Bogotà, Colombia Day 1 in Usaquèn

Last week I adventured to Bogotà, Colombia with my friend/Spanish-speaking guide Camila. Since her family is originally from the city, I was armed with every insider tip. At 4.5 days my trip was short and sweet – it IS possible to see a significant amount of the city in three days. If you’re planning a trip to Bogotà (do it!) here is my Day 1 suggestion: Usaquèn.

If you are lucky enough to be there on a Sunday, the residential area of Usaquèn has a fun weekly flea market. We walked around and found everything from leather goods to friendship-esque bracelets and endless options for delicious food. Of course going through my photos I think I was a bit fixated on the food…

La semana pasada viajè a Bogotà, Colombia con mi amiga y guia, Camila. La familia de ella es de Bogotà, asì me sentì que estaba viajando con expertos. Mi viaje fue corto y dulce – sòlo 4.5 dìas. Pero, se puede hacer mucho en esta ciudad en tres dìas. Si usted va a Bogotà, le recomiendo que visite Usaquèn.

Los domingos, hay una muy buen mercado de pulgas en Usaquèn. Encontramos muchas cosas, incluyendo bolsas de cuero, joyerìa hecha a mano, y tanta comida deliciosa. En mis fotos, parece que yo estaba obsesionada con la comida…

Let’s pause and talk about FRUIT in Colombia. There are so many amazingly delicious fruits that we don’t have here in the US. One was called a tomate de arbol or “tree tomato,” and it was a very sweet tomato that you scoop out with a spoon. I also tried one called granadilla, which you also scoop out with a spoon. It has a slimy texture and you have to swallow the seeds whole, but once you get over that it tastes great. I was so sad to leave Colombia’s fruit behind. I don’t think the customs agents back in the US would have been too pleased to open my suitcase and find hordes of exotic fruit.

Tenemos que hablar de frutas en Colombia. Hay tantas frutas ricas que no tenemos en los Estados Unidos. Una de las frutas se llama tomate de arbol, o “tree tomato.” Era un tomate muy dulce que se come con una cuchara. Tambien probè la granadilla. La textura es viscosa y tiene que tragar las semillas, pero es muy deliciosa. Me gustarìa poder traer las frutas a los Estados Unidos, pero desafortunadamente es ilegal.

I felt a little weird eating this piggy but trust me, it was worth it.

Usaquèn actually wasn’t officially part of Bogotà until 1954, when it was annexed by the city. The quaint neighborhood is still filled with colonial style architecture and pretty, picture-worthy cobblestone streets. Lots of photo opps!

There is no shortage of cute, trendy restaurants and bars to try in Usaquèn, including an Irish pub. We went to a cozy restaurant called Abasto, which was very good. I also tried some local beer at Bogotà Beer Company. I’m no expert on beer, but the Candelaria Clasica was crisp and refreshing.

Usaquèn no era oficialmente parte de Bogotà hasta 1954, cuando la ciudad anexò. El pintoresco barrio tiene arquitectura de estilo colonial y bonitas calles con adoquines. Muchas oportunidades de fotos!

Tambièn hay muchos buenos restaurantes y bars en Usaquèn, incluyendo un pub irlandès! Comimos en un restaurante acogedor se llama Abasto, que era muy bueno. Entonces pruebè un poco de cerveza local a Bogotà Beer Company. Yo no soy un experto de la cerveza, pero la Candelaria Clasica era fresca y refrescante. 

Update: read my second post about Colombia and my visit to the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirà here!

Usted puede leer mi segundo post de Colombia y mi visito a La Catedral de Sal en Zipaquirà aqui!