The Travel Chica

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A Tourist in Bogotá: 1000 Photos in 5 Days

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I am usually careful to distinguish myself as a traveler rather than a tourist. That may sound snobbish, but I think there is a difference.  A tourist is someone on vacation. They have a very limited amount of time in a place, and they usually want to focus that time on seeing the main attractions and doing the popular activities before they have to go back to work and dream about their next vacation for several months. There is nothing wrong with being a tourist. I have been a tourist on many occasions, and I am a damn good one. I can put together a site-seeing and activities schedule that would make Clark Griswold proud.

For me, the difference between a traveler and a tourist is that the goal of the traveler is to walk away from the destination feeling that you understand it, that you have a feel for what it would be like to live there. A traveler learns about their destination:  the history that has shaped the current dynamic, the traditions and demeanor of the people, the places the locals go for dinner or a beer, the places the locals go for a weekend getaway. A daily itinerary is not usually a traveler’s concern. In fact, it is best not to have too much of a plan because every traveler knows you find out the best information from the locals when you get there.

One of my favorite travel quotes is from the book Vagabonding:  An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long Term Travel by Rolf Potts.

“The value of your travels does not hinge on how many stamps you have in your passport when you get home – and the slow nuanced experience of a single country is always better than the hurried, superficial experience of forty countries.”


But I only had five nights in Bogotá. This is the shortest amount of time I have spent anywhere since I left 5 months ago. I decided I needed to be a tourist. I wanted to see it all and do it all. When I was dropped off by the colectivo bus in La Candelaria, I got this feeling of excitement about my new location. The historic architecture, the cobblestone streets, the graffiti-art, the funky student-musician-street performer-hippie mix of people all made me want to explore every street and check out every museum and art space.

Bogota 497

I needed to prioritize. I needed a daily itinerary. So I switched into tourist mode.

Bogota 474In five days, I took over 1000 photos. Of course many of those shots were duplicates using different camera settings and different angles, but I think you can get the point that I was fascinated by everything I saw. I walked countless miles through the streets of Bogotá. I am quite certain I saw every street in the heart of La Candelaria, including my favorite La Cara de Perro (Dog Face).  I carried my camera everywhere, wanting to capture the essence and beauty of the neighborhood. In addition to trying the delicious traditional foods and photographing every inch of La Candelaria, I managed to also fit in these activities.

  • Free city walking tour – one of the best ways to quickly learn about a city and its main attractions.
  • Took the teleférico to the top of Monserrate, the famous hill overlooking Bogota.
  • Participated in Ciclovia.  Every Sunday, they close down the main avenue for the people to run, walk, or cycle.
  • Met up with a friend living in Bogotá for dinner and drinks in La Macarena neighborhood.
  • Day trip to the city of ZipaQuira, home of La Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral).
  • Checked out a handful of museums and art exhibits, including Museo Botero, Gabriel Garcia Marquez Cultural Center, Museo del Oro, Museo Nacional, and La Casa de Moneda.

My whirlwind site-seeing in Bogotá also taught me a lesson about being a tourist.

I did some things that really did not seem that interesting to me just because they were listed as the top things to see in Lonely Planet and were also recommended by other tourists and travelers. I was quite disappointed with La Catedral de Sal. Although kind of interesting to see, it was certainly not worth an entire day of the five I had in Bogotá. It required a 2.5 hour bus ride each way, and the cost of admission is absurd for what it is, especially in this part of the world. Maybe if I had two weeks, it would have been worth it. My other disappointment was the Museo del Oro (Museum of Gold).  I had suspected I would not care too much for it, so I went on Sunday when admission is free.  I left after about 20 minutes when I reminded myself that I am never going to be the type of person that likes to look at historical trinkets made of gold.

Bogota 455

These sites obviously interest many people, so I am certainly not recommending everyone to stop visiting them. In fact, many of the others in my hostel raved about La Catedral de Sal. It is just that some things are not for everyone. If you are on vacation in a new city and especially if your time is limited, just remember that you do not have to do what the travel guide tells you or what the hotel staff recommend. If you have limited time, you can still be a traveler and save a few pockets of time in your daily itinerary for the unknown gems you will find out about when you get there.

The best part about my short trip to Bogotá is that I now know I not only want to return to the city but also spend several weeks exploring the rest of Colombia.  Many people travel with the mindset that they have to do and see everything because they may never be back.

I choose to believe that I can always come back.

Photo of graffiti

Check out my Travel Tips page to see my favorite sites, activities, and of course, food in Bogota.

Check out my photos of Bogotá and La Catedral de Sal.  Don’t worry… I have pared it down to about 100 :-)

Comments

  1. Going to have to miss Bogata this time. I am spending an extra couple weeks in Medellin having Macbook and dental work done but a great op to understand the culture here. Met a gringo last night who has spent the last four months all in Colombia and I am beginning to see the appeal of that even in my relatively short time here. I will return as well.

  2. Wow, there’s always a lot to explore everywhere and Colombia is surely on our bucket list. Don’t know when we’ll be there, but we will one day. Looking forward to reading more of your stories.

  4. I knew you’d love it. I fell in love with Bogota the first time I visited. Carlos and I are like you, we might be tourists, but always make time to be a traveler and find out what it’s like to live in the country or city you’re visiting, it makes all the difference in the work, and makes the experience just that more special.

    • Since you both have had the opportunity to travel for work, it is great to have that attitude for business trips too.

      An all-expenses-paid opportunity to learn about a new part of the world!

  5. THis is definitely on our list for SA- you saw so much… hopefully we’ll be able to accomplish as much as you!

  6. Liked the article, I wish in a nearly future experiment the satisfaction of becoming a traveler rather than a tourist ; )

  8. I loved Bogota too, and saw all the places you mention. I was surprised to find the free walking tours, a great plus not many cities have, and the Catedral de Sal was inspiring as well. I did not take 1000 photos though, despite having sunshine all the time I was there!
    Federico recently posted..A Weekend in Carcassonne- France

  9. I always take a crazy number of photos, always have even back in the film days. I think when you have limited time in a place for whatever reason, it’s always important to stand back from all the “must-do” lists and figure out exactly what it is you want to feel, learn and/or experience. When we have little time, I think it’s human nature to be more uptight about “hitting” all the highlights, but on the other hand, when we have a lot of time, we may have to work to make ourselves do all that we really want to do. A tricky balance?
    Margo recently posted..Book Review- The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost

  12. There is so much more to Colombia than Bogota.. My personal opinión is that Bogota is not the best of the tourist places to visit. There are a so many better places… and of course they have better weather 😉
    Don recently posted..When pigs go to heaven

    • Unfortunately, I had a pre-booked flight out of Bogota, so I didn’t have time to explore any other parts of Colombia. I have heard so many wonderful things about the rest of the country. I am hoping to have the time to give Colombia some proper attention (I’m thinking 6 weeks at least).

      I’ll let you know when I do!
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Foto of the Week from … Buenos Aires

  13. Yeh 6 weeks is a min amount of time. I did 2 weeks and tried to see as much as possible. :S wow it was hard. later went for a month… enjoyed it so much more that time.

    Let me know when you go. I would love you to help write some articles for my site if you are interested.

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