Post-breakfast, Monday morning in Bogota
Yesterday was a great, hanging-out sort of “family day,” in the midst of which I got us lost in a strange city, we visited a great cathedral, played card games, and watched one of Braden’s movies (Scooby-Doo 2) on Zuetana’s projector with the other families. We also ran into our first real snag…
Getting lost: We took a cab to a local mall to buy some warm clothes for Kelly Johanna, who is freezing even in Bogota’s 70-degree weather. It was a very USA-styled mall, and Kelly looked a little amazed by it all. But I forgot to bring the hotel’s address with me, so the return cab ride was an experience in mutual frustration as I tried to give directions to the elderly cabby in non-existent Spanish. I felt we were getting further and further away from the hotel so I finally said “Pare! Pare!” and we got out. We found a phone in a market by using the translator’s “Yo creo estamos perdida” (I think we are lost), called our contact at ICBF, got the address for Zuetana, and hailed another cabbie. Only a few moments of panic and a happy ending.
After a quick lunch we went to the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira. It’s about an hour north of Bogota, and the countryside reminds me of both the Italian countryside (which I’ve never seen) and parts of northern California. The site is an old (and currently running) salt mine that Colombia decided to turn into a natural cathedral. It is sanctified, and includes the fourteen station of the cross cut into the rock walls. There are pictures below, though many didn’t turn out well…
The best part about the day was just getting out, hanging out as a family, and learning more about KJ and ourselves. She’s a camera bug, and took HUNDREDS of pictures in the cathedral, running ahead of the tour group with Braden to get the best vantage point for each shot. The weather was mild and sunny (in other words, Kelly Johanna was freezing) and we went with our friends form New York, Claire and Ronan, and their three new kids. Except for having to carry Georgia through a one-hour tour on uneven rock floors and up and down stairs, it was awesome. On the ride home all our kids fell asleep: Georgia in my lap, Braden beside me, and KJ leaning on Joie.
Back at Zuetana we played cards (Snap, Memory) with Ronan and his kids. We ate dinner in the dining room. KJ does not like cooked vegetables, and refuses to eat many of them. She poked at her broccoli and asked “Que es?” When she tasted it I thought she was going to spit it out!
The snag: Lucia called to say that the copy of Kelly’s birth certificate we delivered from Florencia was missing a number. Without the certificate we can’t get the doctor’s appointment, with the Dr’s signoff there is no US passport. She was to put in a call to the our Florencian lawyer Oscar to get the right form sent, but I haven’t yet told her that he may be hard to reach: his father died Friday night (the night we had our farewell dinner in Florencia) and he may be making arrangements. I’m not too concerned, but we now have a free day with no appointments in sight.
Joie here: Tim, thanks for printing this off for Mom. Hopefully she’s getting better! You can email us at michael@thelander.net if there is anything we need to know! Woke up this morning with a sore throat and I am afraid I have the beginnings of a cold……….yuck! Going to make another venture back to the mall in search of some cold medicine! This time, we will have an address to return to!
It’s great to be somewhere where we can communicate with our family and friends ~ thank you all for your good thoughts!
Michael Again: We’re signing off for now. Everyone take care, and we can’t wait to see you again. Our next day trip (hopefully) is to the abbey at Montserrate overlooking Bogota, and we’ll send pictures soon.
Getting lost: We took a cab to a local mall to buy some warm clothes for Kelly Johanna, who is freezing even in Bogota’s 70-degree weather. It was a very USA-styled mall, and Kelly looked a little amazed by it all. But I forgot to bring the hotel’s address with me, so the return cab ride was an experience in mutual frustration as I tried to give directions to the elderly cabby in non-existent Spanish. I felt we were getting further and further away from the hotel so I finally said “Pare! Pare!” and we got out. We found a phone in a market by using the translator’s “Yo creo estamos perdida” (I think we are lost), called our contact at ICBF, got the address for Zuetana, and hailed another cabbie. Only a few moments of panic and a happy ending.
After a quick lunch we went to the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira. It’s about an hour north of Bogota, and the countryside reminds me of both the Italian countryside (which I’ve never seen) and parts of northern California. The site is an old (and currently running) salt mine that Colombia decided to turn into a natural cathedral. It is sanctified, and includes the fourteen station of the cross cut into the rock walls. There are pictures below, though many didn’t turn out well…
The best part about the day was just getting out, hanging out as a family, and learning more about KJ and ourselves. She’s a camera bug, and took HUNDREDS of pictures in the cathedral, running ahead of the tour group with Braden to get the best vantage point for each shot. The weather was mild and sunny (in other words, Kelly Johanna was freezing) and we went with our friends form New York, Claire and Ronan, and their three new kids. Except for having to carry Georgia through a one-hour tour on uneven rock floors and up and down stairs, it was awesome. On the ride home all our kids fell asleep: Georgia in my lap, Braden beside me, and KJ leaning on Joie.
Back at Zuetana we played cards (Snap, Memory) with Ronan and his kids. We ate dinner in the dining room. KJ does not like cooked vegetables, and refuses to eat many of them. She poked at her broccoli and asked “Que es?” When she tasted it I thought she was going to spit it out!
The snag: Lucia called to say that the copy of Kelly’s birth certificate we delivered from Florencia was missing a number. Without the certificate we can’t get the doctor’s appointment, with the Dr’s signoff there is no US passport. She was to put in a call to the our Florencian lawyer Oscar to get the right form sent, but I haven’t yet told her that he may be hard to reach: his father died Friday night (the night we had our farewell dinner in Florencia) and he may be making arrangements. I’m not too concerned, but we now have a free day with no appointments in sight.
Joie here: Tim, thanks for printing this off for Mom. Hopefully she’s getting better! You can email us at michael@thelander.net if there is anything we need to know! Woke up this morning with a sore throat and I am afraid I have the beginnings of a cold……….yuck! Going to make another venture back to the mall in search of some cold medicine! This time, we will have an address to return to!
It’s great to be somewhere where we can communicate with our family and friends ~ thank you all for your good thoughts!
Michael Again: We’re signing off for now. Everyone take care, and we can’t wait to see you again. Our next day trip (hopefully) is to the abbey at Montserrate overlooking Bogota, and we’ll send pictures soon.
posted by Michael Thelander at 7:14 AM
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