Colombia, Oct. 2011

    Katie and I went to Bogota for her to renew her visa For Argentina. I had not been, so, off we flew. Gas is $4.75 gallon. Bogota is in the mountains, so, it seems as if all the sidewalks head up. Motorcycles have license plate # on the back in reflective fabric on fluorescent vests. Taxi's have a meter that ticks off a number for distance, than use a chart to figure the fare. Took the funicular to the top of Monterassat mountain, quite a view over the city, it spreads in front of the mountain. We took a taxi for the day to Zipaquina Salt Mine. The word salary comes from the time salt was used as money. It was more valuable than gold, as gold can only decorate, not eaten or preserve food. On to Villa de Layva, where John Paul II said mass. Very beautiful church in this small village.
      Amazing Zenu canals are south of Cartehena. We saw them in a museum. They had total control of the water for fields and flood prevention. Why can't we do it now?
Speaking of gold. The gold museum has the most gold ever. The Mayans even had gold palettes and little spoons to snort something fun. Used the lost wax technique to make intricate jewelry and keepsakes. One item is made with half balls glued together then granulated, some the size of a pea. Good eyes. Post card cost 4200n peso or $2.37, ouch. The streets are numbered in increasing value going north, called, CALLE. These streets are perpendicular to the mountain. The streets parallel to mountain increase in value going west away from the mountain. Our hotel Casa Deco was at calle 12c 2-16. It was on second street, cross street is 16, going west and 16 is building number.
       Street vendors sell: plantain chips made the long way. fruit, juice, chips, mobile phone time with the phones on a chain, scarves, candy, gum, bottled juice, cigarettes, hot drinks, sandwiches, long snake like churros, figs stuffed with caramel, orange colored sugar and nut sweet-or white coconut, and obleas-which are a thin wafer with dulce de leche in between two of them. Had to try. Traditional dish is made with potato, chicken, corn, then add avocado, caper, cream. The other dish that comes with it is: a sort of tamale in leaves with some corn meal, carrot, pork. Our lasagna was deconstructed- a round of pasta, cheese, spinach with marisco sauce. In the village of Villa de Leyva was my first real meal after the painful tooth pulling. It was laid out so picturesque, BBQ ribs, salad, yucca strips, mango juice. In the hotel the breakfast had different juices every day: guava, guafanea, blackberry, goose berry, guayaba, uchuea. Most new to me and not so sweet, hard to adjust to.
      In the statues of Jesus there are three five tined fork like rays emanating from his crown.  They  represent: understanding, will, memory and/or the three properties of the soul.
      In Bogota was a step fountain meandering many blocks downhill, it had snakes carved in the top of the side part. It must have been marvelous when working. 
     Lots of police and military all over the streets.  Young pretty boys with big truncheons.  At least they got a job.