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Another cathedral, another art gallery, another lunch

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 I went to the Cathedral da Sé, but I'm kinda done with cathedrals, even if this one is "the third largest Gothic cathedral in the world."  They are all (by design, I know) a bit samey, and I feel just a wee bit guilty impinging on anyone's expression of their faith, misguided as it may be (dismissive, moi?). Anyways . . .  The only thing interesting about cathedrals/churches is the odd bits, like this 3D (wax? plaster?) sleeping/dead Jesus from the church of Saint Efigênia: On to the Instituto Cultural Tomie Ohtake!  Who?  Japanese/Brazilian artist I had never heard of, and neither have you.  My second (after Buenos Aires) successful Subway Navigation (free for "idosos" - old people, yay!), and in a neighborhood of interesting buildings.  The building houses the Instituto in the first two floors and the rest are I dunno, offices or something.  It's hard to get a decent pic of the wonderful building, here's my best: And the sensuous metal curves o...
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First Impressons of Buenos Aires

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 1.  My hotel is in the city center, which is more upscale than the off-of-center I was staying in in Bogotá.  Think taller (but not too tall) buildings and wide avenues, etc.  BA is often described as having more of a European feel than most Latin American cities, and based on just a day I'd concur.  The obelisk, the "center" of BA: 2. The Hotel Avenida is very old-fashioned, so old-fashioned that it has the kind of elevator that requires you to close not only the interior but exterior doors before anything happens, and comes to a jolt when it gets to the requested floor.  And lets you curse the clueless who didn't shut the doors when the elevator doesn't come. It's the first time I've stayed in a hotel with one of these.  My feet have never been cleaner! 3. It was easy getting around in Bogotá, numbered Calles ran west to east and numbered Carreras ran north to south.  A typical address "Calle 18 #5 56" so that was on Calle 18 and nearest cross...
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Settling in + El Cerro, Day 2

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 The Hotel Virrey is basic, but the room is bigger than my bedroom, and everything works, so that's great.  It's located between La Candelaria (the historic center) and the city center, so it's very convenient to the tourist destinations. The free breakfast is fantastic, over-scrambled eggs, rice, ham, cheese, all kinds of fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt etc.  plus of course tea/coffee/fruit juices.  Way better than I expected! And I already learned a new fruit, ciruela roja, which is like a small plum.  Travel is broadening! The neighborhood itself?  Down-market is probably an accurate description. In the afternoon I went to el Cerro de Monserrate.  Bogotá is built in a valley on the west side of a tall (500m) ridge, on top of which is a church and restaurants, etc.  There's both a funicular and the Teleférico (cable car), and to get to them is a half-hour uphill walk, an hour (seemingly) in line for the ticket booth, then half an hour wait for the ...
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