Bogota

First museum this morning was the Museum of Bogota. Very little of the information was in English but the exhibits were interesting. Continuing up Calle 10 we climbed to Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Egipto (Church of Our Lady of Egypt) where a service was in full swing. It's a colonial church with good views of the city.

Next was the Museum Botero. In 2000, artist Fernando Botero donated a collection of 208 works to the Banco de la República, including 123 of his own work and 85 by international artists. The bank founded this museum. Interestingly, on our visit to Yerevan, Armenia there were 3 sculptures by Botero in the sculpture garden at the bottom of the Cascade (Woman Smoking a Cigarette, Roman Warrior, and Cat).

Our meandering took us past Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Church of Our Lady of Carmen), described as Florentine Gothic style, with Byzantine and Arabic touches. It is certainly very ornate and extremely difficult to photograph as it's on a tight road junction.

Eventually we get back to Bolivar Square for the Independence Museum. As we approached we heard the crowds in the Square taking part in the Great National March for Jesus. The museum is in the house where the Llorente vase incident took place which sparked the protests that led to the Independence of Colombia on July 20, 1810. The ground floor is dedicated to the Palace of Justice siege - the attack on the Supreme Court of Colombia. Upstairs is the history of Colombian Independence.