14 Vispera de Ano Nuevo y Nosotros conducción de Boyaca a Bogota. 1/1/2016

Greetings from Bogota.. This will (or should) be.. (barring any unexpected events) my last travel note from Colombia, as we head out to SFO via Houston very very early tomorrow a.m.

1 Enero 2016 (Scary how fast 2015 went)

 Last night (New Years Eve) was magical… We got to Chez Remy at about 9:45 pm.. It’s a very small outdoor (courtyard) French restaurant (run by a French woman and her husband) with about 15 tables (all were reserved for the entire evening). We had had some complications because the restaurant wanted a deposit with a bank transfer (not a credit card). We were in Medellin when they requested this and had a lot of trouble making this transfer happen as we didn’t really have our bank information with us. After a lot of back and forth and help from our Colombian friend, we were able to stall the deposit until we were in Bogota last week and were able to do it with cash in a bank here. Anyway, in the process we were connected to Nora who had left word (although she only speaks French and Spanish, no English) that she would even come to get us at our Boyaca hotel if we couldn’t find the restaurant.

So, last night we met Nora when she “table-hopped” — seeming to know all the guest except us. But I surmised it was her.. and asked and she immediately figured out who we were… So we were sort of brought into the large family of her friends..

Dinner was slow, given that there was only one seating… It was pretty much a fixed menu with just the choice for main course (beef or duck; Mike took beef; I took duck). Started out with totally yummy salmon tartare (lox) with an avocado mousse; next came the main course.. Mike’s thick piece of beef was cooked totally perfect (“azul”) and my duck melted in your mouth. Both were accompanied by some kind of dark raisin bread, potatoes (naturally– since papas are very popular with every dish) and sautéed mushrooms. Dessert was profiteroles. We began the meal with drinks.. and had a wonderful Chilean wine with the meal.

Before we knew it, it was about 11:50 pm and we knew that the Plaza Mayor hosted a big midnight celebration including fireworks.. We quickly moved to get the bill.. and we got to the plaza at exactly 11:58.. It was mobbed — body to body…. big screens around so you could see the bands… and then the countdown.. and exactly at midnight the most amazing fireworks were launched.. lasting about 35 minutes.. non-stop. People were going wild. Everyone was happy, friendly, and taking photos.. Never saw so many iPhones at once.

At about 12:45 am, we strolled to the hotel.. on the stone paths, that were lit with colored lights and metal trees that were also covered with lights (many with speakers that chirped as if birds were in the trees)… the lights were an array of purples and pinks and greens and reds..

This morning we packed, had breakfast and on our way out of town headed to something called “Casa Terra Cotta” — a fantasy house designed and constructed by a Colombian architect named Octavio Mendoza — sort of “melted” Paolo Soleri… Locals call it the “Flintstone House”.. like a mound of clay that’s been baked. The house is more than 5,000 sq ft and is framed by the mountains. The organic form makes it look as if it was cast in a single mold which of course would have been impossible.

There are modern conveniences.. solar panels and the sinks, kitchen, and bathrooms are completely tiled creating brightly colored fantasy scenes.

It took 14 years to build and is still sort of a work in progress.. There is no cement..  He’s also built and sculpted all the furniture which is also developed as huge bugs that become chairs or creatures that become lights..

We then really headed out of the Boyaca region… stopping briefly on the roadside for lunch.. (meat, meat, more meat).. and then on to Bogota on the winding, twisting one lane in each direction roads.. with lots of trucks making passing difficult. When we arrived at Casa Medina.. the staff was once again falling all over us and still apologizing about the rental car situation. They put us in a huge suite (too bad we have to leave at 5 am in the morning..)… And about 30 minutes after we settled into the room, a platter arrived with scrumptious proscuitto and bread sticks.. and a wonderful bottle of wine arrived.

I’ve just completely repacked; we won’t be able to do just carry-on, which is our usual style. We got some books and some “stuff”.. and so we needed to expand our bags which then will require them to be checked in… We’ll carry computer bags on the plane.

Going to be tough getting up at 5 am… but no choice. So, we’re headed downstairs for dinner; all restaurants are closed for New Years Day. Probably better as it will be easier to get to sleep and get up…

 

Signing off —

See you all in California (or Washington)…

Best for 2016.

Fern