Exploding Fun in Colombia

Tejo is Colombia's national pastime and I was fortunate to learn and play the game during my time in Bogota. It is similar to horseshoes, bocce or American corn hole but with a bang. It is played by tossing roughly a 2kg disc, called "Tejo" across a lane, about sixty-five feet in length, onto an angled board covered completely with clay. In the center of the board is a metal circle called "bocin" and around the perimeter are four folded paper triangles filled with gunpowder, called "mechas". The object is to get the tejo inside the bocin along with hitting one, or more, of the mechas so it explodes. Yes, explodes! The more your team, usually three to four people, hits the mechas or gets close to the bocin, wins. CRAZY FUN!

I can think of a few sports in the world where drinking while playing is encouraged. I couldn't imagine playing darts, pool, corn hole or even bowling without an ice cold alcoholic beverage. So tejo with explosives and heavy weights = excessive amounts of beer drinking. And the added bonus, it is free to play as long as you order, and continue to order, lots and lots of beer. I was with seven other people so we ordered a crate of beer which was more convenient than going up to the front each time.

Lastly, after many, many cervezas you can dance with a local like I did.

So the next time you are in Bogota or anywhere in Columbia, try and play Tejo. Guaranteed to be a blast! 

Ultimos dias en Bogota

Colombia! The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay...
Over the past couple of years we have lived in a few cities anywhere up to seven months.  Being in a place that long, you really get to learn the culture, quality of life and differences.  Since Colombia has a reputation of crime, drugs and violence, I thought I would share some things I learned and observed during my six months in Bogota.


Cost of Living
The quality of life in Colombia is much higher these days and the overall safety concern is not as prevalent as it once was.  Bogota is a vibrant city with a strong expat community.  The weather could be ideal for most people if you enjoy living in a spring-like season year round.  The city is at an elevation of about 9,000 feet with average daytime temperatures of 68F and at night drops to around 55F.  This past year they have had an exorbitant amount of rain but I am told this is rare.

The cost to rent an apartment in Bogota varies based on where you live.  In the best neighborhoods for a luxury 2-3 bedroom and 2 1/2 bath apartment could cost around $1,200US/month but other areas for a modern apartment could be as low as $450US/month.

Meals in restaurants generally less expensive.  Having a 2 to 3 course dinner at an nice restaurant is about $50US for two people including tip, excluding alcohol.  Local beer is about $2-3US but wine and cocktails are more expensive.  Wine is all imported so average glass is about $8 - $10US and cocktails are $10-$15 per drink.  Compared to US prices, groceries, clothing and shoes are generally about the same. However they have some of the best quality of meats, chicken and pork as well as wonderful exotic fruits.  American fast food restaurants (McDonalds, Burger King) are comparable to US pricing but local fast food, which are everywhere, are half the price.

Similar to most South American countries I have visited, you rarely will get a vegetable served with your meal.  They have salads but mostly your side options usually include either a potato (baked or mashed), french fries or onion rings.

Something I have not seen anywhere else are plastic gloves for eating.  In restaurants when someone gets a sandwich, french fries, wings or anything you would usually pick up to eat, you are given plastic gloves.  I actually like the idea both for cleanliness and sanitary reasons.

 I love hot chocolate and it is very popular and a staple in most restaurants. In the morning it is usually served with an arepa and cheese or a snack with bread and cheese.

Transportation
It is very easy to get around the city by taxi and there are thousands of them on the street.  Taxis are cheap and you can get most places for less than $5US.  The buses and transmilenio system goes everywhere and costs about .40-90 cents but we never used them.  Most of the time, being in a taxi is like being in a race car with Juan Pablo Montoya, the Colombian race car driver!  They definitely know how to weave in and out of traffic in these little cars. 

Street vendors are everywhere and very convenient if you want to grab something on the go.  They sell everything from gum, candy and chips to fresh fruit and pizzas.

Certainly there are good and bad people everywhere but overall Colombians tend to be noticeably friendlier.  Everyone I have interacted with from hotel staff, restaurant servers, grocery store attendants, taxi drivers or locals are nice and accommodating. I enjoyed my time in Bogota and I am glad I had the opportunity to visit the country.  It is not a "scary" place, as it probably once was, and I can see why it is becoming a new tourist destination for South America.

Culture
There are several museums in Bogota to visit with the most popular being the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum).  After being in Vienna the last seven months, I wasn't as excited to see museums but decided I should at least go to one so I picked the Botero Museum.  Mostly because Fernando Botero is such a famous Colombian artists and he is well known for his enlargement and deformation of his subjects.

Entrance into the museum

Mona Lisa, his most famous piece

Adam and Eve

Woman with fruit

Adam and Eve

For my last weekend we all got together to play Tejo.  Jesus and Gina cracking open the first beer of the day!

Ready to play Tejo!

Tejo hombres

Tejo Team
Scott, me, Jesus, Gina, Mike, Carlos and Joe

 After Tejo we went to grab a bite to eat at our local spot, Beer Lounge.

Another great day/night out in Bogota!!

Andres Carne de Res

When we arrived to Bogota, we were told numerous times that we must spend at least one night at Andres Carne de Res restaurant in Chia.  There are actually two locations, the original in Chia, which is 30 miles outside of Bogota, and the other in Bogota not too far from where we live.  According to the locals and what has been written about this place, it is the most famous destination in all of Colombia and also has been compared to House of Blues on steroids.  Well of course, since they mentioned House of Blues, and having worked 12 years with the company, this grabbed my attention.

One afternoon we decided to check out the location in our neighborhood, Andres DC, to see what all the hype was about.  This place was amazing!  The restaurant is (4) floors, each level with a different theme, and holds up to 800 guests.  The 1st floor is themed as Hell, then Earth, Purgatory and finally Heaven. It is hard to describe the decor so hopefully my pictures will do it justice. When we asked to see the menu they handed us a magazine that was 32 pages!  Every possible food item you could imagine and over 800 different types of cocktails.  After seeing Andres DC we knew we had to make the trip to Chia to really get the full experience.

We had a driver to take us to Chia and bring us back so we didn't have to hassle with a taxi late in the evening.  As you approach the restaurant you know you have arrived merely by all the lights hanging from the trees, it was incredible!  It is probably one of the most interesting places I have ever experienced.  It is a restaurant, bar, dance club and theater all in one.  Once you pay your 10,000 COP entrance fee ($6US) you are escorted to your table.  The table is yours for the night so you can get up to dance and come back to a secure spot.  The food was amazing, your cocktails are served in coconut shells and they have live entertainment roaming around performing at tables.  

A little blurry but gives you an idea of what the outside looks like.

Crazy decorations that has no rhyme or reason

There are 550 tables in this restaurant with a 3,500 capacity!  

We had table number 56, Fertilidad (Fertility)

 My delicious steak with a pepper sauce on a hot iron skillet along with a baked tomato stuffed with mashed potatoes! 

Ready to dig in...

Throughout the night, four musicians roam to each table performing.

Enjoying my cocktail in a coconut shell.  

The dance floor was packed by 11pm and stayed that way for the rest of the night.

Interesting decor that definitely resembles House of Blues. This particular piece reminds me of a Chicago folk art artist, Mr. Imagination, who uses bottle caps.

This is how your bill is presented.  They definitely go over the top in every way.

 Inside the box is a flashlight, magnifying glass, bags of chocolate and your bill.

 Your billed is rolled up inside this tube. I love this idea, so creative!

I definitely now understand why this place is so popular and recommended by everyone.  It was absolutely a great night out and I am sure we will go back one more time before we leave.