Guatavita and Zipaquira

First full day here and we are visiting two sites just north of Bogota. First stop is Laguna del Cacique Guatavita which is quite a hike at an altitude of 3,200m although we did start from 2,800m. The lagoon is famous for the legendary El Dorado rite which originates from ancient rituals performed by the Muisca tribe at the Guatavita Lagoon. According to myth, Muisca kings would cover themselves in gold dust and sail to the center of the lagoon and subjects would offer small gold statues (tunjos) and precious jewels to the gods. This has led to many attempts to retrieve the gold although no golden city has been found. The result of these attempts is 'the gap' but noone has managed to drain the lagoon

On to Zipaquira salt mine for a tour of the 180m deep salt cathedral. The modern-day cathedral opened in 1995 but the Muiscas have been using salt from the mines for trading since the 5th century. A church was constructed in the 1950s, but before that miners carved a little church and alters where they would say daily prayers and ask the patron saint of miners for safety.