The World's Biggest Nativity Scene, in Simon Bolivar Park

What they're billing as The World's Largest Nativity Scene is on display these days in Simon Bolivar Park. It weighs 700 tons, measures 18,000 square meters and includes 200 real people who act out 35 different Biblical scenes, according to El Tiempo.

We visited Simon Bolivar Park during today's bike tour, but didn't actually visit the nativity scene, which cost 7,500 pesos. With or without the nativity scene, the park is worth visiting. It was quiet today, despite the sunny weather, probably because so many bogotanos have left town for the holidays.

Try some corn on the cob.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

'Tis the Season for Homeless Nativity Scenes

'Merry Chistmas from Manuel and Gloria.'

Manuel and Gloria. 

Bogotá boasts what is supposed to be the world's largest nativity scene in Simon Bolivar Park. But they're charging 15,000 pesos admission to see it. In contrast, some industrious homeless people have set up more interesting and accesible, if less slick and commercial, nativity scenes on Bogotá's streets.

Manuel, whom I profiled last Christmas, has been setting up his nativity scene behind the Estacion de la Sabana train station for many years. He's a scavenger, and assembles the nativity scene every year out of items he finds while scrounging thru the trash for food or sellable items.

Manuel, his girlfriend Gloria and their dog live in a shack on the corner. 

Behind Palo Quemao market I came upon another, smaller nativity scene created by a homeless man. 

Cesar Lopez set up his own nativity scene near the Palo Quemao Market. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Manuel's Recycled Nativity Scene

Manuel explains how he built his huge nativity scene.

Each Christmas season, Bogotá fills with nativity scenes, small and large, simple and elaborate.

Dolls, decorations and ribbons, all rescued from the garbage.

But few can compare, in size, originality or environmental soundness, with the one made by homeless people Manuel and his friends Gloria and Vicky on a corner in a rough section of Bogotá's Los Martires district.

They made their nativity scene - bigger than  ones in many a mansion - out of objects scavenged from Bogotá's trash piles and sidewalks: an old doll, a piece of tinsel, a ribbon, a stuffed animal, old compact discs...they all added to the collection covering some six meters of sidewalk beside the little wooden shack the three inhabit.

Manuel, who's lived on Bogotá's streets for 18 years, says he's been building nativity scenes for the last dozen years. Each year the scene gets bigger, he said. After Christmas he gives the pieces away to kids and then starts collecting all over again.

Manuel said the group spent months collecting the objects and some three weeks assembling them into the huge nativity scene, or pesebre. The scene is a work in progress, however. The three friends live by pulling anything useful out of Bogotá's trash and selling it. So as long as objects are to be found on Bogotá's streets, the nativity scene will keep growing.

Manuel and friends Vicky and Gloria stand near their shack.

The group built their nativity scene on this street. Their shack is in the corner. 

'I can do everything in Christ, who gives me strength.'

The group built their nativity scene out of found objects. 

Manuel adjusts objects in the nativity scene. 

Three cyclists with Bogotá Bike Tours visited. 

A more conventional, but less interesting, nativity scene on Plaza Bolivar. 

A nativity scene in La Nieves Market. Notice the lion, tiger and elk visiting the baby Jesus. 

A nativity scene on Santa Ana Church, in the Teusaquillo neighborhood. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours