A Little Taste of Bogota, Colombia

When Lisa Niver, Creator of We Said Go Travel, headed down to Bogota, Colombia, she may have been expecting some quality coffee and unique food, but she had no idea what deliciousness was in store for her!

Paloquemao Market– The Paloquemao Market is more colorful than any grocery store could be. Rows and rows of colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables line painted walls, on top of brightly colored stands. You can find corn and limes that you will recognize, but you will also see the Lulo fruit and many others that may not be familiar to you. A Lulo looks like a small orange on the outside, but when you cut it open, it looks more like a green tomato. The juice is a sweet, Colombian delicacy that you cannot miss! Lisa’s trip to the market was not without purpose, however. She picked out the ingredients that she would need to learn to cook Colombian food! Potatoes were high on the list, and she had to select the correct ones out of the 50 types of potatoes that are found in Colombia. Lisa headed over to Casa de Citas for her cooking class, where she learned to make Empanadas, Ajiaco and Patacones.

Lunch at El Portico– For lunch, Lisa tried El Portico, a classic Colombian restaurant with several of the dishes she had just learned to make! The portions were large and the food was delicious! It is “an entertainment venue, restaurant and space to develop all kinds of events with more than 40 years of experience.” They were founded in 1968 and even have horses!

Dinner at Andres Carne de Res– For a party vibe and plenty of fun, Andres Carne de Res is the perfect spot. With elaborate drinks, music and plenty of food, Andres Carne de Res is a party that doesn’t stop on one floor. The building has multiple levels of drinks, dancing and music! Lisa loved the black pepper filet and the local Colombian rum.

San Alberto Coffee Tasting– Lisa was prepared for some good Colombian coffee, even though she doesn’t drink coffee! Juan Pablo, part of the third generation of specialty coffee growers, educated Lisa and her group on the tradition of making coffee, including learning to smell for different flavors and aromas. Then Juan Pablo demonstrated how to use a vacuum siphon to brew the perfect cup of coffee. Lisa enjoyed her coffee tasting, but had to rely on Janeen Christoff from LA Travel Mom to educate her on the differences between coffees. Janeen was thrilled to see the major differences between the same coffee being brewed normally versus in a vacuum siphon. The siphon won, hands down!

Thank you to Avianca and Procolombia for a wonderful visit.