Colombia Trip 3^rd Report

On February 12, we left Bogota by bus to Zipaquira to visit the Salt Cathedral.  This is a previous salt mine in very large mountain.  It was a substantial bus drive to get there.  This subterranean was carved out of salt bedrock.  Julio was our guide for the tour and explained every thing in great detail.  The walls of the mine are over 85% salts.  When water is run over it, it turns white as salt normally appears.  What we saw was grey walls.  It is an old salt mine that has been converted to Christian worship shrine with many, many displays of religious importance.  Religious music played while we walked through this important religious shrine.  We worked our way to the third level.  It has the capacity for 8,000 worshipers.  8,500 square meters.  40 km of road are in the mine.  At the church level it is 180 meters deep.  I took some pictures.  Many members of our group took many pictures.  It is well done and has been subsidized by the Colombian government.  We spent two hours inside.  It is 50 km south of Bogota.  I took 17098 steps.   Lots of walking. 

After the Salt Cathedral, we drove to the beautiful colonial town of Villa De leyva in the late afternoon.  Our hotel is very old and the room is nice.

Julio told us that there are 400,000 soldiers in Colombia who have special skills of fighting in a rain forest.  Julio told us that the country is experiencing global warming where the mountain tops is receiving substantially less snow.  There are Venezuelans walking in the sides of the road with no more then what they can carry after leaving their native country because of the difficulties there. 

The bus we are driving looks from the outside and inside to be in superb condition.  As we drive along it makes a constant “creaking” sound.  I do not recollect being in a bus that does that.  The guide explained to us that the roads in Colombia are not well maintained and are rough to drive on.  We were constantly “jostled” around in our seats at an extreme that I had not experienced.  Linda reminded that many years ago, we had a similar bus ride in Costa Rica.  At one point we hit a bump in the road, and I was propelled out of my seat into the air for no less the three inches.  I was shocked and the people around me were also shocked.

Our guide has told us that 95% of the residents in the area are practicing Catholics and are very conservative.   

Had great vegetarian meals for lunch and dinner.  Terrific. 

Wednesday, we had a very pleasant walking tour of Villa De Leyva.  It was founded in 1572.  In 1954, the city square was designated a national monument.  It is considered the largest square in Colombia.  I have noticed that there are many statues of past leaders in Colombia.  Our guide tells us that a law was passed which required each city to have a statue of a national liberator.  Many cities chose Simon Bolivar.  Because the city is considered a monument, the walls must be painted white and any modifications, new buildings have to be approved.  This city is a favorite place for people from Bogota to come to rest.  It is substantially lower altitude, warmer climate. 

There are many plant-growing plots covered with elevated plastic that are used to grow flowers, tomatoes that we have observed. 

We also went to a fossil museum and saw well-preserved, fossilized Kronosaurus discovered by a local farmer.