...

Old Convent, converted into loft apartments.  Sweet!