Strolling in La Candelaria
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| Artifact depicting Muisca king covered in gold making an offering to god |
Probably the first thought that comes to mind, thinking of
Colombia, is the legend of El Dorado. Starting from 16th century among
Europeans conquistadors, navigators, and explorers emerged a legend of gold
riches hidden somewhere in the northern part of South America (present day
Colombia). This was based on Spanish expedition encounters of local tribes that
extensively used gold in their ceremonies. Worth noting that for the locals
gold was a decoration, symbol of power, as where for Europeans gold was money,
the means of power. Several expeditions discovered a tribe that had a tradition
of throwing gold items into lake Guatavita in order to please their god. This
encounter and subsequent finding hundreds of golden artifacts in the lake solidified
the belief in a legend. Since then multiple expeditions have gone there and
many more haven't returned back. If interested, here is 3-minutes-to-read article
from National Geographic on this account. Contemporary travelers can relate to
this myth in the Museum of Gold. I really liked the Museo del Oro (in Spanish),
I think it is the perfect way to be introduced to the country. The museum is
interactive (with a small theater room, enclosed room with presentation of a
ceremony, and hundreds of gold figurines), the exhibits have some English
description, and audio guide is available as well. Definitively worth visiting.
A tip for travelers - on Sundays all museums are free.
My next stop was Museo Botero, MAMU (art museum), and Museo Casa de
Moneda. All three located withing the same venue. Here, traveler can spend
either half a day or couple of hours, depending on the preferences. Personally,
I didn't really understand works of the local and most famous (or "the
most Colombian of Colombian artists" as he refers to himself) painter from
Colombia - Fernando Botero. Although word renowned for his figurative style of
paintings and sculptures, I was unable to connect to his acclaimed portraits
of "fat" people, although I found interest in his personal
collection, that includes works of Chagall, Picasso, and Paul Gauguin (if I am
not mistaken the latter). The MAMU hosts permanent collections of Latin American
artists and Coin museum has extensive collections of artifacts, from minting
for the Crown of Spain in 17th century till recent banknote's printing.
Overall, these venues appeared informative, entertaining, and popular among
tourists as well as locals. My personal opinion is that a busy traveler might
skip this attraction without losing much of cultural information.
Another authentic experience can be a casual stroll in El Centro, which
is entertaining in itself. Street performers, vendors, art and snack sellers
complete the picture of the bustling Latin American city. Although something
very different, something I haven't seen in other places, caught my eyes in
Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo. It seemed to me that this plaza is known
for bohemian type of crowd/performance gatherings - strikingly dressed
people everywhere, live music and... storytelling. Yes, modern days 'live
fiction' that unfolds people's stories. An audience is sitting on rows of
stairs and
listening to anecdotes, or rather acted stories. Anyone can chime in and
add/tell his/her story or thought, which makes every narrative exclusive. I was
compelled to note, that the spectators belong to different social statuses,
kids and elders, couples and random people, tourists and locals, and all were
drawn in, interested in these unique narratives. If interested, here is the article that
illustrates this phenomenon in details.
My last suggested stop is Primatial Cathedral of Bogota that holds the
remains of the city's founder Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. I was astonished by
its size, simplicity, and spaciness. Although rather plainly decorated
interior, it still holds history in its walls. A place where exhausted traveler
can sit and quietly reflect on the passed day.
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| Self-portrait of Botero in his typical style |
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| La Catedral de Bogota |
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