We took a hiking tour – in Spanish – of the Laguna de Cacique Guatavita, which roughly translates to Guatavita Indian Chief Lake.
Located about 40 miles north of Bogotá, Lake Guatavita is a spectacular lake in the heart of the Colombian mountains. It’s also the birthplace of a legend of El Dorado, the mythical city of gold.
The hike was challenging, taking you over 10,000 feet, and the reward was a breathtaking vista. Es vale la pena!
Bring good hiking shoes and lots of water. You’ll need to get an official tour, which includes the bus from Bogota and a tour in Spanish, and often is paired with a tour of the Salt Cathedral. If you’re over 60, the senior discount is significant.
We spent a day with a private guide exploring some of
Bogota's most iconic destinations, including Monserrate, the Gold Museum, and
the Botero Museum.
First, we rode a funicular to the stunning mountain peak of
Monserrate, which overlooks the sprawling city of Bogota at more than
9,000 feet.
A major pilgrimage site, Monserrate features an outdoor walk
along the Stations of the Cross (Jesus’ journey to his crucifixion) to a
neo-Gothic church called the Sanctuary of the Fallen Lord.
We enjoyed the panoramic views of the city, stopped at the
tourist kiosks to shop, and tried some coca tea before heading back down the
mountain to Bogota and the Gold Museum, which contains the largest collection
of pre-Hispanic goldwork in the world.
We then strolled through the Candelaria neighborhood of
Bogota, including Simon Bolivar Square, and the Botero Museum, a free museum
that features works of art by Fernando Botero, Picasso, Dali, Monet, Renoir, and
others.
We took a tour through GetYourGuide to see all these places,
and the cost was very reasonable, especially for seniors.
We were fortunate to experience sea turtles, on land
and under the sea, in both Kauai and Maui. What a magical experience!
On Kauai, we discovered that green sea turtles, called “honu,”
nap on the sand on Poipu Beach on the south coast every afternoon. At sunset,
scores of them haul themselves up onto the beach to spend the night. We saw at
least 40 there, though darkness obscured our view. The area is cordoned off to prevent humans from getting too close, and a couple of naturalists informed us about the turtles, which were once endangered and have been upgraded to “threatened” status.
On Maui, there’s a similar beach on the Road to Hana that
also attracts sea turtles napping.
And in West Maui, at Black Rock at the north end of
Ka’anapali Beach, you can walk into the water in your snorkel gear and spend an
afternoon floating while watching sea turtles eat. We also say spotted rays and
a huge variety of other fish.
This video is long. The first five minutes are enough to
give you an idea of the experience. But if you really want to immerse yourself
in the sea with the turtles, watch the whole thing!
Messy Suitcase heads to Bogota, Colombia, for a
pre-Christmas interlude. We stayed at the edge of the charming old Candelaria
neighborhood, in an AirBnb with a panoramic view of the city. Because of the
timing of our visit, in December, we were lucky to witness firsthand Colombia’s
Christmas traditions, which transformed Candelaria into a giant street party
complete with candles, music, Christmas lights, vendors, street chalk drawings,
performances, crowds and fireworks.
The Christmas season officially launches for Colombians on
Dec. 7 with the Dia de las Velitas, or Day of the Little Candles.
On this day Colombian families, mostly Catholic, light hundreds of little candles and place
them in the streets in front of their homes, to light the way for the Virgin
Mary to bless them. Then Christmas is celebrated gaily along Carrera Séptima
Septima (Seventh Avenue) for the next two weeks with as Bogotá is transformed
into a festive haven where locals and visitors alike are experience multimedia,
theatrics, shows, music and more.
We visit the main square, bop around town, and then take a
tour of the stunning Chase Sapphire lounge at the airport!
If you’re planning to travel from San Juan International
Airport and need long-term parking for your vehicle, you’ll discover that the lot is incredibly hard to find. Follow
Messy Suitcase as we find the entrance and demonstrate how to get to the
terminal.
Long Term Parking is located adjacent to Terminal E, and has
a capacity for 249 cars. The minimum
stay is 5 days and the minimum cost is $60. There’s also no shuttle to the main
terminal, so be prepared to walk!
We ventured 2 ½ hours south of Bogota to the Salt Cathedral,
the “First Wonder of Colombia.” The Catedral
de Sal de Zipaquirá is an underground Roman Catholic Church built within
the tunnels of a salt mine 660 feet underground inside
a mountain near the city of Zipaquirá,
Colombia.
It’s a huge tourist destination and a popular pilgrimage spot.
This massive subterranean cathedral is truly spectacular,
with dramatic lighting, sculptures, light shows, Gregorian Chants and choir
music, a mining tour, an underground mall, and even a train. Following the
Stations of the Cross is a fascinating experience. The eerie combination of
otherworldly and touristy is not to be missed!
We paid about $40 for the entry fee, plus the cost for the
tour guide who drove us through the mountains.
“Every direction in
Madrid, there’s something interesting!” – Bob Greenawalt
Madrid is shockingly delightful. We walked all over the city
in what will surely be the first of many visits back to this wonderful Spanish
city. Bob’s f Every direction in Madrid, there’s something interesting!
Bob's favorite
place in Madrid was the Plaza Mayor, a classic European central square with
scores of charming outdoor restaurants and local entertainment. Lisa’s was
gelato scooped to resemble flowers the size of her head!
While strolling around the fascinating streets, shopping,
people-watching, and trying the excellent food, we encountered an unexpected
air parade over our heads. We also visited the Museo de Jamon (Ham Museum), and
Bob ordered up a classic ham sandwich.
We walked through lush, wondrously landscaped Retiro Park,
Madrid’s Central Park, and discovered the Crystal Palace (which is an art
center, and while it was closed for renovation, the views inside were awesome),
enjoyed street music, walked the paths and crossed creeks, and saw a lovely
lake where you can go canoeing.
We also placed a love lock in Plaza Mayor and visited the
Palacio de Vasquez (part of the Reina Sofia ticket, but pretty uninspiring),
Museum of Anthropology (pleasant, even though Bob thought it was the Museum of
Archeology until he noticed the dearth of dinosaurs). We averaged about 7 miles
a day walking around Madrid, and finally tried the clean, modern Metro when our
feet got sore.
Our last breakfast, featuring tortillas Española and churros
with chocolate sauce in an outdoor restaurant near the train station, was a
mouthwatering invitation to return.
P.S. Plaza de la Villa is
just a very old plaza. Learn more.
