The calm before Gotcha Day/Encuentro has allowed us to enjoy the past couple of days without needing to run around Bogota for errands.
Friday we were invited for breakfast with Claudia's aunt Martha and cousin Natalia. They live in a condominium that's part of a two-tower residential project about ten minutes from our condo. The majority of the units were still under construction.
We enjoyed Tamalitos for breakfast and had a great time talking and catching up. After breakfast, we went to the top of the building for a fantastic view of the city. Time passed so fast that before we knew it, we were ready for lunch.
We took a short walk to Centro de Commercial Panama and ate at the Restaurante Panama. The Colombian diet includes A LOT of meat. Most restaurants serve Parrilla, which is an asortment of chicken, pork, steak, sausage and vegatables yuca and plantain. Complement the meat with arepa and fresh fruit juice.
Afterward we received a call from Lucia, who needed us to fax a copy of my passport to her office. We said our good-byes and headed toward the nearest Internet Cafe and sent a copy of my passport. We took it as a good sign our Encuentro was still on schedule since it was almost 5 p.m. on Friday.
During the evening, Claudia and I enjoyed a trip to Unicentro Mall, which has historically been Bogota's higher-end mall. The facility has recently been remodeled, we believe, because of increased competition from Santa Fe. We had dinner in a very popular restaurant named Crepes & Waffles. They have several locations around town and more times than not there is a line of people waiting for a table.
Saturday started off with rain. The good thing is we slept late and missed the downpour. That didn't bother us at all. After the rain clouds left, the blue sky and sun felt great.
Claudia's uncle Alberto picked us up and we were off on a day trip to Sopo, Colombia. The town is about 30 minutes outside of Bogota and its name means rock or strong mountain. Its main industry is livestock and Alpina Factory, which is a huge dairy factory.
The town is nestled at the foot of a large mountain. As you drive through the town, there are several men and women flagging passing cars hoping to direct them to their family-owned restaurants. Weekend lunches are a huge business for many families in the small communities outside Bogota.
We toured the town square and stopped by Alpina, which operates a small mercado full of different traditional deserts. Almost all the deserts are made with fresh cheese, yogurt, fruits and arequipe (similar to caramel).
The desert was tasty and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. After being in the city for a week, it was fun to head out to the countryside for fresh air and a change of atmosphere.
No comments:
Post a Comment