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- BOGOTA
- History: Bogotá was founded in 1538 by the Spanish conqueror Gonzalo
Jiménez
de Quesada, near a village of Chibcha Indians called Bacatá. It was taken
by
Simón Bolívar in 1819, after the liberator army would beat in the Boyacá
battle.
It is called the South American Athens, in which you may learn to speak the
best Spanish.
Bogotá, has a great variety of touristic places, of great interest and
importance. In the antique part of Bogota, you may find "La Candelaria" ,
one of the first and more traditional neighborhoods in Bogotá Society. You
may also find The Museums such as Museo Nacional, Museo de Arte Moderno,
Museo del Oro; some theaters such as: Teatro Colón, Teatro Nacional la
Castellana, Teatro La Mama; Places such as: Zona Rosa, Parque de la 93, And
Hacienda Santa Barbara Mall.
- Zipaquirá, Colombian municipality that belongs to the Cundinamarca
Department. It is located at 2.652 meters above sea level, with an average
temperature of 14°C. Zipaquirá is 49 km from Bogotá, its Indian name is
Chicaquicha, which means "Foot of the Zipa". The main economic activity of
the city is the extraction and processing of salt, and some other chemical
industries.
- Villa de Leyva, Colombian Municipality that belongs to Boyacá Department.
It is located to an altitude of 2.143 meters above sea level with an average
temperature of 17°C. The tourism takes advantage of the great Architectural
Colony inheritance, mainly represented by "La Plaza Del Carmen" (Carmen
Plaza), The Saint Ecce Homo Monastery and The Candelaria Convent. It has a
population 6.000 inhabitants.
- Guatavita, Besides using emeralds as a currency to exchange, they used to
perform a ritual in which The Chief or maximum Priest would cover his body
with gold dust and would immerse in the Guatavita lagoon, and using a balsa
to get to the center of the lagoon. This ceremony was the origin of "The
Dorado Legend" that brought adventurous around the world in search of gold.
The arrival of the Spanish Conquerors in 1536 broke down its political and
social structures.
- Passport/Visa Requirements
These requirements are subject to change. Check with the embassy or consulate in your home country before you depart.
A passport is required for stays of up to three months. You may be asked to present a return or onward travel ticket. For a fee of US$18, you can obtain a 30-day extension of your visit from the Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS) in major cities. For business travelers, Colombia requires a business visa, valid for up to three years and renewable. This is available free at any Colombian consulate or embassy.
Customs
Visitors are allowed to import, duty-free, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 500 grams of tobacco; two bottles of wine or spirits; and a reasonable quantity of perfume.
Emeralds and gold or platinum articles require a receipt from the place of purchase to be presented to customs on departure.
- Departure Formalities
Travelers leaving from El Dorado International Airport must pay a departure tax of US$18 for international flights and US$5.50 for domestic flights.
- Business Hours
Most banks are open 8 AM and 3 PM Monday-Thursday. Bogotá banks open an hour later and close an hour earlier, with no lunch break.
Shops are generally open 9 AM to 7 PM Monday-Saturday. Some shops open for a few hours on Sunday, and some are closed Saturday afternoon.
Offices are open 8 AM to noon and 2-5:30 or 6 PM Monday-Friday. Some offices have adopted a continuous workday (journada continua) of 8 AM-5 PM. Firms in warmer towns such as Cali tend to open at 7 AM and close earlier. Government offices are open 8 AM-12:30 PM and 2-5:30 PM Monday-Friday. Note that offices are generally open to the public only in the afternoon.
- Climate
The climate in Colombia varies with elevation. In Colombia's coastal regions and eastern plains, the weather is extremely hot and wet. The central inland region, including Bogotá, is cooler. Three-month periods of rain and dry weather alternate throughout the year. Rain is heaviest along the Pacific coast, and the weather is dry on the slopes of the Cordillera Oriental mountain range.
The temperature in Bogotá averages about 20° C (68° F) in summer and 8° C (46° F) in winter. In Barranquilla, in the north, the average temperature is about 32° C (91° F) in summer and 24° C (75° F) in winter.
- Money
The currency of Colombia is the Colombian peso (P)
Coins are available in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000pesos, and banknotes of P2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000. For current international exchange rates, is 2.000 pesos by 1 american dollar.
Traveler's checks and currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange bureaus, hotels, and international airports. Exchange transactions can be time-consuming-taking as much as an hour-and many banks may limit their hours of foreign exchange service. Your best chance is in the morning. Avoid the black market.
Visa, Diners Club, and American Express credit cards are accepted in most upscale businesses and banks in large cities. Visa is the most widely accepted credit card.
- Tipping
It is not customary to tip taxi drivers. Porters receive P1,000 per bag. A 1 percent service charge is usually included in hotel and restaurant bills, or you may add 15 percent. Tip hotel housekeepers, doorkeepers, and attendants P500 per day.
- Electricity
The most common current is 110 volts AC, 60Hz, though the old 150-volt system is in use in some parts of Bogotá. American-style two-pin plugs are the most common.
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