Botero and Montserrate

It's funny how walking down the same street a second time you notice things you didn't see before -- like this beautiful gated street and the very tall door.

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At one corner we saw some interesting but disturbing artwork behind a locked fence. Going around the corner we found the entrance through someone's house and were invited inside. We learned that the artist was Jose Asuncion Silva, who did many such works depicting the violence in Colombia and who unfortunately was murdered in his house just last year.

 

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We followed the sound of a marching band and ended up on the Plaza de Simon Bolivar, the scene of several decorated llamas and the ubiquitous pigeons, who seem to inhabit every public square in the world. 

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Nearby was the Botero Museum, housing the rather bizarre artwork of a still-living Colombian artist. These collected pieces are best described as larger than life. The "hands" reminded me of an Italian piece in the dining room of our good friends. 

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Lunch was chicken tamales with avocado for a whopping total of $9. Too bad I keep forgetting to take pictures before devouring my food.

After lunch we found a cab and went to the entrance of the funicular up to the top of Montserrate, where we were treated to a panoramic vista of the city on what turned out to be a remarkably clear day.

 

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Here comes the cable car to take us back own the mountain.

 

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And now the search for dinner in the hip area called La Macarena.