Late, on this afternoon, we took a bus and funicular up to Monserrate. It's one of Bogota's most iconic landmarks. It's a sacred mountain that overlooks the city center. It's a major attraction in Bogota and offers panoramic views of the city. Unfortunately, we were up there at a bad sun-angle time for taking good photos of Bogota.

This mountain has roots in pre-Colombian times and was inhabited by the Muisca people. The Spanish built the Basilica of Monserrate up there in the 17th century, making it a place of spiritual reflection. For me, it was another high mountain ascent since it sits at 10,341 feet elevation. Still, I huffed and puffed my way to the top.

Below, you can see Monserrate from the Bolivar Square and the Basilica on top. To walk it, it's a 1.5-mile trail, and 2,800 feet of elevation gain. We didn't walk up. We took a bus and the funicular...and still had a long, steep walk to the top.

The views at the top of Monserrate were pretty great, but not for the photos. The sun was at a harsh angle. But you can still better understand how Bogota is snuggled into the Andes Mountains.

The Basilica called to us, so we hiked up to it and went inside. It was a nice cool place to rest.