Beautiful graphic design found at Puertas del Cielo design market.
Lovely exhibition found at Puertas del Cielo design market.
Juli and I at Puertas del Cielo design market.
Me goofing around with a plastic mustache at Puertas del Cielo design market.
Beautiful colors in the streets of Usaquén.
Juli and Cata outside a Mexican restaurant at Usaquén.
An amazing façade of a store on a side street at Usaquén.
What's not to <3 about it?These were probably the best two days I had in Bogotá. On Saturday we headed to a small town called Usaquén , best known for its many stands and markets for antiques and crafts. It has many bars and restaurants that have retained the colonial architecture of its time, and it's widely known as the "land of the sun" -a bit ironic though, because it rained the whole day!-. If you're in the lookout for souvenirs and local artisans, you can't miss Usaquén. I bought a beautiful pair of pre-Colombine gold earrings that are to die for, and I bargained a good price for them. One thing I've learned while travelling: you can always bargain! (If you're ever going to Egypt, this is an absolute must!) We had lunch at a local restaurant called Balsámico, where I had the typical Paisa which is a plate consisting of rice, beans, plantains, meat, egg and salad. I could only eat like a third of the dish, but it was quite tasty indeed.
At night we went out to a couple of places, first to Wings (a pub-like bar/restaurant where we saw a soccer match), then to a cute lounge/bar called El Árbol, and finally and most awaited-for: Andrés Carne de Res D.C.
Now Sunday, I have a fond memory of. We went to a local design market that's done every month or so, called Las Puertas del Cielo. Here you can find a great deal of AMAZING stuff ranging from jewelry, to clothes, to bikes, food, etc. Everything is very artisan, a great deal is hand-made and if not, they're small business owners looking for an audience. If you're looking for a young bohemian crowd to hang out with, this is certainly the place!
And to finish off our weekend, we went to a BBQ held by a group of French, that fell in love with Bogotá and decided to buy a Hostel in La Candelaria street. They've recently finished with their remodelling, and wanted to launch a small get-together to get in tune with the locals and make a bond with other internationals roaming the streets of Bogotá. It's important to remember that not until the recent years (I dare to say months) that Colombia has started seeing tourists more often than usual. Given their political status and lack of safety because of their guerrillas, tourist have over-looked Colombia in the past. However, after my experience, I can surely say it's absolutely safe to travel. Although, as in many countries worldwide (especially ones in Latin America), you have to be careful with the obvious: never leave your things unattended, travel in groups, research which are the sketchy neighborhoods and/or streets, always know the emergency number (not all countries dial 911), try to always have a phone nearby and, in Colombia's case, don't take taxis on the street, rather call for one to pick you up.