All Articles

  • Restaurant Review: Sabor Llanero

    If you like meat, the best here is arguably Llanero-style. Colombia’s llanos, or plains, are on the east side of the Andes, where the cows can grow fat and not muscular from climbing steep hills! Sabor Llanero is the subject of our […]

  • Let’s Talk Like Colombianos: El vivo vive del bobo y el bobo de su bobada

    Expression: El vivo vive del bobo y el bobo de su bobada Sounds like: Ell bee-boh bee-beh del boh-boh ee ell boh-boh deh soo boh-bah-dah Means “The swindler lives off the dummy, and the dummy off his stupidity” This popular expression has […]

  • Hacking Colombia: Everyday Acronyms you Need to Know

    In this article we list and explain some of the key abbreviations you’ll run into while living or visiting our country. SOAT: Seguro Obligatorio de Accidentes de Tránsito. This is the mandatory personal liability insurance every driver must obtain. It’s sold in […]

  • Banking: What is the “cuatro por mil”?

    24 years ago, the Colombian government started a tax on bank accounts that was supposed to end in a year’s time, and it’s expected to continue indefinitely. Withdraw cash or pay bills or withdraw money in any fashion from your Colombian bank […]

  • National Treasure: Chicharrón

    Colombians love chicharrón, or fried pork rind, more than life itself it would seem! It appears in any number of dishes, either as a side or in a stew, and also as a snack food. Chicharrón (sounds like tchee-tchah-RRON) is ubiquitous in […]

  • Hacking Colombia: At Home

    Whether you plan to live in an apartment or a house in Colombian urban areas, the way we live in our homes may differ a bit from what you’re used to in your country of origin… Washing dishes: Almost nobody has a […]

  • Land of Unlimited Fruit: Part 1

    Colombia is a tropical land with a great variety of fruit growing in the wild, in people’s gardens and in farms. Some you may be familiar with, others will be mysterious to you. Let’s look at a few in this first installment […]

  • Hacking Colombia: Supermarket

    Colombia has a lot of supermarkets from small neighborhood ones to giant department stores. For foreigners, take it for granted that you’ll have to adapt your diet to Colombia’s: While some of your favorite foods from “back home” might be available in the imported […]

  • Bright Lights, Big City, Big stores

    While many other writers wax eloquent on the beauty of Colombia’s natural environment, its rich culture and picturesque pueblos, all of which I do as well, I also go through the motions bringing you the mundane details of everyday life here, thinking […]

  • Hacking Colombia: Plumbers, electricians and Locksmiths

    Trades people are more of the informal type in Colombia and in Latin America in general. No Roto Rooter, but maybe Mario from the barrio! While the person providing any of these services is likely unlicensed, I can attest that they usually […]