Personal pilgrimage to Bogota

Feb 1

Feb 1 Personal pilgrimage to Bogota

Colombia had always been on our trip itinerary for good reason - you try and find someone who's visited recently and has a bad word to say...not going to happen! I did however have extra incentive to see the country, and specifically Bogota.

Back in 1947 my Mum's father, fresh from WWII and his Navy run rations, was sent to one of Colombia's oil refineries to handle logistics for Shell Oil. Engaged to be married at the time, he was followed a year later by his wife-to-be; the trip took her from London Tilbury Docks - Gotenburg - New York - Barranquilla - Bogota. Shortly after being reunited they were married in downtown Bogota before returning to the oil refineries township 300km from the city.

Visiting the church felt appropriate, however this turned into more of a pilgrimage than a stand alone visit when my Mum chose to fly out and join us for this leg of our journey.

After an initial failed attempt to explore the church, we succeeded mere hours before flying out. Accompanied by a visibly overwhelmed Sunday School Reverend we toured the church - newly refurbished but maintaining all its structural past - before sharing memories, photos and a copy of the marriage certificate.

To think that my grandparents left home separately for such a foreign land, married in South America where Mum's mother only knew her husband-to-be, and then settled for two years in a town even Colombian's avoid due to its average year-round temperature of 37-40deg is awe inspiring and something we're all very proud of.

I know Mum feels a sense of fulfilment and joy at locating her parents exotic past, one which I was lucky enough to share in Bogota.

Despite the city not being a looker or that safe, for us Bogota was worth every Peso to experience a chapter of our family from 70 years ago.

In memory of my Mum's parents who passed away: Robert Primrose Maxwell, April 2005 and Margaret Maxwell, July 2016.