South America Colombia

8/11/2019 South America Colombia

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ColombiaHIGHLIGHTS Cartagena experience the jaw-dropping beauty of South Americas most romantic city,

famed for its history and its good looks (p582) Zona Cafetera get buzzed on Colombias finest coffee in this beautiful region of rolling

plantations and steaming volcanoes (p601) Bogot visit splendid museums, dine in Colombias best restaurants and salsa till dawn

in the booming capital city (p553) San Agustn explore the rolling hills of this unique ceremonial funeral site littered with

hundreds of anthropomorphic stone statues (p612) Off-the-beaten track make like Indiana Jones and hike to Ciudad Perdida, the lost city,

the remains of an ancient culture hidden deep in the jungle (p581) Best journey Cartagena to Bucaramanga: a two-day trip through backwoods and bayous

of northern Colombia. The trip involves a combination of bus, jeep and riverboat, plusan overnight stay in the intriguing town of Momps

FAST FACTS

Area:1,141,748 sq km

Budget:US$15-25 a day

Best bargain: scuba diving at Taganga

Best street snack: juice smoothies Capital:Bogot

Costs:double room in a budget hotel US$5-15, set meal in a budget restaurant US$1.50-2.50, 100km intercity bus fare US$3-4

Country code:%57

Famous for:Gabriel Garca Mrquez, coffee,emeralds, cocaine, plastic surgery, FARC

Language:Spanish

Money:US$1 = 2355 pesos

Phrases:chvere/bacano(cool), asqueroso(disgusting, horrible), rumba(party)

Population:43 million

Time:GMT minus 5hr (no daylight-savingstime)

Tipping:customary (not compulsory) 10%in upmarket restaurants

Visas:not required from nationals of majorWestern countries

TRAVEL HINTS

Tickets for long-distance buses are not fixed so always bargain for a better deal. For both safetyand scenery, travel by day only.

OVERLAND ROUTESThe main border crossings with Venezuela are at San Antonio del Tchira (near Ccuta) andParaguachn. From Ecuador, cross at Tlcan (near Ipiales).

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Golfo deVenezuela

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C O L O M B I A C u r r e n t E v e n t s w w w . l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m

CURRENT EVENTSYoung, popular and seemingly unstoppable,Colombian president varo Uribe managedto win a constitutional amendment that hasalmost guaranteed his political dominationuntil 2010. In November 2005 the Constitu-tional Court approved Uribes amendmentto allow Colombian presidents to run for asecond four-year term. The decision paved theway for an easy victory in May 2006 Uribewon 62%, according to the New York Times,of the popular vote.

Pundits believe that Uribes second termin office is likely to mirror his first four years,marked by hardline military tactics that crip-pled Colombias primary insurgent group,Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colom-bia (FARC). Yet there are also expectationsthat Uribes conservative government will

reposition itself from its past war policy anddiversify the largely agrarian economy.One area of economic development that has

experienced remarkable growth is tourism. Nolonger considered the kidnapping capital ofthe world (Iraq having stolen that title, thankyou very much), tourists are opening up tothe idea of a holiday in Colombia. Nearly onemillion foreigners visited Colombia in 2005, a21% jump over the previous year. The WorldTourism Organization seems to be impressed:it will hold its 2007 conference in Cartagena.

Coffee, always a popular export item, is alsoexpanding, with revenues up by 58% duringthe 200405 coffee-growing season. Mining,another growth area, has become a US$488

million a year business. Overall, Colombiasofficial economy is growing at around 5%each year. Meanwhile, Colombias shadoweconomy (mainly cocaine and emeralds) isworth upwards of US$6.5 billion annually.

Despite success in Colombias triangularwar with leftist rebels and right-wing para-militaries, the country still faces massive socialproblems, including widespread poverty andthe internal displacement of peoples. The US-backed Plan Colombia (which is attempting toeradicate coca farming) has had devastating ef-fects on the environment and the lives of peo-ple caught up in the war, although the surplusof cocaine and its price has remained stable inthe US and even increased in Europe.

HISTORYPre- Columbian Times

Colombias original inhabitants, tribes thatmigrated from what is now Panama, settleddown in small groupings and, in time, reacheda remarkably high level of development. Theyleft behind three important archaeologicalsites San Agustn, Tierradentro and CiudadPerdida and an impressive collection of goldwork, considered the continents best, both forthe techniques used and for its artistic design.

Scattered throughout the Andean regionand along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts,these cultures developed independently.

Among the most outstanding were theCalima, Muisca, Nario, Quimbaya, SanAgustn, Sin, Tayrona, Tierradentro, Tolimaand Tumaco.

After traveling around Colombia for a while you may feel like youve stepped onto the set ofa Hollywood dramatic thriller in one scene youre exploring a lost city and the next dancingthe salsa till dawn. Later youre running a wild river, scaling an active volcano and paraglidingthrough the skies, all to a backdrop of soaring Andean peaks, lush Amazonian jungle and clear

Caribbean waters.No film is complete without a colorful cast and Colombia has its share of characters, but itsunlikely youll bump into any next day Pablo Escobars, budding Shakiras or gun-toting insur-gents. Most Colombians are pretty darn normal, except that they are some of the friendliestand most animated people you might ever meet.

Opportunities to create your own version of Romancing the Stoneare growing better each year:rock climbing, scuba diving and cycling are just a few activities on offer. Nightlife is legendary,and no trip to Colombia is complete without a few all-night rumbas. Security improvementsmean that Colombia is no longer the traveler pariah that it was a few years ago and once-for-bidden travel routes are opening up. Now is the time to go: costs are low, the welcome is warmand Colombias sour reputation has kept it off the gringo trail.

Adventure and romance may stir your blood, but what will really sweep you off your feet are

the spirited and stimulating people that live here. Take some time to meet a few Colombiansand this former no-go zone may become the highlight of your South American odyssey.

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There Goes the NeighborhoodIn 1499, AlonsodeOjeda was the first con-quistador to set foot on Colombian soil andto see indigenous people using gold objects.

Several short-lived settlements were founded,but it was not until 1525 that Rodrigo deBastidas laid the first stones of Santa Marta,the earliest surviving town. In 1533, Pedrode Heredia founded Cartagena, which soonbecame the principal center of trade.

In 1536, a general advance toward the in-terior began independently from the northand south. Jimnez de Quesada set off fromSanta Marta and founded Santa Fe de Bogottwo years later. On the way he conqueredthe Muisca, a blow that would foretell the

ultimate ruin of civilizations throughout theNew World.

Quesada didnt actually find gold, despitethe elaborate rituals of the Indians, who threwgold offerings into the waters of their sacredlake, Laguna de Guatavita, and thus gave birthto the mysterious legend of El Dorado.

Sebastin de Benalczar (known in Colom-bia as Belalczar) deserted from FranciscoPizarros army, which was conquering theInca empire, and mounted an expedition fromEcuador. He subdued the southern part ofColombia, founding Popayn and Cali alongthe way, and reached Bogot in 1539.

The two groups fought tooth and nail forsupremacy, and it was not until 1550 that KingCarlos V of Spain, in an effort to establish lawand order, created the Real Audiencia delNuevo Reino deGranada, a tribunal based inBogot. Administratively, the new colony wassubject to the Viceroyalty of Peru.

With the growth of the Spanish empirein the New World a new territorial division

was created in 1717, and Bogot became thecapital of its own viceroyalty, the Virreinatode la Nueva Granada. It comprised the ter-ritories of what are today Colombia, Panama,Ecuador and Venezuela.

Independence WarsToward the end of the 18th century, the generaldisillusionment with Spanish domination gaverise to open protests and rebellions. This, to-gether with events such as the North Americanand French revolutions and, more importantly,

the invasion of Spain by Napoleon Bonaparte,paved the way to independence. When Napo-leon placed his own brother on the Spanishthrone in 1808, the colonies refused to recog-

nize the new monarch. One by one Colombiantowns declared their independence.

In 1812 Simn Bolvar, who was to becomethe hero of the independence struggle, arrived

in Cartagena to take the offensive against theSpanish armies. In a brilliant campaign toseize Venezuela he won six battles but wasunable to hold Caracas, and had to withdrawto Cartagena. By then Napoleon had beendefeated at Waterloo, and Spain set aboutreconquering its colonies. Colonial rule wasreestablished in 1817.

Bolvar doggedly took up arms again. Afterassembling an army of horsemen from theVenezuelan Llanos, strengthened by a Britishlegion, he marched over the Andes into Co-

lombia. The last and most decisive battle tookplace at Boyac on August 7, 1819. Colombiasindependence was won.

Independence& Civil WarTwo years after declaring independence, revo-lutionaries sat down Villa del Rosario (nearCcuta) to hash out a plan for their new coun-try. It was there that the two opposing tenden-cies, centralist and federalist, came to the fore.Bolvar, who supported a centralized republic,succeeded in imposing his will. The Gran Co-lombia (which included modern-day Ecuador,Colombia, Venezuela and Panama) came intobeing and Bolvar was elected president.

From its inception, the state started to dis-integrate. It soon became apparent that acentral regime was incapable of governingsuch a vast and diverse territory. The GranColombia split into three separate countriesin 1830.

The two political currents, centralist andfederalist, were formalized in 1849 when two

political parties were established: the Con-servatives (with centralist tendencies) and theLiberals (with federalist leanings). Colombiabecame the scene of fierce rivalries betweenthe two forces, resulting in complete chaos.During the 19th century the country experi-enced no less than eight civil wars. Between1863 and 1885 there were more than 50 anti-government insurrections.

In 1899 a Liberal revolt turned into afull-blown civil war, the so-called War ofa Thousand Days. That carnage resulted in

a Conservative victory and left 100,000 dead.In 1903, the USA took advantage of the coun-trys internal strife and fomented a seces-sionist movement in Panama (at that time

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a Colombian province). By creating a newrepublic, the USA was able to build a canalacross the Central American isthmus.

La ViolenciaAfter a period of relative peace, the strugglebetween Liberals and Conservatives brokeout again in 1948 with La Violencia, the mostdestructive of Colombias many civil wars,which left a death toll of some 300,000. Urbanriots broke out on April 9, 1948 in Bogotfollowing the assassination of Jorge ElicerGaitn, a charismatic populist Liberal leader.Liberals soon took up arms throughout thecountry.

By 1953, some groups of Liberal guerrillas

had begun to demonstrate a dangerous degreeof independence. As it became evident thatthe partisan conflict was taking on revolution-ary overtones, the leaders of both the Liberaland Conservative parties decided to supporta military coup as the best means to retainpower and pacify the countryside. The 1953coup of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla wasthe only military intervention the countryexperienced in the 20th century.

The dictatorship of General Rojas was notto last. In 1957, the leaders of the two partiessigned a pact to share power for the next 16years. The party leaders, however, repressedall political activity that remained outside thescope of their parties, thus sowing the seedsfor the appearance of guerrilla groups.

Say You Want a RevolutionDuring the late 1950s and early 60s Colombiasaw the birth of perhaps a dozen differentguerrilla groups, each with its own ideologyand its own political and military strategies.

The movements that have had the biggestimpact on local politics (and left the largestnumber of dead) include the FARC (FuerzasArmadas Revolucionarias de Colombia), theELN (Ejrcito de Liberacin Nacional) andthe M-19 (Movimiento 19 de Abril).

Until 1982 the guerrillas were treated asa problem of public order and persecutedby the military forces. President BelisarioBetancur (198286) was the first to open di-rect negotiations with the guerrillas in a bid toreincorporate them into the nations political

life. Yet the talks ended in failure. The rupturewas poignantly symbolized by the takeoverof Bogots Palacio de Justicia by the M-19guerrillas in November 1985.

The Liberal government of President Vir-gilio Barco (198690), after long and com-plex negotiations with the M-19, signed anagreement under which this group handed

over its arms, ceased insurgent activity andtransformed itself into a political party.However, the two other major groups the17,000-strong FARC and the 5000-strongELN remain under arms and currently con-trol about 35% to 40% of the country. Havinglost support from Moscow and Havana, theynow rely on extortion and kidnapping tofinance their struggle. They are also deeplyinvolved in the production and trafficking ofdrugs, principally cocaine.

Since the state has been unable to control

areas lost to the guerrillas, private armies theso-calledparamilitaresor autodefensas havemushroomed, with the army turning a blindeye or even supporting them. These right-wingarmies operate against rebels in many regions,including Urab, Cesar, Crdoba, Antioquia,Magdalena Medio, Santander, Cundinamarcaand Caquet, and have committed some hor-rendous massacres on civilians allegedly sup-porting the guerrillas. They form a looselywoven alliance known as the AUC (Autode-fensas Unidas de Colombia), with an estimated20,000 militants nationwide.

A White-Powder MarketColombia controls 80% of the worlds cocainemarket. The mafia started in a small way in theearly 1970s but, within a short time, developedthe trade into a powerful industry with its ownplantations, laboratories, transport servicesand protection.

The boom years began in the early 1980s.The Medelln Cartel, led by Pablo Escobar, be-

came the principal mafia and its bosses lived infreedom and luxury. They even founded theirown political party and two newspapers, andin 1982 Escobar was elected to the Congress.

In 1983 the government launched a cam-paign against the drug trade, which gradu-ally turned into an all-out war. The cartelresponded violently and managed to liquidatemany of its adversaries. The war became evenbloodier in August 1989 when Luis CarlosGaln, the leading Liberal contender for the1990 presidential election, was assassinated.

The government responded with the confisca-tion of nearly 1000 mafia-owned properties,and announced new laws on extradition anightmare for the drug barons. The cartel

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resorted to the use of terrorist tactics, princi-pally car bombs.

The election of the Liberal President CsarGaviria (199094) brought a brief period of

hope. Following lengthy negotiations, whichincluded a constitutional amendment to banextradition of Colombians, Escobar and theremaining cartel bosses surrendered and thenarcoterrorism subsided. However, Escobarescaped from his palacelike prison followingthe governments bumbling attempts to movehim to a more secure site. An elite 1500-manspecial unit hunted Escobar for 499 days, untilit tracked him down in Medelln and killedhim in December 1993.

Despite this, the drug trade continued un-

affected. While the military concentrated onhunting one man and persecuting one cartel,the other cartels were quick to take advantageof the opportune circumstances. The CaliCartel, led by the Rodrguez Orejuela broth-ers, swiftly moved into the shattered Medel-ln Cartels markets and became Colombiaslargest trafficker. Although the cartels topbosses were captured in 1995 and put behindbars the drug trade continued to flourish, withother regional drug cartels, paramilitaries and,principally, the guerrillas filling the gap left bythe two original mafias.

In 1999, then President Andrs Pastranalaunched Plan Colombia with US$3.3 billionin backing from the US. The plan called forthe total eradication of the coca plant fromColombia by spraying fields with herbicide.Colombian coca growers and traffickers, notwanting to walk away from US$6 billion ayear business, have in many cases moved theirfields elsewhere, oftentimes into national parkswhich are protected against the spraying. De-

spite increased drug seizures and arrests oflow-level traffickers, the availability of cocainein the US and Europe remains stable.

A New Hopelvaro Uribe, an independent hardliner, wona 2002 presidential election, running on astrong antiguerrilla ticket and swearing alsoto break the history of governmental cronyismand patronage.

Uribes hard-work ethic paid off and hisfirst term in office gave the country marked

improvements in security and the (legal)economy. The armed forces are now betterequipped and have 60% more combat-readysoldiers than in 2002. The government has re-

claimed much of the land that was effectivelyceded to the guerrillas in the late 1990s, andhas disarmed numerous rebel fighters.

With approval ratings that consistently reach

80% Uribe is the most popular elected leaderin Latin America, but he is still faced with adaunting task to secure a lasting peace. Heconsiders the civil conflict a terrorist threat making little differentiation therefore betweenthe FARC and the Cali Cartel. The guerril-las want Uribe to first recognize Colombiasinternal conflict before any talks. Both theUN and human-rights groups recognize theconflict as political. Uribe, however, needs tomaintain his recognition of the status of theconflict as a bargaining chip and has offered

that he will revise his view of internal conflictso long as the ELN calls a ceasefire.

The AUC is the only group that has offeredto stand down; however, it is not in direct op-position to the government and actually sharesmany similar goals. Its purpose is simply de-fense of the status quo. There are many peopleconcerned some in the UN, EU and US gov-ernment that the AUC is being given undulygenerous terms for demobilization and its clearthat many members are simply getting awaywith murder. As of late 2005, some 10,000 AUChave laid down their weapons but it remainsto be seen if they will dismantle their political,economic and drug-trafficking structures.

THE CULTUREThe National PsycheThe headlines may speak unfavorably aboutColombia, its civil war and the high level ofcrime, but this is by no means a reflection onthe character of its people, who are naturallygregarious, social and courteous. Its hard to

find a Colombian who isnt willing to help aperson in need or just chat on the street topass the time. It soon becomes clear to thevisitor that Colombians simply love to talkand you can strike up a conversation withanyone dont be surprised when strangersapproach at a restaurant and start gabbing.Full of respect, Colombians are kind not justto foreigners but to each other, and you canalways expect a pleasant response if you ap-proach a Colombian in a pleasant manner.Even bargaining, it is said, is merely an excuse

to chat, so expect nothing but short shrift ifall you want to do is talk money.

Colombians are used to living for the mo-ment; decades of civil strife have that effect.

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Dancing, drinking and partying till dawnseems to take off the edge of an otherwiseprecarious existence. Their passion for lifeis obvious and many Colombians dream of

traveling abroad, even if most cant afford it.But they are refreshingly passionate about theirown country too, and speak lovingly about thebeauty of the Colombian countryside.

While many Colombians may fit nicely intothis profile, there are other folk, especiallythose who live in war-torn villages in the Ama-zon or impoverished slums outside Bogot,who have a less optimistic outlook on life. Onething that always shines through, though, isthe indomitable spirit of the Colombian peo-ple who have overcome so much tumult in the

past and know that they will prevail, one wayor another, over current hardships.

LifestyleThe divide between rich and poor in Co-lombia is enormous. The wealthiest 10% ofthe country controls 46% of the countryswealth (they also earn 80 times more moneythan the poorest 10%). Around 60% of urbanColombians live in poverty (the figure is 80%in rural areas).

Such a divide has created a bizarre mix ofthe first and third worlds. Young professionalsliving in northern Bogot might spend theirleisure time playing golf or tennis while on theother side of town, hundreds of thousands ofpeople are trying to eke out an existence in theovercrowded slums of Ciudad Bolvar.

The new urban elite can be very cosmo-politan eating at sushi bars, communicatingthrough laptops and driving expensive foreigncars while Colombians in remote villageslive without electricity or running water.

Yet despite their privileged status wealthyColombians face high levels of insecurity.Most members of the upper tier know some-one who has been assassinated, kidnapped,robbed or held for ransom. At the other endof the spectrum, Colombias poor are oftencaught between various factions FARC, thegovernment and the paramilitaries, occasion-ally with deadly results.

Inside the home you may find a large, ex-tended family cohabitating under one roof.Grandparents are often assigned childcare

duties while parents, aunts and uncles go towork. The increasing middle class, however,shows a tendency toward larger homes withsingle family units.

No matter their level of income, all Co-lombians are bound by a handful of sharedinterests, namelyftbol,salsa and any oppor-tunity to join a raucous rumba. A Colombian

festival is celebrated with equal aplomb acrossall corners of the country.

PopulationThe Colombian national population currentlyhovers at around 43 million people, makingit the third-most populous country in LatinAmerica, after Brazil and Mexico. Populationis spread fairly evenly from north to southwhile eastern Colombia, the Amazon, is onlysparsely populated. The largest cities are Bo-got (7.5 million), Medelln (2.5 million), Cali

(2.25 million) and Barranquilla (1.3 million).Colombias diverse population, an amal-

gam of three main groups indigenous, Span-ish and African reflects its colorful history.While 58% of the country claims mestizo(mixed white and indigenous) heritage, otherethnicities include: 20% white, 14% mixedwhite and black, 4% black, 3% mixed blackand indigenous, and only 1% indigenous. Co-lombias indigenous population speak about65 languages and nearly 300 dialects belong-ing to several linguistic families.

Colombia has started to see more immi-gration from the Middle East, particularlyfrom Turkey and Lebanon, but also fromother parts of Latin America including Peru,Ecuador and the Caribbean. Meanwhile theconflict in the southern areas of the countryhas displaced tens of thousands of Colombi-ans into neighboring Ecuador.

SPORTSSoccer and cycling are the most popular spec-

tator sports. Colombia regularly takes part ininternational events in these two fields, suchas the World Cup and the Tour de France,and has recorded some successes. Baseball islimited to the Caribbean coast. The nationalsoccer league has matches most of the year.

Colombians are passionate about corrida(bullfighting), which was introduced by theSpaniards. Most cities and towns haveplaza detoros(bullrings). The bullfighting season usu-ally peaks in January, when the top-rankingmatadors are invited from Spain.

RELIGIONThe great majority of Colombians are RomanCatholic. Other creeds are officially permitted

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but their numbers are small. However, overthe past decade there has been a proliferationof various Protestant congregations, whichhave succeeded in converting some three

million Catholics. Many indigenous groupshave adopted the Catholic faith, sometimesincorporating some of their traditional beliefs.There are small numbers of Colombian Jewsand synagogues in most big cities.

ARTSArchitectureThe most outstanding example of pre-Columbian urban planning is the Ciudad Per-dida of the Tayronas in the Sierra Nevada deSanta Marta. Although the dwellings havent

survived, the stone structures, including acomplex network of terraces, paths and stair-ways, remain in remarkably good shape.

After the arrival of the Spaniards, bricksand tiles became the main construction mater-ials. The colonial towns followed rigid stand-ards laid down by the Spanish Crown. Theywere constructed on a grid plan, centered onthe Plaza Mayor (main square). This patternwas applied during the colonial period andlong after, and is the dominant feature of mostColombian cities, towns and villages.

Spains strong Catholic tradition left be-hind loads of churches and convents in thecolony the central areas of Bogot, Carta-gena, Popayn and Tunja are fine examples.

In the 19th century, despite independencethe architecture continued to be predomi-nantly Spanish in style. Modern architecturaltrends only began to appear in Colombia afterWWII. This process accelerated during the1960s when city skyscrapers appeared.

The latest architectural phenomenon in

Colombia is urban planning. The successof the TransMilenio, car-free Sundays, bikelanes and the expansion of parks in Bogothas become a model for other cities in SouthAmerica, Africa and Asia. The self-proclaimedarchitect of this urban redevelopment plan,former Bogot mayor Enrique Pealosa, hastaken the Bogot scheme on the road, promot-ing it as a model for other third-world cities.

CinemaThe most internationally famous of recent

Colombian films,Maria, llena eres de gracia(Maria Full of Grace; 2004) joined Americanand Colombian production in a moving filmabout a pregnant 17-year-old flower-industry

employee who leaves her small-town existenceto smuggle heroin into the US as a mule.

Two other recent films that looked atColombian issues of drugs and violence are

Sumas y Restas (2004) and Rosario Tijeras(2005). Though both films were extremelypopular in Colombia they lacked internationalbacking and therefore didnt garner the sameglobal attention asMaria Full of Grace.

Hollywood has had its own take on Colom-bia, including Romancing the Stone (1984),starring Michael Douglas and KathleenTurner, as well as Clear and Present Danger(1994) starring Harrison Ford.

LiteratureDuring the independence period and up toWWII, Colombia produced few internation-ally acclaimed writers other than Jos Asun-cin Silva (186596), perhaps the countrysbest poet, considered the precursor of mod-ernism in Latin America.

A postwar literary boom thrust many greatLatin American authors into the internationalsphere, including the Colombian GabrielGarca Mrquez (born 1928). Gabos novelOne Hundred Years of Solitude,published in1967, immediately became a worldwide bestseller. It mixed myths, dreams and reality,and amazed readers with a new form of ex-pression that critics dubbed realismo mgico(magic realism). In 1982 Garca Mrquez wonthe Nobel Prize for literature. His most re-cent book, titledMemories of My MelancholyWhores,was released in 2005.

There are several contemporaries whodeserve recognition including poet, novelistand painter Hctor Rojas Herazo, and lvaroMutis, a close friend of Gabo. Of the younger

generation, seek out the works of FernandoVallejo, a highly respected iconoclast who hasbeen surprisingly critical of Garca Mrquez.

MusicIn broad terms Colombia can be divided intofour musical zones: the two coasts, the Andeanregion and Los Llanos. The Caribbean coast vi-brates with hot African-related rhythms such asthe cumbia,mapalandporro. The coast is alsothe cradle of the vallenato,based on the Euro-pean accordion, which emanated a century

ago from the regions of La Guajira and Cesarand has successfully conquered just about thewhole of the country. This is the most popularColombian musical genre today.

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The music of the Pacific coast, such as thecurrulao, is based on a strong African drumpulse, but tinged with Spanish influences. Co-lombian Andean music has been strongly in-fluenced by Spanish rhythms and instruments,and differs notably from the indigenous musicof the Peruvian and Bolivian highlands. Amongthe typical forms are the bambuco,pasilloandtorbellino, all of which are instrumental andpredominantly feature string instruments. Themusic of Los Llanos, msica llanera,is sung andusually accompanied by a harp, cuatro(a sortof four-string guitar) and maracas.

Colombias most famous musical export isShakira, whose album Fijacin Oral Vol 2 (2005)cemented her as a global superstar with staying

power. Other Colombian artists known beyondthe countrys borders include Carlos Vives (aLatin-pop vocalist), Tot La Momposina (a tra-ditional Afro-Caribbean music singer), Juanes(Latin rock vocalist) and Los Aterciopelados(Colombias most popular rock group).

Visual ArtsThe colonial period was dominated by Spanishreligious art, and although the paintings andsculptures of this era were generally executedby local artists, they reflected the Spanish

trends of the day. With the arrival of inde-pendence visual arts departed from strictlyreligious themes, but it was not until the turn-of-the-19th-century revolution in European

painting that Colombian artists began to ex-periment and create original work.

Among the most distinguished modernpainters and sculptors are Pedro Nel Gmez,known for his murals, oils and sculptures; LuisAlberto Acua, a painter and sculptor whoused motifs from pre-Columbian art; Alejan-dro Obregn, a painter tending to abstractforms; Rodrigo Arenas Betancur, Colombiasmost famous monument creator; and FernandoBotero, the most internationally renowned Co-lombian artist, whose somewhat ironic style ofpainting and sculpture is easily recognizable bythe characteristic fatness of the figures.

The recent period has been characterizedby a proliferation of schools, trends and tech-

niques. The artists to watch out for includeBernardo Salcedo (conceptual sculpture andphotography), Miguel ngel Rojas (paint-ing and installations), and the talented DorisSalcedo (sculpture and installations).

ENVIRONMENTThe LandColombia covers 1,141,748 sq km, roughlyequivalent to the area of France, Spain andPortugal combined. It occupies the north-western part of the continent and is the only

South American country with coasts on boththe Pacific (1448km long) and the Caribbean(1760km). Colombia is bordered by Panama,Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador.

HEAVY METAL

Csar Lpez has a vision for Colombia: more music, less murder. As an antiwar activist andmusician, the 32-year-old Bogotno has always believed that he could promote peace through

soothing guitar riffs. This belief led to the formation of the Battalion of Immediate Artists Reac-tion, a group of musicians and artists dedicated to peaceful reconciliation between Colombiasmany warring factions.

As part of its agenda, the Battalion will occasionally take to the streets, playing impromptuconcerts at former scenes of violence. In 2003 the group shouldered up with gun-toting soldiersinspecting the wreckage of the El Nogal country club, where a devastating car bomb had justkilled more than 30 people. It was here that Lpez noticed how the soldiers held their guns inthe same way that he held his guitar, and an idea was born. The result was the escopetarra, agun transformed into a guitar.

The original escopetarra was fashioned out of an old Winchester lever-action rifle. Since thenLpez has created several dozen other guitar-guns, some built from AK-47 assault rifles donated bythe peace commissioners office. Battalion members use the guitars during their peace concerts, but

some have been donated to likeminded celebrities hoping to wage peace. Shakira, Santana, PaulMcCartney and Carlos Vives are but a few musicians to try out this new brand of heavy metal.

Lpezs latest headline-grabbing project includes the formation of a new band, the Experimen-tal Reconciliation Group, made up of seven musicians from various paramilitary, army, left-wingguerrilla and gang backgrounds. You can read more about Csar Lpez at www.cesarlopez.org.

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Colombias physical geography is amazinglydiverse. The western part, which comprises al-most half of the total territory, is mountainous,with three Andean chains the Cordillera Oc-

cidental, Cordillera Central and Cordillera Ori-ental running roughly parallel northsouthacross most of the country. More than half ofthe territory east of the Andes is a vast lowland,which is divided into two regions: the savanna-like Los Llanos in the north and the mostlyrainforest-covered Amazon in the south.

Colombia has several small islands. Themajor ones are the archipelago of San Andrsand Providencia (in the Caribbean Sea, 750kmnorthwest of mainland Colombia), the Islasdel Rosario (near the Caribbean coast) and

Isla Gorgona (in the Pacific Ocean).

WildlifeColombia has more plant and animal speciesper unit area than any other country in theworld. This abundance reflects Colombiasnumerous climatic zones and microclimates,which have created many different habitatsand biological islands in which wildlife hasevolved independently.

Colombia is home to the jaguar, ocelot,peccary, tapir, deer, armadillo, spectacled bearand numerous species of monkey, to mentionjust a few of the 350-odd species of mammals.There are more than 1920 recorded species ofbirds (nearly a quarter of the worlds total),ranging from the huge Andean condor to thetiny hummingbird. Colombias flora is equallyimpressive and includes some 3000 species oforchid alone. The national herbariums haveclassified more than 130,000 plants.

National Parks

Colombia has 38 national parks and 12 otherstate-run nature reserves. Their combined areaconstitutes 9% of the countrys territory. Onlya handful of parks provide accommodationsand food for visitors. The remaining parkshave no tourist amenities at all and some,especially those in remote regions, are virtu-ally inaccessible. Many parks can be unsafe fortourists because of guerrilla presence.

National parks are operated by the Uni-dad Administrativa Especial del Sistema deParques Nacionales, a department of the Min-

istry of the Environment. Its central office isin Bogot, and there are regional offices inother cities. The Bogot office handles allparks, whereas subsidiary offices only service

the parks in their regions. Parks include thefollowing:Parque Nacional Tayrona(p580) Coastal rainforest andbeaches: monkeys, corals, walking, trekking and snorkeling.

Parque Nacional Amacayacu (p625) AccessibleAmazon: reptiles, monkeys, canoe trips and trekking.Parque Nacional el Cocuy(p571) Spectacular alpinepeaks and lakes; walking trekking.Parque Nacional Los Nevados( p602) Snowcapped An-dean volcanoes and cloud forest. Hiking and mountaineering.Parque Nacional Santuario de Iguaque(p571)Mountain lakes, historical sites, walking.

Environmental IssuesColombias environment is under various se-rious threats, one of which is deforestation.

Every year vast areas of rainforest and otherfragile habitats are indiscriminately clearedfor industry, housing, farming, ranching and,recently, growing coca. Even national parks arenot safe because of lack of funds and personnelto properly guard them. In many areas, simplydecreeing a national park has not eliminatedsettling, logging, ranching and poaching.

For over 20 years guerrillas have targetedoil pipelines in order to stop multinationalsdepleting natural resources. Since 1986 therehave been over 950 attacks that have spilledmore than two million barrels of crude oil intothe environment (11 times the amounts spilledby Exxon Valdez), polluting rivers and land.

On the other hand the US has made its mil-itary aid to Colombia conditional on the aerialfumigation of coca and poppy crops. Everyyear tens of thousands of hectares of coca andpoppy are fumigated with a herbicide contain-ing glyphosate, an ingredient that, besidescoca plants, kills traditional crops, impover-ishing and displacing thousands of peasants

and indigenous people and compromisingtheir health. Furthermore many scientistsclaim that the herbicide is killing microbesand fungi necessary within the rainforestecosystem and that therefore it is altering thewhole nutrient cycling system.

TRANSPORTATIONGETTING THERE & AWAYAirSitting on the northwestern edge of the con-tinent, Colombia is a convenient and reason-ably cheap gateway to South America fromthe USA and Central America, and even from

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Europe. Bogot has Colombias major inter-national airport, but some other cities includ-ing Cartagena, Medelln and Cali also handleinternational flights. The country is servicedby a number of major intercontinental airlinesincluding British Airways, Air France, Iberiaand American Airlines, and a dozen nationalcarriers.

BRAZIL & PERUDirect flights between these countries andColombia are expensive. It will be cheaper tofly through Leticia in the Colombian Amazon.See the Leticia section (p624).

CENTRAL AMERICAColombia has regular flight connections withmost Central American capitals. Sample faresinclude: Guatemala CityBogot US$390to US$410, San Jos (Costa Rica)BogotUS$370 to US$400 and Panama CityBogotUS$200 to US$250. At the time of writing

there were no direct connections betweenCentral America and the Colombian islandof San Andrs, but this could change so itsworth asking about.

ECUADORThere are daily flights between Quito andBogot with Avianca and Continental Air-lines (one way US$200 to US$250). Tame (anEcuadorian carrier) has flights between Caliand Tulcn in Ecuador (one way US$95) andbetween Cali and Quito (US$140).

VENEZUELAThere are several daily flights between Caracasand Bogot, with Avianca and Aeropostal.

The regular one-way fare is US$200 but theremay be a promotion that could knock an ad-ditional US$50 off the price.

BoatBRAZIL & PERUThe only viable border crossing between thesetwo countries and Colombia is via Leticia inthe Colombian Amazon. Leticia is reachedfrom Iquitos (Peru) and Manaus (Brazil) byboat; see p625 .

PANAMAThere are sailboats between Coln in Panamaand Cartagena in Colombia. See the Carta-gena section (p587).

BusECUADORAlmost all travelers use the Carretera Pan-americana border crossing through Ipialesand Tulcn. See Ipiales (p620) and Tulcn(Ecuador).

VENEZUELAThere are several border crossings betweenColombia and Venezuela. By far the mostpopular with travelers is the route via Ccutaand San Antonio del Tchira, on the mainBogotCaracas road. See p577 and p1019.

Another border crossing is at Paraguachn,on the MaicaoMaracaibo road. There arebuses and shared taxis between Maicao andMaracaibo, and direct buses between Carta-gena and Caracas. See Maracaibo (p1011) andCartagena (p587).

Theres also a popular little border cross-ing between Colombias Puerto Carreo andeither Puerto Ayacucho (p1048) or Puerto

Pez (both in Venezuela).

Car & MotorcycleThere is no overland route between Colom-bia and Panama, but it is possible to delivera car between the two countries on a cargoship. The pick-up and drop-off points areColn and Cartagena. In Cartagena thecontact is Seaboard Marine (%5-677-2410; www.seaboardmarine.com), which charges US$850 toship a car.

GET TING AROUNDAirColombia has a well-developed airline systemand a solid network of domestic flights. Main

DEPARTURE TAX

The airport tax on international flights outof Colombia is US$30 if you have stayed in

the country up to 60 days, and US$50 if youhave stayed longer. The tax is payable eitherin US dollars or pesos at the exchange rateof the day. This tax applies to all airports,however, in Cali you can ask for a tourist taxexemption form, available on the 2nd floor.Just make sure to tell the ticket agent thatyou are a tourist and not a businessper-son. While this tax exemption is not avail-able at all airports, its worth asking aboutas policies do change.

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passenger airlines include Avianca (www.avianca.com), SAM, Aires (www.aires.com.co), AeroRepblica(www.aerorepublica.com.co) and Satena (www.satena.com),most of which also have international flights.

Fares and services between the companiesare pretty similar; the only real reason tochoose one over the other is because it betterfits your schedule. In most cases youll beflying with Avianca or AeroRepblica. Faresdepend on seat availability so if you are tryingto get on a flight that is nearly full the pricemight be astronomical. Try to book well inadvance to secure the lowest fare.

Theres a US$4 airport tax on domesticflights, which you normally pay while buyingyour ticket (this tax is included in the airfares

listed in this chapter). Always reconfirm yourbooking at least 72 hours before departure.

BoatWith more than 3000km of Pacific and Atlan-tic coastline, there is a considerable amount ofshipping traffic, consisting mostly of irregularcargo boats that may also take passengers.Rivers are important transport routes in theChoc and the Amazon, where there is noother way of getting around. Few riverboatsrun on regular schedules, and as most areprimarily cargo boats they are far from fastand conditions are primitive.

BusBuses are the main means of getting aroundColombia. The bus system is well developedand extensive, reaching even the smallest vil-lages. Bus categories range from ordinarybangers to modern-day luxury liners.

The best buses (climatizado) have plenty ofleg room, reclining seats, large luggage com-

partments and toilets. Carry warm clothes drivers usually set the air-con to full blast.On the main roads buses run frequently,

so there is little point in booking a seat inadvance. In some places off the main routes,where there are only a few buses daily, its bet-ter to buy a ticket some time before departure.The only time you really need to book is dur-ing the Christmas and Easter periods, whenhordes of Colombians are on holiday.

There is one more kind of bus the chiva.This trolley-type vehicle was the principal

means of transport several decades ago. Itsbody is made almost entirely of wood, coveredwith colorful decorative patterns. Today thechivas have disappeared from the main roads,

but they still play an important role on back-roads between small villages.

Colectivos are a cross between a bus anda taxi. They are usually large cars (some-

times jeeps or minibuses) that cover fixedroutes, mainly over short and medium dis-tances. They leave when full, not accordingto a schedule, and are a reasonable option ifthere is a long wait for the next bus or if youare in a hurry.

Bus travel is reasonably cheap in Colombia.As a rule of a thumb, the climatizado buscosts roughly US$4 every 100km. If variouscompanies service the same route, the fareis much the same with all of them (thoughsome may offer temporary promotions, so

shop around).

Car & MotorcycleGetting around with your own vehicle is notas crazy as it sounds during our research wemet a number of foreigners braving Colom-bias highways and they seemed to be gettingby OK, or maybe they were just lucky.

The major risk is security. Car theft is seriousbusiness so you must remain vigilant, thoughthere is not much you can do in the case of high-way robbery. Safety is another consideration.Driving, especially in cities, is chaotic and wild.Paying attention to rules wont do you muchgood when everyone else is breaking them.

If you do plan to drive in Colombia,make sure you bring an International Driv-ing Permit. Its possible that one from yourhome country is valid but its a very grayarea and not everyone knows the rules soits best to have an International license toflash around.

BOGOT%1 / pop 7.5 million

Bogot is on the move. Once considered agood place to avoid, the Colombian capi-tal has done much to clean up its act and isfast becoming one of Latin Americas urbanhighlights. Improved security, infrastructureprojects and a citywide clean-up campaignhave all helped to bring a new face to theonce-beleaguered metropolis.

Graceful churches, excellent museums andthriving nightlife can keep you busy for severaldays. Bogot is also the political and finan-cial center of the country, not to mention its

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geographic heart, making it a useful base fromwhich to explore other regions of the country.

Colombians still flock to Bogot, home tomore than seven million people, from other

parts of the country in search of opportunitiesfor education and work. Many rural poor findthat the streets are not exactly paved with goldand end up eking out an existence in one ofthe vast shantytowns that line the southernportion of the city.

Most travelers spend the bulk of their timein or around La Candelaria, the 470-year-oldhistoric city center, a pleasant quarter awashwith cafs, guesthouses and historic sites.Northern Bogot stands in great contrast tothe south, turning up its nose to history andmoving forward as an ultramodern district ofbrash capitalist values.

Bogot lies at an altitude of about 2600m,and at this height altitude sickness can occur.You may feel a bit dizzy when you arrive.Take it easy for a day or two it should soongo away. The citys average temperature is14C year-round, with cool nights and warmdays. The dry seasons are from December toFebruary and June to September.

ORIENTATIONBogot has grown along its northsouth axisand is bordered to the east by a mountain rangetopped by the two peaks of Cerro de Monserrateand Cerro de Guadalupe. Having expanded upthe mountain slopes as far as possible, Bogot isnow developing to the west and north.

The city center divides the metropolis intotwo very different parts. The northern sectorconsists mainly of upmarket residential dis-tricts, while the southern part is a vast spreadof undistinguished lower-income suburbs.

The western part, away from the mountains,is the most heterogeneous and is more indus-trial. This is where the airport and the busterminal are located.

Bogot has enough sights to keep you busyfor several days. It also has a far more vibrantand diversified cultural and artistic life thanany other city in the country. Most major

attractions are in the city center, within easywalking distance of each other.

Note that street names including A, such asCarrera 7A, represent a half block. (Carrera 7Ais a street halfway between a Carrera 7 and 8.)INFORMATIONBookstoresGaviot @ Libros(%1-256-5621; Carrera 15 No 82-54)Imported books and magazines.Pan Americana(%1-341-7420) Carrera 7(Carrera 7No 18-48); Carrera 7A(Carrera 7A No 14-09) Books, officesupplies and electronics. Two central locations.

EmergencyEmergency numbers operate 24 hours.Ambulance(%125)Fire(%119)Police(%112)Police station(Carrera 1A No 18A-96) If documents orvaluables have been lost or stolen, go here.Tourist police(%1-337-4413; Carrera 13 No 26-62;h7am-noon & 2-7pm) The bilingual staff can provide

advice and assist travelers.

Internet AccessCentral Bogot has plenty of internet facilities(most cost US70 to US$1 per hour).Caf Internet Doble-Click(Carrera 7A No 19-03;h8am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun)Candelaria Net(Calle 14 No 3-74;h9am-9pm Mon-Sat)OfficeNET(Carrera 4 No 19-16, Oficina 112;h9am-9pm Mon-Sat)

LaundryMost hotels provide this service for theirguests.Lavandera Espumas(Calle 19 No 3A-37, Local 104)There are several budget lavanderasin the center.

GETTING INTO TOWN

El Dorado airport is relatively easy to navigate. You can change money outside customs (ratesare competitive) and catch a taxi into the center (13km). There is a small taxi booth at the exit

where you describe your destination and get a slip with the address and fixed price (US$7 to thecenter), which you then pass to the taxi driver. Its all very safe and sane. You can save moneyby taking busetas (small buses) or colectivosmarked Aeropuerto; they park about 50m from theterminal. From the center to the airport, you catch them on Calle 19 or Carrera 10.

If arriving in Bogot by bus at the main bus terminal, you can get to the center (9km) by a buseta orcolectivo, or by taxi (US$5).

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LibrariesBiblioteca Luis ngel Arango(%1-343-1212; Calle11 No 4-14;h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 4pm Sun) Libraryand temporary art exhibits.

Biblioteca Nacional(%1-243-5969; Calle 24 No 5-60;h7:45am-5pm Mon-Fri) You will need a library cardto visit.

Medical ServicesClnica de Marly (%1-343-6600; Calle 50 No 9-67)Outpatient clinic with general doctors and specialties.Centro de Atencin al Viajero(%1-215-2029,1-612-0272; Carrera 7 No 119-14) A travelers medicalcenter that offers various vaccinations (including yellowfever and hepatitis A and B).Hospital San Ignacio (%1-288-8188; Carrera 7

No 40-62) University hospital with high medical standards,but lines are often long.

MoneyBogots banks keep different opening hoursfrom the banks elsewhere in the country:they open 9am to 3pm Monday to Thurs-day, and 9am to 3:30pm Friday. Most bankshave ATMs. Changing cash may be better andquicker incasas de cambio. The banks listedchange travelers checks.Banco Unin Colombiano(Carrera 8 No 14-45)Bancolombia (Carrera 8 No 13-17)Banistmo Bank(Carrera 8 No 15-60)Casa de Cambio Unidas (%1-341-0537; Carrera 6No 14-72)Edificio Emerald Trade Center(Av Jimnez No 5-43)There are several exchange offices here.Expreso Viajes & Turismo(%1-593-4949; Calle 85No 20-32). American Express is represented here. It doesntcash checks but gives a replacement if your checks are lostor stolen.

Titn Intercontinental (%1-336-0549; Carrera 7No 18-42)

Post

AdpostalCentro Internacional

(Carrera 7 No 27-54);La Candelaria(%1-353-5666; cnr Carrera 7 & Calle 13)The main office is the La Candelaria branch.

AviancaCentro Internacional(%1-342-6077; Carrera 10No 26-53); City Center(%1-342-7513; Carrera 7 No 16-36)The city center branch has poste restante.DHL(%1-212-9727; Calle 72 No 10-70)FedEx(%1-291-0100; Carrera 7 No 16-50)

TelephoneMost internet cafs have reasonably priced

international and domestic phone services.Telecom (%1-561-1111; Calle 23 No 13-49;h7am-7pm) The main office is in the city center; other branchoffices are scattered throughout the city.

Tourist InformationThere are tourist information desks at the busterminal and El Dorado airport.Instituto Distrital de Cultura y Turismo (%1-327-4916; www.culturayturismo.gov.co in Spanish; Carrera 8No 9-83;h8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri) On the corner ofPlaza de Bolvar.Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia(%1-243-3003, 1-341-0676, 1-341-5331; www.parquesnacionales.gov.co in Spanish; Carrera 10 No 20-30;h8am-4pmMon-Fri) Provides information about national parks, andissues permits and books accommodations in the parks.

Travel AgenciesUseful student agencies:TrotamundosCentro Internacional(%1-599-6413;www.trotamundos.com.co; Diag 35 No 5-73); La Candelaria

THE BULLETPROOF TAILOR OF BOGOTMiguel Cabellero is the self-styled Armani of bulletproof clothing. Yes, it may be a niche marketbut with princes, heads of state and diplomats as customers, he has seen profits soar.

Cabellero, who has a shop on Calle 70 in Bogot, has been making bulletproof clothing for12 years. His company started with US$10 and a leather jacket; it now earns US$3 million peryear and has 80 employees.

The company specializes in suede- and leather-covered jackets and vests, but also sells knife-proof shirts, mine-resistant boots and shrapnel-deflecting blankets. All of it is designed for anincreasingly style-conscious public. United States diplomats based in Bogot have scooped upmore than a dozen Cabellero items (which cost from US$200 to US$2000). Other buyers areVenezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Colombian president lvaro Uribe and the prince of Spain.

The decrease in violence in Colombia over the past three years has been bad for business,

the company reports. New buyers, however, are being found in rough neighborhoods fromMexico City to Baghdad.

See Caballeros website at www.miguelcaballero.com.

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(%1-341-8986; Carrera 6A No 14-43, Oficina 208) Repre-sents STA Travel and may have attractive discounted airfaresfor students and young people.Viajes Vela(%1-635-3827; www.travelstc.com;

Calle 100 No 19-61, Oficinas 210 & 211)

DANGERS & ANNOYANCESBogot is not a perfectly safe place, but partsof the city center, including La Candelaria,are definitely safer now than they were afew years ago. The center has been largelyrestored over recent years and policing hasimproved. The northern districts are gener-ally regarded as safer than the center, but itsbest to observe some security precautionsthere as well.

Try to keep nighttime strolls to a minimumand dont carry money or other valuables, butdont get paranoid about going out at night.Just use common sense and travel by taxi. Ifyou are on the street, stick to well-lit largerboulevards.

Be discreet when using your camera, evenaround Plaza Bolvar, as some travelers havehad theirs stolen in broad daylight.

SIGHTSPlaza de Bolvar & AroundPlaza de Bolvar is the heart of the historictown, but what you see around it is a mishmashof architectural styles. The massive stone build-ing in classical Greek style on the southern sideis the Capitolio Nacional, the seat of the Congress.Opposite is the equally monumental Palacio deJusticia. It replaces an earlier building that wastaken by the M-19 guerrillas in November 1985and gutted by fire in a fierce 28-hour offensiveby the army that left more than 100 dead, in-cluding 11 Supreme Court justices.

The western side of the plaza is taken up bythe French-style Alcalda(mayors office), datingfrom the early 20th century. The neoclassi-cal Catedral Primada, on the eastern side of thesquare, was completed in 1823 and is Bogotslargest church. Next door, the Capilla del Sagrariois the only colonial building on the square.

To the east of the plaza is the colonial quar-ter of La Candelaria. The sector preserves anagreeable old-world appearance, even thougha number of modern edifices have replacedhistoric buildings. The best-preserved part

of the district is between Calles 9 and 13 andCarreras 2 and 5. This is the best part of townto stow away this guidebook and let yoursenses do the navigating.

MuseumsBogot has a great collection of museums.Theres free entry to museums on the lastSunday of each month be prepared for big

crowds.The star attraction is the Museo del Oro (GoldMuseum;%1-284-7450; www.banrep.gov.co/museo; Calle16 No 5-41; adults Tue-Sat US$1, free Sun, children under 12free;h9am-6pm Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun). It housesmore than 34,000 gold pieces from all themajor pre-Hispanic cultures in Colombia andis arguably the most important gold museumin the world.

Bogots other highlight is the Donacin Botero(%1-343-1331; Calle 11 No 4-41; admission free;h9am-7pmMon & Wed-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun). The 208-piece collec-

tion contains 123 of Boteros own works, in-cluding his paintings, drawings and sculptures,plus 85 works by international artists, sportingsuch names as Picasso, Chagall, Mir, Dali, Re-noir, Matisse and Monet. For a good overview,take an audio headset for US$2.

Museo Arqueolgico (%1-243-1048; Carrera 6 No 7-43; admission adult/student US$1.50/US75;h8:30am-5pmTue-Fri, 9:30am-5pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun), located in abeautiful colonial mansion, has an extensivecollection of pottery from Colombias mainpre-Hispanic cultures.

Museo de Arte Colonial (%1-341-6017; Carrera 6No 9-77; admission US$1;h9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4pmSat & Sun) features a remarkable collection ofcolonial art, including 76 oil paintings and106 drawings by Gregorio Vsquez de Arcey Ceballos (16381711), the most importantpainter of the colonial era.

In the northern part of the city center, besure to visit the Museo Nacional (%1-334-8366;www.museonacional.gov.co in Spanish; Carrera 7 No 28-66;admission US$1.50;h10am-5:30pm Tue-Sun). Accom-

modated in an old prison, it gives an insightinto Colombian history from the first set-tlers to modern times through a wealth ofexhibits that include historic objects, photos,maps, artifacts, paintings, documents andweapons. Dont miss the mummies.

For contemporary art visit the Museo deArte Moderno (%1-286-0466; Calle 24 No 6-00; admissionUS$1.50;h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, to 3pm Sun), which hasfrequently changing displays of national andforeign artists.

More offbeat, the Museo Historico Polica(%1-233-5911; Calle 9 No 9-27; admission free;h8am-noon &2-5pm Tue-Sat) includes a free guided tour thatshows off all manner of police paraphernalia,but the real reason to visit is the basement

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exhibit focusing on the 499-day hunt for thelate Pablo Escobar. The keynote item here is Pa-blos bloody jacket worn the day of his death.

The Quinta de Bolvar (%1-336-6419; www.quinta

debolivar.gov.co; Calle 20 No 2-91 Este; admission US$1.50;h9am-4:30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-3:30pm Sat & Sun) is anold country house that was donated to SimnBolvar in gratitude for his services. Today itsa museum displaying documents, maps, weap-ons, uniforms and Bolvars personal effects.

ChurchesA center of evangelism since the early daysof Spanish rule, Bogot boasts many colonialchurches, most dating from the 17th and 18thcenturies. Bogots churches have quite aus-

tere exteriors, but their internal decoration isoften elaborate.

One of the most impressive is the Iglesia deSanta Clara(Carrera 8 No 8-91; admission US$1;h9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun), now open as amuseum. Its walls are entirely covered withpaintings (more than 100 of them), statuesof saints, and altarpieces, all dating from the17th and 18th centuries.

Other churches worth a look include thelovely Iglesia de San Francisco(Av Jimnez at Carrera 7),for the extraordinary decoration of its chancel;Iglesia de la Concepcin(Calle 10 No 9-50), home ofBogots most beautiful Mudejar vault; Iglesiade San Ignacio (Calle 10 No 6-35), distinguished byboth its size and its valuable art collection; andIglesia de San Diego(Carrera 7 No 26-37), a charmingcountry church (it was well outside the townwhen built) which is now surrounded by aforest of high-rise buildings.

Cerro de MonserrateTo get a glimpse of the city from dizzying

heights take a ride to the top of Cerro de Mon-serrate, the mountain overlooking the citycenter. There is a church on the summit, witha statue of the Seor Cado (Fallen Christ), towhich many miracles have been attributed.

There are three ways to get to the top: bytelefrico (cable car, US$5 return, every 15minutes from 9:30am to midnight Mondayto Saturday, 6am to 5pm Sunday), funicularrailway (US$5 return, 6am to 6pm on Sundaysand public holidays) or footpath.

If you want to do the trip on foot (one hour

uphill), do it only on Sunday when crowds ofpilgrims go; on weekdays youll be a primetarget for thieves who prowl the mountain-side. Its close to the city center, so you can

walk, take a short cab ride or hop on the busmarked Funicular.

Other Sights

For another impressive birds-eye view go tothe Mirador Torre Colpatria (%1-283-6697; Carrera7 No 24-89; admission US$1.25;h11am-5pm Sat, Sun &holidays)nearby Parque de la Indepencia. The360 lookout atop this 48-story 162m-highskyscraper (built in 197579) provides excel-lent views in all directions.

On Sunday check out the flea market heldaround the Parque de los Periodistas, nearLa Candelaria.

Jardn Botnico Jos Celestino Mutis (%1-437-7060; www.jbb.gov.co in Spanish; Calle 57 No 61-13; admis-

sion US$1.50;h8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun)has a variety of national flora from differentclimatic zones; some are in gardens, others ingreenhouses. The airportbuseta orcolectivowill let you off nearby.

Maloka (%1-427-2707; www.maloka.org in Spanish;Carrera 68D No 40A-51; adult/student US$3.50/2;h8am-6pmMon-Thu, 9am-7pm Fri-Sun)is an interactive center ofscience and technology, possibly the continentslargest and best. It features a variety of thematicexhibitions such as the universe, human beings,technology, life, water and biodiversity, plus ahi-tech Cine-Domo cinema. The best way to gethere is via the airportbuseta or colectivo.

ACTIVITIESIf youre looking for a place to kick around afootball or go for a jog, try the Parque SimnBolvar, a popular weekend hangout forbogotnos.

Mountain biking and rock climbing areorganized at Suesca (p565), but if you want tohone your skills there is a climbing wall at Gran

Pared(%1-245-7284; www.granpared.com in Spanish; cnrCarrera 7 & Calle 50; per hr with equipment US$5;h2pm-10pm Mon, 10am-10pm Tue-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun).

For paragliding contact Esteban Noboa(%1-672-8447, 310-819-4316)who charges US$30 for a25-minute tandem flight.

Bowling purists simply must visit the SanFrancisco Bolo Club(%1-342-3232; Av Jimnez No 6-71;per game US$1;h10am-10pm). Theres no auto-matic scorekeeper or even a pin setter itsall done by hand.

WALKING TOURCentral Bogota is fairly easy to get around byfoot and this walking tour will help you getacquainted with the major sights. The obvious

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place to start is at the historical heart of the city,the Plaza de Bolvar(1; p558). Here you can getyour bearings, while taking in some of the citysmost important historical points of interest,

including the magnificent Catedral Primada (2),arguably the most beautiful historical buildingin the city, and its smaller neighbor, the Capilladel Sagrario (3). Duck past the divebomber pi-geons that swarm around the square and heada half-block up Calle 11 to La Puerta Falsa (4),a historic chocolate shop that will have yoursweet tooth in ecstasy. If you prefer the buzz ofcoffee, head further uphill to the Juan Valdz cof-fee shop (5). Its located next to the magnificentDonacin Botero(6; p558), which you can exploreat your leisure (entry is free).

You are now smack in the middle of La Can-delaria, a barrio of narrow lanes, trendy cafsand plenty of students and artists lingeringabout on weekdays. People-watch, kill sometime with a book or chat up some locals its the best part of the city to watch life rollby. Properly caffeinated, meander north to theEmerald Traders Market (7)at Av Jimnez andCarrera 7. Here youll find throngs of peopletrying to sell emeralds in what look like veryshady operations. Even if you love bargain-ing, dont cut a deal here as you will almostcertainly be ripped off only a trained eye cantell the difference between a fake stone and thegenuine article. If you really want to see somebeautiful mineral wealth, head around thecorner to the Museo del Oro(8; p558).

Take in the rest of central Bogot by stroll-ing down Carrera 7, passing by its wealth ofshops, churches, restaurants, craft markets andtheaters. If its a weekend, you can top off thistour by riding to the top of the Mirador TorreColpatria(9; p559), the unmistakable 48-story

building that lies just south of Calle 26.

COURSESFor informal classes (Spanish, cooking, yoga orsalsa), check the noticeboards at guesthouses orinquire at LJaim restaurant. For languages:Universidad de los Andes(%1-286-9211; Carrera 1No 18A 10)Universidad Externado de Colombia (%1-282-6066; Calle 12 No 1-17)Universidad Javerianas Centro Latinoamericano(%1-320-8320; Carrera 10 No 65-48) Bogots best-

known school of Spanish language, which offers regularone-year courses and three-week intensive courses.Universidad Nacional(%1-316-5335; cnr Carrera 30& Calle 45)

WALK FACTS

Start Plaza de Bolvar

Finish Mirador Torre Colpatria

Distance 2.4km

Duration One hour

La Candelaria

ColpatriaMirador Torre

SantanderParque

IndependenciaParque de la

C23

C24

C22

C20

C21

Carr

era8

Carrera9

Ca rrera 5

C17

C18

Carrera12

C14

Carrera4

Carrera

5

C12C

arr

era

8

C13

Carr

era

6

C16

Carrera7

Carrera7

Jimnez

Av

Carrera

10

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de BolvarPlaza

5

8

7

6

4

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TOURSEco-Guas (%1-347-5736, 1-212-1423; www.ecoguias.com; Carrera 7 No 57-39, Apt No 802B) An adventure-travel company that focuses on ecotourism and offers

individualized tours to various regions of the country,including some national parks. It also organizes reasonablypriced Sunday walks in Bogots environs.Sal Si Puedes (%1-283-3765; Carrera 7 No 17-01,Oficina 639) An association of outdoor-minded peoplewho organize weekend walks in the countryside. Theseare mostly one-day excursions to Cundinamarca, thoughlonger trips to other regions are also arranged duringholiday periods and long weekends.Other associations of this type:Andarines del Senderismo (%1-617-8857;Transversal 48 No 95A-32)

Colombia Ecoturstica (%1-241-0065, 1-366-3059;[email protected]; Carrera 3 No 21-46, Apt802B)Viajar y Vivir(%1-211-1368, 1-211-1205; www.viajaryvivir.com in Spanish; Carrera 13 No 61-47, Local 104)

FESTIVALS & EVENTSFestival Iberoamericano de TeatroThe theater festi-val featuring groups from Latin America and beyond takesplace in March/April of every even-numbered year.Festival de Cine de BogotBogots film festivalin October usually attracts a strong selection of LatinAmerican films.ExpoartesanasThis crafts fair in December gatherstogether artisans along with their crafts from all aroundthe country. Its an excellent place to buy crafts.

SLEEPINGBogot has loads of places to stay in every pricebracket. The historic suburb of La Candelariais the most popular area with foreign travelers,and it has a reasonable choice of budget hotels.The alternative area is the northern part of the

city, which has a fair selection of upmarket ac-commodations but very few budget hotels.Platypus (%1-341-2874, 1-341-3104; www.platypus

bogota.com; Calle 16 No 2-43; dm/s/d US$6/11/13;i)Byfar the most popular budget place amongbackpackers, Platypus has three four-beddorms and several singles and doubles. Eventhough conditions are quite simple and onlya couple of rooms have private bathrooms,the place is safe, clean and pleasant and hashot water. The hostel offers book exchange,free wi-fi, laundry and kitchen facilities and

free coffee. The friendly owner, Germn(pronounced Hermann), a longtime travelerhimself, speaks several languages and is anexcellent source of practical information.

Hotel Internacional (%1-341-8731; Carrera 5 No 14-

45; s/d/tr US$5.50/11/16, without bathroom US$5/10/13;i)A favorite among Israeli travelers, it providesinternet access and the use of the kitchen.

Hotel Aragn (%1-284-8325; Carrera 3 No 14-13; s/d/trwithout bathroom US$6.50/12/18)This well-located hotelhas 24 private rooms, most with natural lightand street views. Its quiet, with constant hotwater and clean and well-maintained facilities.

Centro Plaza(%1-243-3818; www.hotelcentroplaza.com;Carrera 4 No 13-12; dm/d/tr with bathroom US$6.50/14.50/20;

i)Another Israeli hangout, this place has akosher restaurant and billiards table. Smallishrooms are clean, but without windows.

La Casona del Patio Amarillo (%1-212-8805; Car-rera 8 No 69-24; s/d/tr with bathroom US$14/24/33, withoutbathroom US$12/20/24;i) One of the cheapestoptions in northern Bogot. The rooms arespotlessly clean and airy, and the place offersvarious services, including breakfast (US$2).

Hotel El Dorado (%1-334-3988; Carrera 4 No 15-00;d with/without bathroom US$17/13.50) A convenientoption close to nightspots. It has fairly smallrooms, but most of them have private baths.

Hotel San Sebastin (%1-480-0503; Av Jimnez No3-97; s/d/tr US$18/25/32) More comfortable thanany of the above, San Sebastin has airy roomswith TV and private bathroom, and is welllocated just a couple of blocks from the Museodel Oro.

Hotel Ambala(%1-342-6384; www.hotelambala.net;Carrera 5 No 13-46; s/d/tr US$20/27/41;n)This friendlyhotel has 22 immaculate but tiny rooms, eachwith TV and minibar. Its probably the bestmidrange option in La Candelaria.

EATINGInnumerable places have set lunches forUS$1.50 to US$3 the best way to choose isto drop into one, see what people are eating

Book accommodations online at lonelyplanet.com

SPLURGE!

Hotel de la pera (%1-336-2066; www.hotelopera.com.co; Calle 10 No 5-72; d/ste US$95/115) By

far the best lodging option in La Candelaria,accommodated in two meticulously restoredhistoric buildings right next door to the Tea-tro Coln. This five-star hotel has much charmand character, and a rooftop restaurant withviews over red-tiled roofs of the nearby colo-nial houses. The atmosphere and service aregreat, and the place is small enough that youreceive personal attention.

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and stay or move on to the next one. The bulkof these are on Carrera 7.

La Puerta Falsa (Calle 11 No 6-50; snacks US50-$1.50)

Bogots, and for that matter Colombias, old-est operating place to eat serves typical localsnacks (including tamales and chocolate san-tafereo) and sweets just as it has since 1816.

Mora Mora (Carrera 3a No 15-98; smoothie US$1.25;h7am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat) Literally Rasp-berry Raspberry, this pastel-painted juiceshop prepares fruit smoothies, sandwichesand snacks. The muesli and fruit is a nicechoice for breakfast. Wi-fi equipped.

Restaurante Corporacin Prodicom (Calle 15A No2-21; set lunches US$1.50-2)One of the local favoritesthanks to its great-value tasty lunches.

Andante Ma Non Troppo (Carrera 3A No 10-92; dishesUS$1.50-3;h8am-8pm) Tranquil caf and res-taurant serving pastas and the best bread inLa Candelaria.

Pastelera Florida (Carrera 7 No 21-46; snacks US50-$1.50)In its new locale, Florida is famous forits chocolate santafereo. Its also a great placefor breakfast.

Restaurante Vegetariano Boulevard Ssamo (AvJimnez No 4-64; set meal US$2-3;h8am-4pm) Veg-

etarian restaurant where a set lunch includessoup, juice and a plate of mixed veggies.El Chilito(Carrera 3 No 18A-56; dishes US$2-4;h9:30am-

3:30pm Mon-Thu & Sat, 9:30am-7pm Fri)A burrito andquesadilla joint that caters to the gringo pal-ate. The owner is a musician and can giveyou tips on the best places to hear live jamsessions.

LJaim(%1-281-8635; Carrera 3 No 14-79; meals US$3-5;hnoon-9pm Sun-Fri) This little bit of Israeltransported to Bogot serves great shawarma(chopped meat and veggies served with pita

and hummus) plus falafel and baklava. Theidentical twin brothers who run the placeprovide travel advice and also organize lan-guage classes.

Alina (%1-341-7208; Calle 9 No 2-81; pizzas US$3-4;h11:30am-10pm)Reputedly the best pizza placein La Candelaria, Alina also has a dozen

different pies, plus lasagna. Its run by aColombian-American named Mario, who alsorents out some rooms in his home behindthe restaurant.

Restaurante Fulanitos (Carrera 3 No 8-61; mains US$4-7) Beautifully arranged, informal place thatoffers food typical of the Valle del Cauca insouthern Colombia.

Al Wadi (Calle 27 No 4A-14; dishes US$4-6;h10am-9pm)Located in the hip neighborhood of LaMacarena, this restaurant is decorated withshishapipes (hookahs) and scenes from Leba-non. Try a falafel or kebab, finished off with anArab confection. Around the corner on Car-rera 4a youll find other upscale restaurants.

Candela Caf (Calle 9 No 4-93; mains US$7-9;hnoon-3pm Mon-Sat)This exclusive lunch caf is a majorhit with the local suit-and-tie set. Try an ex-cellent Mediterranean salmon, a spicy chilicon carne or a tasty gratinado (cheese andchicken soup).

DRINKING

CafsJuan Valdz(cnr Calle 73 & Carrera 9;h7am-11pm Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm Sun) Caffeine junkies and expatslove this chic outlet of the Juan Valdz chain.Look for the glass-and-steel structure with theparasols outside. Theres a second location atthe Donacin Botero (p558).

Caf del Sol(Calle 14 No 3-60;h8am-8:30pm)Thiscoffee shop brews up all manner of cappuc-cinos, espressos and even Irish coffee. Snacks,sandwiches and breakfast are also available.

Caf de la Estacin (Calle 14 No 5-14;h7am-10pmMon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat) A unique address, this isan old train car converted into a tiny cafin the middle of the city. Coffee and snacksavailable.

SPLURGE!

Andrs Carne de Res (%1-863-7880; www.andrescarnederes.com in Spanish; Calle 3 No 11A-56, Cha; mealsUS$12-15;hnoon-3am Fri-Sun) Hang onto your hats, this legendary steakhouse aims to blow you

away with its amazing food and a never-say-die party attitude. A trip to Andrs Carne de Res,located well north of Bogots city limits in Cha, is well worth the effort. It serves big steaks in aranchero atmosphere and is a popular party spot, so bring your dancing shoes (and a thick wallet;its not cheap). Well-known DJs, occasionally from Europe, have hosted late-night rumbas. To getthere take the TransMilenio from the Portal del Norte and continue by frequent bus to Cha. Ataxi from the center will cost around US$15, and if you plan to party late youll need to take oneback as the TransMilenio stops at midnight. You could also visit as part of a trip to Zipaquir.

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BarsThe main area of nighttime entertainment isthe Zona Rosa, in the northern sector of thecity, between Carreras 11 and 15, and Calles

81 and 84. Theres a maze of music spots, bars,restaurants and cafs in the area, which becomeparticularly vibrant on weekend nights.

The city center has revived over recentyears and many nightspots have mushroomedall over the place, particularly in La Cande-laria. Most are reasonably cheap, with a bottleof beer below a dollar.

Surikata (Calle 84 No 13-43, Zona Rosa;h6pm-3amTue-Sat)This intimate bar is about the extent ofZona Rosas alternative scene. It plays Ameri-can and British rock from the 80s and 90s,

but its more of a chill-out spot than a placeto dance.

Mister Babilla (Calle 82 No 12-15, Zona Rosa; admissionUS$5;h7pm-3am Tue-Sat)Loud, colorful, party-place with everything but the kitchen sinknailed to the walls or hanging from the ceil-ing. Various musical rhythms include rock,merengue and salsa.

Pub (Carrera 12A No 83-48, Zona Rosa;hnoon-late)Irish addition to the Zona Rosa, which hasbecome hugely popular with some more af-fluent locals and expats.

Saloon(Calle 51 No 7-69;h3pm-2am Mon-Sat)Themost popular bar on the Calle 51 studentstreet. The US$4.50 admission charge in-cludes vouchers for four beers. Up and downthis street youll find several other student-packed watering holes.

Caf Color Caf (Carrera 2 No 13-06;hnoon-11pm)At the Plazoleta del Chorro de Quevedo, thisis one of several bohemian bars that featuresfloor seating and cheap beer. This one also hasabout 50 types of coffee.

ENTERTAINMENTFor updated info on cultural fare, have a lookat the entertainment columns of the leadinglocal paper, El Tiempo. The Friday edition

carries a whats-on section called Eskpe.Also check Terra(www.terra.com.co/bogota in Spanish),which covers cinemas, theaters, nightclubs,cultural events and more.

Bogot has plenty of nightspots offering avariety of moods and any musical rhythmsyou wish for, including rock, reggae, tango,samba, hip-hop and salsa. The latter is perhapsthe most popular among the hot-blooded citydwellers, and a worthwhile experience for travel-ers. There are plenty of disco-type places calledsalsotecas dont miss trying one, if only to

listen to the music and watch people dancing.

NightclubsSalsotecas and clubs carry a US$3 to US$5cover. Pricier places are in the Zona Rosa.

Salom Pagana (Carrera 14A No 82-16, Zona Rosa; admis-sion US$3;h6pm-3am)Recommended salsoteca,with fine salsa and son cubano (traditionalCuban music).

Quiebra Canto (Carrera 5 No 17-76, La Candelaria;h6:30pm-2:30am Wed-Sat)One of the most pop-ular nighttime hangouts in the center, thisraucous double level disco features variousmusic beats on different days and has groupsplaying on some weekends.

El Viejo Almacn (Calle 15 No 4-18, La Candelaria;h7pm-3am Tue-Sat) Nostalgic tango bar with4000-plus old tango vinyls.

Escobar Rosas (cnr Calle 15 & Carrera 4, La Candelaria;admission incl 3 drinks US$5;h8pm-late Thu-Sat)Grittyand cramped, Escobar Rosas spins 70s and80s rock. The upstairs bar leads down to asweaty disco floor in the basement.

GAY & LESBIAN BOGOT

Gay and lesbian life is pretty active in Bogot. Travelers can browse www.guiagaycolombia.com/bogota in Spanish for more details. Note that the admission charge to some of the followingplaces usually includes one or two drinks.

Chase (Calle 67 No 4A-91) Three-level restaurant-cum-bar, with a quiet atmosphere and decentgrub.

Theatron(Calle 58 No 10-34; admission US$7;h10pm-late) One of the most popular gay discos intown, but its not that cheap. Lottus, next door, is exclusively open to male patrons.

CafVillage(Carrera 8 No 64-29;h6pm-late) Quiet, reasonably-priced bar-cum-restaurant. Excel-lent coffee.

El Closet Lounge (%1-520-7126; www.elclosetbogota.com in Spanish; Km5 Via Calera; 10pm-late Fri &Sat)This somewhat upscale place is located well east of town toward La Calera. A taxi there willcost around US$14 from the center.

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Punta Sur(Carrera 13 No 81-36, Zona Rosa;h4pm-3amWed-Sat) It seems that half the people in thisplace are either dancing on top of the tablesor passed out underneath them. Best of all,

theres no cover charge.CinemasBogot has dozens of cinemas offering theusual Hollywood fare.

Multiplex Cine Colombia (%1-404-2463; Calle 24No 6-01)The most convenient multiplex in thecity center.

For something more thought provoking,check the programs of the cinematecas (art-house cinemas). Regular cinemas of that type:Auditorio de la Antigua Calle del Agrado

(%1-281-4671; Calle 16 No 4-75)Cinemateca Distrital(%1-283-5598; www.cinematecadistrital.gov.co in Spanish; Carrera 7 No 22-79)Museo de Arte Moderno(%1-286-0466; Calle 24No 6-00)

TheaterLeading theaters:Teatro de la Candelaria(%1-281-4814; Calle 12No 2-59)Teatro Libre(%1-281-4834; Calle 13 No 2-44 &%1-217-1988; Calle 62 No 10-65)Teatro Nacional(%1-217-4577; Calle 71 No 10-25)

SportsSoccer is Colombias national sport.

Estadio El Campn(Carrera 30 at Calle 55)The principalvenue. Matches are on Wednesday nights andSunday afternoons. Tickets can be bought at thestadium before matches (US$4 to US$40).

For local games, tickets can also be boughtat Millonarios (Carrera 24 No 63-68)and Santa Fe (Calle64A No 38-08). For international matches (and

to watch Seleccin Colombia), you can buytickets in advance at Federacin Colombiana deFtbol (www.colfutbol.org in Spanish; Av 32 No 16-22).

BullfightingPlaza de Toros de Santamara (Carrera 6 at Calle 27)Bullfighting is invariably popular, with fightsheld here on most Sundays in January andFebruary. Tickets are available from the bull-rings box office (US$10 to US$100).

GETTING THERE & AWAYAirBogots airport, Aeropuerto El Dorado, hastwo terminals and handles all domestic andinternational flights. The main terminal, El

Dorado(%1-413-9053; Av El Dorado)is 13km north-west of the city center and offers plenty offacilities, including tourist information (inthe luggage-claim area), internet access (in

the Telecom office) and money exchange.Threecasas de cambio,next to each other onthe ground floor, change cash and are open24 hours a day. The Banco Popular at the nextwindow (also open 24 hours), changes bothcash and travelers checks. There are a dozenATMs on the upper level.

The other terminal, Puente Areo(%1-413-9511;Av El Dorado), is 1km from El Dorado toward thecity center. It handles some of Aviancas inter-national and domestic flights. Be sure to checkwhich terminal your flight departs from.

There are plenty of domestic flights to des-tinations all over the country, including Cali(US$80 to US$110), Cartagena (US$90 toUS$142), Leticia (US$110 to US$140), Medelln(US$70 to US$120) and San Andrs (US$145 toUS$150). You can buy tickets from travel agentsor directly from the airlines, most of which havetheir main offices in the city center:AeroRepblica(%1-342-7221; www.aerorepublica.com.co; Carrera 10 No 27-51, Local 165)Aires(%1-336-6039; www.aires.com.co in Spanish;Carrera

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