Colombian Culture, Colombia Adoption and Raising Colombian Kids

Okay, the park not only has a swimming play land, but it also has a river. We arrived after a rain storm and it was running pretty high -- up to the boys' knees -- and my older son was sure that by walking in the river he was demonstrating his Bear Grylls skills . Anyway, they were able to walk the length of the river in the park (about 1/2 mile), while we followed along on a paved path complete with pretty covered bridges. At the top of the park, the boys (Dads included) were able to ride in inner tubes and enjoy a mud fight. If you ask my boys, this was one of the highlights of their trip.

Bewteen Buga and Tuluá, there is a wonderful water park. It offers a great kiddie pool (complete with little water slides) and adult pool area, restaurant, shelters, play area, and....more. The kids liked it so much that we went there twice. The first time it was a week day, and there was hardly anyone there. For several hours the boys and their cousins had the pools all to themselves. The second time was a holiday, and there were quite a few people there --more on that tomorrow.

Guadalajara de Buga is one of the oldest cities in Colombia. It was founded in 1555 at the order of Belalcazar. Today, it is most famous for its Basilica del Señor de los Milagros . The Basilica houses a special wooden statue of Christ. Here is the story: One day, shortly after the founding of the city (in a date unknown and unspecified), an Indian woman who had recently been converted to Christianity (who has no recorded name) was washing clothes in the river. Suddenly, she saw a small wooden statue if Christ float by. She grabbed it and went home and planted it in the dirt floor of her room. Upon awakening, she discovered that the Christ statue had grown. Soon, people were coming to see the Cristo de las Aguas (Christ of the Waters), as it became called. People began worshipping it and adoring it, kissing it, touching it, etc. Soon, the archbishop of Popayán heard of the statue and became angry. He ordered that it be burned. The story goes that in 1665, the statue was thrown into a f...

Just one block East of the Centro Cultural García Márquez is the museum complex housing the Casa de la Moneda and the Museo Botero . The Casa de Moneda celebrates the Monetary hisotry of the country. You will see a coin collection that covers the entire history of the country. You can ask the guards or your guide to give you a collectable coin that is minted just for visitors to the museum. You will also see this Pirate Treasure chest, courtesy of Sir Francis Drake. Again, what boy wouldn't love to see a real live pirate treasure chest. This was a huge hit, though the photographer needs a lesson! As you walk through the building, you also will eventually hook up with the Museo Botero . A great place to see some amazing pictures from the famous Colombian artist. Both Museums are free to the public. http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2009/12/fernando-botero.html

Okay, you've finished your visit to the Plaza de Bolívar , taken pictures, fed the birds, now what? Did you know that there are OVER 50 places to visit within easy walking distance (no more than 4 blocks). Among them are museums, churches, parks, and government buildings. Every time we go to Bogotá there are places that we visit, and then there are those we are seeing for the first time this trip. Among the new places is the Museo Histórico de la Policia Nacional (Historic Museum of the National Police). Tours are available in many languages depending on who is on duty at the time. While we were there, you could get a tour in English, French, German or Italian. To get to the Museum, you walk south one block on Carrera 8 (that is the street that Edificio Lievano faces)turn right onto Calle 9 and walk 1 1/4 blocks to the museum. It is on your left just past the stores selling military gear. The Museum is 5 floors of Colombian Law Enforcement History. The basement is dedi...

When we asked our 5 year old if there was anything he remembered from our last trip to Colombia, he said that he remembered feeding the birds. So, of course, we needed to spend some $ and time feeding birds at the Plaza de Bolívar. Around the Plaza are people selling bags of grain that you can feed the pigeons. A bag will set you back about 50 cents US. We bought 2 bags and spent a good 15 minutes feeding the birds.

In the North East corner of the park, you will find the NEW and IMPROVED ........ MUSEO 20 de JULIO a.k.a. CASA DEL FLORERO. This is the site of the initial shout of Independence for Colombia. The Museum has been undergoing rennovations and finally opened to the public on August 1, 2010 -- just missing the July 20, 2010 Bicentennial. On July 5th, I wrote a post about Colombian Independence and the spark that lit the flame. You can read more here: http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2010/07/bicentennial-of-colombian-independence.html Photos: http://www.bogota.gov.co/portel/libreria/jpg/museo-20-julio-7.jpg http://www.bogota.gov.co/portel/libreria/jpg/museo-20-julio-1.jpg

On the South side of the Plaza, you will see the Capitolio Nacional . It is the seat of both the Senate ( Senado ) and the House of Representatives ( Cámara de Representantes ). Inside there are 3 large rooms, one where the Senate meets, one where the House meets and one where the whole Congress can meet together called the Salón Eliptico . Construction on the Capitolo began in 1847, but was not completed until 1926. During the construction, 3 foreigners were in charge. First, was the Danish architect Thomas Reed (1847-1880). He was followed by the Italian Pietro Cantini (1880-1908). Next, the Frenchman Gastón Lelarge. The building was finally completed by the Colombian Alberto Manrique Martín. The following Mural can bee seen inside the Capitolio. It was painted by Santiago Martínez Delgado. The neoclassic Edificio Liévano was built under the direction of the architects Gastón Lelarge y Ricardo Lleras Codazzi from 1902-1905. Today it houses the office of the Mayor of Bogotá. Photo...

A quote from Colombian Founding Father, Fransico de Paula Santander, is what greets you at the front of the PALACIO DE JUSTICIA (PALACE OF JUSTICE). It reads: "Colombianos las armas os han dado la independencia, las leyes os darán la libertad" (Colombians arms have given you independence, laws will give you freedom!) However, the site of Colombian Justice has a relatively short and tragic history. In it's short history, there has actually been three different buildings that have occupied the spot. The first was built in the 1920's. It stood until the Bogotazo of 1948. The story of the Bogotazo should really be a blog of it's own, and it will have to be. But, here is the condensed version. On April 9, 1948, a political candidate -- Jorge Eliecer Gaitán -- was assassinated. This led to protests, violence, repression, disorder, and the start of a period known as La Violencia in Colombia. In Bogotá, one of the acts of defiance on April 9 was the burning of the P...

The Plaza de Bolívar is the center of the original city, and like the Washington Mall, connects the centers of government. This year it celebrated 472 years as the city center, though its current form was built in 1959-60, when it was decided that it was best not to have the city center be a parking lot. EAST SIDE The Plaza is surrounded by beautiful historic buildings. On the East is the Catedral Primada , originally built out of mud with a straw roof in 1538. The Cathedral has actually been rebuilt or remodeled several times. The most recent remodel was in 1823 following an earthquake. The Cathedral houses the remains of the Spanish Conquistador, Gonzálo Jiménez de Quesada , as well as those of Antonio Nariño . (Read about him here: http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2009/07/antonio-narino-y-alvarez.html ) It also houses a large collection books and records that date back to 1612. Next to the Catedral Primada is the Capilla del Sagrario . Begun in 1660 and finished in...

One of the first places you should visit upon arriving in Bogotá is the main plaza, LA PLAZA DE BOLIVAR. (More on that in as different post). However, when you get to the park, you will want to go to the side opposite the church. There, on the corner, you will see the following sign. The "i" stands for INFORMACIÓN (information). This is where you can speak to tourist information workers. Today there were 3 girls working: one spoke English, one spoke French, and one spoke German. They can offer you a guide book and map in a dozen different languages. The book has a list of dozens of places that you can visit while in Bogotá . We are only going to be here for 5 days, so what I can cover in the blog is limited. There are lists of places that I have never visited, but we hope to eventually make it to all of them. I picked up the Tourist Map in English and the guide book in Spanish. This is what they look like.

The area between Paipa and Iza is famous for it's many hot pools. Just outside of Iza, there is a great hotel and pool called El Batán. For $40 per night per couple you can stay and enjoy the "therapautic" waters. Or, for $5, you can jut go for a swim in the pools. (I know they look green, but we were told that this is because of the minerals in the volcanic waters. ) Everyone had fun and no one got sick, in fact my son's eczema cleared up -- maybe there is something to those healing waters after all. After swimming we picked up coconut ice cream in the snack shop -- soooooo delicious! Definitely a must try!! If you are interested in visiting El Batan the phone number for reservations is:578 779-0000.

One of the places we always visit when we come to Colombia is the Museo Arqueológico in Sogamoso, Boyacá. The Museum is about 3 hours North of Bogotá on a safe road. It was established to house the remnants of the Musica/Chibcha culture. The Chibchas were the indigenous group that lived on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense prior to the Spanish arrival. The museum has rebuilt the original ceremonial center of the town, including the Temple of the Sun. There are numerous displays including several mummies (boys seem to really like those), pottery, weapons, shrunken heads, and even skulls. They show how the Chibcha skull is quite different from your typical skull. Most of us have 3 bones that grown together after birth. Chibcha skulls have 4, 5, or even 6 bones that grown together. Pretty cool! The area is actually an archeological site that is still under investigation. At certain times you can see archeology students from the UPTC (Universidad Pedogogica y Tecnologica de Colombia) working o...

The Chigaza National Park is located just outside of Bogota (about an hour's drive on paved, well cared for roads) in the Department of Cundinamarca. It offers you an opportunity to get up close and personal with nature -- hiking, camping, birding and photography are your best options here. Established as a National Park in 1977, Chingaza covers about 76,600 hectares. It ranges in elevation from 2,600 feet above sea level (800 meters) to 13,200 feet (4020 meters). At the lower elevations of the park, the climate is rainy and more tropical, while the higher elevations are host to a frigid tundra climate with temperatures reaching below freezing. Most of the year, the area will receive a great deal of rainfall, with mid-December thru February being the dry season. The area receives so much rainfall that a particular moss has adapted to help hold the water. The Spahagnum moss can hold up to 40 time its weight in water. The Park is home to the Chuza Dam, which provides Bogota wi...

The Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has announced a new campaign to increase Colombian tourism -- by Colombians. While the last 6 years have seen an increase of 10% in international visitors to Colombia, there has been little growth in domestic tourism. Colombian officials hope to change that with a new campaign called "Vive Colombia -- el país que llevas en el corazón." Watch the campaign video here: http://www.citytv.com.co/videos/42898/campana-vive-colombia-el-pais-que-llevas-en-el-corazon

Like most parents, we start planning our summer vacation way in advance. First, we decide where we will be going. Then, we research all of the activities and options and prices for our decided destination. This year, we are planning a month long trip to Colombia. This means I am researching what new places we will visit this year. My hope is to document our trip back on the blog here. We will be taking our 5 1/2 year old and our 9 year old sons. In part because of my research about biodiversity for this blog, in part because of the new tourism campaign, and in part because of our vacation, I have been researching Colombia's National Nature Parks. Did you know that this year Colombia's National Nature Parks are celebrating their 50th anniversary. In honor of that Golden Anniversary, I plan to feature information about several parks that you might consider visiting over the coming weeks. To check out the whole series, you'll want to click on the National Parks Tab at the rig...

What to do when spending endlessly long weeks in Bogotá waiting for Sentencia . If you have children ages 4 to 13, I would highly recommend spending a weekday morning at DIVERCITY . DIVERCITY is a mini city for kids inside a huge, new shopping mall in the North of the city-- the Santa Fé . Kids over 3 pay about $5 to enter (parents cost about $3). For the price of admission, they are issued a $20 divi dollar pay check. Once inside they cash the $20 check at the bank and learn how to use an ATM card. Then, they can start spending or earning money. They earn money by working at different occupations- police detectives, fire fighters, foot loop packers, coke bottlers, veterinarians , pilots, farmers, TV station announcers , Radio announcers, beauticians, insurance agents, supermarket clerks, paleontologists, architects, authors, discotheque workers, etc. They spend their divi money if they want to go on safari, watch a play, climb the rock wall, play arcade games, take bus rides, or...

The Atlantic or Caribbean coast of Colombia is called the Caribe region of Colombia. It consists of the following departments: Atlantico, Bolivar, Cesar, Cordoba, Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre, and a small part of the departments of Choco and Antioquia. The Caribbean is Tierra Caliente at its best. If you can't remember the post about Tierra Fria vs Tierra Caliente -- click here http://raisingcolombiankids.blogspot.com/2009/01/tierra-fra-or-tierra-caliente.html Most of the stereotypes apply. The Costeños -- as they are called -- are just another word for happy, friendly, party-going people. The Caribe is very hot and very humid. When picking up your child in this area -- no SUITS or PANTYHOSE are needed. Nice cotton -- docker -type pants and collared shirt for men, summer (modest -- don't wear strapless or spaghetti straps) dresses for women. If you are in Barranquilla, there is a sight you will not want to miss -- the brand new PARQUE CULTURAL DEL CARIBE, which was inaugurated a l...

A great Saturday or Sunday afternoon excursion while staying in Bogotá is to visit the Salto de Tequendama -- mentioned on Monday. The waterfall itself is about 137 meters high and is located just 30 kilometers from Bogotá. I recommend seeing it on a weekend as the traffic in Bogotá is lighter and you will be able to get through the city's traffic easier. There are some ASADEROS at the falls where you can enjoy traditional Colombian food. We visited this place the weekend after we picked up our son. At almost 2, he loved to wander around the grounds eating arepas. Our 5 year old enjoyed the story and taking pictures. Just a cool place to say you've visited. (Update March 2010) Just got an e-mail from an adoptive family in Bogota and need to say that visiting the Falls From December - March during a drought is not a good idea. Not much of a falls. The picture is from an October visit after a rain storm.

So, you want to get some GREAT SOUVENIRS. Where do you go? Yes, there is an artesan market in Bogotá, but if you want to see endless selection of ceramics, hand made pots and statues, handmade hammocks, ruanas, art, etc. You need to go to Ráquira. Ráquira is the Chibcha name meaning "City of Pots", and that is exactly what it is. Originally, an area of a small Chibcha population governed by the Cacique Suaya and under the authority of the Zaque of Hunza (Tunja), the conquistadors passed through the village on their way to Bogotá in 1537. The city of Raquirá was 'founded' in 1580 by Fray Francisco de Orjuela, on October 18. The Natives of the area were then taught Catholicism by Augustine Monks who founded the first Augustine Monestary in the Americas in 1607 just outside of Ráquira. Ráquira is an amazing place to spend a couple of hours. It is about 20-30 minutes from Villa de Leyva. Make sure to bring your wallet and be prepared to make some amazing finds in this l...