Year: 2015

Best Ramen in Bogota

M's Adventures

****** Update February 21, 2016***** The rising trend of ramen shops has reached Colombia. Here are the ramen shops I’d say are the best. Actually, Ramen Factory’s noodles and pork combined with Tokyo Ramen’s broth served at Tomodachi would be the best.

Tokyo Ramen, Carrera 11 and Calle 98. 12/13: It’s probably the best ramen shop in Bogota, and the restaurant is perfectly nice to sit in when slurping. They are not open on Saturday night (and maybe not at all on Sundays?). They have a variety of items to eat. I’m not a huge fan of their pork, a rolled style with a slightly porky flavor (and not in my favorite sort of way). They have a variety of types of ramen.

Ramen Factory Tokai-No-Men, Calle 93B # 13-65, Centro Comercial VEI Plaza (down the street from Parque 93, after the Andres kiosk, inside a courtyard that whose entrance looks like a parking garage). 11/13: It’s the far left corner of a covered food court courtyard. The broth is a whitish color and the noodles are chewy in that good alkaline way. I liked the pork here as it’s tender pork belly. But most people would not be impressed with the iceberg lettuce or lack of seaweed in the soup. Also, this is truly a hole-in-the-wall sort of feel (not elegant at all as it’s located in a food court). I liked the place. For those who care about this sort of thing, the guy working here is Japanese. His gyozo/dumplings are fine.

Tomodachi, Diagonal 70A No. 4-66 (turn up the little hill at Bagatelle, and it will be on the left just before the butcher), 12/13: This place has the atmosphere down perfectly. The broth is not special. And the noodles are too bland with a tendency to get overcooked instantly. They are open 12-3 and again 7-10, even on Sundays. Also, this is the only of the ramen places in Bogota that serves the eggs soft boiled. Yum.12716323_10153900139189618_6961970452263989506_o

Arigato, Calle 80 No. 11 – 28. 10/13: It’s a large restaurant and the service is fine. Feels like a chain restaurant. 12265966_10153716933019618_1713243912304424123_o

Sushigozen, Carrera 14 # 93B – 45. 10/13: I don’t like the their sushi but the bowl of ramen was okay.

Wok, various locations. 8/13: It’s not as bad as one might expect. It’s a chain.

I’ve also been to a restaurant called Ramen in Macarena. Not good.

Happy slurping!

The Leather District

M's Adventures

photo(100)Colombia is famous for its leather products. If you find yourself in Bogota and ask for the “leather district,” you will be told about an area of town called “Restrepo.” But I do my leather shopping at the intersection of Carrera 23 and Calle 63F. There are about 20 leather shops. They will even custom make leather products for you. It’s not that expensive either. I saw an Australian cowboy hat for $35. Wallets run about $20.

Like almost everything else in Bogota, it’s also possible to have leather craftspeople (including custom shoe makers), come to your house.

Sacred Valley Vegetables – Lettuce Never Tasted So Good!

M's Adventures

Cusco is usually considered a preparatory stop on the way to Machu Picchu. But, Cusco should be considered a food destination. The food in Cusco was like the weather, crisp and clean. Every time I asked about the vegetables, including the lettuce, I was told that they were fresh from the Sacred Valley. I don’t have many photos of our salads… because it’s salad.IMG_1039

One of the salads included a peanut-like item which was also from the Sacred Valley.

I don’t like quinoa but when it’s used to bread deep fried shrimp, then I like it. The food in Cusco was delicious. Surely, it helped that we had been out in the fresh Sacred Valley air all day.

Four Years of M’s Adventures

M's Adventures

I’ve been writing this blog for four years. In terms of subjects, my informal assessment is that the social media world is most interested in Bangladesh… Or rather, my blog is one of the few about expat life in Dhaka, Bangladesh. When I check the statistics, I’m amazed that my blog has more than 3,000 readers every month.

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Having this blog has changed the way I travel, sort of. Mostly, my friends are now quite accustomed to waiting to eat so that I can take a close up photo of their food. Thank you.

 

 

Fine Dining at the Top of the World

M's Adventures

“It’s mostly a flat walk and takes only three to four hours” said the manager at the eco-lodge. Beware words like those. IMG_0956

After paying a princely sum of 30 Bolivianos (it wasn’t the amount we found annoying but the constant milking as tourists — but, hey, that’s what we came for, right?), we took the ferry 30 minutes up to the north side of the island. At the north end of the Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, is where there are several Inca sites (this is where the first two Inca rose out of the lake), including a sacrificial stone slab table, a stone maze, and other sites. More about that another time. We were taking the little “walk” along the ridge of the island. Three hours, he said.

The Island of the Sun is six miles (10 kms) long. It rises about 600 feet (200 meters) of which you feel EVERY step uphill. It’s like a slow stairmaster. With all the independent entrepreneurs asking us for five Bolivianos here and five Bolivianos there, it felt a bit like that tale of Billy Goat Gruff.

It was just after 11 a.m. when we got off the ferry at the hostel infested port. We stopped to have a glass of orange juice and take a photo of the lake. After paying the site entrance fee, we started our walk along a beach, up a path, past kids racing home for lunch, and past couples toiling away in their fields, harvesting rocks. The ladies look like a breed of bird with their round bowler hats and bright red skirts.

We continued to walk uphill for another hour. When we got to one of the Inca sites, we had a Swiss tourist take a photo of us. We admired the view, and I wished that the little hut was a toilet. As we shared the view, a local runner came bounding up the rocks with two white plastic bags in his hands. From one he extracted two styrofoam containers and Powerade drinks. He handed these to the Swiss couple. It was 12:30 p.m. and it was lunch time.

We left them and continued down the vista point to the other Inca ruins. The sun was baking the landscape a dun color but we didn’t feel warm because of the jerky-making wind that sandpapered the air around us.

At every ridge on top of the 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) mountain, we kept walking uphill. It seemed impossible that we could keep walking up. Around 3 p.m. and several “rock” t(r)olls later, the ground started to level out. As in, it stopped going uphill all the time. At this point, we had a tiny bit of water left and no food. I had some nuts in a bag and I was eating them every few steps, trying to keep the hungry wolves in my belly at bay (have a nut, you ravenous carnivore! It tastes like steak, no? It’s a Macadamia!).

By the time it was 4:30 p.m. and the sun was roasting the backs of my calves (instead of the front), we were resigned to making it all the way to the south side of the island without lunch.

Then, like a mirage, I saw my friend holding up a giant water bottle, glinting aloft in the sunlight like a trophy. We had arrived at Las Nubes,  a hostel in the “clouds.”

Wide skirt and bowler hat firmly in place despite the knuckle freezing winds, the proprietress was manhandling a log for my friend to use as a stool over by the table with the view.

When I stumbled up to the shop window, I asked the lady if she had anything to eat. She said, “no, because when I do, no one comes.” Which I can believe because we had only run into about 10 other walkers, all European, hale, and lanky. In a red plastic basin on the floor, I noticed a giant gourd soaking, and as hungry as I was, I coveted it for a brief moment. But, I then focused back on what I could eat and drink. She had Pringles, Snickers, and Kitkats. I got a can of Pringles and two Snickers. It was a feast. When I got to the table with the view, my friend said that I could have shared her can of Pringles. To this I replied that I intended to eat all 2,500 calories of carbohydrates in MY can, by myself. I did give her a Snickers for dessert. IMG_0958.JPG

I asked the lady of Las Nubes for a photo and she was ready to take the photo but was surprised when I said that I wanted one with her. My Spanish only got me far enough to explain that we were happy she existed.

After the lunch of champions (electrolytes!) of sugar, salt, and fat, we still had another hour and a half to the village.

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2,500 unadulterated calories.

When we got to the village, I ordered four glasses of juice.

After eight hours getting whipped by the wind, my skin was super soft. Like I’d been at the spa.IMG_0960

Seeing the Blue Footed Boobie in the Galapagos

M's Adventures
The blue footed boobie.
The blue footed boobie.

For some it’s simply the name that makes them giggle. I was actually excited to see their blue feet. When I did see the birds, I was more delighted than I expected. They were adorable.

Our mid-luxury boat.
Our mid-luxury boat.

The Galapagos is a major tourist destination (and on many a bucket list) and I’d recommend it if you like birds and wildlife. It’s not a foodie destination. Some recommend going on a “land cruise” where one stays at a different hotel each night on a different island. I stayed on a “mid luxury” boat in a cabin with a window and private bathroom (about the size of a telephone box). It cost $1,500 for three nights and four days (first day getting there plus tortoises) and the last day seeing baby animals in the mangrove forest and then flying out by 10 a.m. With the flight from Quito (which stops in Guayaqil for an hour making the trip longer) costing about $500, you can see how much the trip cost. Also, there is a $100 and a $20 fee for the islands. But, the food is included on the boat. Tips for the crew and guide are extra.

The sea iguanas are plentiful as is their funk.
The sea iguanas are plentiful as is their funk.

We did see lots of birds plus sea turtles, sea lions, sea iguanas, land iguanas, more birds, giant tortoises, tortoise babies (we could have done with one less tortoise siting), and eagle rays, and sharks (white tipped and the black tipped). There was snorkeling so one could swim with the sea lions and the sharks… oh, and lots of birds.

A baby sea turtle.
A baby sea turtle.

A Certain Kind of Courage

M's Adventures

It takes a certain kind of courage to travel the world alone with one’s guitar. I’m not one of those people but I like it when I see it. When traveling alone, one gets to talk to new people and study one’s surroundings. When traveling with others, there’s a shared experience. Both are interesting.

On the Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia.
On the Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia.

Mostly, just get out there if you can. Be brave. Take water.

Night Hunting In Bhutan

M's Adventures

I was cleaning up in my blog drafts and found this one from my trip to Bhutan. Before I went, another traveler told me to ask about “night hunting.” So I did. This is what I was told.

In the past, if a man was interested in a woman, he would climb into her bedroom window. Out in the countryside, and most of Bhutan is countryside, there were no lights so it was pitch dark. (I wondered how they found their way in the dark, but then again, I’m a city person.) If the woman got pregnant… the couple’s families would negotiate a marriage.

My guide’s opinion was that “night hunting was more because of lazy business men who wanted to take advantage of innocent country girls and not bother with sweet talk at a bar.”

Fancy windows in Bhutan.
Fancy windows in Bhutan.

According to my guide, night hunting is now illegal and considered rape. In modern Bhutan, premarital sex is not frowned on, unwed mothers are cared for by the government, and there are campaigns for safe sex. He told me, “people are more educated so they want fewer children and they want them when they are older.” The previous age for marriage was 16-18 and now many women wait until they are 25.

I can’t remember all the other stuff that he told me but I wish that I had recorded him. Next time, perhaps.

Middle Eastern Food in Bogota

M's Adventures
The menu is certainly sexy.
The menu is certainly sexy.

Despite the expectation that due to Shakira’s existence, middle eastern food should be common here in Bogota — it’s not. These are the restaurants that I’ve tried and my review of them.

Al Khalifa, various locations, (5/13): I actually was quite awash in memories of Jordan, Bangladesh, and other Muslim and middle eastern countries when I ate here. Instead of Jesus Christ of Superstar, there was a Muslim version on the TV. The food wasn’t great but my memories are.

Beirut, Calle 117 #6-30, Usaquen, (12/13): It’s the upscale version of middle eastern food. Large and lofty.

Panaderia La 85 (Lebanese Bakery), Calle 85 near Carrera 12, (10/13): It’s not fancy. They sell Lebanese pita bread and products. They make kibbeh, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves, but I’m never sure if they have all the products all the time. I went with a friend of the owner.

Chicken on a stick, tabouleh salad, and falafel at Beirut.
Chicken on a stick, tabouleh salad, and falafel at Beirut.

Zatar, Carrera 5 #69-15, Zona G, (12/13): It was described as a hole-in-the-wall to me but it’s not. It’s hard to find only because they are in plain sight. Their awning is black with no signage. Just walk down the street from the Starbucks (oh, right, that doesn’t help). The food is good although a bit on the wet (saucy) and sweet side. The people who work there seem rather nice. At least that’s the vibe I got.

One final gripe… even I can make flat bread hot off the fire/oven… so I can’t understand why all these places serve me cold pre-made bread.

The bread spread at Beirut. The chile sauce is perhaps their version of harissa? It was HOT!
The bread spread at Beirut. The chile sauce is perhaps their version of harissa? It was HOT!

In the Company of Jungle Men

M's Adventures

So I went on a vacation in the Amazon. It was a “camp” with about 20 cabins, a pool, air conditioning, WIFI, etc.

At first, I didn’t notice it. Then I did. It was almost comical how there were only men working at our Eco-camp in the jungle. When my friend and I first got there, we and all the other customers, were women…

Me, being me, had to ask. I was expecting the standard tourist sanitized answer. Instead, our guide/handler said, “Well, Mr. Big Cheese (I can’t recall his name but he was from Scandinavian stock in Wisconsin or Minnesota), said when he opened this camp (40 years ago) that it was better to hire only men because local women have a baby every other year so they would only be in the work force for half the time.”

Manual labor.
Manual labor.

Well, that was not the answer I was expecting (oops, sorry, not). We were certainly not in modern day Scandinavia.

The Secret — Best Pizza in Bogota

M's Adventures

People like secrets. Maybe my favorite pizza place in Bogota isn’t actually a secret and I just hang out with too many new people…  okay, on to the pizza review.

Not a pizza but one of the prettiest dishes I've had at La Diva. It's salmon.
Not a pizza but one of the prettiest dishes I’ve had at La Diva. It’s salmon.

Julia’s (a chain): 12/13 (not a perfect score because their menu is limited… and not due to the annoying show-offy customers messing about in Spanglish while complaining about their doormen, maids, etc.): is considered the best Italian style pizza. It certainly is very authentic and my pizza had no cheese on it (or maybe I just didn’t look hard enough).

La Diva, Calle 93A-44: 13/13. Perfect score? Well, it’s a delightful little place. They don’t do pasta dishes (except when it’s a special, maybe Sunday night?). They have tables outside, upstairs, and in the main area. They have WIFI. The oven is fun to sit next to when it’s pouring outside. The place is decorated like the Sistine Chapel. The bathrooms are nice. The prices are reasonable. They have “brunch” on Sundays for 35,000 pesos (about $12) which is a set menu including coffee, mimosas, eggs, antipasti, pizza, and dessert. In various places, they state the hours for their brunch, but basically it’s from 12-3 on Sundays. The crew prepping and dressing all the dishes take great care and each dish looks like a masterpiece (but a larger portion than foam of foam). When I’ve arrived crusty from a bike ride, the staff have helped park my bike somewhere out of the thieves hands. I’ve been there alone and I’ve been there with other people. They are open every day (no guessing needed). On a Sunday, each of the four tables downstairs will be taken up by three generations of a local family. The only downside to this place is that the bathrooms are upstairs so if you’re sore from hiking… que pena. They do deliver so I guess I could just stay home.

Di Lucca, Carrera 13, #85-32:11/13. This is one of the IT places to be. The service is okay for a place overwhelmed with customers. The pizza is fine. They have lots of other dishes as well. I don’t really like that this place is always such a hectic place and so it can take a while to get one’s drinks or food. They also do delivery.

Archies (a chain): 11/13. I usually order from them. They also offer a large menu of items. I like that I can order it all online.

There are many other places (Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Dominos, etc.) as well including some food trucks selling pizza. I’m not much of a fan.

Indigo Grows on Trees

M's Adventures
The indigo plant. Tie dye in back.
The indigo plant. Tie dye in back.

It really does. Indigo is made from the indigo tree. I can’t tell you much more than that but considering how denim has conquered the world, I think it’s kind of wonderful.

I went to this workshop in El Salvador. Perhaps more about that trip another time.