Breakfast!

Our first stop of our tour was at a traditional family-run café for breakfast. The Panaderia Donde el Flaco is located on a pretty street festooned with colourful upturned umbrellas. On the way there, we passed more street art, which I just had to take photos of!

We also stopped to look at a statue of Policarpa Salavarrieta Ríos (born in Guaduas, January 26, 1795 and died in Santafé de Bogotá, November 14, 1817), nicknamed La Pola. She was a Colombian heroine who spied for the Creole independence forces during the Spanish Reconquista. She is considered a heroine of Colombian independence . She was executed in the Plaza Mayor, today called Plaza de Bolívar, on November 14, 1817.

We were all foodies in the group, so we enjoyed Gina's explanations about the traditional Colombian dishes we were served. We shared delicious dishes like Tamales Colombianos, a combination of rice, chicken, and vegetables served wrapped in banana leaves; chicken and beef empanadas, meat and vegetable pasties made with corn pastry; Huevos Pericos, scrambled eggs flavoured with tomatoes and spring onions; and Almojabana, cheese bread - perfectly spherical rolls made with precooked cornmeal, fresh cheese, butter, eggs, and milk, shaped and deep-fried. We were encouraged to sprinkle Aji Picante, a spicy dressing made from onions, peppers, garlic, chilli, coriander, and lime juice, all over everything! To drink, we had a choice of hot chocolate or strong black coffee. The Americans all opted for the chocolate while Mark and I had the coffee. It was all very good - a great introduction to Colombian cuisine and just what we needed for all the walking to come!Read more