Scenes from Egipto's 2012 Three Kings Festival

A crowded street, with Egipto Church in the background. 

This weekend, the Egipto neighborhood opens up with its annual Three Kings Festival (Festival de los Reyes Magos). Altho the festival is formally religious, I think I saw more sin than sanctity and  more partying than piety while there. But there is lots of eating and drinking and street games.

Egipto is a poor neighborhood above La Candelaria and has a crime problem. Many a tourist has wandered up into its narrow alleys and left behind is camera, cell phone - even his shoes.

A woman plays mini tejo, a miniature version of Colombia's official national sport. 

She didn't win, but she had fun. 

Chicha, a traditional local drink made from fermented corn, competed with beer. 

Bathroom break. 

Incense, to make 2012 a lucky year. 

Foam-covered kids. 

Little girl, big load. 

A local character. 

The crowd fills an ally alongside Egipto Church.

 

Making chocolate by hand. 

Hand-made chocolate.

Police frisked everybody on their way in. This particular guy wasn't allowed in the festival, probably because he was drunk.

Police man a street up into the Egipto neighborhood, where many gringos have wandered, and returned without their cameras, I-phones, etc. 

A great place for carnivores. 

A rapper sings about violence on the mean streets of Bogotá. 

A target-shooting game. 

A German tourist and a local enjoy some cool ones. 

The view downhill toward the city center. 

Older folks people watch from their windows. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours