Bogota: Day Two

January 15, 2012

Even though we try to have a modest, weight neutral diet, we seem to be eating our way through this massive city, fattening up for future Botero portraits.  On our first day, after a brief moment to settle into the loft, we set out in search of something to eat.  It was 3 pm, and we had eaten nothing since breakfast in Cartagena.  Since Heidi (the apt manager) was going our direction, she pointed out several points of interest and led us to the grocery store for provisions.  Along the way the largest and most delicious tasting potato chips grabbed our attention.  Several windows held the promise of a midday meal with empanadas, cheese buns and several sweet concoctions.  We settled on a traditional, small restaurant that seemed to be frequented by locals.  The menu was difficult to read, so we trusted the waiter’s suggestion and ordered a local beef dish to share. It was a large slice of grilled beef served with a small salad and rice-- very delicious.  We were too full to try the typical hot chocolate plate that we saw being served with a wedge of cheese, two slices of buttered grilled bread and a cheese bun.  In the center of the plate is a steaming cup of hot chocolate garnished with some kind of cheese.  Cheese in hot chocolate sounds awful, but being open minded (and curious) perhaps we will try this interesting snack another day. 

On Sunday, we were invited by a Colombian family to join them and their friends for a trip to the Bogota Countryside.  We had been introduced to this family (through e-mail) by way of an apparent fourth cousin of mine whose sister-in-law (Connie) is our contact here.  We felt honored to be included and happy to see some of the rest of Bogota.  Our day started at 10 am with Connie and her oldest daughter picking us up by cab.  They explained that they disliked driving in the city, and the streets of La Candelaria are just too confusing for them to navigate.  Since I had expressed an interest in stopping briefly at a flea market, this was our first stop.  Usaquen is a small suburb where there are a few trendy shops and many restaurants.  Every Sunday there is also a flea market that sells local goods.  Like our Hermosa Art Fair, there were numerous artists who had set up booths to sell their products.  There were also beautiful fruit stands and one food booth selling paella and sautéed mushrooms, each out of different large paella pans.  It all looked and smelled so delicious.  One vendor had miniature cupcakes, and another had delicious looking pastries, all covered in my favorite things-- fruit and whipped cream.  It was fun to sample a few things, buy a couple of items, and get acquainted with our new friends, while in the background, the out of place Chuck Berry could be heard singing, “Roll Over Beethoven.”

Our host then grabbed us another taxi, and about 20 minutes further out of town we met up with Connie’s husband, friends, and her other daughter.  They were all waiting for us on a street in two separate cars.  Then there was a stop at an ATM, a gas station, and we were on our way.  I felt fortunate to share the backseat with two young women who enjoyed the opportunity to practice their English while Michael sat in front practicing Spanish with Connie’s husband, Florentino.    We drove for about an hour and saw many interesting things along the way.  The countryside has many open spaces, interrupted only by rolling hills and mountains.  There were several old and new homes, occasional farm and small towns.  This whole day unfolded without our hosts explaining any of the plans.  We were just happy to be on an adventure and enjoying a lot of laughter over the mixture of communication (Spanglish) that developed.  Michael and I soon discovered that our hosts were taking us to a restaurant that came highly recommended, but was also new to them. The barn- like structure probably accommodated no more than 100 people, seated outside and inside, at long wood tables and benches.  Old beer bottles hung from the walls, wine bottles served as candle holders, and plastic cups placed at the top of the candle kept the flame from being blown out.  I briefly wondered why the plastic didn’t melt from the flame.   It was just beginning to get crowded as the nine of us claimed a long bench located inside.  We asked our hosts to order and soon were tasting appetizers of fresh grilled sausages, potatoes, corn cakes, and plantains.  This was filling enough, but then came the main dishes of steaks that were at least 4 inches thick, barbequed ribs and more potatoes.  Everything was so delicious that we all walked out quite full and had enough left over for future meals. 

Next we were taken to a famous store run by the Alpina Dairy.   It took forever to get parking, as the lot was larger and more crowded than Costco on a Saturday afternoon. They even had police attempting to keep the traffic moving.  We soon discovered that this was not a restaurant, but a gigantic grocery store with a park- like lawn where people enjoyed the Alpina dairy products they bought.  I was overwhelmed by the variety of cheeses, yogurts, ice creams, and dozens of delicious looking pastries, all on shelves waiting to be selected and purchased.  Even though we were all still full, our friends insisted we have chocolate dipped ice cream cones, and I purchased a selection of other delights for future consumption. We were then off again, down another country road, and back to the city and one last stop at a Colombian favorite, none other than “Juan Valdez”.  Like Starbucks, Juan Valdez specializes in coffees, and there are many such shops scattered around the city.  We arrived back at our loft after 7 pm; far too full, but happy to have some wonderful new friends.   On Wednesday, along with their friends, we have been invited to have dinner at Connie and Florentino’s apartment.  We probably don’t need to eat again until then!!  Perhaps, in the meantime, we should climb Monserrate?