Bogotá, December 2nd 2016

We have spent 2 weeks travelling already and today is our last day in Colombia before we head to our next destination: Lima, Perú. After our trip across the Caribbean Coast from Cartagena de Indias, to Parque Tayrona and La Guajira, we came back to Bogotá for 2 more days. Instead of visiting the sights we missed last time we were here, I have spent the day doing laundry and recovering my GoPro camera which I left in the car in Riohacha, Guajira (more than 1h flight time from here in basically the most remote part of Colombia). Luckily we had a great guide and a very friendly travel agent who helped me get the camera on the next flight to Bogotá tonight so I can pick it up tomorrow at the airport before we fly to Lima. Keeping track of all your belongings when you’re backpacking and constantly changing cities, hotels and transportation is quite a challenge for me. After all, I might learn some military packing tricks from Tobi.

We came to Colombia with a plan for the first week and left the second week unplanned so we could do whatever we felt like. I probably watched too much Colombian TV and have many dear Colombian friends who provided us with a number of tips, but I was super excited to get to know this country and especially Bogotá. Therefore, our first stop coming from Guatemala City was Bogotá. At first, the Colombian capital can be a bit intimidating. Bogotá is the largest Colombian city with 8.5 million inhabitants making it also one of the biggest capitals in South America. And like many Latin American cities, it has a severe traffic problem and is not very pedestrian friendly. But as Tobi and I discussed today, coming back to a city for the second time is always better. You tend to feel less lost and little by little you get the pulse and way of the city. So that’s why today I took a taxi by myself and came to the laundry shop to do laundry and write, while Tobi researches on our next destinations and makes the last minute arrangements for our stay in Perú.

As a visitor in Bogotá, after a couple of days you have pretty much seen the sights. Besides the typical must-see sights like Monserrate (the mountain with 3’172m which towers over the city), the city center and the famous museums – the city has definitely a lot to offer. I think the highlights of our stay in Bogotá were definitely the restaurants. We’re on our honeymoon and we both enjoy a nice meal. Therefore we have decided to save on other things, but good food is high on our priority list. We actually expected Lima to be the “foodie” city during our trip across South America, so it was a nice surprise to discover so many good restaurants in Bogotá. And we must admit, this was one of the points that made us come back to the capital when discussing what to do during our last days in Colombia.

On our first night in the city we ate at Harry Sassón in the barrio El Nogal. This restaurant goes by the name of his famous chef, Harry Sassón who is the first well known chef in Colombia and a gourmet pioneer. The food was good –  a mix between French and International cuisine and a fantastic grill. Following a friend’s recommendation we also ate at Criterión, run by the Rausch brothers in the Zona G. Criterión offers modern cuisine with a twist from traditional Colombian recipes. The food was great just as my friend had said. We didn’t get to dessert, but the house dessert looked amazing. They basically arrange it and “paint” it directly on the tablecloth before your eyes.
But our clear favorite restaurant was Leo Cocina y Cava in the neighbour of La Macarena. We took the tasting menu with the maridaje (wine pairing) and as they put it, “travelled through the flavors of Colombia”. It was truly a culinary experience. We even tried a dish with hormigas culonas (verbally translated ants with big butts) and a fantastic chivo (goat) among others – most of the ingredients in our delicious food we had never ever heard of. The chef Leonor Espinosa and her daughter (the sommelière) travel through Colombia in search of lost flavors and create the menu and dishes based on different biomes and ecosystems. At the moment, Leo Cocina y Cava is considered the best restaurant in Bogotá and we can see why. 

Besides the food, we really enjoyed the museums in Bogotá. Especially the Museo del Oro in the historic center, La Candelaria. The museum has an impressive collection of pre-Colombian gold artifacts and jewelry from different indigenous tribes, such as the Tayrona or the Muisca. The best part of the museum is a round room in which they depict the myth and legend of “El Dorado” with light and sound. The legend says that the tribe’s chamán or cacique, covered in gold dust would throw precious gold treasures into the lake as offerings in order to restore and keep the balance with the gods. The amount of gold artifacts in this room is impressive and the music and light gives it a mystical touch. Unfortunately one is not able to stay and see the pieces in full light, but the museum has enough lovely pieces to make your head spin.

While in La Candelaria we also visited the Museo Botero. The museum is free of charge and all of the art displayed here was donated by Mr. Botero himself. Botero’s unique art is known for depicting people, animals and even fruits with (very) inflated proportions. His style is known as “Boterismo”. The collection is really nice, but the building itself is also worth a visit.

And as my friends warned me, the shopping options in Bogotá are really good. From big shopping malls like the Centro Andino to beautiful boutiques with local handicrafts and art to even small apartments with hidden gems selling designer swimwear like the Verde Limón and of course, the many emerald and pre-Columbian gold jewelers. Too bad that we are travelling with backpacks and a limited budget to survive many months on the road, otherwise I would have probably taken home a lot of bikinis and a lot of jewelry.

There are many accommodation options in Bogotá, most of them located in the historic center and north of the city (we were advised to stay away from the south). We first stayed for 3 nights first in the very stylish W Bogotá Hotel in Usaquén. The hotel is northeast of the city and a bit far out from the places we wanted to visit, however Usaquén seems to be evolving into an important business and hotel neighbourhood. The hotel has a very cool bar with a depiction of the El Dorado myth and a nice spa. This second time, we stayed at the B.O.G. Hotel in Zona Rosa, closer to action. The B.O.G. is a small design hotel with small but comfortable rooms and a great shower, which was a major bonus after we returned from the very dry climate in the desert of La Guajira.

All in all, we quite enjoyed Bogotá –  it’s a very vibrant city and most importantly, we felt safe. I will definitely be back – maybe next time with one of my local friends to get the insider tips and enjoy the nightlife.

Hasta luego, 

Indiana Juana