Timeless Trouble

This handsome clock in the Parque Nacional was donated by Bogotá's tiny Swiss community. However, despite periodic repairs and Switzerland's clockmaking reputation, it does not work.

While many northern hemisphere states and nations are turning their clocks back an hour to adjust to shorter winter days, here in Bogotá, where the days barely vary, many clocks, and perhaps time itself, stand still.

Two clocks in Chapinero: the mechanical one on the left stands still, the digital one on right, works.

The Omega clock in the Plaza de Toros has stood still for a long time, perhaps as a commentary about the backwardness of bullfighting.

The clock on Bogotá's Cathedral is one of the few that move.

The clock on the Las Nieves Church, whose name means 'the Snows', stands frozen in time.

The clock on the El Tiempo building, whose name means 'Time' usually works. But today it appears to have returned to the beginning of time.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours