Bogota Journal: Botanical Garden And Various Neighbourhoods Across Bogota

I finally made it yesterday to el Jardin Botanico or the botanical garden.  It was about a four mile walk from my pension with constant heavy traffic and box stores.  Hardly an inspiring walk but good exercise and for a while, anyway, yesterday I did  have a bit of energy. The garden is big with an entrance fee of around  $1.50 Canadian or 2700 Colombian pesos. The landscaping is nice with several different sections.  It wasn't as quiet as I hoped given that a lot of people bring children there, among them groups from day care and school so I had to be a bit creative about finding some tranquility.  I stopped for a while in the cafe there then set out walking across Bogota, which isn't as wide from east to west as from north to south.  I passed the white tents of the Cirque de Soliel which is in town.  Then I proceeded through several middle and working class neighbourhoods.  Many were almost eerily quiet, given that everyone would be at work or school in the early afternoon.  There was nothing realy outstanding about the neighbourhoods.  Architecture in Bogota tends towards the insipid.  I was already running out of energy and by the time I got close to Parque 93 there was a huge downpour of rain that chased me into a cafe on Carrera 15, also a bakery called Nikolukas.

When I arived at the pension one of the owners was entertaining his friends from Switzerland on the patio.  They were all speaking French so even if I was welcome there would have been no point in joining them.  I was exhausted and had to close my windows and put in earplugs to block out their racket.  This morning they were were there again, I had my breakfast in my room because I wanted to avoid them.  It's one of these awkward or potenially awkward situtions that can happen when you are staying in a place where the owners also live.  Since it's their home they are not going to give a lot of priority or consideration to paying guests who are not personal friends or family.  It makes breakfast particularly uncomfortable because there are two tables, they are having their visit in French with the owners and I get to sit awkwardly close by as though I'm invisible.  It's humiliating and if they are made  bit uncomfortble by my avoiding them, big deal.

I am gradually going to bed and getting up earlier each mornng to prepare for my morning flight next Wednesday.  This has been an interesting and largely enjoyable time in Bogota but I am feeling quite eager to come home.