Viernes 17th EneroAfter orientation Dad came into the city to join me and we decided to go to the top of the mountain to the east of the city. We caught the cable car since we didn’t want to push it with the altitude for an hours walk.

To the north

The Centre: The green patch down to the row of trees leading into the city is my Uni (Universidad de los Andes) and where the row of trees end near the city is where my new house is.

To the south

Sabado 18th , Domingo 19th Enero - Villa del Lleva-       Horse ride – blue oasis, museum of fossils, terracotta house

Fossil Museum

Biggest Terracotta house in the world

-       Dinner at Italian restaurant in main square

Domingo 19th Enero- Walked around the town

Cemetry – Families are buried in the same block together.

The main square with the main church behind us. As we arrived there was a wedding and the bridge and groom were trotting through this square in a horse and carriage – it was very picturesque.

- Bougainvillea was all over this town.-       Bussed back to Bogota (4 hours – 22,000 COP ($11 AUD)-       Stayed at Alonso’s

Lunes 20th Enero-       Moved into new house. It is  a share house with 20 others in the historic centre of Bogota, La Candelaria. It has a really nice atmosphere and there is a mix of Germans, Australians, French, British, Chileans, Dominican Republic, Mexican and some Colombians who help run the place, all of whom are really nice. There are 2 large communal areas and a terrace on the top.

-       My room’s on the top floor so quite as it is away from the main street which is busy 24/7 filled with bars, restaurants and people. At least once a day there is random music echoing up into our house – either a drum band in the nearby square or just people singing. I love it – a great excuse not to study hehe.

Our house from the outside.

Just around the corner – The blue and orange one is a delicious bakery!

_ Had my first day of uni – I felt like I was starting high school all over again. Having to find the classes, find out how to print, look for toilets – everything was a chore for the first week. And there are so many stairs! 186 to one of my classes and then another 150 to get the gym - It’s a work out just getting there! I think I arrived sweaty and puffed to every class that first week. Especially since if you are 5 minutes late you are marked absent and 6 absencies and you fail the course! At least this will help me to be more tardy.

Viernes 24th Enero -       The night before I stayed at Alonso’s and Dad cooked a really nice stir fry with criollo potatoes (a small Colombian variety).-      After a slow morning Dad and I went to the Botanic Gardens - he had a great time (as shown)

-       Had menu del dia for lunch at the café in the Gardens then headed back to the transmilenio station (the transmilenio is Bogota’s substitute for a metro system and these extra long buses have specific lanes on the main roads to avoid traffic – although it is better than nothing they still have a long way to go as it is the most confusing public transport system I have every used)-       At 2pm I had my first laboratory for Anthropological biology where we will be studying bones (Osteology)

The main grass area in the middle of Uni which is always filled with people relaxing (especially couples!)

-       Yuyi made us tacos for dinner before the whole house went to play Tejo with some locals. Tejo is a Colombian game played mainly by men in a pub like area. The aim of the game is to through a large steel disc/ball at the centre board of clay. There are small pieces of paper with gun powder inside them which is explode when you hit them. This is good but it is better to get it inside them.

- Bar – danced with everyone and had a rum coffee. Then went back to the house for pre drinks before heading out to a local club -  Candelario.

Sabado 25th Enero-       Transmilenio to Portal Norte then bussed to Laguna de Gautavita. From where the bus dropped us off on the highway it was a 7km walk along a country road uphill to the entrance. We stopped along the way at houses which had set up small restaurants or shops at the front of their place.

The long and steep road to the Laguna.

- Enjoyed some delicious  Colomabian corn on the cob with butter and salt  before starting the tour to Laguana Gautavita, where the legend of El Dorado is derived from. The indigenous people that lived in this area, los Muiscas, believed it to be a sacred place and often gave offerings, mostly gold and emeralds here. The Spanish tried to drain it when they heard about all the treasure at the bottom.

La laguna de guatavita

- Bussed back and then transmilenio, walked and taxied to the Suburb of Usaquen which is filled with fancy restaurants. After not deciding on any we ended up eating in the mall but which was really nicely set up with gourmet food and enjoyed Paella and Salmon. After some coffee and cake we embarked on the great mission of trasnmilenioing home.

- That night I skyped my friends at Wollongong for Australia day then chatted with Yuyi.

Domingo 26th Enero -       I left the house at 1 to join the city in their Sunday activities. The main one being the Cicliovia, which is where they open up lanes on main roads throughout the city for the people to ride bikes, rollerblade, walk their dogs and run. As I didn’t have a bike I decided to go for a run. I ran along Carrerra 7, starting just outside Museo del Oro (the Gold Museum) and stopped at Calle 70, the start of the nice suburb of Chapinero Alto, which is filled with British influenced houses. Less graffiti than in the centre.

Carrerra 7

Vests are a must have in Bogota!

Further along Carrera 7 in the rain

Obligatory selfie

Hamster race gambling anyone?

Llama rides in the Plaza Bolivar (5 minute walk from my house)

-       Cup of cut mango for 1000 COP – 60 AUS cents.-       Juice of papapya, mango I think – 2000 COP - $1.20 AUD-       Heaps of Shoe shops along