Plaza de Bolivar-- Bogota's main square. The colonial buildings are pretty, but I find the history of rebel groups occasionally taking over important buildings, the military responding by firing cannons into them, etc., much more thrilling.
Bogota is known for its cold, rainy climate and horrible traffic problems-- both of which I experienced at length. This particular evening we went 10 kilometers in 90 minutes.
Another Simon Bolivar. I have never seen so many statues of the same man in such a small area. This particular Bolivar is actually him (there's another "Bolivar" which is the figure of Julius Caeser), graffiti-covered, and occasionally has clothes lines around the periphery where people dry their underwear. Way up at the top of this photo, you can spot Monserrate, a church perched on top of the mountain.
Bogota Beer Company (the other BBC). Andean microbreweries are almost non-existent, and the few I have located in Ecuador have left a LOT to be desired. Either the good beer bar has been readjusted to an extremely low level, or BBC was actually kind of impressive.
One of the 3 times I spotted the sun, although it was vague and receding beyond the cityscape.
Snapped this picture of the Colombian coat of arms about 15 seconds before I was frisked and searched by military men with big hats and bigger guns. Travel note: there is a sidewalk outside of the Colombian President's house, but you should not stand on it.
I arrived in Colombia during the thick of my amigo's sociology thesis research, which revolves around class stratification and leisure practices in Bogota's nightclub district. Basically we went dancing and brought the voice recorder.
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