After a good night’s sleep, I left my hotel to explore Bogota on foot.

Monserrate, my first destination, is an iconic 3,152-meter mountain, topped by a 17th-century sanctuary dedicated to “El Señor Caído” (The Fallen Lord). Known for breathtaking city views and as a major pilgrimage site, it is accessible via hiking trail, cable car, or funicular, which is the option I chose. The peak also offers restaurants and a flag-draped artisan market.

Located at the foot of Monserrate in Bogotá, the Casa Museo Quinta de Bolívar is a colonial-era estate that served as the residence of the South American liberator, Simón Bolívar, on and off for ten years between 1821 and 1830. Today, it functions as a museum dedicated to preserving his personal legacy and the history of the independence movements. Surrounding the house is the Jardín Bolivariano, recently declared a Cultural Landscape and a national historic garden.  

I spent the remainder of the day on a random walk, enjoying the sights and sounds the city has to offer. I spent the remainder of the day watching the NASA YouTube channel coverage of the Artemis II launch from my 7th-floor room in the pictured Hotel Oceania.