Diary of a Doc: Dr. JJ on a Mission - Colombia Day 2

Day 2, Bogota....a big hiking day, down literally into the salt mines that feed all the industry and provide salt for most of this part of the world. Into 2 of them are built actual cathedrals, where tourists abound, but weddings, funerals and baptisms occur, and also Halloween parties and receptions...every single inch of wall and floor is salt...then to Andres Carnes de Res - the craziest restaurant I've ever seen!

There are so many cars in Bogota that every person's license plate restricts them to driving 2 days/week. Motorcycles are exempt, but riders must wear their licenses on their backs (for security purposes so assassins could be identified. Yikes!)



Entry gates to the farms take on many bizarre shapes and forms.




This is the monument outside the Zipa salt cathedral, where miners work year round excavating 300 acres of underground salt mines...and have built not one, but two salt cathedrals.




Entry to the tunnel, where we hike down a steep 1000 ft drop, pretty much in the dark, with slippery salt floors (they are black -- and only turn white when water is added).




One of the 14 stations of the cross...this particular salt cross is 10 ft tall and weighs upwards of 3 tons.




The salt dome that heralds the entrance to the cathedral -- polished, perfect...looks like the night sky.




A small chapel within, with sandstone sculptures of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem.




A recreation in salt of the Michaelangelo ceiling at the Sistine Chapel. In this frieze, God's hand is 3 times larger than man's. Man has no eyes as he is imperfect.




Overlooking the town of Zipa, site of the first salt cathedral.




A beautiful old woman carting her goods in the small town of the 2nd cathedral.




Entrance to this salt cathedral is supported by Eucalyptus that forms the structural integrity inside. It takes 100 years for it to petrify, harden and become fully encrusted with salt.




This is a reflecting pool, over 100 meters long, 10 feet deep, and thought to have healing powers more powerful than Lourdes.




We turned a corner and gasped at this artist's 2 ton heart sculpture...lit from the front with a small red light and glowing eerily but beautifully.




Stalagtites abounded...looked like frozen icicles. They bend because of the wind in the caves and grow 1 cm /yr. These were all about 200 cm long!




This cow was there when we started our tour
...and still in the exact same place when we finished.




And to top off the day, lunch at the CRAZIEST restaurant -- Andres Carne de Res. At the street you are greeted with so much eye candy, sculptures, stuff hanging from trees and public art...you know something good is inside...




Another vaca, next to a bottle cap-filled heart...he flanks the front door.




Inside...enlarge the pic and play Where's Waldo :-)...in every corner a surprise and discovery. The restaurant has 300 tables that hold 8 people each....it's wild!




At the end of the hallway in the co-ed bathrooms...Ken will never be the same....in the Men's-only room were a pair of breasts at eye level above each urinal...Bucca di Beppo can't even come close to this place!




Pull on the leather arm and the door opens...

More adventures to come...Tomorrow off to Medellin and the top of the Andes....
Happy Independence Day to all! Stay tuned for another post from Mission Colombia!

xo - JJ