The Young Botero in the National Museum

A South Sea paradise.

Go see the exhibition of Fernando Botero's early works on now at the Museo Nacional and you'll come away with a surprise: Many of the figures aren't fat. In this early period, from 1948 to '63, he made still lifes, portraits, even abstract works, few of them are fat.

How did Botero get into the fat thing? Perhaps the secret is here somewhere.

Botero at work on a big baby.

Reminds me of New Deal labor art.

Guess this one is fat.

 By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Painting La Candelaria

Polka-Doting Carrera 3.

Today, the city organized a painting festival of some of La Candelaria's older homes, made ugly by neglect and graffiti. Hundreds of volunteers turned out, in what was a sort of street party.

Now, how long will the clean new walls last?

Painting a house.

Sponsored by Citibank!

'Please don't paint this wall.' 

Before the painting, many walls looked like this.

Many houses were graffitied.

A street packed with painters

These kids painted more than the walls.

A graffitied wall in the La Concordia neighborhood.

Painting an historic home.

Mayor Enrique Peñalosa, who is fighting a recall effort, showed up.

Piano playing in the street.

Cleaning up.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Andrés Arango's Wry Eye

A Coca Cola bottle plays the role of Llorenti's famous flowerpot.

Andrés Arango's paintings reflect his wry view of Colombian society: Llorenti's famous flowerpot, symbol of the revolution, converted into a Coca Cola bottle; plastic bottles used to keep a bather floating; hangers on on the backs of buses. 

arango's perspective, which he says mixes in elements of magical realism, is on display now in the Gabriel Garcia Marquéz cultural center. In his telling, Colombia is a zany place, semi-disfunctional, with a sense of humor about itself. 

Hanging on on the back of a bus.

Which goes faster? Which goes the right way?

Riot police wield shields decorated by rioters' paint balls.

Take that!

Take a walk, won't you?

A family which hangs together rides together. 

Short circuit?

You're better off riding a donkey.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours