A hidden gem in the heart of Bogota

A few days ago, we came across a small and quiet street line with the most interesting shops, mainly antiques. It is hard to imagine that a street like Calle 79B actually exists as it is surrounded by the daily hustle and bustle of busy Bogota. As soon as we arrived, time seemed to stand still while life continued elsewhere. Besides the antiques, there are other lovely shops such as Solero Design (sophisticate line of import home decors), Dupuis (home decors with an edge of uniqueness from both modern and retro design), Galeria Baobab (paintings and sculptures), and of course, a relaxing little Italian restaurant / cafe, Il Tenello, with indoor and outdoor seatings, to take it all in.

As for the antique shops, these are all different in terms of the individual pieces they carry so there are many interesting pieces to choose from. Since we just moved here and being an admirer of antique furnitures and accessories ourselves, I am so excited to have discovered this little hidden gem. To find out more about some of my favourite pieces, both new and old, I went back the next day. First was MUEBLES y OBJETOS (mueblesyobjetos.com) with their display of the most beautiful little pieces of miniature chairs. I was told by Ines Elvira Navarro of M+O that these are by a French design company, Acrila, who specialise in unusual but modern acrylic furniture. These unusual little chairs are only about five inches tall, yet their presence was unmissable.

After visiting both Solero Design and Dupuis, I made my way over to DESSVAN (dessvan.com) to have another look. It is a simple shop yet the pieces they have are striking and unique with origins from Colombia as well as all over the world. In my opinion, prices are reasonable compared to those in Europe and more so than the self appointed famous San Telmo antique area of Argentina, which in contrast, is a tourist trap. Out of further curiosity, I visited the shop's website afterward and my interests peaked even more. There are many more beautiful pieces of furniture and accessories from the 50s to the 70s that would add a bit of interesting history to any home.

Overall, this is a quiet and understated area. As simple as it may sound, the place is adorned by beautiful pieces from all over the world representing different eras of our cultural history. We will certainly revisit this little hidden gem and with so many great pieces, I do not think it will be an easy decision.......except for the miniature chairs!

Beautiful Cartagena

Our first holiday since we moved to Colombia. Back to the beautiful old town of Cartagena for some relaxation and nothing more. We stayed at a perfect place for just that, Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa (www.hotelcharlestonsantateresa.com). It was converted from an old convent in the 1980s and so it is a combination of old architecture with modern amenities. The room is new, very beautiful, bright and spacious. We have always stayed in smaller boutique hotels during our past visits but this was just as nice for a much larger hotel. The best part was the large rooftop pool overlooking all of Cartagena, a 360 degrees view of the city from the old part to new. Overall, service was very good at the restaurant. The staff was very attentive and friendly. Food was delicious but the mixed beverages i.e Mojitos or Margaritas were a lot less to be desired for. Location was perfect as it is surrounded by lovely shops and restaurants. But unlike other times, we did not venture around much. We just wanted to relax but we did have a horse carriage ride around the old town our last night. It was the perfect end to the most relaxing holiday.