Our first stop in South America was Bogotá where we arrived after a delayed flight and long immigration queues. Once we’d caught up on sleep we set about exploring the behemoth of a city over the next three days. Tasty food, impressive landscapes surrounding the city, and good museums – we loved the Botero.
Weather:
Low 20s, lots of clouds, occasional showers, sun (and UV) strong enough to burn
Where we stayed:
We stayed in the historic centre, La Candelaria, in a backpacker hostel. Delicious breakfasts and really cool decor. Exceptionally thin walls. Friendly barman.
Best thing we ate:
Lots of good food, with two highlights:
- Quinua and Amaranta – a homely lunch place serving an exceptionally healthy vegetarian daily set menu
- Testigo – a modern Colombian restaurant recommended by a friend, impressive grilled meats, fish and copious amounts of cheese.
Coolest thing we did:
We summited Monserrate, the dominating hill overlooking the city with a sanctuary perched on top. You can climb the 1500 step trail, take the cable car, or the funicular. We opted for the trail – views 10/10, difficulty also 10/10, steps completed: 500/1500. Then we returned and took the cable car. I think we’re still adjusting to the altitude….
Bonus:
South America is a brand new continent to us, where we know just one person (before the trip!). One of Florence’s ex-colleagues, Mariale, lives in Bogotá and luckily we were able to meet up with her for coffee and almojábanas, a traditional Colombian cake. It was great to see a friendly face and to get some local recommendations (Testigo, mercado de perseverancia).
Next stop, Salento, in la zona cafetera. ¡Hasta luego!
Chris and Florence 😎
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