One thing is for sure, there is a lot of good dancing and music of every type in Bogotá. There are the upscale clubs playing American hip-hop mixed with reggaeton in La Zona T-bouncers and lines and all. There are the underground techno parties that pop up in abandoned buildings in Chapinero. And one of my personal favorites, especially when I want to show out-of-town friends a true Latin scene, is getting a big group together to go salsa dancing. A night out salsa dancing nearly always requires sharing a bottle of aguardiente or rum, meeting strangers, and getting a workout. Here are a few fantastic options:
Quiebra Canto: Like its sibling in Cartagena, this is a popular spot for tourists and locals alike (which means people will definitely ask you to dance!). Quiebra Canto is in a house built in the 170o´s in La Candelaria, you can feel the history in the wooden floors and fireplace. The cover is low, beer is cheap, and the salsa is pure and old-fashioned. Don´t expect a wide range of music, but prepare to hit the dance floor (skills not necessarily required) until the wee hours.
Tel: 243.1630
Carrera 5 no. 17-76
Bogotá
Cover: Depends on the night and the live band, check website for calendar
El Goce Pegano: In an old colonial building in front of Universidad los Andes, el Goce Pegano is known for its pure, traditional salsa and a friendly atmosphere mixed with locals and backpackers. It´s only opened on weekends but never gets so packed that the dance floor is prohibitive.
Tel: 317-501-61 7
Clalle 20 ( Av, Jímenez-Eje Ambiental) no. 00 - 06 este
Bogotá
Cover: 6,000 pesos that can be used toward consumables at the bar
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Focus on Street Art: Stinkfish
Stinkfish is a Bogotá-based street artist recognized in the states and all over Latin America. You can see his whimsical pieces all over the city, especially on the crumbling walls of La Candelaria.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Date-night: Best places to take a date for a drink in Bogotá
There are a number of cozy bars that are atmospheric and quiet, perfect to relax and lose time on a romantic night or afternoon out. Here are two of my favorites:At Café Mágico, you can snuggle up on cushions on the floor in a
number of dim, candle-lit rooms on two levels. Cocktails are creative and purely Colombian, using a number of different types of alcohol and tropical juices. The walls are covered with murals depicting archangels and saints, and drippy candles grow in alcoves, all which evoke a chic underground café in Mexico. I´ve never seen her, but apparently there´s even a tarot card reader who can predict a future of love...Another, equally romantic spot that evokes more of a Swiss mountains vibe, is the Café de la Montaña in northern Bogotá. A restaurant that is actually open for meals all day, it has been voted ¨most romantic cafe¨ and ¨best place for a first date¨ numerous times. With a half price happy hour between 4 and 7, you also don´t have to break the bank to impress your date. Sit at dark tables or cozy up on pillows on the floor and warm up by one of the two fireplaces drinking a tropical cocktail or hot wine (vino caliente). But maybe stay away from the Eukasoluc, a drink that contains almost every imaginable liquor and is restricted to ¨one per customer¨...unless you really need to loosen up!
Phone # 313-1542
Carrera 9, no. 69-16
Cafe de la Montaña
Phone # 214-5312
Diagonal 108a No. 8-11
Parking and live music on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays
Monday, November 08, 2010
Book Review, Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography
2002, Dominic Streatfeild
An excellent history of the drug that has affected every aspect of the conflict in Colombia. Streatfeild, a witty and often ironic British author, takes you through the coca plant´s history all the way back to the Incas and explains how enmeshed it is in South American culture. He takes the reader from the initial contact between Spanish colonizers and the traditional use of the coca leaf into its popularized form in Paris and London, with chapters dedicated to famous users and abusers such as Freud and many of his intellectual contemporaries.
An excellent history of the drug that has affected every aspect of the conflict in Colombia. Streatfeild, a witty and often ironic British author, takes you through the coca plant´s history all the way back to the Incas and explains how enmeshed it is in South American culture. He takes the reader from the initial contact between Spanish colonizers and the traditional use of the coca leaf into its popularized form in Paris and London, with chapters dedicated to famous users and abusers such as Freud and many of his intellectual contemporaries. He then explains the difference between coca and it's refined cousins cocaine and eventually crack. Streatfeild sets the scene for the cocaine battle in its many forms in the Americas and explains why we will never eradicate this drug. Each chapter in the last half of the book is dedicated to the drug´s effects in different countries in the Americas: Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, South Central Los Angeles and certainly Colombia. He interviews everyone from rural coca farmers to corrupt politicians to leftist guerrillas to top druglords themselves, and the reader comes away with a pretty comprehensive understanding of the multiple complexities surrounding cocaine and drug trafficking in the Americas.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Best Place to Party on a Tuesday Night in Bogota
Bogotá is a city of at least 8 million people and any night you want to go out there is surely a number of fun things going on. The key is simply figuring out the rhythm of where to go on which night. If you want to party with the cool kids on a Tuesday night, come to the unassuming bar on the second floor of a music shop, Invitro.
If you just want to party, don´t show up until sometime after 11pm when it starts seriously filling up. If you want to catch a bit of culture, show up before 9pm to when you don´t have to pay cover and watch one of the Colombian short films they play.
On Tuesdays Invitro usually has a good DJ who mixes Latin music with techno and hip hop, and a hip, alternative young crowd of actors and artists who stay around after the screening of short films earlier in the evening and anyone else who doesn´t seem to worry about waking up at 8am on Wednesday. Buy a beer or a bottle of aguardiente to share, check out the smoking room and the dance floor, and make some new friends!
Calle 59, no. 6 – 38
Bogotá
COP$ 15,000 cover after 9pm
If you just want to party, don´t show up until sometime after 11pm when it starts seriously filling up. If you want to catch a bit of culture, show up before 9pm to when you don´t have to pay cover and watch one of the Colombian short films they play.
On Tuesdays Invitro usually has a good DJ who mixes Latin music with techno and hip hop, and a hip, alternative young crowd of actors and artists who stay around after the screening of short films earlier in the evening and anyone else who doesn´t seem to worry about waking up at 8am on Wednesday. Buy a beer or a bottle of aguardiente to share, check out the smoking room and the dance floor, and make some new friends!
Calle 59, no. 6 – 38
Bogotá
COP$ 15,000 cover after 9pm
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Taking Taxis in Bogota
Taxis in Bogota are a bit more complicated than in other parts of the world. For the most part, they are quite safe, but it's worth taking the proper precautions in order to arrive at your destination in one piece.
First of all, don't hail taxis off the street, always call for one. If you are calling from a landline, the phone service will give you a security code (usually the last two digits of the phone number you are calling from) and will tell you the license plate number of the taxi they are sending. This is for the safety of both you and the driver, and the driver will almost always ask you for the security code.
A few numbers for taxis are:
222-2222
311-1111
211-1111
If you absolutely must hail a taxi on the street (many Colombians do it), first of all have someone who is not getting in the taxi (a friend, a security guard from the restaurant or bar you are at, etc) visibly write down the license plate number of the taxi you get into. I would also recommend knowing the route to your destination so the driver doesn't take you for a ride and over-charge.
Tipping: Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but if they are particularly friendly some extra coins or 1,000 generally puts a big smile on their face.
Two things to look out for that I have been warned about by Colombian friends (I have never had a problem taking taxis, but it's better to be safe than sorry...):
Taxi drivers often drive with the front passenger seat folded over so people on the street can see that it is free. One friend getting dropped off at home when someone popped out from under the folded-down passenger seat and proceeded to rob him with the help of the driver. It's worth asking the driver to put up the seat normally, or taking a second look before you get into the car.
Secondly, I recently heard a story about a college professor who flagged a taxi to work at 8am. The driver asked her if she wanted to read some magazines that he had in the taxi, and she said no. He became more insistent, which began to scare her. It turns out that he had placed escopolamine** in the pages of the magazine and attempted to violate her.
**If you don't know about escopolamine (usually called burundanga), it is worth learning about. It is a drug made from a common tree in Colombia and used by thieves to render victims unconscious-even a small dose will make one lose their will, even though they appear completely normal. It is often put into drinks or cigarettes, and sometimes blown on the victim from a sheet of paper (hence the magazine in the taxi).
First of all, don't hail taxis off the street, always call for one. If you are calling from a landline, the phone service will give you a security code (usually the last two digits of the phone number you are calling from) and will tell you the license plate number of the taxi they are sending. This is for the safety of both you and the driver, and the driver will almost always ask you for the security code.
A few numbers for taxis are:
222-2222
311-1111
211-1111
If you absolutely must hail a taxi on the street (many Colombians do it), first of all have someone who is not getting in the taxi (a friend, a security guard from the restaurant or bar you are at, etc) visibly write down the license plate number of the taxi you get into. I would also recommend knowing the route to your destination so the driver doesn't take you for a ride and over-charge.
Tipping: Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but if they are particularly friendly some extra coins or 1,000 generally puts a big smile on their face.
Two things to look out for that I have been warned about by Colombian friends (I have never had a problem taking taxis, but it's better to be safe than sorry...):
Taxi drivers often drive with the front passenger seat folded over so people on the street can see that it is free. One friend getting dropped off at home when someone popped out from under the folded-down passenger seat and proceeded to rob him with the help of the driver. It's worth asking the driver to put up the seat normally, or taking a second look before you get into the car.
Secondly, I recently heard a story about a college professor who flagged a taxi to work at 8am. The driver asked her if she wanted to read some magazines that he had in the taxi, and she said no. He became more insistent, which began to scare her. It turns out that he had placed escopolamine** in the pages of the magazine and attempted to violate her.
**If you don't know about escopolamine (usually called burundanga), it is worth learning about. It is a drug made from a common tree in Colombia and used by thieves to render victims unconscious-even a small dose will make one lose their will, even though they appear completely normal. It is often put into drinks or cigarettes, and sometimes blown on the victim from a sheet of paper (hence the magazine in the taxi).
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Peruvian Food Off the Beaten Path
Peruvian food has definitely taken over the Colombian epicurial scene, and there´s no reason not to love it. Peruvian food is known for its fresh seafood ceviches, usually accompanied by huge kernels of corn (choclo), perfectly ripe avocado (palta) and a heavy dose of lime. What´s less well-known is that Peruvian food also reflects the diversity of the country´s citizens and the patterns of international migration into Peru throughout its history. Chinese and Japanese influences on Peruvian food, in particular, can be credited for its surprising mix of flavor and careful presentation. There are a number of fantastic Peruvian restaurants that you will likely stumble upon around the Parque 93 and the Zona G, but here are two that I highly recommend that you might not find on your own...La Despensa de Rafael: The latest addition by famous Peruvian che
f Rafael Osterling, La Despensa is the more casual (and cheaper) little brother to his hit Zona G spot Rafael, without sacrificing its culinary creativity. Set in a little house with outdoor seating and cozy exposed brick walls, La Despensa fills up fast for its dinner crowd (even on the Tuesday that I ate there). The menu reflects a diversity of influences, from linguinis with chorizo to fresh market salads with palmito to the popular meat and seafood entrees. A particular hit of the night was the perfectly-sized lamb burger garnished with goat cheese and yogurt mayonnaise, washed down with a cold Club Colombia beer. The dessert menu was equally enticing.
f Rafael Osterling, La Despensa is the more casual (and cheaper) little brother to his hit Zona G spot Rafael, without sacrificing its culinary creativity. Set in a little house with outdoor seating and cozy exposed brick walls, La Despensa fills up fast for its dinner crowd (even on the Tuesday that I ate there). The menu reflects a diversity of influences, from linguinis with chorizo to fresh market salads with palmito to the popular meat and seafood entrees. A particular hit of the night was the perfectly-sized lamb burger garnished with goat cheese and yogurt mayonnaise, washed down with a cold Club Colombia beer. The dessert menu was equally enticing.Monday-Saturday 12:30pm-10:oopm
Phone #: 235.8891
Calle 70a, no. 9-95
Bogotá
Casa de las Citas: If looking for Peruvian cuisine in La Candelaria neighborhood, head to this ´art cafe´ on quiet carrera 3. Unassuming from the outside and often empty during the day, Casa de Las Citas comes alive in the evenings with live salsa music and poetry readings. The walls are covered with bohemian Cuban and Colombian posters and photographs, and the owners are friendly and helpful. For a leisurely lunch, ceviche mixto and a fresh mora juice (blackberry), got us ready to tackle the Botero Museum.
Open every day after 12:00pm
Phone #: 286.6944; 316.330.3278
Carrera 3, no. 13-35
BogotáTuesday, September 14, 2010
How to Find an Apartment or Room in Bogotá
Upon arriving in Bogotá, one of my biggest conundrums was how to find a long-term apartment in Bogotá. In a city as big as this one, there is a huge variety of options for all price ranges, lifestyles and periods of time. Here are some tips to help you find the right living situation:
Sharing a house or apartment with locals: The cheaper option for living in Bogotá would be to rent out a room in someone´s house or apartment. This is often more practical for a number of reasons besides generally being more affordable, namely not having to sign a lease for a set amount of time and not having to find a Colombian co-signer to vouch for you. To do this, use the website http://www.compartoapto.com . This is a website where people come together who are looking to rent out, or rent into, a room and is mostly used by students and young professionals all over the city. Here you will find rooms, usually furnished, anywhere from COP 200,000 (about $100 USD) to over COP 1,500,000 (about $750).
Sharing a house or apartment with locals: The cheaper option for living in Bogotá would be to rent out a room in someone´s house or apartment. This is often more practical for a number of reasons besides generally being more affordable, namely not having to sign a lease for a set amount of time and not having to find a Colombian co-signer to vouch for you. To do this, use the website http://www.compartoapto.com . This is a website where people come together who are looking to rent out, or rent into, a room and is mostly used by students and young professionals all over the city. Here you will find rooms, usually furnished, anywhere from COP 200,000 (about $100 USD) to over COP 1,500,000 (about $750).
- Buscar Avisos: Look for ads people have posted by neighborhood and price. If you only wish to see furnished rooms, click ¨amueblada¨ in the busqueda avanzada (advanced search) section. Here you can also narrow the search by gender, age, sexual orientation, etc. of your new roommate(s).
- When you find a posting that interests you, you can enviar email either through the website or through your own e-mail account if the owner´s e-mail is posted. Either way, I recommend asking the poster to respond to you at your personal e-mail account because in order to view e-mails sent to you through the site you have to pay an inscription fee.
- Alternatively, you can publicar un aviso, or create your own posting advertising yourself as a new roommate. You post your stats and a basic note of what you are looking for (in Spanish or English), and then the people who are interested in you will contact you directly.
Renting your own apartment (furnished or not): Whether you would like to live alone, or with other recently arrived friends, you can also search for your own apartment online. The most useful site I found to do this online is www.metrocuadrado.com . Here you can look for apartments in Bogotá based on area and price (make sure you click on arrienda-rent-in the box instead of compra, unless you are looking to buy a place!).
- Here you can also filter your search by price, square meters, number of rooms (habitaciones), furnished (con muebles or sin muebles), etc. You will find many more apartments here that are unfurnished.
- Prices on this site tend to be a little higher as these are the apartments represented by real estate agencies. They generally have the set price, which is shown on the ad, as well as a valor administrativo, or monthly building fee, as well as monthly servicios (usually water, gas, cable, internet, energy).
- When you contact an ad, include your email or phone number and the realtor will usually respond to you promptly if the apartment is still available in order to set up an apointment to see it. The realtors tend to be on-time for appointments (a rarity in Colombia!), so make sure you are too!
- Keep in mind that for many of these apartments, you will need a Colombian co-signer to vouch for you and sometimes need to sign a lease for six months or one year.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cocktails in Las Zonas G & T
While much of Bogotano nightlife revolves around shots of aguardiente or ron medellin as a mere side dish to live music and fantastic dancing, there are a few places that are known for their fantastic cocktails (or cocktail ambience) and are perfect to begin the evening or cap off the night. Here are a few, all of which are on the (much) more expensive side of the Bogotá scale...
Harry´s: If you want to go to where Bogotano elite consider ¨the best,¨ head to Harry´s Restaurant in La Zona G. Since it is known more for the atmosphere than for its culinary delights, go for a drink and light appetizer off of the bar menu--chorizo sausage with a lot of fresh squeezed lime and french mustard, Spanish style patatas bravas, or maybe the 100,000 peso chorizo if your pockets are burning. They have a full bar, an extensive wine list, and a beautiful, important-looking clientele. The tables on the outside patio are most atmospheric, but if you are sitting down to eat be sure to make reservation.
RSVP Phone #: 321.3940
Calle 70, no. 5-57
Bogotá
La Famiglia: With average Italian fare in the middle of La Zona G, this is the spot to go to for a drink (or two) before heading out on the town. Make sure to sit on the rooftop, where the heaters keep you warm and cozy and the fantastic music gets you amped to go without being so loud that you can´t hear your drinking partners.
Phone #: 248.1053
Carrera 5, no. 69-34
Bogotá
Pravda: Known as the place with the best martinis in Bogotá, I would recommend ordering the lychee martini and chilling out to the music (they often have a live techno DJ spinning inside) on the outside patio. From there, you can people-watch both shoppers and late-night revelers cruising La Zona T and get ready to head to one of the many clubs within walking distance. Go early if you want to get a table on the patio and not inside where it is often vacant.
Phone #: 257.2088
Calle 83, no. 12-24
Bogotá
Harry´s: If you want to go to where Bogotano elite consider ¨the best,¨ head to Harry´s Restaurant in La Zona G. Since it is known more for the atmosphere than for its culinary delights, go for a drink and light appetizer off of the bar menu--chorizo sausage with a lot of fresh squeezed lime and french mustard, Spanish style patatas bravas, or maybe the 100,000 peso chorizo if your pockets are burning. They have a full bar, an extensive wine list, and a beautiful, important-looking clientele. The tables on the outside patio are most atmospheric, but if you are sitting down to eat be sure to make reservation.RSVP Phone #: 321.3940
Calle 70, no. 5-57
Bogotá
La Famiglia: With average Italian fare in the middle of La Zona G, this is the spot to go to for a drink (or two) before heading out on the town. Make sure to sit on the rooftop, where the heaters keep you warm and cozy and the fantastic music gets you amped to go without being so loud that you can´t hear your drinking partners.
Phone #: 248.1053
Carrera 5, no. 69-34
Bogotá
Pravda: Known as the place with the best martinis in Bogotá, I would recommend ordering the lychee martini and chilling out to the music (they often have a live techno DJ spinning inside) on the outside patio. From there, you can people-watch both shoppers and late-night revelers cruising La Zona T and get ready to head to one of the many clubs within walking distance. Go early if you want to get a table on the patio and not inside where it is often vacant.
Phone #: 257.2088
Calle 83, no. 12-24
Bogotá
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
Bienvenidos!
Welcome to The Real Bogotá! I hope this site serves itself useful for visitors or ex-pats in Bogotá. When considering the implications of writing about my time here, I realized that it´s important to keep in mind that Bogotá is a city of intense contrasts. Although we as foreigners, and our wealthy Colombian peers, can enjoy nights out - cocktails, nice meals, clubs and dancing - nearly 50% of Colombians live in poverty. In Bogotá itself, a city of at least 8 million citizens, the number of impoverished people are simply staggering. The urban slum of Ciudad Bolivar, in the south of Bogotá, has an estimated population of 1-2 million people and Soacha, even farther south, is one of the biggest recipients of Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) fleeing civil war in the country. If you drive by in the evening the lights litering the hillside flitter attractively...but in the daytime the reality of the massive, sprawling settlements are quite shocking, even for someone like me who has lived in Eastern Africa and Brazil.
I do not mean for this site to be a flippant response to the contextual realities of Bogotá and Colombia. This is a country of severe inequalities and violence, and I do not want to forget the profound complexities of Colombia when writing about my lifestyle here. I hope this comes through in the posts; please enjoy and feel free to write to me about contributing!
I do not mean for this site to be a flippant response to the contextual realities of Bogotá and Colombia. This is a country of severe inequalities and violence, and I do not want to forget the profound complexities of Colombia when writing about my lifestyle here. I hope this comes through in the posts; please enjoy and feel free to write to me about contributing!
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