Bogota, Breakkie, Botero December 2019

I do not post food images; this is an experiential image. I am a breakfast purist. Few things set my day better than scrambled eggs (w/cheese), hash browns (extra crispy), bacon, and a side of pancakes (w/butter and maple syrup only). And a thick vanilla shake if you’ve got one. Except for the shake, this is my breakfast for purists. The horror of baked beans on a breakfast plate (why??) or marscapone on the pancakes makes as much sense as substituting water for milk in your cereal. But I digress . . .

This photo is an experience. Since one of my two days in Bogota was filled with a 40mm downpour, I decided to push myself in other areas. Spread those wings a bit. On the menu, I let my gaze travel down, beyond the scrambled eggs, to the words I couldn’t translate, til I came upon arepas. When I asked the waitress what they were, her eyes grew big (with a smile) and her voice jumped an octave with, “Muy rico!”, which didn’t answer my question at all, but I took it as a good sign. So I said, “Si!”. The arepas arrived and I had to have a little inner chat Once I realised, one cannot eat arepas with a knife and fork. There is just no avoiding the mixture of soggy and drippy and crumbly goodness that falls across the plate. Arepas, my new Colombian best friend.

On the day it wasn’t raining, I did get to the museo del oro (Gold Museum) and museo de Botero.I had forgotten how much I like Botero. I think I first saw his works on a high school excursion to MOMA in NYC. Interstingly (for me) the only print I ever bought while traveling was a giant Botero I purchased in Seville, Spain, which I had to carry through several countries en route back to San Francisco. So I am here in Botero’s home country, he’s actually from Medellin, and these are some of his collection in Bogota.

I mean, look at them! The fat cat too!

I’ve renamed this ‘Light on their Feet’.

Not sure what I can say about this prodigious nun.