11 



the ancient corridor stood a very large white Ilotpoint stove 

 and a very small kitchen table with two empty demit asses on 

 it. The wall at the back had been cut away obliquely and 

 irregularly to open out into the new building ; it was a 

 rammed earth wall, about 18 inches thick, so hard that they 

 had not been able to break it by hand and had to use a pneu- 

 matic pick. 



From that corridor we went directly to the adjoining cor- 

 ridor of the new building, also with patio and garden, and 

 had a fine view over the red curved-tile roofs to lions err ate; 

 it looked very near, with moist gray clouds hanging close 

 about it. The new building was in colonial style, with co- 

 lonial furniture, le went to the top floor to see the libra- 

 ry; not ready yet, but we could see the handsome dark brown 

 cedar paneled walls and ceiling. The ceiling had beautiful 

 gilded carvings set in panels at regular intervals; these 

 carvings had been removed from an old convent. 



At our request, we went next to the municipal building , 

 to see in the library the originals of the Nunez aquarelles 

 in the Samper Ortega book on Bogotd. The librarian showed 

 us the little paintings hanging in front of the book shelves 

 and then took down many beautiful books for us to see. We 

 were then taken to the room where the Consejo meets . The desks 

 for the executive heads are down the middle of the room, with 

 desks for the consejo members at the sides; there were many 

 portraits on the side walls . On the front wall, above a plat- 

 form, is a large oil painting of the Acta de Independencia; 

 on the back wall, a standing portrait of El Libert ador, over 

 a large iron safe containing documents placed there in 1910 

 to be opened in 2010 # When we left the librarian presented 

 us with several volumes which had been published in connec- 

 tion with the 1938 celebration. These included t! Calles de 

 Santafe de Bogota" by Koises de la Rosa, "Francisco de Paula 

 3antander r? by Enrique Ortega Ricaurte, and "Libro de Oabildos 

 de la Gibdad de Tunja 11 by the same author. 



After lunch Mr. Brickell called on us at the hotel. We 

 had asked for him at the embassy the first day but he was out. 

 He is in charge of cultural relations, sifts candidates for 

 becas, etc.; he came to Eogoti in November. He has lived 

 in Spain for many years and was on the Hew York Evening Post 

 in 1919-1920. He feels that although the cleavage between 

 the haves and have-nots is tremendously wide here as in all 

 01 South America, still some sincere efforts are being made 

 to improve the situation. The maids in the Hotel Granada 

 are unionized and are well paid but maids in private homes 

 are very poorly paid and there is always a feeling of hostil- 

 ity in that quarter. He took us to the Cafe Colombia for 

 coffee; we went along meekly but with misgivings, and nothing 

 happened. 



After Mr Brickell left we walked out Calle I4 to Carrera 3% 



1 



