By Michael April 2019 Our guide to the town of Armero lost both sets of his grandparents that tragic night of November 13, 1985. Now in his 40’s he recalled the events of the evening from his perspective. “My parents and I lived in Bogota. I remember them on the phone with my grandparents in […]
March 2017 By Michael A local Bogotá newspaper caught my eye. The publication written in Spanish had above the fold the big letters of the title written in English. Now I wonder how many of my fellow urban dwellers in this city of over eight million people understood what it said. Well, if all goes […]
By Michael February 2017 My wife decided it was again time to look at homes in Bogotá. Such is not always an easy task. There aren’t that many of them. The city has the 9th worst population density in the world. When comparing the quantity of apartments to houses the latter is a definite minority. […]
October 2016 Soiled hands grasp the ends of wooden 2X4’s rounded off for the purpose. A man wearing an old coat and stained wrinkled blue jeans leans forward. At the same time feet search for traction on the asphalt road. Slowly the car tires of a cart laden with cardboard, plastic and wood begins to […]
With bunches of bright yellow bell type flowers the chicalá trees are easily spotted around Bogotá. Visitors find them in town squares, lining the medians of streets, surrounding parking lots and bringing color to the surrounding hills. Considered a shrub the trees can grow to about 7 meters (20 feet) or more. Known by other […]
Michael: Colombia’s capital is unlike any other city in the world which my wife and I visited. There are many transportation options but not a single one blatantly sticks out as the best for everyone. Each has pros and cons. And many residents state that government officials are really not thinking of what best serves […]
July 2016 Michael: El Pórtico has it all, ambiance, great Colombian style food, a playground for the kids, a coffee shop and a church. All these features contributes to a dual personality. Depending upon the time of day it can be a restaurant for the family or a romantic dinner. But this Bogotá area establishment […]
June 2016 To be a great coffee shop takes more than just good coffee. There must be service, ambiance and accompaniments. The shop must demonstrate consistency in those areas as well as an attitude of continual improvement in meeting the needs of the customer. Previously we covered our favorite coffee shops in Bogotá. Readers may […]
May 2016 Michael: I picked the white flower as instructed and brought it to my wife. Then gave her a strange look as she immersed it into hot water to make a tea. A virus had both of us feeling horrible. The constant cough and hacking made things worse. The idea of using natural remedies […]
By Michael March 2016 The above photo is the lunch my wife and I had on Sunday. Here in Colombia they call it a picada. Basically a little bit of everything and everyone picks what they want to eat. The dish shown contains platano, papa criolla (special potato grown only in Colombia), arepa, chicharrón, longaniza […]
March 2016 Graciela: My husband and I have always been a fan of Juan Valdez coffee shops. In terms of product quality each one always delivers. And every one we have visited offers free Wi-Fi. What makes the difference between the company’s stores is ambiance and service. In those areas the Bazaar Mall shop is ahead […]
March 2016 Michael: Calle 53 just East of the Avenida Caracas is a part of Bogotá I always enjoy wandering, looking and tasting. This is the area where Bogotanos go for art and craft supplies as well as lessons. My wife and her sister shop the many craft stores which line both sides of the […]
March 2016 Michael: The name caught my attention. When my wife saw it she said, “Good name for a coffee shop that sells breads and pastries.” With years of marriage she has learned to read my often involuntary inquisitive look. “He is the patron saint of bakers, she added.” Before moving to Colombia patron saints were […]
**Michael: “What I love is it is in a neighborhood no one would expect to find it,” said the person who invited us. I then asked Georgio how he found the place. “I like to look for these places that have a speakeasy feel to them.” The restaurant seems out of place in an area dominated […]
February 2016 Michael: When a husband hears, “We need new living room and dining room furniture,” there exists limited options. But once the words have exited the wife’s mouth your best response is “Si mi amor”(Yes, my love) and try for the best deal you can get. Graciela: Sometimes I believe men really do not […]
January 2016 Michael: It seems that at least once a week I see a man utilizing a tree, bush, pole or wall that has been recommended by a dog. The sign giving warning of a fine for public urination is the first one seen in my many years living in the country. I found this particular […]
January 2016 There is bread, then there is pan artesanal (artisan bread). Among those in the art group there are a few at the top of the game. Now one of them opened a coffee shop in Chia, Colombia. Daily errands took us down the street known as Avenida Chilacos in the small town outside […]
January 2016 Graciela: “Spectacular,” the woman said. The answer came to our question of her thoughts about the new Centro Comercial Fontanar in Chia, Colombia. On weekends, especially during the Christmas season, the place attracts large crowds. Michael: My wife and I showed up on opening day of the mall in October 2015. We based […]
December 2015 Graciela: It looked correct but the question in my mind was would it taste correct. The eclair entered my mouth. The chocolate creme filling contacted my taste buds. Success at last. In 2013 while traveling Singapore I found the best chocolate eclair. Ever since I have been searching for something equivalent in Colombia. […]
December 2015 Michael: Walking in the front door one sees at the back of the room an archway to the exhibition kitchen. Above it says, “Todos los días se hornean tus deseos” (Every day we bake your wishes). On another wall it states “El arte de hacer pan” (the art of making bread). Fortunately this […]