Sunday in La Candelaria

Last Sunday, we hopped in a cab to Plaza del Toro Santamaria.  No, we didn't see a bull fight.  But we did admire the beautiful architecture from the outside.  We couldn't seem to get to a good place to take some post-worthy pictures, so click here to see some spectacular pictures of it.  We were amazed by the high-rise apartments that surrounded the ring.  I can only imagine what it would be like to live in one of those apartments when a heated match of man vs. bull was in high swing.

We actually happened upon Plaza del Toro by accident.  We were headed to Parque de la Independencia, which sat right next door to the bull fighting ring.  This park spans about 2 city blocks on a hill.  There are brick paths that spiral down to a central part of the park where there were beautiful flowers, eucalyptus and palm trees.  Of course, there were plenty of friendly dogs roaming freely around the park. 

After leaving the park, we took advantage of the weekly Sunday event of Ciclovia where miles and miles of roads are closed to cars.  We walked from about Calle 26 in La Macarena along septima to La Candelaria - about 20 blocks.  Along the way, we saw this man ...

                           

... his hands were blackened with some sort of polish (?) and he had all these dead stuffed rats (they were real!) around him.  I can only assume he was selling them.  The rats were all posed in walking positions and were gathered around him.   I shutter to imagine what he had in his black garbage bag.

More than 20 blocks later, we made it to the colonial barrio known as La Candelaria, the birthplace of Bogotá.   You can visit the Gold Museum and Botero Museum, count the thousands of pigeons in Plaza Bolivar and stroll through the narrow streets and alleys to discover amazing murals, sculptures, restaurants and shops.

                             

                                         

We had lunch at El Gato Gris.  It is probably a 200 or 300 year old building that used to be a house.  We ate upstairs in what used to be a bedroom, but now it had 3 or 4 tables and comfy chairs for lounging in on a slow Sunday afternoon.

The view from our window...

                                         

                                  

After lunch, we made out way back toward the main streets to catch a taxi.  We passed by a kid who was riding his big wheel down this sidewalk... see him on the right?  He would barrel down the sidewalk and then make the tight right at the bottom of they hill just before the next street.