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.