Catholic Church and Condoms

The Pope, I mean the old Pope, which now technically is the old-old Pope, since he is old and no longer the Pope. But anyways, he did not approve the use of condoms, despite HIV and all, as we all know. Maybe an opportunity for the new one to look into that when he comes. 

In Bogota they did go ahead with a good example, this past, rainy Christmas days of last year, Josef, Maria and all the folks at the Christmas scene were covered in rubber. - Maybe a sign for a positive change?

Bogota

The latest gallery is on-line and will grow as we are getting more and more into the year 2013. 

Get directly to the photo gallery HERE.

Safe Vehicle-Camping in the Middle of Bogota

It was Brigitte & Lukas, a Swiss couple I have met in Villa de Leyva at the great Hostal Renacer that have given me the coordinates for that safe place to camp, right in the middle of Bogota's old town La Candaleria.  This is actually a 24 hour parking lot, but there are 4 gernarations of the owners families living right there on the lot, it is surprisingly quiet and for the location extremly safe. There is a toilet and a simple shower that the families will share with you. The price for camping on site is not different from overnight parking. As typical in Colombia, every one is super friendly and nice.

The gate closes at 10pm, should you come back later arrange before hand so you can get back in. I felt safe there and in the neigborhood but never wandered around later than 10pm. It is about a 7 minute walk to the TransMilenio station Calle 22 which will get you up North (linea B1) to the fancy area of Zona Rosa (get off at Calle 93) and all its shopping and eating possibilities (linea F1 will bring you back home, get off at Calle 22). It is about a 15 minutes walk to Plaza Bolivar, about 10 minutes to the museo de oro. 

GPS Coordinates: N04°36.417 W074°04.173, use the most upper left entrance (there is fancy guarded parking lot before the entrance, which is not 24hours) when you drive east on Calle 22 and ask for Carlos (give him and his family my regards). There is no tent camping possibilities at this site.

Enjoy Colombia's vivid capital.