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Country Guide > South America > Colombia | |
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Social Profile Food & Drink Restaurants offering international cuisine and table service is the norm. Local dishes are varied and tasty, with a touch of Spanish influence. Recommended dishes are ajiaco (chicken stew with potatoes, served with cream, corn on the cob and capers); arepas (corn pancakes made without salt, eaten in place of bread); bandeja paisa (meat dish accompanied by cassava, rice, fried plantain and red beans), served in the area of Medellín. Seafood (mariscos) is plentiful on the Caribbean coast -lobsters in particular are renowned for their flavour. It is safest to drink bottled water. Colombians rarely drink alcohol with meals. Gaseosa is the name given to non-alcoholic, carbonated drinks. For a small black coffee, you should ask for a tinto, but this term is also used to describe red wine or vino tinto. Colombian wines are generally of poor quality. Chilean and Argentinian wines are available in restaurants at reasonable prices. Colombia produces many different types of rum (ron). Canelazo, a rum-based cocktail taken hot or cold, is recommended. There are no licensing hours. Nightlife Bogotá’s Colon Theatre presents ballet, opera, drama and music, with international and local groups. There are many nightclubs and discos in the major towns of Colombia. Shopping Special purchases include local handicrafts, cotton, wood and leather goods, woollen blankets, ruana, and travelling bags. Hotel shops carry excellent gold reproductions of ancient Colombian jewellery. Colombia produces first-grade stones, and the emeralds are among the most perfect in the world. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1200 and 1400-1830. Special Events For a complete list, contact the Colombian Embassy (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Colombia in 2005: Jan Festival of Blacks and Whites, Pasto. Feb Barranquilla Carnival. Feb-Mar Cartagena Film Festival. Mar International Caribbean Music Festival, Cartagena; Latin American Bogotá Theatre Festival. Mar 21-28 Easter Week in Popayan. Jun Cumbia Festival, El Banco; Porro Festival, San Pelayo. Aug Medellín Flower Fair; Colombiamoda (fashion event), Medellín; Sea Festival, Santa Marta; Guabina and Tiple Festival, Veléz. Oct Rock in the Park, Bogotá. Nov National Folk and Tourist Festival, San Martín; Colombian National Beauty Contest, Cartagena. Dec 25-Jan 6 2006 Cali Fair. In Bogotá, the open-air Media Torta presents music, plays and folk dances on Sunday afternoons and holidays. An amateur theatre group gives frequent performances in English. Social Conventions Normal courtesies should be observed. It is customary to offer guests black Colombian coffee, well sugared, called tinto. Spanish style and culture can still be seen in parts of the country, although in Bogotá, North American attitudes and clothes are becoming prevalent. Casual clothes can be worn in most places; formal attire will be necessary for exclusive dining rooms and social functions. Smoking is allowed except where indicated. The visitor is advised that many of the main cities in Colombia are notorious for street crime, particularly at night. Drug-related crimes are a serious problem throughout the country and the visitor should be wary of the unsolicited attention of strangers. Tipping: Taxi drivers expect 10 per cent tips. Porters at airports and hotels are usually given c. pesos500 per item. Many restaurants, bars and cafes add 10 per cent service charge to the bill or suggest a 10 per cent tip. Maids and clerks in hotels are also tipped. Bogotá’s shoeshine boys live on their tips and expect about 1000 pesos. |