Jassclub Holiday

At the end of July Lukas got a whirlwind of guests - the Jassclub.

Playing cards is of course done best somewhere warm, which in Colombia is at the northern coast.
Before the Jassclub colleagues flew to the Caribbean, however, I was functioning as their tour guide in Bogota. We saw the most important sights: Monserrate, Andres Carne de Res, La Candelaria, Botero museum...

After Bogota was seen, it was time for the guys to the head to the beach. The men's holiday was indeed men's holiday. They were exploring the Caribbean coast by visiting Cartagena, passing Barranquilla to Santa Marta's Taganga, and as the highlight, even paying a visit at the beautiful Parque Tayrona. The evidence of the holiday material is mostly meant for the men's eyes only, but there are a few snapshots that I am allowed to share with you.

Before they knew it, the vacation at the Caribbean was over and it was time to return first to Bogota, then back home to Austria.

Mini Monster Attack

Last weekend, as Lukas went cycling, I stayed at one of the bike buddies' house near Bogota that was filled with cute little puppies.

* Warning: cuteness overload. You will want to adopt one all of them! *  

Seven six-week-old mini piranhas, three of them golden and four black. They look like Labradors - a bit like their mum - but their dad is only known as 'Champion'.

Feeding time! Poor mummy is suffering - the mini monsters have sharp teeth!

After lunch, the puppies had plenty of energy for playing.

"I was bitten by a mean, jealous beagle but still like to play with the tennis ball as big as me."

How can one resist these faces? And the fresh puppy smell? I should get a medal for not carrying one home.

And then we're out! Nite nite.

Salpicón

Salpicón is one of our favourite "snacks" after sports, after a walk in the park, or basically anytime. It's easy to find - there are several "salpicón stands" around the park - and the big cup costs about 2000 pesos, which is about 80 cents.

In Colombian cuisine, salpicón is a fruit cocktail beverage made with a base of water (soda water) or orange juice. It consists of mixed chopped up fruit such as banana, papaya, watermelon and mango, among others.

And it's fresh and sweet and tasty - therefore, also the perfect dessert, especially on a hot summer day!

Sunday in El Pórtico

On Sundays, Usaquen, a neighbourhood in the north of Bogota, fills up of street merchants, musicians, and stands of selling different handicrafts. It's a nice yet busy way of spending the morning!

After Daniela and Lisandro found the gifts they were searching for, it was lunch time.

Lisandro knew a steak restaurant called El Pórtico outside of Bogota, which is also a popular place for organising weddings and other parties. Therefore, a great place for taking pictures!

The food served in El Pórtico is mainly barbecue food - meat, meat and meat on a parrilla. Good, but  expensive. After getting our bellies full of food, we checked out the surroundings.