So, after we left the museum we decided to take a long (and much needed) walk around the center, which is the oldest part of the city. I was able to take photos without getting killed, which unfortunately is a reality as a result of the amount of poverty that exists. After all, this is a third-world country. However, I hope I captured a different view of this place, for those of you who always tell me that they imagine me hanging out on some mountain in the jungle. You’re a bit off, but not completely. ;)

We stopped off to have a cup of coffee at a cute little place- Cafe Pasaje. This cafe has been sitting on the same corner for the last six decades. All the while, it’s been known for it’s diverse clientele of artists, politicians, college students, and emerald dealers.

I usually don’t take my coffee black, but I had to here. It’s that good.

Two men getting their shoes shined at Cafe Pasaje while drinking “carajillo” (black coffee with fire water & lime) You just don’t see this kind of thing in New York. 

From here we walked up from the center to La Candelaria, another part of the city equally as old (both founded around the 1500’s).

We were passing this beautiful house when my mom’s friend, Juan, turns to me and tells me that if I go inside, I’ll findmyself two inches away from an original Picasso. Um…what? Turns out Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist, donated his private collection along with much of his own work to the gov’t- so that everyone could have free access to what is now one the largest international art collections in South America. It was a totally random find and probably my favorite part of the day. 

(Below) A Botero piece. I think there’s an underlying ass obsession in this country…

Dad loved this one.

Death Playing the Guitar by Botero

Venus Sleeping by Botero - Lots of fat folks in his art, I like it. 

I’ve been in Colombia since the 22nd of December, but I just got to do some exploring around central Bogota. Since it’s been the holidays and all that, I’ve spent most of the time eating like a pig and spending quality time with the family.

Today was finally time to close my peak and get out of the house. We started off at the Museum of Gold, which I’ve been dying to go to since I was like 14. It’s hard to get all touristy during my visits though because I have such a ginormous number of family members that I don’t get to see very often. Luckily, I had the opportunity today, and I have to admit, I was as excited as a little girl on her way to Disney. Except, that I got to go be the huge geek that I am and learn about mysteries surrounding the indigenous tribes of Colombia, the legends surrounding “El Dorado,” and, of course,  to be around a breath-taking amount of ancient GOLD. I also got to finally take out my smartphone to take pictures without getting mugged, which was a nice change.

This was probably my favorite part of the museum. You enter this round room that’s pitch black— the doors close and once everyone is inside, the room begins to lighten little by little in different colors, until you look around and realize you’re completely encircled by gold.

The center of the floor in the Gold room. Um, yea….I was pretty tempted to steal the massive chunk of emerald in the middle.

Golden depictions of shamans in meditative states in which they believed they turned into birds and were able to glide through the upper, intermediate, and underworld. Yeah, they pretty much stayed high 24/7.

Yup, more stoned, flying shamans.

Some of the shamans’ favorite things. Coca leaves (left) & Yopo (Right). Coca (no, not cocaine) was used by chieftains and shamans to help them think and to renew and transmit sacred knowledge, because of the effects it had on activating the powers of concentration, memory, and speech. Yopo is a mild hallucinogen, which was also consumed to reach a state of nirvana, and it was said to reveal the truths of life and death.

I loved this. I want to hang it in my room. This piece of jewelery represents time, which was conceived as being cyclical or like a spiral, inspired by events repeated in nature, such as the movements in the stars, animals reproducing, and….a woman’s menstrual cycle. So basically, this represents PMS to me. Don’t ask me how, it just does. And I want it.

Not sure what this is, except that it’s shiny and basically prehistoric. I, like, a small child, become mesmerized by shiny objects. Oh, and this particular piece also happens to be the reason the Museum of Gold was founded. Probably because of the two reasons stated above.

This one is pretty straight forward, a man (probably of high social standing from the looks of his head ornaments and jewelery) holding his penis.

Love this statue. Further proof that my race is the reason my butt is so big.