Earth, Wind and Fire!

 Our first day in Bogota started with a money hunt for Colombian Peso.  The hotel had marked three ATMs on our map, but two were behind barriers for a concert in the Plaza and the third didn't like our cards (either that or the pension is running out!).  We returned to the hotel who changed a small amount to get us out of trouble but later that day we found cambio who would change anything!  Talking of money we visited the Museo del Oro or Gold Museum.  The highlight was a vault with a dazzling display of 8,000 piecs of pre-Colombian gold objects.  It shone like fire!

Today's trip was on the Turisten, an all day excursion on a STEAM train from Bogota to Zipaquira.  We left at 8.30am with a resident band and all sorts of local delicacies on sale.  The train is the only steam train now running in Columbia and it is only allowed out on high days and holidays which is not surprising as all traffic is brought to a halt as it slowly puffs along with its steam billowing in the wind.

The train was surprisingly very full of mainly Columbian families all intent on a good Sunday outing despite the dreadful weather.  There were also, as expected, a number of train geeks! As all the announcements were in Spanish, a very kind lady sat behind us offered to translate anything important.

Our outing took us to Zipaquira home to the salt cathedral in a working salt mine in the bowels of the earth.  The cathedral was opened in December 1995 by the Colombian President as a replacement for one that had fallen into disrepair.  

Spot which one is the dummy!

We returned to Bogota at 5.30pm after a splendid day out and then only had to dodge the down and outs as we walked back to our hotel!