Adios, Colombia

Categories: Accommodations · Bogota · Cartagena · Colombia · Food · Medellin · Pereira · TravelTags: · · · · · · · · · Leave a comment

Colombia bills itself el país de la belleza – the country of beauty. The South American nation features astounding biodiversity and cultural heritage, and topography ranging from the majestic Andes and the Amazon rainforest to the Caribbean coast. My second and more extensive visit to this country has only confirmed the impression left by my first: that Colombia rewards those willing to look past is reputation, revealing a place of extraordinary warmth, resilience, and richness at every turn. Some of the cafes that serves good Colombian coffee: And now for the food and accommodations during my visit: Two memorable meals in Medellin were…

Volver a Bogotá

Categories: Art · Bogota · Colombia · TravelTags: · · · Leave a comment

Return to Bogotá: thirteen years after my first visit, I have returned to this bustling city, long regarded as Colombia‘s beating heart. But Bogotá is evolving – towering skyscrapers sit next to sprawling barrios, hipster shops and restaurants are slowly moving into the city’s grittier neighborhoods and the once-soaring crime rate is dwindling. With its vast collection of burgeoning shops, high-end hotels, impressive eateries and unique plazas and museums, Bogotá is naturally one of the first places to flock to when arriving in the country. I was hoping to visit the Museo Botero, but it was closed on the day…

Getsemaní

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Once a primarily working-class neighborhood just outside the Old Town’s walls, Getsemaní has evolved into an artsy enclave renowned for its captivating street art. Along narrow alleys strewn with fluttering pennants, umbrellas and other colorful embellishments, weathered walls have become plein-air canvases for large-scale murals. The “culture quarter” where poets, artists, dancers, and photographers flee the exorbitant rents of the Old Town, the neighborhood’s independent spirit finds expression in the jumble of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, clubs, and boutique hotels carved from candy-coloured colonial homes.

Cartagena

Categories: Cartagena · Colombia · TravelTags: ·

Cartagena is certainly the crown jewel of Colombia. Situated right on the sparkling Caribbean coast, this destination impresses with its 18th-century walled city, its candy-colored collection of old colonial homes and soaring clock tower, and its maze of cobblestoned streets that weave through the historically significant forts, buildings and churches.The pinnacle of the city is the UNESCO Old Town. Convent and Church of San Pedro Claver, Spanish Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to the service of slaves. He is known as the “apostle to the slaves” and was canonised a saint by the Catholic Church in 1888. The Castillo…

Pereira

Categories: Colombia · Pereira · Travel

Valle de Cocora is located in the central mountains of Quindio. Part of the Parque Nacional de los Nevados – where the national tree of Colombia “Quindian Wax Palm” can reach a height of 60 metres and also home to a great number of species of birds – including hummingbirds, orejiamarillo, or the endangered palm parrot. Filandia, a traditional town with its colonial houses in the coffee region. Another town visited is Salento. Sadly, the town church was damaged by the recent earthquake.

Guatapé

Categories: Colombia · Medellin · TravelTags: · ·

Guatapé is a town located 79 kilometres from Medellin. The town is a major tourist attraction – especially for El Peñón de Guatapé , a rock formation that borders a lake with an exposed vertical face over 200 meters high and visible from throughout the surrounding countryside. Visitors can scale the rock via a staircase built into one side, a path that includes more than 708 steps to the top. The town is also known for its houses decorated with colorful bas-reliefs called Zócalos. Guatapé sits by the vast, man-made Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir.

Medellín

Categories: Colombia · Medellin · TravelTags: · · ·

The Andean metropolis of Medellín has written a new narrative since the death of Pablo Escobar in 1993. Instead, visitors will discover a proud, progressive city that’s taken strides toward innovation with a modern metro and cable-car system that connects downtown with hillside barrios and beyond. Not to mention, the expansive collection of outdoor sculptures by Fernando Botero – with 23 at Plaza Botero and at Parque San Antonio, which included El Pajaro, which was damaged by a bomb in 1995.

“Gratis” NYC

Categories: Art · Food · New York · Travel · USA

As they say, nothing in life is truly free — but let me indulge in the fantasy that it can be. Using airline miles for my roundtrip flight and hotel points at the Kimpton Era (same as my last visit), I found myself back in New York City for three nights. Keeping with that “complimentary” theme — right up until it inevitably runs out — I tapped into my reciprocal museum benefits for free entry to the Guggenheim. First up was Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room – Dancing Lights That Flew Up to the Universe,” followed by the Guggenheim Pop…

Amstelstad

Categories: Amsterdam · Art · Netherlands · TravelTags: · · ·

My fourth visit – and still has its charm! I am back in Amsterdam, another winter visit to this friendly city. I was mainly going to the “Metamorphoses” exhibit at the Rijksmuseum. Based on the world famous Methamorphoses by the poet Ovid, one long poem filled with stories from classical mythology – tales of love and desire, jealousy and ambition, arrogance and cunning and deceit. In all of them, transformation is the central theme. Bringing together more than 80 masterpieces by Bernini, Titian, Correggio, Caravaggio, Rodin, Brancusi, and many more.

Visita Maravilhosa

Categories: Accommodations · Architecture · Food · Lisbon · Portugal · TravelTags: · · ·

Church of São Roque (Igreja de São Roque) is a 16th-century Jesuit church known for its plain facade and stunning Baroque interior. My third visit to Lisbon – and its dining scene continues to evolve. Mix of iconic seafood institutions, modern interpretations of Portuguese classics, and an increasing number of Michelin-recognized contemporary concepts. From the historic “tascas” in Alfama to upscale rooftops with river views, the city offers high-quality gastronomy that remains relatively affordable compared to other Western European capitals.  First dinner was at Mercearia do Século – a charming mom and pop serving very good traditional dishes. Make a…