Cartagena

Here for a conference so limited in ability to really wander the streets and get to feel the place. Old walled part is gorgeous on the eyes-dazzled by the colour of the walls, cobbled streets, bourgainvillea cascading from the balconies, and gentility of the place.

I stayed 2 km furtehr south in Boca Grande at the famed El Caribe, more dubiously and recently known for the CIA prossie scandal. Grand old dame of a hotel that was clearly ahead of its time in the 50-60s, but dated today. Still, it had character and I am glad I chose this hotel over the Hilton's and other modern 'resort' hotels on the beaches and further north  in the Crespo hood where the Hotel Las Americas convention center hosted the LATAM event and where there is no neighborhood to walk around in.

El Caribe is also on the beach and there were many a kiosk selling beer to enjoy in plastic chairs on the white sandy beach. Met Jesus and Richard Ali here-two intemperate souls (of many) who innocently talked yo you about all sorts. Ali was a character regaling us with tales of his being scared of heights and fainting in an elevator on the 23rd floor under a pile of pool toys he was carrying for a hotel guest where he worked, needing to be dragged out by his ankles.  Bless.

Nearby streets of Cra 1,2, 3 had loads of life, bars, restaurants, buzzing with locals.

Eats/drinks
Kiosks right across El Caribe and the just further north run by two spicy women.
El Pietro: fab pizza and amazing pickled eggplant appetizer.

Santa Marta-so glad I went

Most folks go to Cartagena and tick off the Colombia Caribbean coast to-do.  Santa Marta often overlooked, to me had a lot of character, grit, and a sense of what Cartagena may have been like before the tourist masses. HOT town (in September anyway) that crackles with life and character. Never been to Havana, Cuba, but I imagine with the old coloured colonial buildings, the malecon and the desultory shuffle of the townsfolks doing there banking, shopping and hustling, it must be like this.

Street vendors, students, coffee vendors,men debating the soccer league for the World Cup elimination, this town has a lot of colour and life. Had no time, but it is also a great hopping point for Tayrona NP just to the east.


The facts
Stayed in historic district at the second unmarked boutique location of the Casa del Farol, where check-in is. Hotel staff then walked us to the Casa del Agua (Calle 18 Cra 4), two doors down on the block next door.  Booked on Booking.com about $100 a night with breakfast served by the lovely Deanna, who took great care of us as did Anthony, the front desk guy.

Bliss awaits! Gorgeously thought through decor, very Ibiza: white walls and lines with shades of khaki. Beautiful wood furniture and large kitchen on the ground entrance floor. Small dipping pool is also in the center. Room was on 2n (top) floor, sharing a siting area outside with the room opposite. It also had an off room terrace, window overlooking interior courtyard and pool, and the shower had a rainfall shower head and the skylight right above it. Roof top terrace (3rd floor) was reason I booked and spent one night there on deck chairs drinking beers with Nathalia and Christian from Santiago. Great night talking until 3am with them.

Casa de farol-check in for Casa de Agua

 Gorgeously comfortable and aesthetic.

Eats/drinks
Made in Spain: Calle 18 @Cra 3 on corner. Right across the street from the Farol, and also owned by the Catalan couple who own the two hotels. GREAT meal in an old colonial home. Ate in the interior courtyard which was less formal than the AC dining room that overlooked the street. Fab fod-langostinas a la jillo, callos, good wine, no room for dessert sadly.
This couple will open a hamburger joint on the Paza e los Novios, and another boutique hotel just off that square too.

Lunch in Taganga-a 'fishing village' 30 minutes by colectivo (COP 1200) from Cra 5 in Santa Marta. Must have been blissfully unspoiled at some point, but now just looks and feel like a backpacker bum hangout. Rumours of drugs and drinking fests, so glad I didn;t book here looking for the sleepy fshing village experience.  Beachside kiosks serving fish dishes abound, most hustle you to eat there. Setteld on Kisok #4, run by women. Good food of the staple fish, coco rice, fish soup and Aguila beers overlooking the beach.

Nice place for a lazy few and a meal, but wouldn't sleep here-Santa Marta offers more of a locals experieenc and vibe.

Side trip to Juan Camilo Pena's farm

Juan Camilo Pena owns More local, Chambo Challenge, Lanka Challenge. He's a business partner and we met for drinks in Bogota. as we talked about passions, the conversation lead to food and farming. His family has a farm outside of Bogota and he invited me to see it the next morning at the sparrows fart as he was planning a quick trip up there anyway to take of some business before he headed back to Canada. I leapt at the chance and spent a very early start (6am) with breakfast at a roadside stop  just across the presidential farm at a place he had been going to for years since the family had the land, el Cevercito. A bakery with fresh hot cheese breads, a Colombian breakfast staple.  Drove about 40 minutes north of Bogota to a town Tocancipa where the farm was tucked away about 3 km away. Met his caretakers Alvaro and his wife (Raquel?).

Very unique and memorable experience.

Villa de Leyva-Blissful village

Tucked a 4 or so hour bus rode from Bogota, this gem of a colonial town was one I was very glad I had on my itinerary. Cobbled streets, tonnes of walking and hiking opportunities.


My weekend was lucky timing of both the independent film festival and the regional kite flying competition.

The facts
Stayed: private adobe cabana in Finca La Mara about 1.5km out of town on Via Colorada. Easy and safe walk on dirt road to center. Booked through Booking.com for COP 161,000 a night (approx $90). Nice grounds, main house was lovely to hang in living room and where breakfast was served. Cabana was lovely cottage w/ alot of colour. They tout themselves as eco, which cheekily 'allows' them to charge a higher price, but really, it was more like a $60-70 a night place. Hot water was sketchy, but truly, Rocio who manages the place was a delight and the fireplace in our cottage was a bonus.

The current owner however is selling the place, which may be bought by a young couple we met who were also staying there when I was. Hope they keep it as a B&B and make the touch ups it needs. I'd stay here again for sure.

Eats/drinks
Loads across the center of won and side streets. Hard to pick.

1. Cafe Chameleon: in a maze of cafes and restaurants on one of the corners of the main Plaza (Casa Quintero complex) Cra 9 @calle 12). Windows overlooked the Plaza, so a great vantage point. Had me some meat, well prepared, generous portions, clean and great service
2. Organic cafe in same Casa Quintero. Name escapes me. Long wait and a little manic, but wrth the wait of good food.
3. La Galleta: AWESOME pastry shop and cafe. Owners must have learned and worked overseas. Cakes and pastries were divine. The carrot cake was wonderful and the Milhojas with a draping of cajeta sauce was TO DIE FOR and not to be missed. Nice toilet too.

Colombia- an all too brief a stint!

Colombia evokes many an image of danger for the traveler. My experience couldn't be further from the truth. An amazing variety of countryside, cities, food, weather, ethnic groups and geographic zones, all sharing the one thread of warm and wonderful people. I will want to go back to keep exploring this magical country.

The facts:

Stayed at the Sofitel Victoria Regia  in the northern end of the city near the Chico and Parque 93 neighborhoods. Great location, couldn't be better to hop in and around the good parks, coffee shops, bars, shopping and restaurants. Very safe.

Carrera 13 @85. Booked in expedia for $193 a night for a 3-night stay special.

Eats and drinks Bogota:

1. Bogota Beer Company on Cra 13 and 85. Good outdoor patio, lively and great selection of beers. There is also one in Parque 93 neiggborhood 10 short blocks away and I spied another in the shopping mall area in the Calle 80 area.
2. Restaurente Di Lucca: next to hotel on Cra 13. Front pati and inside. Great food, good staff and reasonable prices.
3. Chairama: Calle 95 @ Carrera 11A. Peruvian fusion. Modern, clean, great back patio with "living" wall of plants . Good quality and well presented food. Lots of good restaurants on this street. Across from here is an organic restaurant.
4. Cafe Illy: Cra 15 @ Calle 87. Lovely spot on corner to watch morning workers walk to work or jog along park path.
5. Museo Botero: has a nice cafe in the back-courtyard, good coffees and people watching.
6. Cafe OMA. Likened it to a Denny's: relaible, predictable menu items. The one on Calle 93 @Cra 12 has a nice front outdoor area overlooking the park, so great people watching.

Getting around:

Easy once you get a hang of the Carrera and Calle grid system. Carrera's are like avenues with numbers getting larger east to west. Calles are like streets, getting higher as you go north.  Colectivo buses show the coordinates of where they run to, making it easy to just hop on one that heads in your general direction and street coordinates. COP1,500 per person.

Taxis: recommended by everyine I met to just have the hotel or the restaurant you are at to call one for you. Some have the taximetro, others just quote you the fare, so always ask before heading off in one to avoid surprises.