Change of Plans

I had already made my standard plans for today but an early morning phone call asking me if I wanted to visit downtown Bogota was too good to miss out on.

The trip down started at 10 by transmilenio the "metro" type bus system that runs north south in Bogota, the city is so big though that to reach the centre area takes approx 45 minutes, and the bus is always sardine city (A bit like the tokyo underground but without the staff pushing people in)(People do that for themselves). I did smile again on getting on at the small no entry type sign which sits over a pistol image basically telling people to keep guns off the bus! Needless to say thankfully I dont see any.

I have visited this area before but it was the day after I arrived in Bogota in a trip organised by the school and was very much a "flying" visit as they showed us around. The area is where Bogota as a city started and the main square is the same size and in the same place that it was first laid out at the start of the City of Bogota. During my time down today we visited the Gold Museum (Though due to rebuilding a much smaller version is sited in the Museo de Arte, this is very limited and I am now glad I went back in October as I have truly seen much more than was on view today.

Obviously going in a group slows down the pace a bit and as such I didn[t get back till later than I expected.

I took a variety of pictures some of which I have added below mostly over the rooftops..because I thought they were interesting rooftops.










One of the areas we travelled through was the Presedential Palace area, Its a very basic palace as palaces go surrounded by troops some in ceremonial dress (The Presedential Guard) others in full combat gear but all weapons were set to safe with a plastic plug in the breach to stop the rifle being armed. I found this quite strange from a military viewpoint as blocking the breach open leaves the area open to the dust that seems to pervade Bogota and must surely have an effect on the weapon if they had to use it. Though of course there is the desire that that situation would not arise.

Now is it just me or for those who remember the Trumpton Fire Brigade of "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub" (I think that was the names.. though in some ways I hope I haven't remembered that well, BUT doesn't he look just like one of the Firemen !!!