I am finally feeling better. My colleagues remark there is a smile on my face again. Thanks stomach antibiotics! On our final full day we are off to visit The National Training Center, or SENA , in Bogota. SENA is the free public community college system in Bogota. Students must graduate from high school to attend SENA. SENA began just over 50 years ago. It is through out Colombia. Students here are called apprentices and teachers are called instructors. The SENA we are at here specializes in technology and technical. Other SENAS meet the needs of their regions. For example, in the coffee triangle, the SENAS are geared toward coffee production. The students also can take classes in English, as they desire to become bilingual.
We depart for Zipaquira , Colombia, one hour from Bogota. It is more rural with scenic vistas and rolling hills. Our destination is The Salt Cathedral. We literally go underground into a cave to see these amazing lit up crosses and references to Jesus and his suffering and his resurrection.
We make our final pilgrimage to the gift shop here and are pleasantly surprised to find very beautiful and reasonably priced jewelry made by indigenous people. It is back on the bus to return to our hotel before our final dinner. I rush off for my complimentary facial at the spa in our hotel and look forward to a loud and raucous dinner.
I am not disappointed. Andres DC has great traditional Colombian food and plenty of entertainment. A local drag queen who is employed by the restaurant is running from table to table begging we kiss him on the cheek and dance with him as he puts a sash around each of us. People are in costume and dancing frenetically. It is like a mini carnaval! Kelly and I retire early, as we have been told we need to be in the hotel lobby by 4:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.
I am not disappointed. Andres DC has great traditional Colombian food and plenty of entertainment. A local drag queen who is employed by the restaurant is running from table to table begging we kiss him on the cheek and dance with him as he puts a sash around each of us. People are in costume and dancing frenetically. It is like a mini carnaval! Kelly and I retire early, as we have been told we need to be in the hotel lobby by 4:30 a.m. tomorrow morning.