Day #1

There is no possible way to describe what is going through my head right now. First of all, I am in culture shock. I am in a country where I don't speak the language, but my husband does (Troy is speaking brilliantly - he will tell you he is not, but even our driver/interpreters/tour guides have repeatedly complimented him on how well he speaks). Second, we are meeting our sons in three days and that is just nuts. Third, I have been sleep deprived for weeks now (though I did get to sleep in for the first time today). Needless to say, I feel like I could burst into tears from excitement, exhaustion, fear and any other number of emotions at any moment.

Bogata is absolutely amazing. It is a huge city with a population of 8 million people, and it is packed with buildings and cars. There is so much that is familiar - American brands like Chrysler and Exxon, but it is so much more colorful. The signs and buildings are painted more vibrantly, and there are people out and about everywhere you look. I don't think I realized how much we as Americans stay indoors (in our cars, in our stores, in our offices and houses). I know today is Sunday and that may have a lot to do with it, but there were people outside every where we went and they were talking to each other and kids were playing together and it was fascinating to me.

Today we went to Zipaquira to the Catedral de Sal which is simply amazing. It is a cathedral carved 180 meters into the earth through a working salt mine. As you make your way to the cathedral itself, you go through the stations of the cross and a couple of chapels. It is more simple than some of the other cathedrals we have visited, and that was what was so stunning. The simplicity and the salt (yes, actual salt that you could taste) on that walls just gave a whole new meaning to the phrase "salt of the earth" for me. It is very much a tourist attraction, and we are not Catholic, but I can't help but be moved by such tributes to God. It was beautiful.

Tonight we are just taking it easy and trying to rest. Tomorrow we are going to see the sights around Bogata. Enjoy some pictures of our trip so far!


Bogata bound!


In the Salt Cathedral, 180m underground.


The nativity sculpture in the Salt Cathedral.


A monument to miners who lost their lives while working on the Cathedral and Stations of the Cross (or at least that was what I understood from our tour guide - I will let you know if that is incorrect). A side note about our tour guide, Juan Phillipe. He is 15 years old and on summer break. He attends the French school here in Bogata. He speaks Spanish, French and English, and he volunteers at the mine as a guide every day. He was a lot of fun and very enthusiastic!


Me and our driver Jaime. He and his wife Silvia have been our hosts while in Bogata and they are incredible.


A bird's eye view of PART of Bogata. It stretches as far as the eye can see.