Plaza de Bolívar and ajiaco

We then walked up Calle Real, the main pedestrianised shopping street in Bogota, to reach Plaza de Bolivar. The place was thronging with people - tourists mingled with local families enjoying Saturday afternoon outings. There were numerous street performers and vendors selling everything from tubs of pigeon food to beakers of hot toddy!

The history of Bolívar Square dates back to the pre-Columbian era, when the site was part of the Muisca Confederation. The first building on the square, a primitive cathedral, was constructed in 1539, a year after the foundation of the Colombian capital. During the Spanish colonial period, Bolívar Square was the stage for circus acts, public markets, and bullfights.

The square is surrounded by historical buildings; the Palace of Justice is located on the northern edge, and the National Parliament Building borders the square in the south. The Primary Cathedral of Bogotá, next to the Archiepiscopal Palace with the monumental door cast by Ferdinando Marinelli Artistic Foundry and the Liévano Palace, seat of the mayor of Bogotá, are situated on the eastern and western side respectively.

Bolívar Square is a main tourist attraction in Bogotá and the site for many demonstrations and protests. We used it as the backdrop for our group photo to remind us all of such a special day.

We then went to a restaurant close by for the first course of what would be a three-course tasting lunch. We ate ajiaco, a traditional Colombian chicken soup with potatoes and corn, served with capers, avocado, rice, and cream.

I was drawn to a colourful hand stitched collage on the wall.

Just before we finished eating, the heavens opened. The noise on the roof of the restaurant was deafening! It was a deluge of biblical proportions! Within only a few minutes, the road outside had turned into a river. I was immediately transported back to our time living in Vietnam when we could set our watches by the monumental downpour that happened at 4.30 every afternoon!Read more