Heading out to crazy bus station --> Zipaqira - Salt Cathedral

In the morning, I was actually planning on taking care of some important things, like getting a Colombian cell phone, more money, a ticket to Barranquilla, ....
But when the other couchsurfers ask me to join them on a trip to the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira, which is just a 45-minute bus ride from Bogota, I'm thinking I still lots of time to do all that afterwards... Right!
So we're walking from Juan's place to the bus station but decide to get a cab to the big bus terminal then, because it[s not really more expensive than takinh the totally overloaded Transmilenio, the local city bus system. There I get told that the authorized taxis are only the yellow ones. Well, good to know!
When we arrive at the the bus station where the train leaves for Zipaquira, I am a little freaked out by all the people and busses that are just parked one after another at the side of the street. It's very noisy and a lot of guys are screaming different town names or something around, I have no idea. Also, each bus has several differnet signs in the front window, all saying something else. There is no ticket counter or coordination point or anything like that, so I am super-glad that I didn't come out here all by myself, I would have been lost instantly. So many noises and impressions all in one place, you don't even know where to start!
But before we get on a bus, we hit the ATMs in the shopping center right accross the street. I got told to never use one on an open street because it increases the risk of getting robbed severely.
Ok, fine, I think, already one point off my to-do list. Excepts that the ATM won't give me any money! Neither will any of the next 4 ones I'm trying out! Shit!!
Everybody's trying to help me, see if I did something wrong maybe, as my Spanish is not exactly fluent, but it just won't work.
At least I got enough money left for the bus and the trip expenses for the day, so I am thinking oh well, I'll take care of it when I'm back, not much I can do for now anyways.
We still pick up some tuna and bread for the way in a supermarket and then get into the little minivan. Paying the grossery bill with my visa card works, so it can't be that bad... I'm thinking.
The little town of Zipaquita is a really nice small town with lots of little local stores, so we take a break on the town plaza, eating bread and tuna out of the can with our hands, enjoying the sun.
On the hike up to the cathedral, I realize the alttitude of about 2000 m for the first time. It's all steps... Lots of steps, lol! And after about 10 of them, I'm totally out of breath, almost having a little heart attack, hahaha! Well, ok, maybe I'm just out of shape, too, lol!

It was worth the hike though. The cathedral is basically a big system of underground salt caves with several altars, all illuminated in differnt kinds of light which created a really cool atmosphere. Even though a little creepy at times because at some of the altars they are playing really loud church music in the background!