November 2015 Graciela: Probocatto is one of the most enjoyable coffee shops we go to. It is clean. Service is fast. And it is quiet. And yes, they have Wi-Fi. Michael: Everything focuses on elegance with customer enjoyment in mind. The decoration invites one in. Glass windows and a glass door draws one’s eye to […]
Michael: For years I have heard bits and pieces of stories about my wife’s father and him being originally from Barranquilla, Colombia. But I never met anyone from that side of her family. Both that part of my wife’s past and Barranquilla itself interests me for several reasons. The coastal city is Colombia’s fourth largest […]
November 2015 Michael: Time closed in on us before our last trip to the USA. Now add to it that my wife is Colombian. By that I mean that part of her culture is to bring gifts for everyone whenever you travel. Bottom line, that means a gift for just about every relative and friend […]
October 2015 You find yourself in one of those situations where you know that you want a coffee, but that tasty treat to accompany it sits as an unknown on your taste buds. Our solution is usually to go to the Centro Chia mall. They have eight coffee shops each offering something different. There is […]
For our updated review click here October 2015 Michael: For over two years the large 134,000 square meter building with over 56,000 square meters of rental space rose slowly from the ground. Inside over 150 retail outlets moved merchandise in. Just down from the place and on the same side of the Autopista is Centro […]
October 2015 Michael: There are two things about Mi Gran Parrilla Boyacense I can say for certain. In my ten years of frequenting there I have never received a bad meal or bad service. The second is that in all that time I have never seen another gringo face. The name has three locations throughout […]
October 2015 Are there bad coffee shops in and around Bogotá? That seemed to be the question a reader asked us. The person inquired about places we have not reviewed. Michael: My wife and I hit coffee shops at least 300 days each year. Before a place occupies space on our site we visit it […]
September 2015 Michael: Attitude shifts, coffee differences, diet changes and more came to light. It has been a few years since we visited The United States. After our ten days of experiences and talking with relatives, friends and people everywhere my wife and I discussed the changes we noticed. Colombia is seen differently now Graciela: […]
August 2015 Michael: From my experience, where they put this coffee shop is a stroke of genius. I can honestly say that it helped me feel better while in the hospital. Graciela: Many outdoor places in Bogotá have some greenery around trying to insulate the customer from the invasion of concrete all around. Juan Valdez […]
August 2015 Michael: Great coffee, friendly service, tasty accompaniments, enjoyable atmosphere. It does not come by accident, but with thought and planning. In the outskirts of Cajicá on a street between the Autopista and Antigua via Chia, my wife and I watched a building go up over the course of several months. Located very near the Colegio […]
July 2015 Michael: A sign on the wall exposes the English type chuckles the moment you walk in the door. There were seven of us filing in with my wife in front. I anchored the line snaking single file between he tables and chairs of the narrow rooms. Up front I heard my wife say, “Good, […]
July 2015 Michael: Large paintings displayed on easels grabbed our attention. We had just entered the center building of the Plaza Mayor in Chia, Colombia. These pieces were different than anything I have seen before. “They are familiar but different,” my wife said. I know to listen to my better half. She studied with some […]
June 2015 Michael: The game on TV became the second most emotional soccer (called football or futbol in almost every other country of the world than the USA) match I have watched in my life. The first was my son’s high school team playing for the regional trophy. The way the players came together and […]
May 2015 Michael: Bogotá has a plethora of what they call centro comerciales or malls in English. Of course with over eight million people in the city it is to be expected. In the last ten years my wife and I have hit most if not all of them. Do not think that my wife likes […]
May 2015 When traveling the roads of Colombia one often encounters shrines with car headlights around them. It seems that the majority of them are along the twisting mountain roads where sometimes the geological conditions are such that the road just drops away. Truck and bus drivers are known to stop and light a candle. […]
May 2015 Michael: The coffee shop is literally located under the staircase. Not to mention that from the mall entrance it is hidden from view. However, if you take the time to find Luna Café your taste buds will be appreciative. Graciela: There are several things I like about Luna Café. To begin with its […]
May 2015 Michael: What is really great about Bogotá, Colombia is that you can always find something interesting just walking the streets. I previously wrote about one of the items I found this way a complete set of auger bits Graciela: This capital city has over eight million people in 613 square miles (1,587 km2). It is […]
May 2015 Michael: I turned to my wife to make sure I’d heard her correctly. She repeated, “You’re going to see naked Simon Bolivar.” This was my first trip to the coffee growing region of Colombia known as Eje Cafetero. Simon Bolivar I knew as the liberator of the country. He fought to take the […]
Michael: I had never done it before. Eating all of the dessert before even taking a sip of my coffee is against my nature, not to mention the years of etiquette drilled into me by my mother. But each bite of the maracuyá and guanábana cake tempted another one. For my friends in other countries […]
Michael: Each year more U.S. retires are choosing to live their remaining days in other counties. There is a magazine, International Living, dedicated to providing information about retired life abroad. They have their list of the best places and AARP also has a list. All are fine countries to check out. Knowing exactly how many U.S. […]